[LightRaven]

Today was the first day in probably all of my life that I actually listened to my body.

After stepping on the scale this morning and not seeing any weight loss, I was disappointed but also knew what went wrong. We had a company dinner Friday night and I ate way too much, as well as I having pasta dinners every night this past weekend. (I come from an Italian family. In fact- I think the only thing I really do know how to cook are pasta dishes).. I'm also a few days pre-TOM, and I do know that I hold on to weight until after it passes.

Today, I resolved to eat when I'm hungry, and not wait until I was ravenous for food (which leads to me binging at night). It's a little tricky because I need to eat often, and work sometimes gets in the way. (I'm doing a combination of SlimFast and calorie counting)

So today was the first time I have ever actually listened to what my body was saying. I ate my snacks when I was hungry, and listened to my body to make sure it really was hunger and not boredom or stress eating. And I didn't eat my snacks because they were there, or it was time. I really ate only to fuel myself. I have never done this. EVER.

And it was hard. It's hard to say NO to yourself when all of a sudden you crave food, but are not, in fact, actually hungry. It's hard to stop eating once you've started too. My body usually tells me "MORE!" after I've eaten a snack or a meal, even though I'm not actually hungry anymore (Does that ever go away? I hope so!)

And when I came home from work, and saw my brother brought home a dozen donuts (I was pretty annoyed about it too) I didn't even touch one. I thought about them. But thinking is different from eating (And really.. a dozen donuts?! why couldn't he just get one... **** if he wanted to share buy 6... but 12?!)

The downside of today- only 15 minutes into exercising and I hurt my hip. It's an old injury ( I guess not too old, the original injury is from this past summer). I immediately stopped exercising because I didn't want to REALLY injure myself. I end up walking funny and in pain, I didn't want the injury to linger so I couldn't exercise tomorrow.

I am assuming that as you get smaller, your required calorie intake also gets smaller. I feel guilty sometimes that I need so many snacks during the day (I couldn't possibly follow SlimFast's 1200 calorie a day plan, and I can't eat their snack bars, so I have my own snacks, ranging from 50 calories to 100 or 120) It almost seems like for every 1- 1 1/2 hours, I need to intake 100 calories. It will be nice when one day, food lasts longer!

Anyway... today was still a good day. For a while there I almost thought I didn't know the difference between hunger and being bored to death at work. (Or completely stressed out- but that is another thread! )

LR

[Initiative]

Good for you! Control really does wonders for the self esteem. Do you stretch before you work out? It may help your injury to not flare up as quickly. As for making food last longer, my advice is to not use slimfast. It's empty chemicals and they lie about the product. It's kind of like the diet pills that once you stop taking them you gain everything back. Try adding things like yogurt and cashews, yogurt and granola, blueberries in oatmeal. Things with fiber help maintain fullness for much longer. Good luck on future control and happiness! ^_^

[MzJuicyD]

Thats what i call training your stomach. I was the same way in the beginning but eventually u wont crave as much food. We had a dinner at my job and i could barely eat a plate full. Before i would have to get seconds and thirds lol. It really works. Keep up the good work!

[LightRaven]

Thank you!

I was able to do it again today (minus the hip injury, everything seems good to go there) And today- it was much easier than yesterday. Probably easier today because I was busier in the office, we'll see what tomorrow holds!

Yea, I've seen several posts in various areas of 3FC where people give SlimFast alot of flack. The thing is, SlimFast was not made for the really overweight people of the world. It was made for people who have 10-20 pounds that they want to loose for an event or what have you. It doesn't teach you how you should eat, but it does help you with identifying portion sizes. And if you stop slimfast and go back to your normal eating patterns- yes- you will regain the weight you've lost. But that goes for every single diet out there. They ALL work- to an extent.

I'm not doing the strict SlimFast diet. There is no way I can adhere to a 1200 calorie diet being the weight that I am right now. I can guarantee that I would be miserable, and the diet would stall after a week or two because my body would think I'm starving itself and it would start to horde everything I eat. I cannot eat their snack bars as they are made with a good amount of Soy (I am hypothyroid- soy is no good). So I have made my own plan. Yes, I drink the shakes for breakfast and lunch, but I have several healthy (And I really do mean healthy) snacks throughout the day to get me to dinner. Low fat cheese, low fat yogurt, apple sauce, whole grain crackers, carrots, celery, brocolli slaw (my fave!). I keep each snack between 50-120 calories.

I am a creature of convenience. As a full time single mommy, with an additional full time job, where I commute 45+ mins each way- I really need to be able to eat on the go, or where ever. I like the shakes and I have found that I am in fact full after drinking one- which is helping me identify what full really feels like. I like the taste, and I have used SlimFast before. I have also been on high protein/low carb diets and unfortunately, I was a *bleep* on wheels when doing them.

Sorry for the long post- I just felt the need to explain and justify. I had been feeling a little uncomfortable here after seeing a few posts so anti-SlimFast. That's not what I want to feel here. I come here to give and get support.

LR

[Eurydice]

Congratulations!!! This is a huge first step, really. I've been working on getting better at listening to my body for months now and I think I'm finally getting the hang of it. It's been a month for me with no binging and trying to stop when I'm full (hit and miss with that latter task) and I've noticed I get full sooner. I can't handle as much food. Sometimes I'll eat less than my tiny friends. If I'm not paying attention to calories, but still listening to my body, I will hover below maintenance. Stick with this and I guarantee you will have a much better relationship with food and with your body overall.