Hi Brooke,
I’ve been struggling with allowing intense food urges (I’ve been doing fine with small or medium urges). I wanted to share what really worked for me that may help someone else. Phase 1 was when it felt completely impossible to allow an urge I have started just practicing delaying it. For 10 minutes, an hour, a few hours. Whatever seems possible. So I’ve been doing that successfully (while still eating when the delay is over). Phase 2 was journaling my physical sensations and emotions before and after the delayed urge-reward. Tonight I made it to phase 3, which was set a time to delay, notice the sensations and by 15 minutes it was over! I allowed an intense urge from beginning to end without eating. I felt a dopamine rush from how powerful I felt. I just wanted to share in case other people needed more of a phasing out process with intense urge-reward patterns. I’m so proud and amazed at how good it felt to feel anything intense from start to finish! Thank you!
Bethany