Epiphany # 342 B

Yes,  Ive had another epiphany. It seems like epiphanies drive my life. But that's ok. What fun would it be to always view my world with the same pair of glasses? Better to learn and grow and try new things, new ways of looking at things, new approaches to maintaining my healthy body.
I have been thinking about food addiction. I think I am a person who is addicted to sugar. As I study addiction I have all the classic signs. I obsess on food, what I ate, what I will eat next. If there is sugary stuff in the house, I especially obsess on it. I bargain with myself as to if and when I will eat it. But eat it, I do. 
I've come across a book called, 'The End of Overeating: Taking Control of the Insatiable America' By David Kessler. 
The first part of the book explains what is happening in the brain. How it responds to high fat, sugar, salt food. And how the food industry uses this to keep America eating. It talks about which parts of the brain are effected by food stimulus. And it talks about dopamine and endorphins and the role they play. He supports his hypothesis by citing various studies.
Toward the end of the book is a plan to counter all this. He encourages a uniquely individualized approach that the reader creates for himself. What gives this book validity  is the idea that we must override those strong thoughts and urges by creating new neural pathways. He says we wont do it perfectly. But we will get better with practice. For me, it is another piece of the puzzle! 
He gives us tools to use such as:
Recognizing the things that trigger overeating.. FOR ME
Consciously stop thoughts that lead to overeating.
Pay attention to the cues that cause you to want a certain food.
Have a plan. 
Notice when your desire to eat is triggered by an emotion. When I was especially sad about loosing  Mike I ate whatever appealed in whatever quantities were available.
Get out of the path of cues.. Don't go where the food you crave is.
Have a plan for high temptation situations. I just came back from a jewelry party at my neighbor's. I figured she would have food there. I made a conscious decision to focus on the jewelry. I was able to avoid the chocolate cupcakes. I even brought one home to Frank without being tempted to eat it. Wow, that really feels good!
My neighbor complimented me on my hair, and how I have kept the weight off. That felt really good.
More about the book later.