EFT(Emotional Freedom Techniques) is the new, self-applied acupressure technique changing lives. Although a new technique, EFT works on the same meridian channels of the body’s energy system mapped thousands of years ago by the Chinese. By tapping on key stress relief points with focussed thought, relief is found for emotional and physical ailments of all varieties.
From a scientific point of view, food works indirectly on the nervous system as indirect sympatho- and parasympatho-mimetics, meaning they work at nerve synapses as if they were the real endorphin chemicals themselves. And, food addicts draw the short straw as it is one addiction In which the sufferer *must* come into contact with “their substance” every day, unlike drugs, etc.
Often working with EFT and weight loss involves working with a series of associations previously setup at an unconscious level and releasing them via the energy system.
Here 6 specific ways to approach weight loss with EFT:
1) Manage the cravings
EFT is at base a self-applied technique which anyone can learn in 5 minutes. The principal sequence is applied in seconds and needs no supervision. Hence it is perfect to manage moment-to-moment cravings as you eagerly raid the cookie jar during TV. Applying the sequence helps to quell the underlying emotional issues (often anxiety) at the time you feel them most.
2) Specific events
Resolving the addiction is quite different to managing the cravings, and an experienced EFT Practitioner will invite the client to express what emotional and physical feelings are present at he time of the uncontrolled eating, and invite them to backtrack in their mind to similar events where they felt the same feelings. Applying EFT to these moments with the help of a skilled Practitioner can begin to collapse the stored anxieties attached to the foodstuff, and begin an emotional domino effect to the clients benefit.
3) Other associations
A great question for uncovering a hidden agenda behind your weight gain is this “What happened the last time you were at your ideal weight?” e.g. A woman who has been sexually assaulted whilst enjoying her ideal figure is unlikely to shed overweight pounds easily as her mind knows what happens if she becomes that shape again. But her conscious mind may have no idea. Often this is a penny-dropping question and many times we can instantly draw a connection between the events of the past and our weight patterns and thus gain insight into the good intentions our unconscious mind has for us. Again, apply EFT with help if necessary to relieve the emotional sting on these events and uncouple the association to food and weight gain.
4) Times of the day
Naturally we build up habitual patterns of eating and hunger patterns during typical daylight hours which can turn in to strong associated links. By changing eating patterns and easing these new patterns in with EFT we can begin to exchange those old associated programs for something new and more functional.
5) Emotional themes
Common emotional themes for weight issues are
(i)“not enough” – The experience of “I’m insatiable” or like a bottomless stomach can be an identity issue or a self worth issue, e.g. “I’m not enough”, or a perception of lack, i.e. “there isn’t enough” which the client experiences as feelings of emptiness. What is the food *really* filling in for? What positive feelings does the food allow you to feel, that you wouldn’t be getting otherwise? What emotions does it allow you to feel now, that were perhaps missing or distorted from early life? Getting to the core specific events and collapsing with EFT will substantially shake the table legs of the overall problem.
(ii)And, Resentment – if you don’t get the food you want, especially the food you feel you deserve. Apply EFT to help release the connection to food after you’ve expended energy on something and feel you deserve a reward of some kind and begin to fill in that reward space with something more useful.
6) Associated people
Perhaps the grandmother who gave you some chocolate as a treat after a traumatic incident wasn’t doing as much good as she thought. She had good intentions of course. But consistently receiving a particular favorite food only from one source will naturally drive an association and with it lots of emotional baggage, as our thoughts, love and feelings about that person become tied up in the food as well. Begin to notice what misguided connections you may have made between food and people in this way, and collapse any related memories using EFT with a skilled Practitioner.
copyright © 2008 stewart robertson. stewart is the superior practitioner of http://www.stressreliefclinic.co.uk/eft in glasgow
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