I meant to mention in the previous post about something that has been more helpful than I previously thought. I do think I have mentioned it before, but since I’ve been thinking about it recently, it bears mentioning again. And that is the surprising help I got from using the workbook “Do you use food to cope?”
I grew up as the firstborn child. And I don’t know if it was that, or just my inborn personality type, but it was important to me to be calm and in control. When I made myself use this workbook (yes, I had to MAKE myself fill in the blanks, and think about the questions they were asking,) I realized that there were situations in my childhood that were out of my control, and made me very anxious, and that is when I turned to food.
Since then, I have said “I am anxious” more times than I ever did in my entire life before doing the workbook! But what I have been most aware of recently is that I identify being anxious about a certain situation or event, but there is NO thought at all of wanting to eat anything. I think that is because the eating was about denying or avoiding the anxiety. Now that I identlfy it, there is no need to eat. How about that? I posted about my workbook experiences here and here.
That’s all. Maybe along the same lines, one of our ‘own,’ a blogger, has come out with a new book where he evidently talks a lot about the mental aspect of losing weight–Transformation Road, by Sean Anderson. Thanks for mentioning it, Jane! I went ahead and ordered it on my Kindle and I will get it downloaded on my Starbuck’s trip this afternoon! Loretta wrote a really good review of it here. I am looking forward to reading it.
debby weighs in 
Hey! Sean Anderson lives in my hometown. I think he graduated the same year as one of my sisters, but I’m not for sure about that. I’m going to download his book when I get my work bonus – let me know how you like it!
Ha! I didn’t know it was only $6 for Kindle! I’m downloading it now. 🙂
Good deal, huh! That’s why I downloaded it without thinking much about it.
I was also a firstborn, and I think that we are sometimes exposed to worrisome events early on in our lives. I also know that food became a means of coping for me, and that resulted in life-long bad habits. I will also looking into the workbook that you mentioned, because it is still an issue for me more often than I would like it to be.
I think I’m going to have to get a Kindle or a similar type of reader. Maybe a Nook? I wonder if there are big differences. I’ll have to check that out.
Hey Debby, I’m the oldest/firstborn too! Yep, we definitely have some unique characteristics because of that. Good ones I say!
::raises hand:: Firstborn here, too. This explains so much! 😉
Funny, I am the baby in the family, and yet I feel like I am the one everyone leans on and expects to get the tough love from and is always considered in control (not!!). I am going to check out that food coping book.
I have Sean’s book as I bought it for myself as a birthday present. It is next on my reading pile. I’ve read every entry of his blog but this is supposed to be much different. 🙂
Caron, it IS different. I think the powerful effect of the book is because it’s all condensed and in order from childhood on up. And it just reads different than a blog, which can be rambling at times, or scattered, or not consecutive, if you know what I mean. Anyway, it was wonderful!
Congratulations on conquering your anxiety eating! I was the middle child… no particular complaints about that. But you’ve made me realize that most of my emotional eating comes when I’m alone in the house. I guess I feel like I deserve the solitude and want to make the most of it… by eating! Maybe I can fight that urge now that it’s identified. Thanks for talking about this strategy!