On Head Hunger & Distractions

It happens usually at night.

When, if I am to be honest, my stomach really isn’t asking for food.

It is my brain that longs for a tasty treat.

Have you ever had your brain send you the same signal as mine?

“Something sounds good” it whispers seductively to me.

Maybe it is salty.

Maybe it is sweet.

A little crunch is always good.

Oh, but so is smooth & creamy.

Yes siree bob….”something” sounds good.

So off to the pantry or fridge or freezer I mindlessly meander.

After choosing the object of my affection to satisfy my brain, I sit and savor the plate of taunting, and now victorious treats.

For a moment, it is glory to my tongue’s taste buds.

Then arrives the guilt of my soul.

Why did I eat that?” I question myself, just as I have countless nights before.

If only I had distracted myself with something inedible. Perhaps then I could slink in bed without a feeling of regret; without vowing once more to “start over in the morning”.

Distractions.

Could we do it?

Just as when my children were toddlers and crawling for a forbidden object, I would distract them with a permissible toy or daddy’s big bunch of jingling keys, I must learn to distract myself from the forbidden.

I could call a lonely friend.

Or write an encouraging note.

Or clean out a drawer.

Or read a waiting book or Bible passage.

I could even do so while sipping something hot and calorie free like my favorite tea.

I know it works.

Because often, after focusing on the distraction for a while, I realize that my stomach wasn’t even hungry in the first place.

Perhaps today, Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent, is the perfect time to commit to the fine art of distracting yourself.

Instead of giving something up, you’d be taking something on: switching your thinking from your stomach to another person or task.

I guess in a way, you would be giving up something:  self.

I tried intentionally to practice the fine art of distraction this week.

Guess what?

It worked.

The scale was down 2.4 lbs. :-)

Now, how about you?

In what ways can you think of to distract yourself?

And, how was your week?

Let us know so we can be praying.

Oh, and I’m still trying to figure out if we’ll add a Facebook group to our little band of sisters here.

Rest assured, from the comments last week I have decided not to totally switch to Facebook since many of you can’t get on it at work and a few of you don’t use it at all.

So, if we add it, it will be in addition to our post here. Still trying to sort it all out.

In the mean time, let’s hear from you. How are you doing?

Can you add a distraction to the list above? Will you try, for the 40 days of Lent, to switch your thinking from your hungry brain and self to another person or task?

Sweet Blessings (of the calorie-free kind!),

31 Comments

  1. Thank for posting this. However, I am pregnant, but just found out that I have gestational diabetes, so I have to be careful what I eat.

  2. I was so blessed to find this page today. Thank you all for your comments and encouragement. God bless you all.

  3. I love the idea of using positive distractions instead of eating. I have discovered that since following this blog and reading “Made to Crave” I have started to replace the computer with the food I was eating to ease my loneliness when my husband is gone. I plan to take this 40 day challenge to complete some knitting projects I have started for other people. Afterall, I can’t eat and/or be on the internet with knitting needles in my hands ;-)

  4. For me the afternoon is my downfall because I get off of work at 2:30 and there is usually no one home til 6, so in the past I headed right to the pantry. Lately I have been trying to keep myself busy with shopping or errands which sometimes works, but not always, besides there is only so much money before that becomes a problem (ha!). I am also spending more time reading my Bible and praying which is where my head and heart should be way more often. Putting this into practice is difficult since my habit is to get on the internet then. Pray that I can focus on Prayer and Bible reading more and not allow temptations call to draw me away. Thank you for your words of encouragement.

  5. Distractions! What a great suggestion!

    While watching TV I find myself wandering into the kitchen during a commercial and opening the frig or cabinet without thinking about what I am doing…then grabbing something to snack on.

    My idea: instead of going into the kitchen during a commercial…stand up and dance during a song that comes on, or mute the TV and dance anways!

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