009: "I Find It Difficult to Navigate My Urges" with Dr. Ellen Cooke

Jun 17

If you’re anything like me, resisting the urge to eat something you normally wouldn’t is a really difficult thing to do! Over the years, I’ve gotten better at navigating these urges, though I do sometimes give in. I’m joined by Dr. Ellen Cooke, founder of Circle of Hope and an oncologist, who explains how you can use meditation to help overcome urges.

Listen to Episode 9 Here

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The Chief Complaint: I don’t know what to do when I have an urge to eat something I didn’t plan on

Dr. Ellen Cooke grew up in multiple locations in the U.S., before settling in Belton, Texas for high school. She attended the University of Notre Dame as an undergraduate, obtaining a B.S. in Preprofessional Studies, with a second major in Theology (the appreciation of all things spiritual goes back to my roots).

She was then engulfed in left-brain thinking for 4 years of medical school at Texas A&M College of Medicine, followed by 5 years of postgraduate training in Radiation Oncology at Methodist Hospital in Houston, Texas, and the University of Utah in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Ellen now resides in Wichita, Kansas with her husband, Justin, and 3 children, where she practices clinical medicine in the treatment of patients with cancer using radiation. She is a certified to meditation teacher through the Mindfulness Center in Bethesda, Maryland.

But what actually causes an urge? The first thing I explain to you in this episode of Life Coaching for Women Physicians is what an urge is and how it’s connected to your willpower. What helps combat urges for me and Ellen is meditation.

Occasionally giving in to your urges to eat something you haven’t accounted for is not always a bad thing. Both Ellen and I are big advocates for intermittent fasting and listening to your body. You should also follow The Hunger Scale to figure out if you’re actually hungry or just bored.

Ellen has created an incredible meditation for my community that helps you recenter in the present moment to resist urges. It’s important to remember that this isn’t a once and done approach. Bettering yourself is a lifelong process and that includes navigating your way through food urges.

Spending time in nature is something that helps me and Ellen be more present in our bodies. It’s even better if you can meditate surrounded by nature - it’s a really grounding practice.

Regular meditation helps you live your life present and in your body all the time. When you’re more aware of your body, including your own Hunger Scale, you can more successfully navigate your urges.

Homework

I want you to eat a raisin mindfully. Ellen explains how to do this during the episode, but you want to savor and make every bite of that raisin last. It’s a true experience! Let me know in the comments below how that was for you!

In This Episode

What an urge is
How you can incorporate meditation into your everyday life
What the connection between willpower and urges is
Why you should allow the occasional urge
How meditations can help you navigate through your urges
Why bettering yourself is a lifelong practice
How spending time with nature can help you be more present
What happens when you live life present and in your body
How noticing your hunger scale can help you satisfy your urges

Quotes

“Once you get to a place where you’re slower, you’re allowed to bring rational thought back in. And you’re not going to be acting on some quick, fast feeling.” (8:24)

“Your whole psyche and your attitude towards your life is dependent on how you treat yourself and I do think meditation helps with that.” (14:50)

“What you’re wanting to accomplish is being more mindful which means more present in this moment.” (22:16)