Intuitive Eating #11

[WannaBeSerene]

I find this very interesting. I stumbled upon this thread when I searched on the term, “embrace hunger”.

For the past week, I’ve decided to stop eating all the time. Seriously, it’s like I had to eat as soon as I no longer felt full. In this very short amount of time, I’ve found myself kind of looking forward to that feeling of hunger. This might sound odd, but it gives me a slight “edgy” feel. Not in a bad way, more as in “on top of my game”. And now when I do eat, I really enjoy it because I know I need to eat instead of feeling guilty about eating.

The scale is moving down and I’m feeling great.

[JulieJ08]

Welcome, WannaBeSerene. With a screenname like that, I bet IE is for you

[carolr3639]

I've made some recent discoveries with food lately. I love milk but haven't had any for 4 years due to problems with high blood calcium. I've been using soy milk but could never drink it plain. I knew it was low carb so I added 2t of sugar to my glass and walla.........it's pretty close to milk. Isn't that crazy? I have been really craving dessert again but nothing sound or tastes particularly good. Today I remembered how much I like ice cream cones and did that ever taste good. It's the cone that I like as I'm not really crazy about it plain. So something new every day.

[lharvey180]

So I am starting to realize some things over the past week or so...I overeat or eat things I know will make me feel crappy to punish myself! I had a bad weekend we had some financial issues and I found myself digging into a bag of potato chips and dip...and having a stomach ache and feeling like I deserved the stomach ache..its like if I feel bad emotionally I need to make myself feel bad physically too.. Wow how messed up is that! I'm just feeling really low, like I will never get to a place where I have a healthy relationship with food.

[JulieJ08]

lharvey, do you have any other outlet for your feelings? If not, maybe that's why it comes out in food.

[carolr3639]

iharvey, I think we all get in that predicament but it's best just to acknowledge it and move on. Recently I realized that I'm so much hungrier when it is below zero outside. I usually gain about 5lb in the winter and sometimes I get worried that it won't come off but for 4 yr. it has come off in the summer. I have come to the conclusion that the worst thing I can do is to starve myself. That sets me up for weight gain.

[carolr3639]

iharvey, I can't remember if you told us how you lost the 60lb that you did before you came to IE.

[sidhe]

Carol, sounds normal to me--more body fat = more warmth, right? I've always heard it's natural to gain a bit of winter weight when the weather is colder. Good for you for not trying to control it and just letting it be what it is!

lharvey, why do you feel you need to be punished? It must be hard to trust yourself, if you're always poised to judge and punish yourself.

For the first time this morning I woke up craving salad. SERIOUSLY craving it! I have always said that I can do veggies in the morning only if they're in an omelette--otherwise I just can't face them. But this morning, for some reason, I really really wanted a greek salad that I had for dinner last night. I got up and put the lettuce in the bowl, chopped a roma tomato and a cucumber, added the greek dressing and re-heated some lamb from last night, sprinkled on a tiny bit of feta cheese...OMG YUM! I'm willing to do veggies in the morning if it's like this!

DH has been fighting post-nasal drip and a cough and "retching" for the last 3 months, and he's finally turned himself over to me--he says he'll finally follow my suggestions. I've got him on echinacea, oil of oregano and a good multivitamin. He says he'll eat whatever I tell him to, so I've got him getting veggies at every meal except breakfast. Breakfast is plain greek yogurt with local honey. Any more suggestions to boost his immune system?

[JulieJ08]

It sounds like it might be more allergic than viral.

My nose is congested or runny a lot, but it doesn't seem to be pollen. I decided to not eat wheat or dairy for a bit and see if it makes any difference. At the very least, if it doesn't, I can stop wondering if that could be part of it.

[lharvey180]

Well before IE I went through years of yo yo dieting. The 60 pounds I lost were a result of starving myself and exercising for 2 hrs a day! Not healthy and I def don't want to go back there again. Its seems weird to confide in total strangers but growing up I had to be perfect..my brother was constantly in trouble mixed up in drugs and in and out of lockup...so I had to be the good child..my parents had enough to worry about. Seems silly that I still carry this need to be perfect into my adult hood. Everything I do has to be perfect...if its not I punish myself..I don't really know how to break free from this..
On a plus I have a great husband and great friends who try to keep me from being too hard on myself.

[carolr3639]

I understand what you mean about your brother. I had a similar upbringing. I never forget when my mom came to visit once. I had a 5mo old baby and was pretty out of shape. That was my 5rh child. She was so disappointed in me. The cool thing was I was so tired of struggling that I just gave up and lost 10 lb in the next 3mo. I new nothing of IE then so it didn't last. That was 30 yr. ago.

[ALO22]

Hola a todas!

wannabeserene, what an appropiate screen name for this thread =) I think that's the number one appealing factor in IE: no more craziness... just a bit of peace of mind.

Carol --> I'm experimenting more iwth food too. I think I am eating too much bread, my belly feels swollen and big all the time, even though my pants are feeling loose and I can actually fit into two pair of pants that didn't fit me just a few weeks ago =D But I decided to cut back on bread and flour a little bit and see if my belly gets less swollen.
And I've also been feel much hungrier lately... or rather I've been getting hungry more often. And real hunger, it's not in my head. My belly complains.

lharvey --> I do the same. Specially if I am very hormonal, I get depressed and start the self loathing and punishment by eating. I think it's my remaining big hurdle with IE: the extremes. If I am extremely sad or extremely happy, I'll overeat. It seems that I am able to control the middles, which are like 75% of normal life. But that 25% I'm working on.

Ally Cat --> How is IE working out for you?

Sorry I didn't post in a few days, I didn't forget about you =) Thanks for being there!

[JulieJ08]

Originally Posted by ALO22

I think I am eating too much bread, my belly feels swollen and big all the time, even though my pants are feeling loose and I can actually fit into two pair of pants that didn't fit me just a few weeks ago =D But I decided to cut back on bread and flour a little bit and see if my belly gets less swollen.

That's what's neat about IE to me. Somehow when you adjust your diet because you naturally discovered what suits you, it feels *so* different from trying to follow some rule, even if the behavior is the same.

Originally Posted by ALO22

And I've also been feel much hungrier lately... or rather I've been getting hungry more often.

I'm finding those are the same things (how much food I'm hungry for over the course of the day, and how *often* I'm hungry). It's nice when hunger isn't a 4-letter word any more.

[lharvey180]

Well went to the gym today and swam laps in the pool..so feeling a bit better. I really think I need to set more time aside for exercise which I haven't been doing lately. Tomm is a new day!

[carolr3639]

Here's an interesting article from Michelle May MD that came to my email.


December 2009 E-News


Recipe for Overeating

Ingredients:Whole pizza
1 batch, bag, box, or large plate of food
2 tablespoons of deprivation
1 heaping teaspoon of guilt
Sprinkle of shame
Optional: fatigue, stress, resentment, loneliness, boredom

Directions:

1. Run yourself down physically by not sleeping, exercising, eating when you’re hungry, or consuming nutritious foods. Alternatively, wear yourself out by working too hard, being all things to all people, and trying to make everything perfect.
2. Place emotions on medium-high. Cover and simmer; do not allow steam to escape.
3. When you crave something you love, remind yourself that it's bad, fattening, or high in carbs.
4. When your cravings grow stronger, tell yourself that you're bad for wanting bad food.
5. Wait until an influential person such as your grandmother or co-worker insists you eat that food anyway to please them. Alternatively, sneak the food when no one is watching.
6. Sit down in front of the T.V. or choose another activity to distract yourself while you eat.
7. Before eating, garnish the food with guilt. If it’s still enjoyable, stir in some shame to ensure that the food is completely ruined.
8. Eat as quickly as possible to avoid tasting or enjoying the food.
9. You're done when you feel sick and uncomfortable.
10. Repeat steps 1-9 until can't stand it anymore. Try the Recipe for Instinctive Eating.

Recipe for Instinctive Eating

Ingredients:Slice of pizza
1 or 2 servings of food you love
2 tablespoons of intention
1 heaping teaspoon of attention
Sprinkle of trust
Optional: pleasure, enjoyment, celebration, tradition

Directions:

1. Care for yourself physically by getting adequate sleep, exercise, and nutrition.
2. Create a self-care buffer zone by regularly nurturing your body, mind, heart, and spirit.
3. When you’re hungry, consider what you want, what you need, and what you have to eat before choosing food.
4. Decide how you want to feel when you're finished eating; serve yourself accordingly (or adjust the portion if someone else served you).
5. When the food you crave isn’t particularly healthful, omit all guilt and shame. Remind yourself that all foods fit when you practice balance, variety, and moderation.
6. Sit down to eat and minimize distractions.
7. Savor the appearance, aromas, textures, and flavors as you eat.
8. Eat slowly and mindfully for maximal enjoyment from every bite.
9. Stop when you feel content and energetic.
10. Repeat steps 1-9 for the remainder of your life.