Self-Trust

When I first started this blog, I was working my way through a book about ending overeating.  The second chapter discussed the Costs of Overeating.  One of the costs I wrote about was the lack of Self-Trust.  I just re-read my post, and I realized I can really add on to it.

It's not just about trusting that I'm eating the right things.  It's about trusting my feelings.  I know it sounds a little weird, so just hear me out, please.

Yesterday was Day 2 of no binging.  I had my day pretty well planned, but I was skeptical about dinner.  It was something that I had made previously and frozen, but the portions were small and I didn't know if it would satisfy.  I finished my dinner and immediately felt like I needed to eat more.  But I was completely conflicted.

Was I actually hungry?  Did I just feel like stuffing my face?  (The answer to that one is almost always yes, regardless of what else is actually going on.)  Did I just think I was still hungry because I had told myself my dinner was too small and wouldn't satisfy me?  Or maybe it was because I semi-burned my dinner in the microwave and it wasn't flavorful or texturally pleasing?

So many options, but only actual hunger would be a reason to eat more.  I was watching TV, so I told myself that if I was still hungry when the show was over, I would have some more food.  40 minutes later, the show was over, and I still felt hungry, so I ate.  But I wasn't starving, so I can't help but wonder if I actually needed to eat more.  Or if I could have stopped eating earlier, rather than eating everything I served to myself. 

One of the major costs of overeating is the distortion of hunger signals.  Or maybe it's more accurately a deafness to hunger signals?   I definitely have to find a way to tune back into what my body is telling me.  I guess I just have to start slowly.  And really, really pay attention.


In other news, thanks to this amazing site, I now what I pet baby pig.