On to the next round since 500 posts is usually when we move on. Eat when you are hungry, stop when you are satisfied. And listen, listen listen to your body.
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
A Common Question
Someone recently asked me what she should do when she finds herself eating past the point of fullness into the place of being uncomfortably stuffed. This is a question that comes up frequently, so I thought I'd put my fingers to the keyboard and share the advice I tend to offer on this topic.
Generally what I ask is for you to consider a few questions....
Do you recognize when you are full, and yet you continue eating anyway? And if so, the deeper question is why? (And believe me, that's a hard question for everyone!) But take moment to think about it. What does the eating past fullness bring you? Perhaps it brings you comfort, perhaps distraction, perhaps you simply eat past fullness because the food you were eating didn't have the "satisfaction factor" you needed. Once you can answer these questions, you can begin to consider ways to address your concern. For example, what else is comforting to you, what else provides distraction, or what other foods can you choose that WILL feel satisfying to you?
And most importantly, don't beat yourself up about it. Each day is an opportunity for learning. And little by little you'll get to the place you want to be.
Posted by Maggie Miller at 10:15 PM
I'm new to 3FC and I posted in featherweight something about how I'm not obsessed with food anymore and that I can't join any diet group because everyone on a diet is constantly talkign about food and I feel like yelling "You are missing the point!!!!!."
I posted that i wanted to go thrugh life not thinking about food. So someone redirected me here and I've been reading this thread and some links (like maggie miller's whole blog) for hours. I've finally found my place =D
Now I don't feel crazy anymore for not being obsessed with food!!!
Carol, thanks for your posts. They really help me. And, congrats on your progress. I know it takes a long time, but it is better than dieting any day.
I was trying to explain to me SIL tonight what I was doing, but I'm not sure if it sunk in or not. Maybe I should not be trying to explain it anyway? She was talking about having weight loss surgery, and it made me blurt out what I was doing. Oh, well. I know I should just step back and let her do what she wants to do, but sometimes it is so hard.
ALO, no, you are not crazy. I'm doing so much better on IE this time and obsessing about food has become so much less for me lately. I just want to share my new found freedom with other people. I can't help it. lol
Just a quick one for me. Since I decided to do CAD/IE combo, I've only been doing IE so I'm just going to go with it and just eat more low carb and healthy whole foods. Seems to be what I need to do. I think it is in my head now that "diets" don't work and it is time to move away from them and as you said Carolr Listen, Listen to my body.
Carolr Thanks for the posts. I don't know how you find those. I look and some how I miss those.
Blue, theCandE, and Julie and others I missed
Headed out this morning for a meeting. Wishing all of us a great IE day.
Lemme see if I can remember what I wanted to address from the last thread ...
Quote:
CandE said: "Blue, it seems like you have a handle on things. If you like yogurt, I suggest you try Fage 2% with strawberry or cherry or honey. OMG! It is soooo good. It's Greek-style yogurt, so it can be hard to get used to, but it is so much better than the regular yogurts IMO. I can't eat any other kind now, although I still like McDonald's fruit and yogurt parfait.
I have 100% whole wheat pasta and white pasta, too. I like the taste of the white better, but sometimes I can get away with making the wheat. I use the wheat when I make chicken parmesan because the chicken is the main part of the meal, not the noodles. I don't like the whole wheat when it is the main feature of the meal, you know what I mean?"
I think I do FINALLY have a handle on things, or at least a plan. I think that's one of my personality quirks. I can be so spontaneous that I tend not to follow thru with plans I make so this is really challenging for me. But I do have a plan. lol
And speaking of yogurt, I found another brand of Greek yogurt at the store last night (they didn't have the one you suggested). They had it in plain and vanilla. I chose the vanilla and haven't tried it yet. Will probably have it for a snack this evening.
Yes, I agree about the ww pasta not as the main meal.
Quote:
Carol said: I can see from recent pictures that I am thinner than last fall.....a whole year to see progress? Well, if that's what it takes, then that's what it takes. I only wish I'd figured this out years ago.
Way to go Carol! That's wonderful progress! I was looking over some old pictures of myself the other day from the last few years and I've got to say the same is not true for me! LOL! My pictures were a major wake up call to get serious about getting this weight off!
Quote:
Trish said: Blue I am doing the same thing with the CAD program that you are doing with YOU. I want to do everything Intuitively. It makes it so much easier." ... and ... "Just a quick one for me. Since I decided to do CAD/IE combo, I've only been doing IE so I'm just going to go with it and just eat more low carb and healthy whole foods.
Sounds like you are adapting the "gentle nutrition" part that the IE book talks about. Me too! And it seems to be a natural process to start to gravitate towards the "healthier" choices. We've had plenty of time to play with the "I-can-eat-whatever-I-want" foods and now that has become old news. Maybe that is the sign that we are finally learning to relax around food. (I'm assuming you and I are on the same page, as we usually are.) I mean, hey, the food isn't going anywhere, right? If I want a bag of potato chips, I know right where to find them! And if I don't have them in the house, I certainly know how to get them. No need to scarf them down right now. Right?
OK, I think that takes care of the last thread.
Welcome ALO22! We're glad to have you here with us. As I'm sure you've noticed as you read thru the last thread that we do still talk about foods in here, just not in an obsessive manner. I think we discuss things along the lines of "the joy of eating" as opposed to "the dread of eating" as we learn to un-diet.
Well, I need to scoot! Have a great one everybody!
Oh, before I go, Carol, regarding the overeating article, I can think of two reasons I tend to overeat ... 1) it still tastes good to me and/or 2) there's just a couple more bites in there. I can finish that. (I'm so clean-your-plate brainwashed! - but getting better about pushing it aside!)
Can I ask a silly question? I want to add one of those tickers to my posts. I went to the website and made one and all but now I don't know how to add it to my profile O_O
I guess it would be part of my signature but I don't know hot to add a signature.
Sorry I sidetracked!
ALO, they make you wait a certain number of days (???20 days and 30 posts, I don't know the exact figures), to help prevent spammers. Then you can do it. Everybody hates waiting
Thanks Trish. I usually bookmark a blog when I find it and that leads to other articles. I, too, would love to convince others of IE.....especially my own kids. they see that I've lost and kept it off but still think dieting is the way to go. Hope that over the next few years I can be a help to them. I have a couple kids that are quite overweight and the others have the same tendency. I know how I hurt when I was heavier and I feel for them.
I'd like to join this! I am not anywhere near a place yet where I can say that I have even tried IE, but the philosophy really speaks to me. I have a very unhealthy relationship with food right now, and hope to be at a place where I can master IE.
Also, I recently tossed my scale, so I feel like, to some extent, I don't fit anywhere else anymore since everyone is very careful to keep track of pounds. I'd like to lose but more importantly, I'd like to be healthy and not have food be such a major source of stress.
Hi, ladies...I haven't read this thread for quite awhile. I have three sisters who are all dieting to lose weight, and they roped me into it too, but of course diets don't work once you know better. They just drive you nuts.
Trying to do Spark People/calorie counting with them has not been helpful to me, even though they're doing well with it.
I need to stick to my way of not focusing on food, not trying to be on any kind of "diet" or "eating plan", but eating less and paying attention to whether or not I'm eating mindlessly.
My goal for this winter is to keep losing a tiny bit at a time, but if that can't happen, at least don't gain.
I'm glad this thread keeps continuing. I've got to go look up Maggie Miller. I'm not familiar with that name. Thank you for posting, Carol.
Intuitive Eating #11
Glad you joined us.
