From WLS Lifestyles:
Relapse Prevention
By:
Louisa Latela, MSW, LCSW
Breathe!!! Make it a habit to become conscious of your
breathing. Most times when people are overeating they are not taking
full deep breaths. Many clients report that binge or overeating
episodes are either mindless or anxiety driven. By paying attention to
your breathing you get to come back to the present moment. You can then
step back from the situation and make a conscious decision. Throughout
your day take a few seconds to do a quick body scan. Notice if you are
holding any tension in your body and consciously release it.
Get clear with your intention for your life: “It is my intention
to live a healthy abundant joy-filled life”, “It is my intention to eat
and move in a way that supports good health and good energy”, “It is my
intention to live a life that is reflective of self love and respect”
etc.. Then before you think say or do anything ask yourself if those
thoughts words or actions support your intention. (Your intention
should always be worded to reflect what you do want to create vs. what
you don’t want i.e. ‘eat for good health and energy’ vs. ‘not eat
sweets’). Write down your intention for your life every morning.
Get Back to Basics… (Protein first, take supplements daily,
drink your water..) Keep food records for at least a week to increase
your awareness of what/when/and how much you are eating. Note the times
and feelings/activities prior to and after eating in an effort to
identify possible overeating triggers.
Maintain a comfortable and healthy eating routine. Take time to
make sure you have healthy foods available to you. Keep some healthy
snacks on hand in the car, at work, in your pocketbook or in your
briefcase so you avoid eating on the fly! With practice, it becomes
habit; the essence of a new lifestyle. With discipline comes freedom.
Seek nutrition counseling if you are having difficulty
maintaining a healthy eating routine. Schedule an appointment with a
nutritionist familiar with weight loss surgery who can help you get
back on track. Learn what you need to eat and why.
Keep physically active. Look for opportunities to increase your
physical activity- not necessarily strenuous workouts, but more regular
physical movement throughout your day.
Learn to handle uncomfortable emotions: Feelings send powerful
triggers to overindulge. If you are having a difficult time managing
your feelings without food or other numbing behaviors seek out help
(either from a therapy group or individual counseling) in learning to
develop new self nurturing coping skills.
Cultivate present moment awareness. Remember that in every
moment you have the opportunity to make a new choice. Just because you
started eating a cookie in this moment doesn’t mean you can’t decide to
stop eating it in the next moment. Practice mindfulness as you move
throughout your day (while driving in a car, going for a walk, washing
the dishes, eating, talking to a friend, etc…) In every single moment
of every single day each of us has control and choice regarding the
thoughts we think, the feelings we feel, the actions we take and
ultimately the experience of our lives!
Practice Gratitude: Be grateful for the opportunity this surgery
has afforded you. Remember what life was like prior to having surgery.
A grateful heart remembers the pain of morbid obesity and cherishes
recovery!
- www.louisalatela.com
- www.myselfdesign.com
From WLS Lifestyles:
Relapse Prevention
By: Louisa Latela, MSW, LCSW
Breathe!!! Make it a habit to become conscious of your breathing. Most times when people are overeating they are not taking full deep breaths. Many clients report that binge or overeating episodes are either mindless or anxiety driven. By paying attention to your breathing you get to come back to the present moment. You can then step back from the situation and make a conscious decision. Throughout your day take a few seconds to do a quick body scan. Notice if you are holding any tension in your body and consciously release it.
Get clear with your intention for your life: “It is my intention to live a healthy abundant joy-filled life”, “It is my intention to eat and move in a way that supports good health and good energy”, “It is my intention to live a life that is reflective of self love and respect” etc.. Then before you think say or do anything ask yourself if those thoughts words or actions support your intention. (Your intention should always be worded to reflect what you do want to create vs. what you don’t want i.e. ‘eat for good health and energy’ vs. ‘not eat sweets’). Write down your intention for your life every morning.
Get Back to Basics… (Protein first, take supplements daily, drink your water..) Keep food records for at least a week to increase your awareness of what/when/and how much you are eating. Note the times and feelings/activities prior to and after eating in an effort to identify possible overeating triggers.
Maintain a comfortable and healthy eating routine. Take time to make sure you have healthy foods available to you. Keep some healthy snacks on hand in the car, at work, in your pocketbook or in your briefcase so you avoid eating on the fly! With practice, it becomes habit; the essence of a new lifestyle. With discipline comes freedom.
Seek nutrition counseling if you are having difficulty maintaining a healthy eating routine. Schedule an appointment with a nutritionist familiar with weight loss surgery who can help you get back on track. Learn what you need to eat and why.
Keep physically active. Look for opportunities to increase your physical activity- not necessarily strenuous workouts, but more regular physical movement throughout your day.
Learn to handle uncomfortable emotions: Feelings send powerful triggers to overindulge. If you are having a difficult time managing your feelings without food or other numbing behaviors seek out help (either from a therapy group or individual counseling) in learning to develop new self nurturing coping skills.
Cultivate present moment awareness. Remember that in every moment you have the opportunity to make a new choice. Just because you started eating a cookie in this moment doesn’t mean you can’t decide to stop eating it in the next moment. Practice mindfulness as you move throughout your day (while driving in a car, going for a walk, washing the dishes, eating, talking to a friend, etc…) In every single moment of every single day each of us has control and choice regarding the thoughts we think, the feelings we feel, the actions we take and ultimately the experience of our lives!
Practice Gratitude: Be grateful for the opportunity this surgery has afforded you. Remember what life was like prior to having surgery. A grateful heart remembers the pain of morbid obesity and cherishes recovery!