How To Stop Thinking About Food All The Time
14,928
Published 2024-02-29
#emotionaleating #overeating #eatingpsychology
Disclaimer: This video is for information purposes only and my content should not be used as a substitute for seeking treatment from a healthcare provider. My content is not going to be suitable for everyone, so please use your self discernment before applying any video content in your own life.
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Summary:
Addressing the common narrative that attributes food fixation solely to restriction, Sarah explores the multifaceted psychological aspects that contribute to this challenge.
The discussion begins with a focus on the perception of food scarcity, emphasizing that constant thoughts about food can arise not only from inadequate nutrition but also from the way individuals think about food. Sarah explains the biological impact of anticipating food, shedding light on the production of ghrelin, the hunger hormone, even when thinking about eating.
Sarah delves into the mental debates that arise when faced with food choices, highlighting the importance of shifting from a binary "yes or no" mindset to a more nuanced "now or not now" approach. By calming the brain and deeming decisions around food as less crucial, individuals can foster a healthier relationship with their choices.
The video explores the concept of observing one's thoughts, encouraging viewers to detach from ingrained thought patterns. Sarah discusses the power of mindfulness and the practice of observing thoughts without complete identification, offering a glimpse into a different state of consciousness that can ease the mental burden of constant food obsession.
A crucial aspect of the discussion revolves around the interplay of self-worth with food and body image. Sarah challenges the notion that fixing these aspects is the key to personal value, urging viewers to consider what fixing their food and body means about their self-perception. The video proposes a shift in consciousness, disidentifying with conditioned patterns and embracing a more compassionate perspective toward oneself.
In conclusion, Sarah synthesizes the key takeaways, emphasizing the need to address food scarcity, make intentional food choices, engage in identity work, and cultivate self-compassion. The video serves as an enlightening guide for individuals seeking a profound transformation in their relationship with food, offering a holistic and introspective approach to achieving psychological freedom.
All Comments (21)
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First video of yours I've seen. Instantly subscribed. I've never found anyone that has been able to so clearly describe the noise that has been constantly going on inside my head for the last half a century.
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I’m one of the many who go all day eating appropriately and not too hungry. Nighttime is my nemesis. On the days I work, I come home really hungry, have a reasonable dinner, but crave sweets afterwards. And once I start, it’s like I have a sugar tapeworm😮.
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I was around 800Lbs. I tried many diets. I failed lap band surgery. My mind was always searching for the next meal. Food consumed my life and made me a prisoner in my own body. I discovered the carnivore diet over two years ago and lost 500 lbs. This seems extreme to most, but it worked by giving me the off switch that I never had. I was broken. If I eat carbs, the voracious cravings return. So for me, it’s best to abstain from those foods that could make me spiral back to where I was. At 52 years old, I feel and look better than I did in my 20s. My doctor is happy with my success. Mindset does play a huge part, but for me the carnivore diet gave me the quiet in my head, resulting in finally finding food freedom. People say it’s restrictive. 800 lbs is restrictive. I have my life back.
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OMGoodness! This video makes sense, rings true, and gives me hope. You are SO GOOD at what you do!
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I find this so hard to explain to others, I literally think about food constantly. It's exhausting. So when I finally cave in after 3 days of thinking about a particular food, it's after thinking about it constantly for days, and yeah, it is a relief. Fixing my food and my body means so much to me. I've never been a healthy weight (genuinely, that's not just my perception) and it's holding me back in my CrossFit training. I just want to be a normal size, for once in my life, and I don't want to have to think about trying to be in a calorie deficit all the time. I wish I could just eat like a normal person.
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Intermittent fasting helped me lose over 160 lbs and I have no regrets. However now I am struggling with restriction and while I am still able to stick with OMAD, I do find myself thinking about food obsessively, thank you for video
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I really appreciate your videos. I completely relate to the idea of eating the food you’re thinking about just to end the struggle in your mind. So a lot of times, it doesn’t even feel like a conflict, it’s just like, I’m just going to eat this so I don’t have to think about it anymore. And in those moments I can still sort of zoom out on those thoughts, and there IS recognition that I could observe my thinking and end the internal battle that way- but it feels easier to give in and eat the food rather than zooming out. 😫 I also don’t even feel that guilty after it’s happened anymore - mostly apathetic. Also, I feel like I need to get something off my chest that feels like a horrible secret- the other day I kept eating WHILE listening to some of your videos. I don’t even know what was going on there 😶🌫️😭 Anyway, I do want to end the comment on a good note! I am getting better at observing thoughts, and it does feel freeing when you realise “oh, that’s just thinking” and that it’s not reality. All of your videos are gold honestly, no time is wasted - every sentence feels like a valuable lesson! Thank you!
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Thank you for all that you do. I don’t recall seeing a video on this topic, but I was wondering if you could do a video on those of us who struggle with chronic pain that leads us to binge eat. Before my pain, I used to exercise as a way to keep my binge eating in check. Now that I can’t do it anymore, I find I turn to binging to distract from the pain and comfort myself. I know it isn’t true, but it can sometimes feel impossible to resist binging when I am in pain and hopeless despair over my physical condition. Thank you again for your channel.
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4:30 Yes!!! The “permission” also includes permission to say no.
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Wise and insightful beyond words. Thank you for helping us!!
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My life (71 years) has been consumed by thinking about food. And I can never get full enough. I did watch a video of yours on that also. Always from childhood an eating “problem”, 40 year bulimic with amazingly few physical repercussions. 20 years free from the activity but not the thinking. Right now, extremely thin maintained by extreme restriction. Watching your videos is very helpful. I would engage in 1:1 but am a US resident. Again, thank you so much. I am hearing things that I haven’t heard before.
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This was really hard-hitting for me. The thought of “who am I without this obsession with food” I genuinely don’t know the answer to that! My entire life has been an obsession with food, an obsession with restriction and binging in an endless cycle. I really have to try and find more purpose and meaning in my life. It’s also more difficult as I am autistic and have always found it incredibly difficult to be introspective, or view my thoughts from a more detached perspective, like you mentioned.
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Oh my gosh! Thank you for going deeper! I am more than my "conditioned self"! Self-compassion is the way!
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Your videos are so incredibly wonderful. Thank you for sharing these insights and helping me to finally understand why I’ve struggled for so long.
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I use to listen your videos over and over again and I find always something new for me. I started to eat enough, so I dont binge during night, but I still think about food a lot. But what you've said make a lot of sense to me. Thank you so much
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Great video...I continue to appreciate your insights. It all helps.
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your videos are on point!!!
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Everything said in the video I have thought of and processed in my therapy sessions (I'm impressed😊). Such a informative and "dense" so to speak, video 😇
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Thank you so very much Sarah, yet again for putting out your videos here, very-very much appreciated. You voice is so calming and reassuring 💐
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Your videos are amazing Sarah, it is the content ❤ and also the video edition and the way you explain the info in a way that is easy to understand it. THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR WORK! You are a very generous person. Not any person includes the audiobook of her book in a free way on her channel ❤.
