Mindful Eating Programs and Training

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Am I Hungry? Personal Stories

Adriana’s Story: Waking Up in My Own Balanced Life

Unlike many fans of Am I Hungry?, Adriana had never tried fad diets or mass-marketed weight-loss programs. She had effortlessly maintained a comfortable weight for most of her life. However, after three children, Adriana found herself “stuck” at a weight she felt was uncomfortable for her petite five-foot frame. Seeking a healthy solution to her dilemma, she chose Am I Hungry®? to help her.

Adriana’s first step, acknowledging that she needed direction and guidance, was a big one for her. Growing up with a battered mother and alcoholic father, Adriana often felt powerless. She had learned to charge through each day, simply reacting to experiences, rather than actively directing them. “It is no wonder that I grew up with little grasp of the life skills necessary to identify and address my needs!”, she said.

balanced scaleRemarkably, Adriana’s dysfunctional upbringing failed to extinguish her belief that she was worthy of a better life. And she built one – with a wonderful husband, their children, and a successful home decor business. Yet her family and business responsibilities were sometimes overwhelming, resulting in stress and stress-related overeating. Adriana needed tools to cope – and thrive – in the busy life of an entrepreneurial wife and mother.

Finding Solutions and Learning New Skills

Adriana was surprised to discover that Am I Hungry? is not about eating (or avoiding) specific foods. Instead, she found a tailored program focusing on her emotional triggers, self-concept, and behaviors, rather than a one-size-fits-all approach. With Am I Hungry?  Adriana not only learned to identify areas she describes as her “weaknesses,” she learned that, “There is always a solution.”

Another essential new skill for Adriana is the ability to distinguish important demands from the insignificant ones. As a self-described people pleaser, Adriana had assumed that every demand on her time was justified, important, and urgent. So skewed was her former perception that she felt obligated to hold lengthy conversations with telemarketers, simply because they called! Now, with skills learned from Am I Hungry? Adriana quickly dismisses telemarketer and other interruptions, focusing instead on matters vital to her interests.

Along with this new found empowerment came the realization that she could analyze, understand, and manage her environmental and emotional eating triggers. Adriana identified her habits of eating in front of the television, the computer, while driving, and when stressed or bored. Once recognized, Adriana found it fairly easy to modify her behavior. She also developed new healthy habits such as prepackaging bite-sized nutritious treats, such as melon or vegetables. Then, if she gets hungry while chauffeuring her kids, she snacks on these instead of driving through the nearest fast-food restaurant. 

Adriana’s other key lessons:

  • The step-by-step approach illuminated my neglect of my self-care needs, including nutrition.
  • I learned to assess my hunger and fullness levels. At first I was amazed at how much food she consumed, mostly when I wasn’t even hungry! Now eats regularly, when my body signals its need for nourishment, and stop eating when my hunger is satisfied.
  • I’ve learned how to prioritize the demands on my time and use tools like daily goal setting.

With these new skills in place, Adriana is now focused on understanding and caring for herself – her whole self. Developing her much needed life skills through the Am I Hungry? program has enriched her already satisfying relationships with immediate family and friends. According to Adriana, having the ability to purposefully navigate through each day feels like, “Waking up in my own life.”

Nine months earlier, Adriana was a woman looking to lose a few pounds. Remarkably, she gained a whole new approach to living her life.

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