MSJF Method

A few days ago I developed a method to deal with psychological eating. It's been working so I thought I'd share. It's a four step process you must go through every time before deciding to eat. Do every step exactly as prescribed - no shortcuts.

1) Meditate - Close your eyes and count to ten saying one-one-thousand, two-one-thousand etc ... all the way to ten. This eliminates any psychological triggers from your mind that may be making you want to eat. 

2) Slap - slap the palm of one hand with your other hand - hard enough to sting just a little. (If you are in public you can pinch yourself instead - hard.) We have minds and we have bodies. Get your mind in touch with your body.

3) Jelly belly - do ten jelly bellies. Alternate slapping your stomach on each side to try and get a little wave going. :) (If you are in public and don't want to do it, try looking in a mirror or grabbing a big roll of belly fat.) Provides a quick assessment of where your weight is. (Strangely I don't feel fat, it's when I look in the mirror that I get a more accurate picture.)

4) Fuel - Say "food is fuel" five times to yourself. Food isn't for recreation or comfort. If you are hungry and your decision is to eat something, then make healthy choices correctly portioned. 

Yesterday I was watching a debate on TV and some comment triggered a combination of stress and anxiety in me. I jumped out of my chair and was rushing to the kitchen for solace. But then I stopped, did my routine, and realized that I really didn't want to eat anything. A truly wonderful moment for me.

Steve Miller

#3 seems a bit like personal body-shaming to me. "Hey, look at how much you jiggle! Think about that before you eat!" Many of us are already totally aware of every bit of wobble and sag.

If shaming worked nobody would be fat. Think of it as looking at the fuel gauge before going to the gas station. The mind says "I'm starving here" ... but the tank is already full.

Wait!! You mean there is a gauge to tell me fuel levels in my car????  Doesn't everyone just wait for the warning light to go on saying you have 50 miles left????  

Same holds true for windshield solvent.... oil......tire pressure.....

I understand the need to assess physical hunger. Reminding yourself of your belly fat has nothing to do with that.

If it works for you, that's great 

Interesting.

Looks like your almost seven years out.  I'm a little ahead of you and still deal with the psychological hunger at times as well. Have you been working on this because you've  had re-gain?

Yes, I've almost returned to my original weight. The sleeve works with physical hunger but that isn't my problem. Still, no regrets on the surgery - I'd weigh a lot more without it.