I started SCS 2/1/19 (LOVING it!). My Impossible Goal is to overcome my binge eating which is especially challenging in the evenings, fueled by anxiety. So I’m doing the Stop Overeating Program alongside working on my Emotions this month. I have an eating Protocol which includes an 8-hour eating window. So far, all’s been going amazing well except for one thing that’s a “cheat”: I’m finding I “stretch” dinner waaaaay over an hour (I first eat my veggies, then protein, then fruit, then tea – and eating/drinking each super slowly). I know why I’m doing this even though I don’t want to admit it to myself: to shorten the time between when I finish dinner and when I go to bed because this is my most difficult binge time. So the less time I have to get through til bed, the more manageable it is. I’m literally “hacking” dinner-time as a way to help me avoid the feelings that cause me to binge which is exactly what we’re NOT supposed to do, of course – ARGH! And I’m outing myself right here and now so I can face these urges and learn how to process them instead (SCARY). This is actually something I’ve done for many years (as a binge eater, I found a work-around a long time ago) so it’s also a habit I have to break, on top of everything else. Not to mention that stretching dinner out like this lengthens my eating window so it defeats that too. Lots to face here! I know you provide many tools to deal with these urges and feelings – I’ve listened to and read so much of your material – now it’s time to put it all to work. I’m just scared sh*tless (which I know you’ll say is GOOD! That’s the point of all this!).
I’ve been writing about this is my morning Thought Downloads whenever it comes up. I also tried doing a model on it, but I’m very new to models so would appreciate your help (not at all sure if these are right so please modify away!):
UNINTENTIONAL MODEL:
C Dinner
T If stretch dinner, can get through night to bed
F Anxious
A Eating dinner for well over an hour
R Get through night without binging but not dealing with feelings and not fully intermittent fasting
INTENTIONAL MODEL:
C Dinner
T I finish dinner after 1 hour and feel full, nourished and the meal is completed
F Calm
A Eat dinner in 1 hour
R Finish eating dinner in 1 hour
Thank you, and thank you for this incredible program! Here we go… tonight will be the first night…
