BED Help and Support with Nadine Ann

F. Challenging your belief systems

Admin — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 16:18:22 GMT

In this module we get into challenging belief systems. In module two we continue on with it but for now I'd like to discuss your belief systems here.

After you have read the section about Belief Systems in module one, what did you think? We all adopt our beliefs from authority figures such as our parents, teachers, religious leaders, peers and so on. But do you know how to determine whether those beliefs you have serve you well or if they are truly YOUR beliefs? You'll remember I talked about ...

E. Self Criticism

Admin — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 16:29:02 GMT

I used to be the biggest offender of self-criticism until I learned a very simple trick! Don't do it!!!!!! Can you believe how easy that was? All these years I scolded myself for this or that never knowing how destructive I was being to myself. But you know what, you don't realize you are doing harm when you believe what you are telling yourself to be true. This is where challenging those beliefs comes in handy.

In the next post, I talk about belief systems a bit more but for this post let's ...

B. What We Resist Persists

Admin — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 16:29:34 GMT

What have you been resisting? Now think about this - what we resist persists in every aspect of our lives. If you are trying to sell your house but are having trouble perhaps you are resisting for whatever reason it is. You may not even be aware of it consciously but subconsciously you are. Maybe you are afraid to sell your house because you will be moving from your friends and that makes you sad. Subconsciously you are resisting the sale of your home!

Here is another example. I ...

A. Types of Binges

Admin — Thu, 08 May 2008 20:07:36 GMT

We discuss certain types of binges in this topic in the program but I'd like to talk about an article from About.com that I found to be most interesting and beneficial. Although Matthew Tiemeyer uses girls as his example, boys are just as likely to fall into this category as girls. He makes some great comments about other factors that can trigger an episode of binging or starving etc. He makes a good point by saying that any trama can lead to an eating disorder. What I'd like to add is that ...

MP3 Downloads

Admin — Tue, 06 May 2008 20:09:53 GMT

You can download any of these MP3 files to your computer or MP3 player. All downloads are on the website in the lower right hand corner of the members area. You'll need to login to the members area to view them. Just follow the instructions on the page to download them. Enjoy!

.MP3 Downloads

A Healthy Rest -

MP3, 15 minutes 30 seconds

�A Healthy Rest� is a comfortable, refreshing, re-energising track that helps you calm down and bring stress hormones under control.

It ...

G. Observing

Admin — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 16:27:21 GMT

In module one we talk about more observing. If you remember we observed ourselves as though we were at the movie theater watching ourselves on the screen. Try to spend some time doing this exercise from an objective standpoint. You are not judging here, only watching. What kind of destructive patterns do you see?

Can you view the two versions of yourself; the "healthy self" and the "bingeing self"? The healthy self is screaming orders at you to STOP BINGEING and the ...

A1. Holistic Healing - what's working, what's not working

Admin — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 19:21:28 GMT

Holistic Healing means treating the body as a whole unit instead of separating the mind from the body and the spirit. When we treat the whole body we give it a chance to become one, to become at peace with itself.

In this first module I talk about Holistic Healing and how I feel it is important to try new avenues of healing.

What have you tried so far? What has given you some hope to healing? What hasn't worked? DO you currently take medication for despression and if so, is it working? ...

D. Celebration!

Admin — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 22:51:43 GMT

Oh wow, here is the part that truly deserves a round of applause. But you know what, you have been celebrating all along by loving yourself again and learning that you are a wonderful human being experiencing all sorts of different events and choices. You can choose what thoughts you want to have. If you don�t like what is going on, change your thoughts. That is your immediate point of power. Use it!

I am grateful that this program is available to help all of us who need the lifting ...

A. Using everything you've learned

Admin — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 22:51:24 GMT

We sure have covered a lot of ground in these five modules.

What have been some of your favorite tools? I like appraising the situation as one of my favorites. That really has made a difference in my life...how about you? Using facts instead of feelings to determine my reactions is key. I use deep breathing to calm myself too.

Let's recap everything so far:

Do not criticize yourself EVER.

Think of what you want, not what you don't want.

Meditate and visualize your goals ...

C. Faith, love and hope

Admin — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 22:50:57 GMT

Does your faith, love and hope come from within you? do you feel it in you first before you feel it elsewhere? You have been learning to have faith in yourself from the beginning of this program! Do you now feel it? Do you love yourself? I do. And I know I am NOT perfect. I don't want to be. I grew up with this whole, "you have to do everything perfect and right" notion that is just total crap! Pardon my candor .

I do my best but I am not perfect and I have the utmost ...

B. Spirituality

Admin — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 22:50:40 GMT

What does spirituality mean to you? There is no right or wrong answer here and everyone has their own beliefs so please feel free to voice your opinion and we will all be respectful to each others opinions.

I happen to be a very spiritual person and I work with my Angels all the time. I have had Angel readings and I use my Oracle cards all the time. That's just what I like to do. Everyone is different. I also believe that we are all here on our own paths and learning every day about ...

K. Assertiveness Training

Admin — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 22:50:18 GMT

Assertiveness training is near and dear to me! I had to learn this myself. I had no self-confidence when it came to sticking up for my rights, being able to say no and so on. I still work on it every day. Being assertive doesn't just come to you in one day so please keep working on it for a long as you need to until you are confident that you are able to express your likes, dislikes and needs in a respectful manner.

People may disagree with you and that is fine as long as they respect ...

H. Coping Skills

Admin — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 22:50:01 GMT

This section is huge! Everyone should take coping skills 101! It should be mandatory in school to teach people how to cope with life. They teach us how to add, subtract, read and write but they could do a better job teaching assertiveness training and coping skills!

So, remember the three keyword phrase: I can...find a solution, I am...okay, and I have...support.

I think the coping skills in this section are great if you have a stressful situation coming up that you can prepare for. ...

I. My contract with myself

Admin — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 22:49:17 GMT

This is a contract with yourself for good health. Put it somewhere you can see it easily and daily. It is important stuff and you are worth it.

I like this contract because it affirms your desire to self-heal your life. I'm not talking about just binge eating disorder; I'm talking about your whole life. Don�t you agree? When you begin working on the inner feelings you have about yourself and you begin to feel better and know you can handle situations and people better, doesn't it just ...

H. Beginning to move

Admin — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 22:48:38 GMT

Beginning to move...TAKE IT SLOW! Who says we need to go the distance in one day? Keep in mind my story about walking two miles after my foot injury...wrong thing to do! I should have taken my task, broken it down into small 4 days goals and paid attention to what my body was telling me. Forget what your head is telling you, listen to your body!

Now, let's think about beginning to move. Some of us may have extra weight that we've been carrying on your frames for a very long time. Those ...

G. Goal Number 5

Admin — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 22:48:18 GMT

Goal number 5 is to include a protein, carb and fat into each of your 3 main meals. It's actually pretty easy to do when you know what foods are in each category. I listed quickly the foods in each category in the previous post called Protein, carbs and fat. Your blood sugar levels love when you add some of each category to your meals. It takes longer for your body to break down a protein than it does a carbohydrate so that's one reason to add protein to your meals. Another reason is that ...

F. Protein, Carbs and Fat

Admin — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 22:47:53 GMT

Do you understand what protein, carbs and fat are? Each of these three nutrients play an important role in the body. Yes, even fat! Your body needs each of these macronutrients to survive but having too much of one thing can really throw off the body's internal happiness meter!

When you consume a large amount of carbohydrates (carbs) your body breaks them down into sugars that it can use for fuel. Too much sugar means your blood sugar levels peak and valley. We want to try to keep a ...

E. Goal Number 4

Admin — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 22:47:28 GMT

As you can see, each goal is built on the foundation of the previous goals. How are you doing with evaluating and going back to spend more time on each goal if need be? Don't cheat yourself of any of these wonderful goals and rewards.

Goal number 4 is to adjust your snack times to 10 minutes per day and meal times to 20 minutes per day. You are finally getting into "normalized" eating times and habits and keeping your blood sugar levels at an even keel. Spend four more days ...

D. Goal Number 3

Admin — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 22:46:52 GMT

Remember to evaluate your first two goals to make sure you are comfortable with them and that you have no trouble reaching those goals. Keep doing your daily work and focus on what you want. Do your meditation and so on.

Goal number three is to set a beautiful place setting where you dine. Make it a warm and inviting place that is calming to the eyes and soul. Make this your special time and place to add nourishment to your body and brain.

What are your feelings about these goals? ...

C. Goal Number 2

Admin — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 22:45:56 GMT

Did you evaluate how you did with goal number 1? If you need more time to work on that goal, go back and do four more days of just that goal. Reward yourself for doing a great job!

Goal number 2 is to write down everything you are eating and still using goal number 1 of eating at your preset times. Do this goal for four days.

How are you doing with this goal?

-Nadine

B. Goal Number 1

Admin — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 22:45:30 GMT

Goal number 1 is eating at certain times of the day. Make this a special time for yourself. You deserve to add fuel to your body and your mind is happy knowing you are feeding it's physical side.

Are you visualizing your goal? Use your senses to make it even more valuable.

"I focus on when to eat, not what to eat I eat at certain times during the day which are..." (Fill in the times for your three meals and two/three snacks and write in the present tense.)

Ok, ...

A. Sugar

Admin — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 22:45:10 GMT

Sugar! Ahhh, who doesn't love sugar! I still eat sugar but to a much lesser degree than I used to now that I understand how it can negatively affect my mood, my food intake and just about everything else body related!

I talk a lot about blood sugar levels and how it is important to the body and brain to maintain a constant happy amount of sugar in the blood in order to avoid peaks and valleys. When you eat food, your body breaks down the food into glucose which is used as energy for the ...

H. Create a plan

Admin — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 22:44:23 GMT

How are you doing creating your plan?

The first goal we set was to eat at certain times. Think of why you are doing that. We are focusing on when to eat, not what to eat. You are doing your body a favor by feeding it certain times so that your blood sugar level stay nice and happy! When we eat every few hours it helps our body by not allowing peeks and valley's internally. When your blood sugar level stays at a nice consistent pace it is happy, your cells are happy, your brain is happy...heck, ...

G. Vision Boards

Admin — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 22:43:47 GMT

I love vision boards! Everyone, including children, should have one. Or two. Or three!

My vision board has some pretty cool pictures on it. I have a school bus and a lunch box that I had put up on my board a few months before my husband and I were trying to get our daughter into a full day program at her school. It was a lottery to see who got it and who didn't and I knew how badly my daughter wanted to be in the full day. We got it.

I also put up a picture of my other daughter ...

F. Law of Attraction

Admin — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 22:43:27 GMT

The Law of Attraction is amazing. This Universal Law states that when you focus your attention on what you want you will get more of what you want. Like attracts like. So if you are constantly thinking of what you don't want, you are going to get exactly that...more of what you don't want. Your brain is an electical mass and gives of a frequency similiar to radio waves when you have a thought which means that your thoughts have power! This is not fictional; it is science. So we need to ...

E. Visualization

Admin — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 22:43:11 GMT

Grounding Tip

A common practice that I use to become more grounded when I'm feeling a little out-of-sorts or edgy is to use a simple guided visualization. I imagine being a tree. By imagination of extending my roots into the ground my anxieties are lessened and I am better able to draw healing energies from the earth source.

Try doing this visualization now. Really use your senses to feel the earth, smell the bark or the leaves, hear the birds chirping around you, taste the fruit that ...

C. Meditating

Admin — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 22:41:51 GMT

Meditating with a positive affirmation can be super powerful. It's so easy to meditate and you can do this just about anywhere, even on your lunch break. Sometimes I go out for lunch and just sit in the sun for 15 minutes soaking up the warmth and not really thinking about anything in particular. I just feel the warmth and let whatever thoughts come into my head happen. Then I just return my mind to the warmth of the sun again. It is amazingly relaxing and centering. Just be sure that your ...

B. Breathing

Admin — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 22:41:26 GMT

This is such a great mood altering tool that takes just a few seconds and I use it at the dentist! I love doing the deep breathing into the abdomen although you have to concentrate on it for first few times you do it. But I like the instant relaxation I feel. When I go to the dentist for anything big I try to use my deep breathing technique and I keep telling myself that I am OK.

Even slowing down your breathing deliberately is a good way to help you fall asleep better. At night you ...

A. Releasing

Admin — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 22:41:08 GMT

Releasing in module three is important and I hope you all spend at last a few days on this topic in the program. What is really cool about this is that you can learn to release feelings which come from thoughts. You don't have to get rid of the thought necessarily but you can release the feelings associated with it. In fact, when you invite the thought that you have been pushing into the back of your mind and you let it come forward and just let it be with you for a little while it is good. ...

D. Perfectionism

Admin — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 22:40:02 GMT

This is one of my favorite topic because it hits very close to home for me! My parents are both very big perfectionists and the apple doesn�t fall far from the tree! It's important to know that if you also have controlling, perfectionist parents or a spouse, that they may be that way because it is what they learned growing up. I learned to be a perfectionist from my mom and dad.

My brothers are also the same as me. It can be pretty ugly when you keep feeling like you have to be someone ...

J. Weight of the world

Admin — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 22:39:47 GMT

How many of you are using a scale? Did you use one before the program but decide to stop until you have healed yourself? Did you know that once you get yourself into a healthy lifestyle (healing BED) your weight will begin to even out to where it should naturally be? It has been proven that you can increase your metabolism to help you maintain blood sugar levels which in turn help you reduce the onset of diabetes and other health related conditions. It also helps with weight management because ...

I. Body Image

Admin — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 22:39:27 GMT

As you have been working through module two, do you think your body image has changed at all? Are you willing to accept yourself as you are right now by saying "I approve of myself"?

Body image is your perception of how you look. You could have adopted someone else's belief of what the "perfect" body should look like. If a woman carries extra pounds on her and cures the world of cancer do you think anyone is going to be thinking that she is worthless because of her ...

G. All about stress

Admin — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 22:39:09 GMT

Stress can be good and stress can be very bad! Did you take the test in the section of the program called "All About Stress"? How did you do?

Taking on too much stress can kill you, we all know that. But we do it anyway because we have work deadlines and family crises and friends who need us. We may be perfectionists. UGH! (I was one. Now I try to be driven without being a perfectionist!)

What is your stress load right now? Can you think of any ways in which you ...

F. Purging

Admin — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 22:38:51 GMT

Did you know that purging is not just vomiting? I used to think that it was until I learned otherwise. Purging includes any way, shape or form of "getting rid of" food. That means excessive exercising, laxatives and diuretics are on the list. When you purge you are telling your body that you intend to starve it or dehydrate it or work it until it is beaten. We can't see the damage we are doing because it is all we know how to do when we are hurting.

You read about the girl ...

E. Depression

Admin — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 22:38:27 GMT

Depression is one of the most common factors associated with eating disorders and I for one suffered from mild depression for a time. My doctor was quick to prescribe an anti-depressant, and for me, it only made me feel worse. I later learned that one side effect to an anti-depressant is that it can make your symptoms worse. Go figure!

Now if you are suffering from depression and your doctor has prescribed medication for you to take, you should continue to do so until you discuss your ...

C. What to do with the hurt

Admin — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 22:37:55 GMT

Take the "hurt" that you want to work on and bring it to the front of your mind. Did you try to answer the questions with "YES" until you got through each one? Did you feel any suppressed feelings when you allowed yourself to think about your "hurts"?

Try going through the questions with each hurt you feel until you are at ease with it. Just let it be there in your mind. Allow yourself to acknowledge there is pain. No matter how hard you have tried to ...

B. Understanding Emotions

Admin — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 22:37:03 GMT

It's probably safe to say that our emotions are how we got to this place to begin with right! Well, yes, kind of.

You worked on finding the root cause of your disorder and once you realized the root cause you were able to begin working on the emotions that are associated with that cause. Here is what I mean by that. This is an entry from my blog.

"Think about this for a moment. Let�s say you were raised by very strict parents who never showed you love. They ignored you. They ...

D. 10 Life Power Questions

Admin — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 22:27:41 GMT

These ten questions are amazing at getting you thinking about actions and consequences. Try to write them in your journal. It makes it more real when you see your own words in writing. Keep these answers in a safe place and take the quiz after each module!

1. What would you love to do in the next 10 years? What is stopping you from doing it?

2. If you didn't have binge eating disorder would you know who you are or how to act?

3. What would you like to have more of and how will it improve ...

A. What is coaching?

Admin — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 21:59:57 GMT

Welcome to the section reserved for coaching.

You might be wondering what coaching is? Well, there are actually lots of different kinds of coaches. There are life coaches, relationship coaches, business coaches, spiritual coaches, wellness coaches and so on. I am in the category of the wellness coach. A coach listens to their clients and provides non-biased, non-judgemental approaches to reaching goals. Coaching is NOT therapy or counseling. It is motivating and supporting the client. ...

D. Blame Game

Admin — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 16:28:42 GMT

On page 41 of Module One I wrote, "Blaming someone else for your problems is a surefire way to stay in your problem". What do you think about that statement?

Do you think blame is worth having? If you continue to blame someone else, and mind you, someone else or a situation is probably a contributor to your eating disorder, do you think blaming them forever is going to help you? It is very difficult to let go of the situation that has caused you great pain but you don't have ...

C. Stages of Change

Admin — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 15:29:45 GMT

In module one, page 28, I talk about the Stages of Change that we need to go through in order for change to be effective. Let's talk more about that here.

Stage 1 - Precontemplation (haven't we all spent a lot of time in this stage!) is where we are not intending to take action in the near future. This is where you would have been for a long time as you were in the throws of your eating disorder. I stayed in this stage for years! It wasn't until a year after my daughter Jessica was born that ...

C. Coaching questions you can use for self-advancement

Admin — Sun, 09 Mar 2008 17:09:32 GMT

You can post here or keep a journal for yourself on your answers to these questions:

1. How you feel about yourself right now.

2. Describe what a typical binge is like for you.

3. Are you purging in any way? Laxative, vomiting, compulsive exercise?

4. About how old were you when you first noticed you had an eating disorder?

5. Do you think you know what situations or circumstances led you to havig an eating disorder?

6. What do you do for fun?

7. How do you handle stressful events? Back ...

D. BONUS! White Noise MP3 for meditation or just calming the mind

Admin — Sat, 08 Mar 2008 16:13:34 GMT

I just love this MP3 of white noise. The duration is about 10 minutes and it gives you just enough time to rest the mind and clear your thoughts during the day. Use this for a quick relaxtion background and use the breathing exercises in module three to accompany it. You can do whatever relaxation technique you choose such as visualization, breathing, observing etc.

The page is attched here. You can also find other MP3 downloads on the same page.

.MP3 Downloads

B. Getting to know you questionnaire

Admin — Sat, 08 Mar 2008 15:25:44 GMT

This questionnaire can help give us some idea of where we all stand with our binge eatng disorder. Check all boxes that apply.

E. Empowerment

Admin — Sat, 08 Mar 2008 15:24:13 GMT

What does empowerment mean? Being empowered to heal your eating disorder for example, means that you are taking control over your situation. When you are empowered, you grow your skills to help better serve yourself. What desicions can you make that can help you take control over your life. Those are what empowers you.

Self-empowerment in its simplest form means taking charge of your own life, illness and care. Another way of putting it is to say that self-empowered individuals do not give ...

Webinars as a support method

Admin — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 20:42:13 GMT

Hi, Nadine here - Since you, my readers, are spread out all over the county, I am thinking of doing pre-recorded online seminars as a means to reach you all.

My belief is that support groups can be either beneficial or a detriment to healing. What I mean by that is if you have a group of people that meet together and all they do is complain about how bad this is or how bad that is, or what a crappy day they had, then it is difficult for the others in the group to keep a positive mental ...

A. Creating a Safe Place

Admin — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 20:26:58 GMT

In modue two we talk about creating a safe place. This can be anywhere you choose that you can go to for 15 or 20 minutes a day to spend some time on YOU! I know you are busy but you can spare 15 minutes on healing your life

Things to think about when creating your saf place -

1. Does this place immediately make you feel welcome?

2. Could you spend a few minutes alone here without being interupted?

3. Can you find the right time of day to be in your safe place?

4. What do you feel inside ...