Based on the advice from the book I am reading, which is a recovering overeaters biography and how the author was able to overcome her problem, I have been tracking my food.  I’m not being hardcore in my tracking because that triggers an OCD response in me where I start thinking about food constantly.  My goal for this last week was to be more aware of my eating habits and what I was doing around eating.

I thought that I did a good job of being concious of my eating – not the choices of foods, but how I was eating.  Each day, I would only eat when I was hungry.  My meals would be eating slowly and conciously, then stop when I felt satisfied.  I know that it wasn’t perfect, but one particular meal has stood out to me.

I just disconnected from myself and robotically stuffed food into my mouth.

On Saturday, my husband and I ordered a pizza for lunch.  I was hungry when we ordered it, but I was really hungry by the time it arrived.  The whole meal was just inhaled by me.  I even felt very uncomfortable  while I was eating that way – you know, the beyond full feeling.  But I just kept eating.  What a big mistake.  There was no reason for me to have done that.  I didn’t feel sad, or depressed, or even anxious about anything.

I just disconnected from myself and robotically stuffed food into my mouth.

Fortunately, it only happened that one time and while I was unable to stop myself – or refused to stop myself? – at least I was concious of what I was doing.  So now I can start combating it.  Perhaps pizza is a trigger food.  One of those comfort things that I use to disconnect from myself and just be a robot. 

Sweet things, colas and other Sugars

Another issue with my eating habits are sugars.  I drink coffee with sugar, sodas, and juices.  Desserts are the highlight of my day and I constantly crave (or think about): yogurt, ice cream, chocolate, breads, cookies, etc. 

This craving is particularly difficult for me to overcome.  I can been successful at removing most simple sugars from my diet, but I have a fear of being denied these sweets so I usually overdo it when I let sugars in. 

From another approach, if I allow myself to have sugars, then I usually can’t stop at just one.  The best thing I can tell is that  if I have some kind of sugar food, I need to eat it in the evening with water.  Or have water after.  That usually helps curb any additional craving.

Also, drinking sodas in the evening is a bad idea for me.  I notice that I don’t sleep as well at night and I usually wake up with a very dry throat and dry eyes.  I can tell I am dehydrated.