In this episode of Balance with Sam Podcast, I share an entire coaching call with one of my clients, who for the purpose of this podcast, we will call Julie. She had been struggling with eating in moderation, which often would lead her to binging or overeating, especially when she was exposed to ultra-tempting foods such as cake. If you have “fear foods” or struggle with portion control, this episode is exactly what you need to hear! 

Julie describes the situations that make her feel most out of control, and how those feelings relate back to her sense of value. We discuss the importance of moderation, how anyone can include its practice in any area of your life, and the power it grants you to be mindful and in command of every decision you make. 

“I deserve to feel good and feel healthy and be present with the people in my life to give and receive love. I deserve to savor and enjoy these experiences through the practice of moderation.” - Julie 

Top Takeaways: 

• It’s important to decide to be curious about the negative, or “blah,” feelings one has when they arise, instead of using food as an automatic coping mechanism. 

• Moderation vs. abstinence. It often feels much easier to abstain from eating than it is to be moderate. If this is the case, how do you incorporate moderation into your relationship with food? 

• The ego within us tells us to be restrictive, only to help us. When engaging in inner dialogue, it’s important to recognize and thank them for trying to keep you safe and giving you everything you want. But in any given instance, it’s not actually helping you. Allowing yourself to be gentle with this dialogue is the key to having control over how it affects you. 

• Moderation will always be difficult if you always tell yourself that it is difficult. When you tell yourself that it’s actually quite easy, then it will feel easy. You can easily say to yourself, “I can eat the cake, and I can feel good.” 

• You are ALWAYS in control of what you eat and how much of it you eat. Remembering that you are in control is critical for maintaining mindfulness and stability to fight against the tendency to binge. 

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