I just summarized the key points in Chapters 1 & 2 of Life is Hard, Food is Easy over in my journal. I'm reposting it here to share with whoever's reading on this board.
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Chapter 1
#1) "Food...replaces what is missing in our lives -- things like attention, pleasure or loving relationships."
#2) "Life didn't turn out how I planned...eating helps me forget all this...I can briefly ignore how my life sucks."
#3) "For me, overeating is like pushing the mute button on my life".
#4) "Emotional eating never quite loses its power."
#5) "The key to managing your weight is by healing your heart, not by filling your spoon."
Chapter 2
#1) You don't have to give up the pleasure of eating to manage your weight."
#2) "The "New" Purpose of Food: Eat for only two reasons: to fuel your body and to appreciate flavors. Measure all of your intake against these two guidelines."
#3) "If your reason for putting something in your mouth doesn't match either one (guideline of fueling your body *or* appreciating flavor), you are probably doing emotional eating."
#4) "Hunger or a "desire to eat"? When food thoughts (or mindless impulses) pop into your mind, determine whether they are related to true physical hunger or a "desire to eat"...Label your (food) search for what it is", for example, wanting to eat to stifle budding anxiety.
#5) "When you don't get enough food early in the day, by late afternoon your body starts screaming for food...your system may have a hard time catching up, making you want to keep eating...To break this pattern, space your fuel stops more frequently during the first half of the day."
#6) Do you tend to overfuel your body just a little every day? You can manage your food volume by avoiding second helpings...and limiting snacks to the amount that fits in the palm of your hand.
...also..."The Half-Off Special" - eat half of what you normally would, or half or what you want.
...If you can't stop yourself from eating that second half, you may need to look carefully at your emotional needs. When you continue eating after you have satisfied your fuel requirement, something else in you life probably needs attention or needs to be "filled".
When you fill your car with gas, you don't keep pumping once the tank is full, spilling the fuel on the ground. So why would you do this with your body?
#7) Retrain yourself from "cleaning your plate" by leaving one small piece of food on your plate at every meal.
#8) Restaurant meals usually have an excess of calories, When you take home the leftovers, you are eating excess calories twice. Observe who takes a to-go box...are they normal weight? Overweight?
#8) Eating to appreciate flavors is not the same as wolfing down your food and declaring how much you love to eat. It's allowing yourself to enjoy the taste, texture and sensation of foods. When you choose to eat a food you love, approach it with amazement and delight.
#9) To appreciate flavors, slow your eating down...Otherwise it's like trying to enjoy the scenery at 80 miles an hour.
#10) Train yourself to eat more slowly. Set a timer for 20 minutes...pace yourself so you're finishing the last bite when the time is up.
#11) Sometimes we enjoy the sensations of eating more than the food itself......think of (ice cream, beef jerky, crunchy foods). Think of how the texture of foods contributes to the enjoyment of them. Sometimes the flavor is not great, but the texture keeps us reaching for more.
#12) The myth of loving to eat: (Notice the) difference between appreciating the flavor of a wonderful food, and liking the way you feel as you eat it. "Loving to eat" may just be an excuse for the way food appeases the emotional holes in your life.
#13) Anytime food doesn't taste as good as you expected, stop eating it!
#14) (Sometimes) when you keep eating a food after you realize you are not enjoying the taste...(ask yourself if you are thinking that...) wanting a favorite food is "bad" - so you are making yourself eat this "better" food - even though you don't like it.
#15) The first two bites of any food have the most flavor. If you keep eating after that, you are just "feeding". But if you are eating for the purpose of appreciating flavor, not to refuel, the taste doesn't get any more wonderful after the first two bites.
#16) If you are eating to feel nurtured, or calmed, you will experience some level of that right away. Continuing to eat won't bring you additional relief. Move on to something else...i.e., some other activity, not other food.
#17) How often do you eat without being aware of your actions? If you are eating for fuel, staying conscious helps you notice when your tank is getting full. If you are eating to appreciate flavors, staying conscious will help you notice (and therefore enjoy) the taste.
#18) When taking your first bites, ask yourself if the food tastes good...wonderful...just fair? Evaluate what you like best about this food: taste, texture, seasonings? Is it truly awesome or are you a bit disappointed? Decide if that particular food is enjoyable enough to continue eating. If it is not tasting great, STOP.
#19) Being aware of your food does not require you do nothing else while you eat. Instead, keep reminding yourself...to notice the bites you are putting in your mouth. Eating with awareness gives you an amazing amount of enjoyment and satisfaction.
#20) Next time you eat, take small bites to begin with, about 1/4 teaspoon. Evaluate the flavor, texture, etc. and decide if you want to keep eating. And why.
#21) Make a list of your favorite high-calorie (or high-carb) foods, then consider including them in your diet with the following guideline: SMALLER AMOUNTS, LESS OFTEN. Decide ahead of time what constitutes a smaller amount, as well as how often you will eat the food.
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