Gillian Riley "Beating Overeating"

[AmandaJayne]

I was on this section of minis recently (it usually has good advice and information for people struggling) and read a few comments about Gillian Riley's book "Eating less: say goodbye to overeating".

I had a look at her website www.eatingless.com and read the free chapter from this book (here it is if you want to have a look yourself) http://www.eatingless.com/downloads/eatingless-free-sample.pdf

This chapter really resonated with me and I found myself nodding along while I read. Here's a bit from chapter 1 that I particularly liked...

Quote "...Imagine a smoker who says ‘I’m fed up with coughing so much. What can I do to stop my coughing?’ Someone points out that it’s the smoking that’s doing it, but the smoker says ‘Yes, I know, but what I really want is some good cough medicine.’
Imagine a problem drinker who says ‘My driving is terrible. I
keep having accidents. Where can I get some good driving lessons?’ Someone suggests it’s because he’s driving drunk, so he keeps drinking and takes the bus.

Now, you may know that smokers and drinkers go through
periods when they do think like this. It’s a kind of denial because they are denying what their problem really is. The difference, though, is that when they finally admit they do have a problem, they tend to see it for what it is. Smokers set out to take control of their smoking, not their
coughing. And problem drinkers set out to take control of their drinking, not their driving.

When it comes to eating, though, this step is often not taken, or not taken fully. People who have an addiction to food set out to change a symptom: their weight. They keep their sights set on the effect, not the cause, which is eating too much.

The typical overeater says ‘I’m two stone overweight, none of my clothes fit properly and I hate how I look. How can I lose weight?’ So if someone says: ‘What you need to do is eat less food’ they reply ‘I know. I’ll join a slimming club.’ ..."

​

Gillian points out that "your weight is not your problem. It’s one of the effects of
your problem. Your problem is you eat more food than your body needs" and that the consequences of seeing 'losing weight' as a focus can lead to a number of problems, not least the harmful effects of Yo-Yo dieting and a poor relationship with food. Both which I have in abundance.

I had actually come to realise this myself earlier this year when I wanted desperately to start losing all the weight I had put back on after my last diet :cry:, but was totally afraid of returning to a diet again. Mainly because I had been here so many times before and had failed every time to mainain any loss, each failure leaving me more depressed than before (if possible).

At one point I had achieved every dieter's goal - size 10/12 BMI 24! :sigh:

Gillian's advice is, in a nutshell "you need to make your body size less important to you and make dealing with your addictive eating your main goal. This requires a change in your thinking, a shifting of priorities".

It certainly does. For example don't bother weighing yourself because that focuses on the losing weight issue.

​

Quote from chapter 1 "...the process of dealing with addictive eating is the path - quite possibly the only path - towards a more confident, peaceful, happier and more fulfilled you. Making positive eating choices for the right reasons can lead you directly towards becoming the person you want to be and living your life the way you​

really want to live it...losing weight becomes a bonus but not the focus..."

I have bought a copy of her other book "Beating Overeating" a small, handbag sized book which summarises the main book and have printed out her monthly newsletters (from the website) which are excellent and thought-provoking.

Additionally, I noticed that she does workshops and there is one in Edinburgh in April, so I have got a place on it (anyone else done one of Gillian's workshops?).

Whilst I would 'like' the usual quick fix of a diet, I am going to try doing it backwards instead, focusing on stopping the addictive eating behaviour and watching for a gradual weightloss and improved health - with no weighing, just (hopefully) buying smaller clothes when necessary .

Hope this thread can help anyone else feeling desperate or confused or frustrated.​

​

 

[Kat1e]

Hi amanda, thank you for this post as it's really informative and insightful. Good examples of making sure that we focus on the right thing. The only thing i would add is for some people there may be a physical reason they are overeating. In my case it's carbs - they make me completely starving so i then eat too much. By accepting that i will never be able to eat carbs like "normal" people, i can eat a healthy diet full of veggies, lots of water, tons of exercise where i feel good and dont overeat.

 

[Bastet]

Gillian's book is brilliant. I also had two phone sessions with her a couple of years ago. She charges £40 an hour but we divided that into two 30 minute sessions a few weeks apart, which were very helpful. I can say that in my own experience, if you follow her principles and suggestions, you will develop a better relationship with food and feel tons better emotionally. The problem, as she frequently points out in the book, is when you start to make weight loss your main goal. That's the trap I fell into -after following her advice for a couple of months I booked a holiday and of course then I was desperate to lose weight so I went on a diet. Started overeating again and my head was messed up about food.
Thanks for your post, you've reminded me about Gillian and I'm going to get her book (and the notes I made during our phone sessions) out and read again. I'd love to go to one of her weekend workshops.

How did the workshop go, AmandaJayne?

 

[AnnieAnnie]

Thanks AmandaJayne. I did LL at the same time you were back in 2007. I lost 5 stone only to put on 8. I'm back on Cambridge now but realise, unlike before, being slim is not enough to keep me slim. I also have the book which I'm working through & it helps a lot. I gave this example on another forum - I feel better now, 4 stone overweight but successfully on cd since January & having lost nearly 4 stone, than at goal weight having binged for the previous 3 days. I think this proves, to me, why she says is true. It's about control for me. Good luck with the book. Would love to hear how the course was.

 

[AmandaJayne]

Hi Bastet and Annie,



I will reply in four parts, first part...


Myself and all the other people attending the workshop had real issues around food built up over many years of dieting behaviors. We had all developed self destructive eating habits and were at our wits end by the time we booked onto the course. I certainly was, Bastet, because I knew that dieting was not the answer in the long term but did not know what else to do.


The subjects we covered included:

Motivation – why make change?

Making choices real

Understanding addiction: how to take control

Dealing with addictive thinking​

The first premise is that dieting will never work in the long term because it focuses on the effect not the cause.

The effect = weight gain
The cause = eating too much for your body's needs.

Rather like the example I mention in my first post, about smokers.

The effect = smokers cough.
The cause = smoking cigarettes.

If smokers concentrate on getting rid of the cough by using cough medicines, it does not solve the problem in the long term. They need to stop smoking.

Therefore, if overweight people try to get thinner by going on a diet to lose pounds, they will not solve the problem in the long term. They need to freely want to eat enough to satisfy their body's needs.


Second part to follow...

 

[AmandaJayne]

Part two...
The first thing to do is to ditch that weighing scale.
It is a scary prospect, Bastet, because certainly I have relied on the reassurance of the dial on the scale going down as a barometer of my progress and achievements on ‘the diet’.​

However, focusing on reducing the numbers merely deals with the effect of the weight gain, but not the cause. That is why most diets ultimately fail.
​

The second thing to understand is the way our brains work.​

Reptilian, the oldest part of the brain, controls vital functions. This is found at the back of the skull.​

Limbic (emerging with the first mammals) and responsible for emotions.The limbic brain is where we make value judgments,often unconsciously, that exert such a strong influence on our behaviour. This is found between the ears, central in the brain.​

Pre frontal cortex (sometimes called neocortex) which is responsible for language, abstract thought and consciousness. This is at the front of the skull, behind the forehead. This part of the brain is flexible and has infinite learning abilities; it has enabled human cultures to develop.​

These three parts of the brain do not operate independently of one another. They have established numerous interconnections through which they influence one another. The neural pathways from the limbic system to the pre frontal cortex, for example, are especially well developed.
​

There has been a lot of research done to try and understand what goes on in the brains of people with addictive eating behaviours when they see food they want.
​

For people who habitually obey the rules (like when on a diet) only the limbic area of the brain will be flared because there is no expectation of getting their desire. This is why Iwas so successful when I did LL over several months. I did not cheat once when doing this programme, I did not have any expectation that I would be able to eat real food throughout this time. I accepted the rules while doing the diet, and found iteasy being ‘good’ and making ‘good choices’ according to the particular diet rules. This is why ‘falling off the wagon’ and making a mistake on a diet can be so devastating to people like me, and I fall in a big way.


Part three to follow...​

 

[AmandaJayne]

Part three....

However, it is activating the PFC (pre frontal cortex)that is crucial to succeeding in changing behaviours in the long term, where they become unconscious behaviour (like learning to drive; at first it is overwhelming trying to learn all the different actions needed in order to drive competently. It seems impossible, but over the weeks, months or years (!)eventually the new driving behaviours become automatic). In order to achieve this we have to forge a new pathway between the limbic and the PFC. It is sort of like making a new pathway through a dense forest. Really difficult at first, but with constant practice (walking through the forest regularly) it becomes easier.
​

In order to change our old eating habits, we need activate the PFC by learning to feel the addictive desire but not act upon it, over and over again, until it becomes unconscious behaviour, like when we learned to drive (or when we were babies, learning to walk).
​

So, Bastet, how do we dothis?
​

It is so important to allow ourselves to feel the addictive desire because is act will be the start of forging the new pathways to the pre frontal cortex (PFC). Using choice activates the PFC and makes it stronger and makes the limbic area weaker.

Last part to follow...​

 

[AmandaJayne]

Part four....




This is where we learned about The Outcome. This is my example below:-
​

WHAT do I want to change? E.g. I don’t want to feel that I can eat secretly when alone.​

WHY do I want to make this change? It is hurting me physically and emotionally.​

HOW will I achieve change? First let myself FEEL THE ADDICTIVE DESIRE. Do not deny it, do not avoid it (usual dieting behaviour).​

Let myself be aware of what is happening (don’t switch off). Identify that it is an addictive desire.
​

Tell myself that I have the CHOICE to eat this food if I want, ornot. I have the total freedom todecide whether to satisfy the addictive desire or to leave unsatisfied.​

Why do I need to feel the addictive desire first? In order to forge the new neural pathways from the limbic to the PFC part of the brain. It will be difficult at first,but practice and repetition will help to make these choices easier over time.
​

The third thing to think about is the power of cues​

We learned about Pavlov, who trained dogs to salivate in anticipation of eating food even when no food was present. When the bell rings(the cue) it promotes the release of dopamine in the brain and therefore addictive desire in preparation of eating, endorphins are released causing pleasure and reward.​

These cues are really powerful, we all have them. What are yours? I had one an hour ago in fact,Bastet, when my daughter and husband went out and left me alone (!) Secret eating is my thing, and historically I have looked forward in anticipation to times when I can be alone to ‘eat’. Except when being good if I am on a diet. If you look back a couple of paragraphs agoto The Outcome, you can see what I do now when confronted with an addictive desire as a result of a cue.​

I feel it, acknowledge it, let to come and go, and decide whether to act on it or not. There are no scales to show me that I have eaten secretly, there are no classes to prove that I have ‘cheated’. There is just the knowledge that it starts with me, it is my choice, it is my life to do with what Iwant.​

And what I want Bastet, is to forge new neural pathways to my PFC that will eventually become automatic, and to do this I will use all the tools I learned about at Gillian’sworkshop.
​

No more diets for me J.
​

Hope this helps you. If you can get along to one of Gillian’sworkshops some time, please do try and do so, you will not regret it.​

AJ​

 

[AnnieAnnie]

Thanks for such a comprehensive reply. Sounds fascinating. Once I've finished cd I'm going to use my slimpod & Riley for when I am eating again. Good luck, please keep us updated.

 

[lasttimelucky]

I'm so glad I found this thread as have just discovered this book. Had a quick flick through and also found myself nodding as I went through. Reading about food addiction was very enlightening and I'm really looking forward to reading the whole thing. I liked the way she talked about food addiction and how hard it is to break the habits. I also read with interest about learned habits and realised that most of my food association is habit rather that need. Fingers crossed for the rest of the book!

 

[TracyGWill]

I'm so glad I found this thread as have just discovered this book. Had a quick flick through and also found myself nodding as I went through. Reading about food addiction was very enlightening and I'm really looking forward to reading the whole thing. I liked the way she talked about food addiction and how hard it is to break the habits. I also read with interest about learned habits and realised that most of my food association is habit rather that need. Fingers crossed for the rest of the book!

I can highly recommend this book too. I'm reading it for the third time - it makes so much sense. x

 

[bodicea]

I am reading her book and wow it just clicked with me. As an older lady I've been on and off diets for years. Presently doing SW. During the summer I had pnuemonia and was hospitalised. When I came out it was strange I just knew that I needed hot food with garlic for my immune system. It was as if my body was telling me. I made chilli and used spices. I researched which foods would help. Then when I recovered I've slipped into addictive eating again. Mainly in the evenings. Chocolate and biscuits. Now thanks to Gillian's book I am changing my thinking and trying to focus on keeping healthy and not about dieting or weight and dealing with my addictive trigger moments.

 

[Malteaster]

I have just started reading this book for the second time. I found it useful before because she really talks sense. I had read some books about intuitive eating but found I needed more structure.

I have just finished Judith Beck's Diet Solution book and have found that useful as well.

 

[lass321]

Lots of interesting advice here.

 

[AmandaJayne]

An update:

I am still following the guidance of Gillian's books and am beginning to see results . I still don't weigh myself but, for example, at the beginning of the new school term I tried on my usual work trousers but they are now too big, I needed a size smaller. This is a side effect I knew would happen but it is not measurable.

The usual fear and anxiety that surrounded food and eating, whether dieting or not, has gone. I feel a sense of peace now.

The best thing I ever did was ditch the scales. Those numbers would completely dominate my life; taking off, putting on, staying the same; it was pressure all the time, and failure eventually. Always.

I always knew that there had to be a way to develop a healthy relationship with food, and demolish the innate fear and desire I had developed over 37 years. Here I believe I have found it.

It is a solitary instrument. I don't talk about it, share it, measure it, weigh it. It is an entirely private affair. I just do it imperfectly day by day (perfection is not expected or required, it is all my personal choices).

It is not a quick fix, you are not told what to do or eat, instead you work within yourself honestly and courageously to take on that monster that is addictive overeating, and diminish it bit by bit in your own time.

And finally and most importantly, always with the understanding that you are always free choose to eat what you want, when, where and how. For ever.

 

[lass321]

It certainly sounds as if I need to get a look at this book!

 

[AmandaJayne]

It certainly sounds as if I need to get a look at this book!

There are now two books, Lass. "Eating Less", and "Ditching Diets" is the latest one. Read both, the second one has interesting information about research into brain behaviour and food. Also, have a look at her website www.eatingless.com . You can read a free sample chapter of Eating Less. I did and was blown away. There are also archive monthly newsletters to read.