How to Feel Satisfied without overeating
Satisfaction is defined as “the fulfillment of one’s needs”.
To the overeater, compulsive eating feels satisfying. This is the lie of addiction, because overeating ROBS us of satisfaction (keeping us stuck in addiction, weight pain, distracting us from achieving our dreams, and crushing our ability to evolve).
So how do we access real, lasting satisfaction and fulfillment without it?
1. Honoring our very real need for fulfillment. This is not something we need to stuff down – it’s something to celebrate as the Higher Self that wants to be expressed.
2. Eating healthful food that we TRULY ENJOY (not starving ourselves / crash dieting / eating foods we don’t like, etc).
3. Connecting with others frequently – Alan Robarge calls this Zesty Living, elevating and valuing all relationships. Connect with friends, family, and support groups on a daily basis to open the channels for emotional nourishment.
4. Developing our unique talents, Taking classes, creating space for projects that excite our brains, setting exciting goals (these are the needs that are begging for our attention!).
5. Separating “addiction voice” from the voice of our Higher Self – recognizing that anxiety, impulsivity, and fear are just the hallmarks of addiction voice and NOT who we are.
6. Setting and Achieving Goals such as exercise, job, relationship, creativity, requires consistency and routine, which is the opposite of immediate gratification. But in this process we learn to practice showing up, doing the work, and watching ourselves create our own amazing outcomes. There is no deeper satisfaction I know of than that.
7. Getting enough sleep, hydration, nutrition, sunshine, and other basics that we need to fill our energy tanks each day.
If you want to implement any of these ideas and need help– please reach out to a professional coach, therapist, or support group. These can be the keys to real, lasting, life-changing recovery.