IFS and Our Eating Parts: How to Befriend Your Oreo-Eater

<p>Over the past few weeks, we've been talking <em>a lot</em> about Internal Family Systems (IFS).  From how it works to how it can help you understand and change your eating patterns.  And you've probably heard me say the word "parts" a thousand times by now.</p> <p>But with all of this information, you're probably still left with one question:</p> <p style="text-align: center;" data-redactor-style-cache= "text-align: center;"><span data-redactor-span="true" data-redactor-style-cache="color: rgb(88, 70, 102);"><strong>How do I <em>do</em> IFS?</strong></span></p> <p>We're finally getting to that this week!  On this week's podcast, we're covering a lot of ground on how we get to know our parts.  But let's back up for a minute--<span data-redactor-span="true" data-redactor-style-cache= "font-size: 0.875rem; color: rgb(88, 70, 102);"><strong>what does getting to know your parts even mean?  And why do I need to do it?</strong></span></p> <p>As we've discussed, we have various parts that "run the show" or "drive the bus" at various times.  And even though our parts are trying to be helpful, sometimes they don't exactly lead us in the right direction.</p> <p style="text-align: center;" data-redactor-style-cache= "text-align: center;"><strong><span data-redactor-span="true" data-redactor-style-cache="color: rgb(88, 70, 102);">Take the part of you that loves to eat Oreos.</span></strong></p> <p>That part thinks it's helping you (it is).  It thinks it's giving you comfort (it is).  Giving you Oreos when you're upset is the job it's had forever.  It sees you upset, so it literally walks you to the pantry to get Oreos.  And it thinks to itself, "I helped!"  And it's happy.</p> <p>But.....</p> <p>Maybe it eats so much Oreos that your stomach hurts.  Or maybe you have another part that <em>hates</em> that it eats Oreos, and it gets really angry.  Or maybe you have another part that sees you eat Oreos and decides that it needs to start dieting pronto, and it tosses the rest of the Oreos in the trash.  </p> <p>Our parts have f