Quote:
Originally Posted by KittyKatFan
I am trying to learn intuitive eating. It seems so simple in theory but it is hard IMO!
I can read hunger cues, but can anybody give tips on how to read fullness cues? I am still relying on stopping when I "think" I should stop, or based on how many approximate calories I think I have eaten, which defeats the purpose of IE. probably because of my years of overeating, I don't seem to find that using the cue of being full when food stops tasting good. I'm afraid food still tastes good even after I have eaten a ton of it
I'm working on stopping the diet cycle and eleven that just having a 3 meal, 2 snack/day plan has helped me. But I worry that I will not master intuitive eating.
KittyKatFan - IE does take some practice. As I stated in my previous post to bingefree2013, I do think it's basically impossible to describe what fullness really is, as it is different for everyone. For example, I've had times when I've
thought I was "full" according to the various descriptions I've read from the IE "experts," but discovered later on that day that I wasn't full at all, and ate things that weren't as nutritious as the food that I rejected. I also noticed that those were the days I fell into the trap of eating in front of the TV, which is a way I use food to comfort me...even though I was probably actually hungry when I ate it. So now I'm concentrating on eating bigger portions at meals, and I'm discovering that when I do that I usually eat only two meals, with basically no snacking in between. That's my intuition AND it's also the way I generally ate whenever I wasn't dieting. It's what is natural for ME. So when I do eat the big meals I eat until I'm full...maybe past full...but I don't eat until I get that stuffed feeling that I used to get. Comfortable fullness, not uncomfortable fullness. If that makes any sense.
For example, yesterday morning I ate a banana. That's it...I wanted just a little something to eat, and that really appealed to me. I had a very busy morning and early afternoon that didn't allow me to eat, so around 1:30 pm I was pretty hungry, as you can imagine. I was without a car but was really wanting my favorite meal from a local restaurant. Problem is, it's 3.5 mile round trip. But I wanted that meal very badly, and goodness knows the exercise wasn't going to kill me, so I walked. It's 3.5 miles up and down hills, so I got a pretty good workout. But it was a beautiful day. I got there about 2:30 pm, ate a wonderful meal of a 5 oz sirloin and wedge salad, asparagus, rutabagas, and ranch dressing. Unsweetened iced tea to drink (3 glasses!) and a cup of black coffee and a chocolate chip cookie for dessert ... compliments of the house. A wonderful meal complimented by a nice visit with the always attentive staff - obviously not a busy time. Only customers at the time were myself and a three-person party that had already finished and were just visiting among themselves (I always eat in the bar).
Needless to say, that was a BIG meal and it filled me up! I ate nothing for the rest of the day.
Now it's around 9:30 am the next morning and I'm thinking I'll be eating in an hour or so...probably cereal and that last banana I have. Right now that sounds very appealing!
This probably isn't something you want to hear, but I'm on another forum with intuitive eaters and one lady said it took her 13 months to really master IE. Maybe it's just that I came to it at a point in my life where I was completely, totally, and thoroughly disgusted with dieting, but I feel like I have a pretty good handle on what I need to be doing. I'm listening to my body more and more, and I really don't think any person can TELL another person exactly when they should start or stop eating. The only thing you really have to be aware of is the difference between true hunger and mouth hunger - I think that's a valid concept, at least for people who are chronic dieters. They both exist, and frankly I think it's okay to honor both by eating, but eventually you should be able to move away from the mouth hunger and eat only when true hunger strikes. Learning the difference is a process, I believe. Easier for some than for others.
My biggest problem has always been a
fear of hunger. IE has completely eliminated that for me, as I know I can eat WHENEVER I'm hungry. And I can stay hungry for awhile because I know I can eat AS MUCH AS I NEED TO SATISFY THAT HUNGER.