For Those Who Journal
Dr. John H. Sklare
In my last article, I introduced you to The Family Feud. I decided to call this
concept The Family Feud because the internal battle that it describes reminded me
of the struggle for control that goes on between an adult and a child. Controlling
an impulsive child is always a handful. It takes time, understanding, perseverance
and patience.
I have been using this concept for many years and am so pleased to see the impact
that The Family Feud has had on so many of you. The comments and email that I have
received confirms how helpful, enlightening and empowering this concept can be.
Putting theory into practice, however, is what creates change in your everyday life.
In learning theory, this is called transfer. This is where you take some intellectual
understanding and put it into practice in the real world. In an attempt to facilitate
that transfer and help you incorporate The Family Feud idea into your daily life,
I offer the following suggestion.
This is intended for those of you who keep a journal. I might add, if you are not
presently doing so, please consider beginning one. Journaling can be a great way
to release feelings and emotions while helping you to become more mindful about
what, when and why you eat. One of the keys to success with weight management is
to become more of an active participant in this process and less of a passive recipient
of information. Journaling provides yet another way for you to get involved.
For those of you who journal, I suggest you create another column in your journal.
Every time you put some food into your mouth, and I do mean every time, I want you
to record either an “A” or a “C” in that new column. Even a crumb on the table counts!
Decide, before putting anything into your mouth, who is making this eating decision.
Is it the responsible Adult or the irresponsible Child? Then, put an "A" for adult
or a "C" for child next to that entry. If you choose not to keep a journal, you
can just ask yourself this question prior to eating.
You can then tally the A’s and C’s at the end of each day or week and get a very
good idea about where your eating decisions are coming from. This will greatly increase
your awareness of the choices that you make and put a spotlight on that "moment"
when the decision to eat is made. Because - if you can manage that moment, you can
solve this problem. The purpose of this activity is to create more "mindful"
eating and less "mindless" eating.
Awareness is the key to change. By contemplating A or C before every eating decision,
you will put yourself in the perfect position to choose wisely and promote change.
Wishing You Great Health,
Dr. John H. Sklare
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