Hunger Pangs! We all get them. Typically, they occur when the body has gone without food for a number of hours. However, today I discovered that they can also be caused by the onset of stress.
This morning, I was walking home from taking my daughter, Cara and her friend, Malik to school. I noticed that my stomach hurt and I felt excessively hungry. This is a relatively unusual occurrence for me and I thought that I might do some tapping and explore it further. Tapping is a way of manipulating your energy balance by stimulating various meridian points on different parts of the body, specifically, your head, hands and face.
As a Certified Energy Coach, I coach women to lose weight by teaching them how to manage their emotional eating using a process called Emotional Freedom Technique. EFT is much like emotional acupuncture and works on the basis of tapping on different parts of the body while tuning in to your thoughts. It affects changes in the energetic system of the body, releases emotional blocks and puts you back in the drivers’ seat.
I’ve been able to maintain a 40 pound weight loss for more than 6 years and continue to lose weight using a simple process called Emotional Freedom Technique. I give the credit to Gary Craig and his creation of the Emotional Freedom Technique.
EFT is a process of tapping on acupressure meridian points and releasing blockages that cause emotional distress.
A couple of months ago, I had ordered Gary Craig’s DVD set, How to Become The Ultimate Therapist. One of the techniques that was taught was Imagine Tapping. That is applying EFT by imagining tapping on the points rather than actually making contact with the body.
I had never really done this before since I learned EFT. I found that in the past, my mind wandered and I often fell off track. This time I committed to doing it for the length of the short walk home. I began by rating my hunger and pain in my stomach at a 10 on a scale of 1-10. Then I said the following three set up statements to address any psychological reversal that I might have on the issue of getting rid of the hunger and having the pains. I did this in the following manner:
As I imagined tapping on my karate chop point, I began to vocalize the following thoughts in my head:
Even though I’m so hungry that my stomach hurts, I still deeply and completely love and accept myself.
Even though I’m so hungry and would love to eat a huge breakfast and I’m afraid that I would lose control and fall back on my tendency to overeat because I am so hungry, I still deeply and completely love and accept myself
Even though, I’m so hungry that I could eat a horse, I still deeply and completely love and accept myself.
Eyebrow: Feeling so hungry
Side of eye: Don’t want to overeat
Under Eye: Feeling so hungry
Under Nose: I don’t want to overeat and feel like a fat pig
Under chin: I used to do that
Under Arm: Sometimes I still do, especially if I don’t tap
Top of head: Tapping works when you work it. I know that now.
Top of head: I’m hungry and want to eat
Eyebrown: don’t want to overdo it and eat like a fat pig
Under Arm: I’ve been told things like that before
Top of head: That really hurt
Eyebrow: That reminds me of the time when my father used to say, “You’re going to get so fat, I’ll be able to roll you down the hill like a meatball
Side of eye: Funny, that’s what I chose to share in my email announcement for the next Juicy Call
Under Eye: Thought I was over that one
Under Nose: I guess it still hurts
Under Chin: Not as much as before… but still a little
Collarbone: I used to believe that kind of stuff
Under Arm: I don’t anymore
Top of head: I know that’s nonsense and now I’m in control of my thoughts
Top of head: Meatball, hah that’s kind of funny. This is so ridiculous
Top of head: It feels good to be such a resourceful, strong, woman
Top of head: I’m a grownup now, and I can take care of myself, meatball, what kind of dummy would compare a child to a meatball, that’s freaky. Guess he blew it on that one! I’d never say that to Cara.
I took a deep breath and checked in with my body to find that I was no longer hungry. In retrospect, now I remember that on the way to walking Cara and Malik to school, I was explaining to them what anchors are. Anchors are thoughts that occur in our memories that stir our brain to remember. I gave an example of my grandmother’s apple pie and feeling very loved. I explained to the kids that whenever I think about Nana’s apple pie and walking into her apartment, smelling the cinnamon and vanilla, I felt warm and peaceful inside.
I think that probably my brain then began a search and I realized that I really miss my Nana. That’s probably what triggered those intense hunger pains.
Recently I had ordered Gary Craig’s DVD set, How to Become The Ultimate Therapist. Visit his website to learn more or to buy the DVDs. One of the techniques that was taught was Imagine Tapping. That is applying EFT by imagining tapping on the points rather than actually making contact with the body. I heartily recommend purchasing this wonderful set of DVDs. You will quantum leap your progress and be able to use EFT on so many issues with profound results.