How to kick those unhealthy food cravings!

Food Cravings – Anxiety is the culprit! 

"The cause of all addictions and unhealthy behaviors is anxiety. The need to overeat, smokes, and drink, etc. is propelled by our need to tranquilize a level of uneasiness."      

- Dr. Roger Callahan innovator of Thought Field Therapy 

 Anxiety is at the base if it all!
Most of the people  who come to work with me to reduce their weight believe that if they could get over their cravings for too much food or for junk food, they would be able to live at their ideal weight.  Each person has a unique set of responses to emotional states, and to the sight, smell and taste of food.  For some, being overweight has very little to do with food at all. 


The key to being overweight for some may be an emotional response or pattern in the subconscious mind that causes the body to store fat.  Thoughts, beliefs, and emotional patterns can run automatic responses and rob the body of energy needed for the physical functions required for a healthy body.  Anxiety caused by inner conflict related to any area of life can by itself, have an effect on metabolism.  

    
For others, the issue may actually be a form of substance abuse.  Many people use food like a medicine to soothe anxieties.  Others may use tobacco, prescription or street drugs, alcohol, shopping, gambling, or sex to soothe their anxieties.  Very few of us know how to deal with feelings directly.  We try to distract ourselves or avoid the feelings by looking for relief outside of ourselves. 

    
Even though each individual is very unique, there does seem to be a common pattern in people who are overweight.  This pattern happens to be the biggest block for achieving ones highest potential in many areas of    life – but especially in attaining and maintaining ones ideal weight and health. The block is in the self concept—manifesting a lack of self acceptance.  This is the source of most chronic anxieties.

    
During infancy, childhood, adolescence, and young adulthood we are developing our self-concept.  We pick up powerful messages from the people around us.  Some of these messages create limiting beliefs about who we are, our capabilities, and body images.  These limiting beliefs are often faulty and based upon the distorted opinions of people who do not recognize the real truth about us.  Nevertheless, these beliefs act as powerful automatic subconscious programs throughout life—repeating over and over. 

    
These old programs reside in the subconscious mind and automatically stimulate behaviors like unhealthy eating habits. Often we are unaware of the belief systems held within our subconscious minds. The subconscious program will not change until the underlying belief gets noticed and replaced.  Using the latest empowerment techniques, these beliefs can be altered and used by the subconscious mind to create a new healthier program and set of patterns. 

    
You may find these steps helpful in discovering and clearing your limiting beliefs related to your body and health.  Follow them and you will notice more success in all areas of life.  You can permanently achieve your ideal weight as you improve your emotional, physical, and spiritual health at the same time:

1.    Discover and Change Limiting Beliefs that pull you down.  Listen to your self talk.  Notice any self criticism or negative comments about your body, your abilities, or your actions. This will give you some leading clues about the deeper limiting beliefs. 

2.    Get familiar with your body.  Learn to acknowledge all of your emotions. Learn to accept your feelings without judgment.  Pay particular attention to the physical sensations that let you know that you feel guilty, frustrated, or afraid.

3.    Learn and practice an effective strategy for dealing with your feelings directly and changing old beliefs that no longer serve you. (self criticism, overwhelm, worry, fears, sadness, blame, guilt, shame, grief, etc).  Remember - All addictions and negative behaviors result from the attempt to soothe anxieties (feelings) with unhealthy substances or behavior.  I suggest that you learn (EFT) Emotional Freedom Technique for this purpose.  It is painless, fast and easy to do.  I will be happy to provide you with instructions. 

4.    Discover the positive intention of the part of you that generates the desire to eat inappropriately or to store extra fat on your body.   For instance I have worked with people who were programmed to accumulate extra fat to discourage people of the opposite sex from approaching them romantically or even as protection from perceived danger of some kind.  You may want use EFT for this or get some help from a professional who will assist you to re-educate this part of your subconscious mind it so that it can be on the team with the parts of you that are ready to create a healthier life.

5.    Adopt the Naturally Slender Eating Strategy described in the second article in this series.  This strategy is used by literally all naturally slender people.  It will end your struggle with selecting and eating your food and help you to get off the diet roller-coaster with all of its calorie counting, etc. – forever.  

6.    Enjoy Movement.  If you want to be more motivated to get regular exercise, follow the instructions in Part IV of this series coming in the next issue and see what happens. You may experience a whole new level of motivation and enjoyment! 

Gayle North offers Personal Coaching for Positive Change using recently developed empowerment technologies that dramatically cut the time it takes to adopt a more joyous self image, improve health, heal negative emotions, improve performance in school, sports, relationships, etc.  Visit www.PositiveChangeInstitute.com for other articles. Call (406) 837-1214 to speak with Gayle about individual coaching in person or by phone.