Journey through Recovery: 12/05/08

Friday, December 5, 2008

New York

Hey guys. I just want to let you know that I'm in New York this week, and my phone isn't working properly, so if I'm not returning your calls, that's why. Thanks for staying in touch, and I'll talk to you soon. I am checking my e-mail though!

Abstinence

I think it's really important to note the difference between Abstinence and Food Plan. Abstinence is the bottom line behaviors you stay away from in order to stay present and alive in recovery. A food plan is a set of guide lines that help you maintain abstinence. Because I have maintained almost perfect adherence to my food plan, I am certain that I have come no where near breaking my abstinence, but I feel that it is important to know where that line is. This is my first attempt to draw the bottom line.

No Bingeing

-I define a binge as an effort to disconnect myself from the world by eating self-destructively. (yeah-like that's not totally abstract!) For now, I define it as defying both my food plan and my body's signs of fullness at the same time. There may be times when in order to take care of my body and basic physical needs, I may have to deviate slightly from my food plan, and that's OK. There may be other times when I stay within the guidelines of my food plan, but mindlessly eat beyond my fullness. This also is not a true binge. If I were however, to finish the portion that I have set out for myself as a meal, AND recognize that I am full, and then proceed to eat additional portions to the point of extreme discomfort and pain, this cannot be described as anything but a binge, and would constitute breaking my abstinence.

No Purging

simple: take no actions to "get rid of" food which I have consumed. That includes inducing vomiting by any means, taking any form of laxative pills, tablets, supplements, teas, or even compulsive exercising to burn off specific calories.

No Restricting

there are a lot of subtle little ways to restrict, but my bottom line is that I never intentionally deprive myself of something that my body actually requires in order to function properly.

Journey through Recovery

Friday, December 5, 2008

New York

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