In Part One, I talked about slowing down and allowing yourself to have the "down" time time, the cycles of emotion and your innate nature just like the cycles and seasons that mother nature goes through.
I encouraged you to find other ways to nurture and nourish yourself beyond reaching for food as emotional comfort.
I've heard from a handful of women "oh I've done that." Or, " I know that pleasure/self care and taking care of myself is important. I get my nails done on a regular basis." (or a massage or new shoes whatever the treat may be)."
But these same women are still fighting with food. Still obsessed, still compulsively eating, secretly eating, emotionally eating. Turning to food as their source of pleasure and comfort (or numbing agent if you're like I used to be).
Or I'll hear women say "my life is so good, I love my partner, have a great home life, work is pretty great, and yet, I can't let go of the food."
So what's the missing piece in all this? Often when we "know" something intellectually even if we can act on it, we often aren't able to put it into practice in our heart because there is a block, or what I call an unconscious commitment at play. Even though life looks "good" we can't fully accept that because we're still stuck somewhere else.
In both situations, there is undoubtedly an unconscious commitment and limiting belief at play in their psyche. Often something we don't want to admit or don't even know is running in the background (hence the unconscious part).
I do a lot of work with women to free themselves from these unconscious commitments so that the life they say they want can come into alignment with the life they are living. It's amazing what we uncover.
Of course, I don't do anything with clients that I haven't fully examined for myself and was floored to find that for as much as I said I wanted to get free from compulsive eating and have a more fit body, I was stuck in a viscious cycle of still turning to food in times of stress and avoiding exercise like the plague.
Begin to break this cycle by asking yourself what inside of you is at odds with the thing you say you want (freedom from food, to enjoy your great life, etc).
When I asked myself this question it became clear to me that I was afraid of drawing attention to myself, afraid of feeling too much and then not having anyone to share it with and in turn having to shoulder the burden of feeling so much, alone. As such, I kept the extra weight on my body (so no one would notice me!) and I kept turning to food to help me cope with my emotions (because food wouldn't dismiss me the way other people did!)
Nothing about learning to take care of yourself and break free of emotional eating is a quick fix process. Your body and soul don't work on quick fixes. Give yourself the gift of grace and patience as you ask yourself what is at odds with what you say you want. Give yourself the love and loyalty the food gives you. Break free of the cycle, one step at a time. It is so very much worth it. The reward is the peace, joy and life you really dream of living.