Be comforted dear soul! There is always light behind the clouds.
~Louisa May Alcott, Little Women
Thanksgiving a Day of Thanks…
Okay, so Thanksgiving is soon to come and soon to be gone. How will you do? Will you eat healthfully or will you eat to oblivion?
No doubt this Thanksgiving will differ from those of the past few years. You most likely will gather in larger groups or perhaps you may stay home for the third year in a row with the flu and COVID uptick. It’s still a day of giving thanks.
What is this day of giving thanks?
Thanksgiving should be a day of thanks, a day of praise, a day of gratitude; but often for the foody, it’s a day of all out gobbling. Sure, there’s gratitude, but it’s not front and center in the food addict’s mind—food is!
Thanksgiving is a day of thanks, a day of praise, a day of gratitude for the fortunate. Who is fortunate? Is it the rich person? Perhaps the one with a roof over the head is lucky? Or is it pure existence? Is the fortunate one, the person present living?
It’s different for everyone.
My fortunate is the ability to stay present—in the now—and give thanks and praise. Present living was not always a possibility for me in the past, but now, living in this moment befriends me. With life filled with trials and tribulations, it’s not so easy, especially these days, with political differences and a virus that doesn’t seem to disappear. And of course, not seeing loved ones because of distance or perhaps their passing.
It was only days before Thanksgiving my dad passed away five years ago and my beloved aunt two weeks ago. I hurt. I’m still processing the losses. Yes, both had very long and beautiful lives, but letting go is never easy. I believe one of their favorite holidays was Thanksgiving. They loved good food. I love good food. And today I love good, clean, non-processed food.
Food Addiction and the Holidays…
Holiday season for the food addict is like line after line of cocaine, except it’s food. And with food on this festive foody kinda day, it’s tough to abstain. Nobody would think to offer the recovered drug addict lines of cocaine, but we give little thought to the binge eater on this merry season.
Heck, most think, she/he should just “control” the food intake and eat in moderation.
Sure! 
Although with good intentions, moderate eating often is the plan, the simple solution. But plans often go awry, maybe impossible if the doorway to platter after platter of decadent holiday baked cookies, candies, hot mashed potatoes lathered in gravy, hot rolls drenched in butter and one amazing specialty dish after another is in plain sight. The grand display is an open invitation—especially once the food addict puts the chemicals of sugar, flour, wheat into the system, which ignites the binge.
Hi, my name is Lisa and I’m a food addict (in recovery!) and I know what the horror of this disease is like, especially from Halloween to Thanksgiving, and the days to follow.
Is There Always Light Behind the Clouds?
Yes!
There is always light behind the dark, always. No matter how dark life can be, and surely at times it is super dark, you will find the light, maybe not at first, but brief glimmers of light will seep back. I promise.
Power Through
So as you power through some tough stuff, that living life dishes, can you remain true to your clean eating now that Thanksgiving is approaching us, and the holiday season, including parties and celebrations, is soon-to be-in full swing?
Are you afraid of all the festive foods ever-so-present every time you open the refrigerator, pantry, or look on the counter tops?
Let’s get real. These foods are calling you and you are blaming yourself for indulging. Can you move through this holiday season and connect to the present even if there’s a dark cloud over you?
Live in the now, in the Present. Have you ever tried to stay quiet in the mind driven by gratitude?
It’s pure heaven.
The mind always wants to think about what needs to be done next, or what we already did. It’s not so easy to focus on the here and now and bask in grace and gratitude, especially when daily worries distract you from the abundance that is yours.
Mortgage payments, a looming virus, troublesome spouses, out-of-control children, roofs leaking, a headache, even sour milk can interfere with your gratitude this holiday season. But your Higher Source (Whomever you turn to—God, Jesus, Sun, Energy, etcetera) during challenging times showers continuous blessings and love down on you.
Breathe Your Way to Calm
What helps me stay fixed on the present when chaos and sadness envelopes me is deep breathing my way to calm—the now. Like you, many of my loved ones are not here in this holiday season. They died or live in another state, but they remain in my heart, which encourages me to sit still in gratitude for what I have in the here and now.
I took a long luxurious walk this morning along the Inter-coastal and Atlantic ocean with the most spectacular view before me, side by side with Southern Grace, my Swiss shepherd. As we walked our way up the bridge, we witnessed the sun peek out over the purple/orange backdrop just above the ocean shoreline while breathing in the sea air.
My legs are strong, and my energy abounds. My pup moves with me as if we are one. A new day is about to begin. I am in the now—present.
It’s Not Your Fault you have a Food Addiction—A dark cloud over you. Food addiction is not something we sign up for. Like, “Oh yes please, (waving your hand in the air like you’re in school impressing your teacher!) I’ll take the food addiction for my life learning here on earth school.” Yeah right!
Food addiction is a loss of control, over eating, coupled with the physiological tolerance and psychological dependence that occurs when a specific stimulus (food) is eaten. Typically, this addiction can result in negative consequences for basic life functions and relationships with family; social situations; intimate relationships; the sufferers’ relationship with God and spiritual development; or in relation to the law, health, and work life.
Nope, I don’t think we intentionally sign up for food addiction.
Early in childhood, I fixated on sugar—never getting enough and going to great extremes to get it by stealing, hiding and hoarding. Although I didn’t have an awareness of food addiction, I knew something was wrong with my relationship with food. In hindsight, I realized I ate out of control and bargained with myself and God to stop—after this one last pastry.
I felt shame if I got caught stealing food or money to buy food; yet, I didn’t have the mentality to understand I was compulsive eating until my adolescent years when weight began to pile on. And even then I didn’t know there was an actual eating disorder called, binge eating disorder—and that I had it. The depiction of addiction to food resembles the hallmarks of any addiction.
The food addict is in the grip of a compulsive, habitual behavior that seems out of control. For sure, the holiday season was not always a time for me to sit in gratitude. I’m a recovering food addict, and in the past Thanksgiving marked the eating frenzy that launched my holiday food-frenzy.
Actually, truth be told, that’s not quite correct. My out-of-control food fest began from Halloween until January 1, when I’d make my New Year’s resolution. On Halloween I’d dig into candy and eat until I could eat no more—until the food was to the rim of my throat and my pants cut into my bulging stomach—promising I’d diet come Monday. And Monday never came.
Recovering food addict…
I am an addict addicted to processed foods. And this holiday, for most food addicts, it’s lethal because there is no end to the eating. Or at least until we are so full, the pain is greater than the need for that one more bite. So what do you do now that you know food addiction is a loss of control over eating, coupled with the physiological tolerance and psychological dependence that occurs when a specific stimulus (processed food) is ingested?
How can you avoid the negative consequences because of eating unnatural foods?
You treat it like any other addiction.
Abstain.
Yes, move away from the sugar, flour and wheat and fill up with family, social engagements, intimate relationships, God and spiritual development; and fuel with exercise and positive work relationships.
Today I practice mindfulness. The dictionary defines mindfulness as “calm awareness of one’s body functions, feelings, content of consciousness, or consciousness itself.” I am totally conscious of my fingers dancing over the keys, putting words together that you are reading now.
I am told mindfulness is the path to liberation and enlightenment. It is the intense purpose of staying in the now.
I get this.
So, get present. Refuse to think about what needs to be done next, or what you already did—rather, stay in the now. Stay present with each breath in and out. Stay present to the sounds of birds singing and the whispers of the wind as it folds through the trees out your window. Be here…live now.
What will make you fixed on staying present is the peace and tranquility it brings.
This holiday season is just that, a lovely holiday season, even if you’re spending it with a few people spaced apart or your family is far away. Enjoy the moment.
No guilt.
No shame.
Go forth and continue to eat four healthy meals spaced four hours apart—and life goes on—in recovery.
So, food addiction is real. How will you handle Thanksgiving and the holidays that are now upon us? How can you gather with your loved ones in a safe environment? Did you think about zooming with your loved ones? What about the leftovers? What will you do differently? 
Let me know what you’re thinking?
Check out my website at weightcontroltherapy.com and read my story and how I moved from obesity to a normal weight and quieted the food monster with in.
Come join me on my mission. Share comments on what you have learned from your experience with obesity,dieting, food addiction or a combination.
Share your thoughts by simply scrolling down to the comments section…
Thank you for spending time with me and my thoughts throughout these pages. I hope my words lit your excitement to become your best self for you.
I look forward to sharing my newest book with you on how to Release Your obsession with Your PHONE. God bless you and your journey through this life and all that awaits beyond.
Thank you for being a part of the reading blog forum of this blog. If you have something you’d like to say, I’d love to hear it. YOU are important and your words need to be heard. I’m here for you.
Stay tuned. You never know where my mind will wander…
Money Does Not Equal Happiness!
Wow!!! This was a really good read today. I needed this. Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. I love being with my family and cooking delicious clean food. So others enjoy. I do get scared during the holidays. I keep thinking what if this? What if that? Reading this made my nerves feel better. Living in the now for me is what I live for. Thanks Dr. Lisa.
Keep writing. It heals my heart xoxo
Thank you so much Monica! I hope you had an amazing Thanksgiving filled with laughter, peace, and healthy foods!!