In food addiction, as in life, you will make mistakes. Everyone does. Learn from your mistakes and forgive yourself for them. Greet them as opportunities for growth. Mistakes are not a reason to give up on your food plans as a compulsive overeater. Lapses will happen for almost everyone who is a food addict. Just get back on your program if you have a lapse. I have had many lapses over the years and have put on five or so pounds over a few weeks (often on vacations). I just get back on my program and stay with it closer until the five pounds are gone and I am stable. I also learned what worked for me and what did not work for me in the process. With my food addiction I put in corrections so this did not happen again. Mistakes are simply an opportunity to figure out what doesn’t work for you as well as what does work for you. Albert Ellis who was one of the giants of modern psychology basically said to be human is to be a mistake maker.
Food Addiction – Common Mistakes
What might be some common mistakes for compulsive overeaters? Well that is a good question. Let me list just a few:
1. Thinking you can make recovery happen fast if you are a food addict. Things actually might even get worse in some ways before they get better. Better you are ready for that possibility or even probability.
2. Going on a diet of any kind – this is a psychological issue as well as what food to eat issue for compulsive overeaters.
3. You are as overweight as you are honest with yourself is a useful way of thinking. So it is basically a mistake in food addiction to not figure out how to measure accurately what you are eating each time. Research studies show honesty about what one is actually eating even with “normal” people is a problem. This does not mean you have to actually use measuring cups though.
4. Thinking your friends and family will support you in your efforts. Some will and some won’t. You will need to figure out how to deal with both types.
5. Banning certain foods at least in early recovery may be a good strategy for you. Then again maybe not. So you need to come to a decision on this issue and stick with it.
6. Not learning about calories and the three food groups of fats, carbohydrates and protein.
Well I can go on and on but here are a few for today to help you deal with your food addiction. Move as we move forward.