Why It Works

This technique uses the "When This Then That" program that naturally trim, healthy people use. 

Connirae Andreas created this technique by unraveling her own strategy for automatically maintaining her ideal body size without using willpower or self-denial. 

Each time you play with this technique it will become more automatic. Soon you'll forget you're even doing it because it will be your new "When This Then That" program. Your brain will run it on autopilot!

The Satisfied Strategy

(Scroll down for a cheat sheet you can save to your phone and use at mealtime.)

1. STEP out of emotion or craving with a 5-5-10 breath. 

BREATH IN FOR A 5 COUNT - Breathe in by expanding your waistline like a balloon. (Not by lifting up your shoulders.)

This pushes the diaphragm into the vagus nerve. 

A balloon belly breath turns OFF negative emotions and cravings and pushes on your built in HAPPY button (vagus nerve).

HOLD FOR A 5 COUNT - This oxygenates the blood and spreads HAPPY chemicals through the body.

EXHALE FOR A 10 COUNT - A long exhale works because it immediately turns off stressful emotions and creates peace in the body.

2. ASK, "How does my stomach feel?"

This is the key! Naturally lean people check with their physical stomach to decide if it's time to eat. 

Your stomach is up high, just barely below your ribs. If you notice hunger down low in your gut or in your head or anywhere else in your body, you're noticing EMOTIONAL hunger and food will NOT make it better. 

If you notice PHYSICAL hunger in the stomach, move to Step 3. 

If you notice EMOTIONAL hunger, somewhere else in the body, click the button below.

3. TRY OPTIONS

Notice how your stomach feels RIGHT NOW. 

Vividly imagine swallowing food down into your stomach and notice how that feels. 

Which one feels better?

4. SAY "I CAN FEEL AND LISTEN TO MY STOMACH"

Self talk is key. If you say, "This won't work. I can't do this" you'll find that to be true. 

Say, "I can do this. I know there's a part of me that remembers what it's like to eat according to true physical hunger." That part of you (yes it IS in there) will hear your self-talk and activate your ability to notice stomach hunger. 

5. SUGGEST OPTIONS

Vividly imagine eating the food you're thinking about. Think about how it will feel in your mouth.

Pretend to swallow and feel it move into your stomach. 

Notice if your stomach feels better with or without the food. 

If you have multiple food choices - and you've already determined your stomach will feel better if you put food in it - you can vividly imagine and rehearse each choice to decide which one FEELS best in your stomach.

6. FIVE-FIVE-TEN BREATH

Here's a very common "When This Then That" strategy that overweight people use without realizing it. . . 

WHEN I notice myself feeling full.
THEN I speed up so I can get more in.

Now that you're learning The SATISFIED Strategy, you're going to notice this desire to keep going as a cue to take another 5-5-10 breath. 

You'll want to do it because you realize a 5-5-10 breath pushes your happy button much better than shoveling in food. 

And this is all about feeling good, right?

7. SAY "I AM EASILY SATISFIED."

Overweight self-talk is, "But it just tastes SO GOOD! It's hard to stop."

You've already proven that this self-talk works perfectly. You say it's hard to stop, and it IS hard to stop.

Now you get to try on new self talk that lets it be easy to be done by saying, "I AM so easily satisfied."

8. REHEARSE EACH BITE BEFORE YOU EAT IT.

Have you every noticed that people who easily maintain a healthy weight eat slowly? This is because they're checking in with their stomach. 

This may seem like a chore at first but it will become automatic very quickly.

*Uncomfortable things soon become automatic!

About halfway through the meal, start taking every bite twice: once in your imagination, then in real life. 

Notice how the imaginary bite FEELS in your stomach. If you like the feeling of not taking the bite more than taking the bite, then you can easily put down your fork and move to the final, very important, step.

9. DECLARE, "I AM SATISFIED"

Have you ever eaten quickly then felt hungry again shortly after? This happens because you never really acknowledged you had eaten. If you felt guilty while eating, it will leave you wanting more. 

This step acknowledges that you've eaten, that you received pleasure from the experience, and that you are getting really good at listening to your body. 

When you acknowledge what you did right, your subconscious mind perks up and says, "Let's do more of that!" and makes it easy to keep doing it. 

When a person acknowledges what they did "wrong" their subconscious perks up and says, "Let's do more of that!" 

You get what you focus on. 

Get in the habit of telling yourself "Good job!" You'll be blown away at how easy it becomes to create new positive behaviors. 

KEY POINTS

• This is all about feeling good, not deprivation. You're letting your own body tell you what will feel good so you can enjoy eating experiences even more, not less.
• There is no such thing as "good" or "bad" food. If you want to eat chocolate, follow the steps above. Really taste the chocolate and savor it. Trust your body to let you know when you've had enough to be satisfied. 
• This is about learning your body, not being "good" or "bad". You cannot become more or less righteous based on what you eat. If you eat enough to feel uncomfortable, think of it as FEEDBACK and say, "I'm so grateful to notice this feeling so next time I can make a choice that lets me feel better."

You already know that food doesn't really sooth emotions. You may distract yourself with food for awhile, but as soon as you're finished you become aware with the unwanted emotion PLUS the unwanted feeling of being over-full feeling guilty.

But enough about the problem. Here's the solution!

If this seems too easy, I double dare you to give it a try (while saying, "I wonder if this will really work?!") and notice the difference. 

5 Ways to Release "Other Than Positive Emotions" WITHOUT Eating

1. EFT Tapping.

I guide you through it here. 

2. Bilateral Stimulation. 

Move an object from side to side while tracking with your eyes and lengthening your exhale.

3. Use your anchor.

This is an amazing way to feel good on the spot. How awesome will it be when you can feel good in 2 seconds instead of having to eat food you're not really hungry for?

4. Use your I AM mantra.

If your head is full of powerful thoughts about how capable you are it will automatically push out thoughts you're recycling from the past that say, "This is too hard. I can't do this. Etc."

5. 7-11 breath or 5-5-10 breath

A 7-11 breath is simply breathing in while counting to 7. (Remember to expand your waist to push your happy button) then exhaling to a count of 11. 

Take a few of these breaths while speaking some powerful words to yourself and notice how much easier it is to make great choices.