The Lard Arms

CBT - could it help you? Part Two

Much to the amusement of my nearest and dearest, I am still trying to tame the paper tiger.  And just as my shelves were stuffed full of diet books and self-help tomes, I was still seriously chunky and thinking about what I needed to do but somehow not doing it.

It's the same with my habit of snipping newspaper and magazine articles - things that catch my eye for myself or, often, for friends (and my mother)!  

Slowly but surely I have been working my way through my last box.  Phew!

And here's something I came across this morning, which is ironic given my earlier post.

Apparently, CBT is available on the NHS (not via my PCT, sadly) but here's some more information from the same article - Style magazine, Sunday Times, if you're interested...(And thanks, C, for news of your best friend's experience).  Very timely.

CAN CBT HELP YOU? 
CBT can be used to help anyone whose behaviour is negatively influenced by their thoughts, assumptions and beliefs. Therapists often use it to treat depression, eating disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorder, drug and alcohol addiction, panic attacks, phobias and bereavement. It is not widely used to treat more severe psychiatric disorders, and those who feel a desire to explore the impact of childhood events on current behaviour should try psychoanalysis.

Further reading
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Dummies by Rob Willson and Rhena Branch (John Wiley £16). Don’t be put off by the title – this is one of the most comprehensive guides to CBT.

How to find a therapist
CBT is available on the NHS, subject to GP referral, though waiting lists in some areas can be up to six months. You can find a private therapist through the British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies (BABCP); www.babcp.org.uk

Prices start from about £30 an hour for a counselling therapist; clinical psychologists and psychiatrists, who can prescribe medication, charge more. If you are seeking a private therapist, make sure they are accredited by the BABCP.

Celebrity DietNow

Today I bought Celebrity DietNow magazine, partly because a LighterLife success story, Laine, was on the cover! Aha!

I also wanted a non-food distraction and figured this was a good alternative!

It's fascinating - mindless (the celebrity angle) yet compelling (the weight angle)!

Anyway, I wanted to share this, which caught my eye and made me acknowledge what I am already beginning to suspect - weight maintenance involves eating...not very much.

LighterLife Laine's typical diet before was:

BREAKFAST - White toast with butter and jam

LUNCH - Egg and mayo sandwich, crisps and chocolate biscuits

DINNER - Sausages, buttery mash and gravy

SNACKS - Biscuits and chocolate

DRINKS - Tea and non-diet cola

Laine's typical diet AFTER was:

BREAKFAST - Wholegrain toast with marmalade, no butter

LUNCH - Mackerel salad

DINNER - Grilled meat, dry-roast potatoes and vegetables

SNACKS - Fruit

DRINKS - 3 litres of water.

Hmmmmm. I think I have some way to go to make my daily (non-abstinent) intake look like this!