mind over eating

My name is Vicky Diaz and I joined the Mind Over Eating Program as part of the mandatory requirement for my upcoming bariatric procedure.

At first, I was skeptical about the class and thought what can a psychotherapist and nutritionist teach me that I don’t already know. I already know how to eat, and I thought I basically just ate too much. I thought that all I needed to do was cut down my food intake to be successful.

The Mind Over Eating Program taught me how to listen to my brain in order to find out whether I was hungry or not. It’s funny, because I had never listened before and I found out that my actions were being led by my emotions. Those emotions were creating feelings of hunger that I was unable to control.

Today, after twelve weeks in the program, I have learned to listen and how to control my emotions. Thanks to the classes, I am on my way to a healthier and thinner life. In fact, I have lost approximately 18 pounds in 12 weeks. It’s quite an accomplishment since I’ve only seemed to gain weight in the last 10 to 15 years. I know that the skills I have learned about how to be mindful of my actions will help me throughout my entire life. The weekly handouts that were provided as part of the program are very informative and they will also be part of my daily reading. The 12-week program will now become a 365-day program that I will live by.

I’m still scheduled to have my bariatric surgery, not because I don’t know how to control my behavior (I am learning), but because it is an additional “tool” that I know I will need in order to continue to be successful with my weight loss journey.