The Art of Moving through Your Food Addiction

You LOVE Food… and everyone loves them too. But when your love for the sumptuous treats become an unhealthy obsession that’s putting your very life at risk, it is important to acknowledge that you are addicted to food and that you want to make a change, for the better.

It is very hard to recover from eating disorders, and this is where the wisdom of zen and yoga come – to help you go back to your normal, healthy life and have that long term fix without the risk of fad diets and pills. Most often, binge eaters are trapped in some case of gridlock of numbness, fear, and denial. It takes a lot of guts to acknowledge that you have a problem, and more strength to seek out professional help.

There are actually simple, easy, and natural steps for healing, which can give you really powerful results. Among these solutions is the famous Sun Salutation or 12 poses of Surya Namaskar that you can do each morning. This can take your mind away from food, giving you that exhilarating feeling of being fresh. You can even play your favorite upbeat tune while you do the poses.

Here are 12 Ways that Can Help Take Away Your Addiction for Food:

1. Breathe Deeply and Feel the Energy. Taking time to breathe deeply makes you in sync with your inner zen. It calms your mind, as well as enhancing your blood circulation.

2. Love Your Healing. You are responsible for yourself and if you love yourself truly, you will learn ways to nurture yourself – without food addictions.

3. Be Realistic. Focus on achievable targets that will allow you to succeed. Change can be overwhelming, but one step at a time goes a long way.

4. Be Consistent. Everyone gets bored of routine, but you have to love and stick to your healing plan, even if it’s only for a few minutes everyday.

5. Give Yourself Rewards. When something is achieved, no matter how simple it can be, give yourself a pat on the back. Rewards don’t have to be always in food form. It can be anything that makes you feel good, inside and out.

6. Focus. You want to be better and let your will drive your passion to get that healthy life you’ve been wanting. Know your trigger factors that will make you slip to that old habit, and be conscious about it.

7. Be Good to Yourself. Many people who have succumbed to a little temptation would purge themselves for days. This is not only cruel, but it defeats the purpose of healing.

8. Measure the Foods You Eat. What better ways to control your daily servings, than knowing the right portion to eat daily.

9. Be Grateful for Your Food. There is a wisdom on praying over meals before eating them. Appreciation will make you respect food as a life source, something that sustains.

10. Mind Your Eating. It’s a simple zen saying to say ” When I eat, I eat. ” Notice that when you mix eating with chatting, reading, or watching TV, you are not aware of how much food you put on your mouth. Take 3 breaths before another bite and savor the taste of food.

11. Stop Purging after a Meal. You can just take a nap, read a book, listen to a calming music, or take a walk to take your mind off food.

12. Curb Your Cravings with Sun Salutes. These 12 simple poses can take your mind away from your cravings, making you physically stronger as well.

It will be great to keep a journal of your daily affairs with food. If you feel sad, angry, or frustrated, instead of binge eating, you may as well take a pen and write your feelings down.

In the end, the desire to make a change must start within you and work its way out into the open. There are natural means to put your crazy cravings at bay, and all you have to do is go back to your inner Buddha and find your healing.

Love and Live…