Guided Journeys: what are they good for?

I’m currently working with two of the IOWL  guided journeys, Sabotage Self-Sabotage and Appetite Adjuster.

They aren’t magic, they are NLP-kind of activities that get you into the right mindset to do what you need to do. That’s the key, by the way. Having the right mindset so you move actively towards the skill you want to have (in my case, a naturally slender intuitive eater).

What does the Sabotage journey give me? A mechanism that helps me analyze my internal conflicts and choose a better option than food.

What does the Appetite journey give me? I’ve run it about a half-dozen times so far. I’m starting to be able to look at food and choose to not eat it because I’m not quite hungry enough and because eating it at that time does not meet my goals.

So I’m sorta combining the two techniques into one path for me. If you’re thinking about buying these, think about this before you decide. If that’s where your head is at, they might be helpful. If you’re still really into deep emotional turmoil over eating and “shoulding” on yourself a lot, don’t bother. Just give yourself plenty of loving self-care. One day something like these might be helpful, but not right now.

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Learning to prefer healthy eating

Last night’s guided journey was about the conflict I lived out last evening. While reading and watching TV, I knew I wanted to snack. First I compensated at dinner by keeping it lighter. Later for my snacks, I ate some leftover guacamole and chips, and later enjoyed my dessert, a small portion of ice cream.

My conflict was that I didn’t crave healthy foods, and I ate more chips than I wanted to. The benefit I get from eating the junk food was the taste, the “party in my mouth.” After completing the journey, I now choose to believe that I feel better, happier, more comforted and whole when I eat healthy food. It’s a “party in my body” rather than a “party in my mouth.”

Today, I was able to choose healthy foods at breakfast. Now I visualize my body wrapped in a soft, protective, comforting cocoon whenever I eat healthy foods and eat them in moderation.

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Day 4 results: 4 Day Win is a success!!!

My Goal:
Eat delightful foods that bring me to my weight goal and make me feel great!

My actions:

• 5-10 minutes of positive, silent meditation each day
• Turn off the computer early at least once each day
• Choose an extra vegetable each day to find out if it delights me
• Choose to pass on a non-delighting food each day
• Eat chocolate every day

Results for Day 4:

• Did a great meditation to some soft music, with my husband cooperating by being quiet
• Turned off the computer in the morning in order to do chores and put away groceries
• Chose beans in my corn with my dinner
• Passed on extra servings of brownie several times today
• Ate brownie for breakfast

My reward for completing all 4 days is to buy the “Sabotage Self-Sabotage” guided journey from Inside Out Weight Loss. I’ll let you know how it is.

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Day 3 results: 4 Day Win

My goodness, did I learn stuff about myself today.

This third day was harder than I thought. Somehow I was starting to take the change for granted, and before I knew it, my opportunities to do the right thing were slipping away.

I ate my chocolate at breakfast in the morning, then gave into temptation to eat a “second breakfast” at work even though I was not particularly hungry. Luckily, though, the food was already gone when I got there, and I passed on the chocolate sitting right next to my desk.

Lunch was later than usual, and I was in a hurry to get to my next appointment, so I ate bratwurst and french fries, thereby blowing my easiest chance at tasty vegetables. The cafeteria at work is great for veggies, offering several different kinds every day, in full menus, plus a hot and cold buffet.

In the evening I finally got my extra veggie in by eating celery with hummus (tasty!!). I did turn off my computer early in the morning, and did a few minutes of meditation before leaving for work. My reward was to read extra in the evening, and that was just a so-so experience.

Goals accomplished, but just barely. There was not much positive self-talk, nor intuitive eating today.

One more day 0n the 4 day win, then I get my big reward. I’m not fooling myself that it will be easy.

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Day 2 results: 4 Day Win

My Goal:
Eat delightful foods that bring me to my weight goal and make me feel great!

My actions:

• 5-10 minutes of positive, silent meditation each day
• Turn off the computer early at least once each day
• Choose an extra vegetable each day to find out if it delights me
• Choose to pass on a non-delighting food each day
• Eat chocolate every day

Results for Day 2:

• 10 minutes of meditation, in silence, in the car with someone else driving, thinking peaceful thoughts
• Turned off the computer 10 minutes early to go to work
• Added veggies to my pasta
• Passed on a chocolate bar when I wasn’t hungry
• Shared a chocolate bar with my daughter while we worked on her homework

My reward:

Went car-shopping with my daughter. Fun and peaceful, and we’re test-driving a Mini Cooper next week!

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Day 1 results: 4 Day Win

My Goal:
Eat delightful foods that bring me to my weight goal and make me feel great!

My actions:

• 5-10 minutes of positive, silent meditation each day
• Turn off the computer early at least once each day
• Choose an extra vegetable each day to find out if it delights me
• Choose to pass on a non-delighting food each day
• Eat chocolate every day

Results:

• 5 minutes of meditation, in silence, thinking about my good traits
• Turned off the computer 10 minutes early
• Ate red cabbage and eggplant
• Passed on a chocolate bar when I wasn’t hungry
• Ate a Hanuta bar for dessert

My reward:

Threw away a pair of holey underwear.

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Living a Great Life! (not a meme, but fun)

Dr. Annette Colby is a counselor in Texas. She specializes in helping people transform difficult emotions. She just started a new blog that is inspiring to me. I love this quote: ” lead with my true nature instead of my fears”
That’s something I intend to do as much as possible.

Here’s a list of questions from her new blog. I’m going to just go through them here, answering them as quickly as I can, and see what comes out.

Question 1. What is something (a person, idea, place, or activity) you are curious about?

I’m enormously curious about many things, but I can stare at old pictures for hours. Lately I’ve been reading about Germany in the 1950s, specializing in women’s everyday lives.

Question 2. What is your favorite book? What ideas are in this book that spark your life energy?

I go often back to Pride and Prejudice or Persuasion by Jane Austen. The combination of ironic humor and behavior fascinates me. I would love to be as witty as Dorothy Parker or Jane’s smartest character, Elizabeth Bennet.

Question 3. What were your favorite classes and subjects in school? Which caught your attention, or inspired you to learn?

I loved writing, social history and mathematics. I became an engineer who could write, and I now apply those learnings to improving processes in companies.

Question 4. Do you have something that you deeply care about?

I care about oppressed people around me, and have been involved in diversity activities for many years. Part of this was always a wish that I could fight as hard for myself as I did for the group.

Question 5. When does time seem to fly by? What are you typically doing?

Time flies when I am analyzing data, watching an absorbing movie, laughing in a funny situation.

Question 6. What excites and energizes you?

A bit of missing information, especially involving people. I can go off for hours trying to figure it out.

Question 7. What are the values you hold dear that guide your life?

Live with integrity, love with passion.

Question 8. What is the one problem, challenge, or issue your were born to address?

My strength lies in my analytic capability coupled with my passion for people. I constantly find new issues that need both.

Question 9. What are the types of things you currently enjoy to help people?

I love to write in a way that moves and helps people.

Question 10. Name one thing you do that hours go by in what feels like minutes?

Looking at old photographs of people, preferably candids.

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