Is it then more about becoming a conscious eater? I can certainly remember (and sometimes still do it now) eating without really registering it at all. The advantage of a diet is that you are a lot more conscious of what you are eating and when. It makes food more enjoyable because you are actually taking the time to taste it.

Maybe that's the lesson I need to learn..to be fully conscious when I am eating..

Not that I'm saying I've been eating unconcious! I was awake! But before I started this diet I think sometimes I would just go into a sort of food haze. Its like a drug innit?

Do you get what I mean? Maybe if I manage to ALWAYS eat consciously then I will conquer the eating problems that got me here in the first place.

Most definitely a drug. I can remember going from dealer to dealer 3 or 4 stops in a row. Getting all kinds of garbage. Stuffing myself until I felt sick. It makes me sick to think of how I was and what I did.

For me, I think that happened a lot, and I think I didn't want to take responsibility for what I was eating and my behavior (not exercising included).
You know? I'm going to eat what I want when I want it, no matter how much, and not move because that's what I want to do and not think of any consequences.

Great thread and it's so nice to see an intelligent discussion without people totally slamming a way of eating (as an ex-low carber, I got a lot of that )

I've been moving towards intuitive eating for a few weeks now. But I think it's a mindset - you have to be ready for it. I was on a low-carb diet for a few years and lost 30 pounds in all but I found myself going into the same diet/binge cycle in maintenance so I figured out it's not what I'm eating but my whole approach to food. So now I'm concentrating on having a better relationship with food. To me, that's what it's about - not losing weight. In fact, I've gained some weight but I haven't been eating out of control. Last night I had a small bowl of ice cream and a few cookies in the evening which was a major victory for me - these foods were only binge day foods and I would sit with the ice cream carton and box of cookies in front of me - not even put them in bowls! This time I could eat regular potions and be satified.

I'm still trying to negotiate full vs. stuffed feeling (not wanna throw up stuffed but just beyond being full) and that's the hardest thing. But I'm not eating tons of the foods I love, even though they're around me now.

At this point in my life, I'm find with being a size 10 or 12 instead of a size 6. If it will get me off of the diet/binge cycle and get me eating regular portions of food because I don't feel deprived, it's worth it.

Tam