Introducing… My WRAP Around Food Dawn Heffernan
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Aims of this Workshop To guide you towards a healthy and balanced relationship with food To help you achieve the result of a healthy body weight To develop awareness of your current eating habits with no sense of shame or blame To mentally and emotionally change the way you approach food, if it is a problem for you To enable you to develop your own food specific WRAP or be able to facilitate that process with others.
This was me… Dear Friends, During my first manic episode, when I was 18, and on heavy anti-psychotics, living with my parents, I put on 50 pounds in just 3 months ballooning from 110 to 160 pounds… It took me two years to lose that weight. I did so at University. The medication didn’t help but I ate my way there too. It went on SO quickly – taking it Off was neither easy NOR fast! Dawn
My wonderful and healthy husband - John and I…
Extracts from my Copeland Depression Workbook re food 04/22/00 Try cutting out sugar from diet for two weeks and actually fill out the chart in the book. (I didn’t! ) 02/5/01 Reduce to two cups coffee per day then one, replace with green/herbal tea(I didn’t and I was a diet coke junkie!) 04/04/2002 Feeling out of control with my eating junk … March 2005 Problematic Situation: Feel fat, overweight, jeans tight. Keep losing and gaining 7lbs, getting yeast infections. Effect of this on your life and the way you feel: Makes me feel ugly, unsexy, not in control. Snacking stops me eating proper meals. Yeast infection a pain, poor role model for my kids. Strategies that might help: Get exercising. Eat three meals a day. Stop moaning and just “DO” it. Cut down on sugar and caffeine in diet. (I didn’t ) 07/24/2005 leaving job so kids at school gave me loads of boxes of chocolates. Ate them all, felt really sick but couldn’t stop. Next day my mum said “What’s wrong you look terrible”. I was grey, lethargic, and puffy faced and bloated. 09/13/06 Lifelong sugar junkie – need to explore this… (I didn’t ) 11/10/06 Problematic Situation: Picking at food, not eating properly Effects: No idea what I’ve eaten, always eating but never hungry, don’t eat meals. Strategies: Use 5 meals a day plan, stick to it but don’t throw it out the window if one day goes wrong (did it briefly felt better good but then stopped )
My empty nest and my new r ules…
My journal entries these days make for better reading… November 2009 Committed to life-style changes to do with diet, using Dr. Billings help to stop abusing my body with inappropriate food. January 2010 It is so liberating not to think about food the way I used to. Feel clearer headed and more focused. I’m stepping up and really living it. Wow. April 2010 Realized I’ve had 4 big bars of chocolate in the pantry for ages that’s amazing . November 2010 When I eat right I feel so much better/positive/confident. Nearly a year of eating three meals a day, want to keep it up forever. Actually don’t crave the junk anymore July 2011 Realize good food/nutrition is an inherent part of physical and mental health. I am the living proof.
Myths around food and weight problems..e.g. Overeaters are lazy and greedy with no willpower. Overeaters are weak and pathetic and have no self- control.
Another Myth… Being thin or slim indicates a healthy balanced attitude to food and good health in general.
WRAP Around Food Wellness…what does that look like? I did not know what a well me around food would look like – I had never experienced it. So I imagined it and now I live it…
A well Dawn… • Is comfortable around food, especially trigger foods which are high in fat and sugar. • Enjoys and appreciates eating three meals a day. • Makes good choices most of the time but has no great angst if she slip up. • Ditches the diet coke, caffeine and booze because she realizes she doesn ’ t want or need it. • Plans and shops ahead most days. • Maintains a stable weight without trying.
Your WRAP Around Food Daily Maintenance Plan should be kept simple and will develop from the understanding of why your eating has become problematical: Shop for and plan meals ahead Some form of exercise most days 3 meals a day at appropriate times Limit your intake of caffeine & alcohol Avoid grazing or snacking between meals Take a vitamin and mineral supplement daily Do keep a food diary & also record your feelings Eat a wide range of food, don’t obsess on one thing A glass of water first thing in the morning and drink water throughout the day
My Triggers Around Food
Dawn’s Triggers & Action Plan Triggers: Action Plan: Drink water & go to bed – it’s OK Exhaustion/tiredness Diversionary activities – if it is the evening Emotional reactions; and you are bored – find a distraction e.g. Anger/Stress/Frustration Skipping/Forgetting a meal piano Eating very rich food as this sets up Ditch the rich, creamy food you struggle to digest – plain & simple feels better cravings Dehydration Drink water during the day Being at parents’ house Be prepared Boredom/Loneliness Do something - anything Don’t..and be mindful of amount Drinking alcohol on an empty stomach Don ’t… Shopping when hungry Make the time – no excuses… Not making enough time to eat Not having quality food in the house Plan ahead and keep freezer stocked Eating on the go without having planned Plan ahead and carry healthy snack ahead
My Early Warning Signs Around Food… “Secret eating” Snacking again Stopping Exercise Not liking myself Drinking more caffeine/alcohol Avoidance of feelings/sublimation Missing breakfast/skipping meals Feeling “yuk” and not feeling hungry Eating whilst watching T.V. or reading Craving sugar/salt/fatty foods (quick fixes)
My Early Warning Signs Action Plan Back to daily Maintenance and record food diary for 5 days Share out the trigger foods, offer them to others. Make your eating public, don’t sneak back for the slice of cake/pudding eat it with others. Bring your mind back into touch with your body, pause when eating for 60sec, bringing awareness to what you are doing. Remind yourself how well you feel when you eat right Explore and name the emotion you are feeling, even if it makes you uncomfortable
When things are breaking down… If there have been more than 10 days of not eating properly and you are slipping out of routine or are feeling increasingly out of control
And my Action Plan… Plan out meals for a week and go and shop for food - Exercise - Be really strict about not snacking - Book an appointment with Dr Billings - Look at mental health Wrap ; focus on what’s happening emotionally, what’s my internal dialogue?
My Fears Around my Food WRAP What if I get hungry What if I get bored? between meals? What is a reasonable Portion? How will I know how much to eat? What if I eat 3 meals a day and snack, won’t I become enormous? What will motivate me to keep it up?
What are the 5 Pillars of WRAP?
Hope
Personal Responsibility What does personal I know my responsibility eating has a mean to you? direct impact on my mental health. What about you?
Education
Self-Advocacy
Support
What I would like you to take away with you today… “Making dietary changes is not easy. It certainly requires changes in habits that have developed over a lifetime” . I cannot live a Wrap if I am eating badly. It does get easier and easier…I promise!
Do Keep a Food Diary Increase awareness of what, why and how much you are eating to reduce so called “eating amnesia” Most of us underestimate the number of calories we eat, especially outside the home
My Food Diary Format … it works for me… Recording what you eat, when you eat and how it makes you feel is the easiest way to explore and control your food intake. Remember , you don’t have to be super strict, be gentle with yourself.
Wellness tools: FOOD WRAP SPECIFIC • Anything that boosts my senses • Being physically engaged in activity • Taking care of my appearance • Throwing dinner parties • Being there for others
Thank you for listening… If you would like to keep in touch or share your WRAP Around Food Experiences with me then please email me at dawn@southcoastwrap.co.uk
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