How to End Your Obsession with Food and Weight

Is it possible to end your diet addiction? It is possible to throw away your scale, tape measure and diet foods? Can you really accept yourself, the way you are, with the body you have now and be at peace about it? It is possible but it takes alot of work. Most people don't want to do it, it is hard. If you are "overweight" by societies standards, you will have to be very courageous and dilligent to be aware of the constant barage of messages from doctors to magazines to even Oprah, touting the way to deal with your unacceptable "weight" problem.

We hear over and over about the obesity crisis in America. We hear and read about how unhealthy it is to be even just alittle bit heavier than what is deemed o.k. by authorities. We are encouraged by friends and family alike when we lose weight if we are heavier than what they like. We are encouraged and reprimanded by our doctors to find some way to control what is really not, statistically anyway, controllable by diets. We are literally brainwashed by diet ads on t.v, internet flat ab pictures blinking at us, and radio announements. Practically every magazine sells some sort of diet. The quest for the more perfect body is sold everywhere in our western culture. We buy it with our hopes and dreams inspired by a notion that we will better, healthier, sexier, more shapely, more energetic and happier person when we get thinner. Of course we will be the statistical 5% of those who diet to lose weight, to keep that weight off too. The effort expended, at the least mild food obsession and weight obsession, is worth it to many of us. We don't care. We are o.k. with being a nation of eating, food and weight obsessed individuals. If we look good, then, hey, a little obsession is worth it, right? We could never slip into anorexia nervosa or bulimia (did you know that excercising to burn calories from overeating is considered bulimia too?) Even though most anorexics begin their illness by going on a diet, we know we are not at risk.

Many people think that because someone is "normal" wieight, then they could not have any issues with food. They assume that person is just either lucky to have good genes or is disciplined with food and exercise. As if this discipline is something that is to be admired and emulated. It is very difficult to wrap ones mind around the fact that any obsession with food and weight, is a problem.But the issue is not really the obsession with food or weight. That is a smokescreen for deeper, unconscious reasons.The problem is the reason why we get obsessed with food and weight. It is more fun, well sort of, to just think that weight and food is a problem. Who wants to dig deeper, let go of a thin fantasy and maybe see our lives more clearly. A bad relationship or problem at work can easily get blamed on our fat stomach or butt. We never get to deal with the relationship or job and we always have a dream of being thin and then happy.

If you are willing to see why you have this issue with your weight and food and this includes body size or shape, then you are on your way to finding the peace of mind you seek. If you are willing to do certain things and not do other things, then you can find that freedom from the draining all consuming dilemna of food, weight and body issues.

To begin ending the obsession, you must first admit you are obsessed and concerned to the point of pain and mental anquish that you are just are ready to be done with it. You must make a commitment to do whatever it takes to recover from diet addiction and the obsessions that go with it. You must realize that you will forget from time to time and slip into the obsession with being thin or dieting. No problem you just go back and recommit to yourself that you will not diet again.

You find a compassionate voice within yourself that becomes your ally to help you deal with all the negativity, judgement and criticism you percieve within and without you about you and your weight, body, food.You learn to let go of the struggle within to be perfect. You can say to yourself "I am powerless to stop this inner torture and judgement, I am not going to fight it anymore, but I am going to find out what is going on with myself that would make me be so obsessed or judgemental. Am I sad about something? Do I need a hug? Am I angry about anything? How can I learn how to hold myself as I feel my feelings?

You find a counselor or therapist that gets what you are doing. Once you begin to lose your obsessions, your feelings will come up. It is important to find someone who will support you in processing this This person should be someone you can trust and that you like.

You find a group either online or in person or both who you can get support from. Finding others on the non diet path is essential. You cannot do it alone.

You stop weighing yourself. You dress yourself well and comfortably. Get rid of clothes that do not fit you or don't look good on you.

You eat what you want and learn the difference between bodily hunger and emotional hunger. You do not criticize yourself when you eat from emotional hunger, but you continue to eat from bodily hunger as much as possible to learn when you are really hungry. You learn what your body likes, what feels good in it. You do not judge yourself for eating a food that feels bad, you just notice. You make food legal, all foods. You relearn how to eat. Sometimes normal eaters eat for pleasure, boredom, etc. So what? It is no big deal. The big deal comes in when we judge and freak out. Move on with your life.

You find health care providers that do not chastise you about your weight.You can learn about Health at Every Size and NAAFA. Read books about non dieting, be careful, it is hip to say that you are a non diet approach but diets can sneak in there very easily. Some well meaning people still don't get what a non diet approach to ending food, weight and body image issues really is but think they do. This culture is so brainwashed that it is easy to miss the hidden motives for control.If what they are saying sounds like any form of control of your body or food, it is a diet.

Most of us know "good nutrition" basics,:low fat, low sugar, lots of fresh fruit, veggies, enough protein, whatever. if you are one of those who has a phd in nutrition by now, then let the info go now. You will most likely eat a "healthy" diet as you learn to listen to your body. If you don't, then trust that eventually you will. Experiment with how it feels when you eat something, but don't get into rules. If you need to see a nutritionist do but don't let him or her badger you about your weight. Let them know it is your health not your weight you are interested in. If they keep making references to weight loss, then get someone else who won't. Even someone who is nice and professional, does not get to tell you how to eat. Use information as a gentle guideline. But make your body the ultimate authority. If you have allergies or sensitivities or are diabetic, find foods you enjoy that are within the guidelines your body needs. Do not get into deprivation because of health mandated restrictions if you can help it.

Read magazines like Figure that show women in larger sizes modeling nice clothing. Learn to see all women's bodies as beautiful. Seek out anything that will help you with this be it film, art, media.

Watch out for those exercise dvds. They seem to be very focused on toning and weight loss. What about the joy of movement for movements sake? Even yoga that used to be gentle is now about weight loss and toning. Power yoga etc. Sometimes a nice walk is enough or dancing to music on your own.

Their are websites dedicated to Health at Any Size with links to clothing, exercise dvds and all kinds of services and things of interest to those of us who are healing from the diet addicted culture.

Since we are brainwashed by the diet industry, we need to unbrainwash ourselves and get support for it. These are some ways to do it. I hope it helps you on your journey to be free from diet addiction.

I wish you peace, wellness and lots of self acceptance.