[sensualappeal]

Hey ladies!

I haven't been on here for a long time and for a good reason. I used to be on here all the time but I was a chronic dieter and I was yo-yo dieting a lot. It was a dark time in my life. I stopped dieting last year and have become a lot happier and much more happy with who I am. I learned that I am not only as good as my body... there's more to it than that.

I eat healthy. I eat pretty much 80-90% real foods. However I eat a lot of sugar-based foods still and in terms of meals. I still go for the convenience, so I'll grab paleo cereal and almond butter with kefir and honey or something. I do like to eat veggies and fruit too but I have been eating a lot more than I should in terms of calories because I am eating a lot of fats. I try to eat mostly grain-free (a lot of paleo) but I do eat dairy once in a while but not often (no yogurt at all because I'm a bit lactose intolerant)

So here's my dilemma. Although I have gained happiness and confidence. I have also gained weight and I am at my highest now. A part of me feels guilty because I let myself go but at part of me doesn't care. And that's where the dilemma comes in.

I know I am overweight. I no longer fit in most of my clothes and I am so tired of it, I also know summer is coming and that's not going to be fun at all if I don't feel comfortable wearing my tank tops... or that I will have to buy NEW ONES. Ugh.

I, however, have lost the desire to lose weight. A small part of me says "yes you should lose weight" but I am eating real foods (although overeating and emotionally eating a lot because I am a new entrepreneur and spend a LOT of time working). I also haven't worked out in 1.5 month - just can't get the motivation to do it.

So what do you suggest? How can I get that spark to want to get back in shape? I feel defeated because I don't even fully want to commit because I know it will be hard. Any tips for me? Any books you've read to help get your butt in gear (without the dieting or obsessive/chronic mentality, because I am SO not for counting calories/dieting EVER again. I just want to learn to eat when I'm hungry again (intuitive eating, which I did for a while but then stress happened..)

help?

[Palestrina]

Hi and welcome back! Life happens but now you're back and there's lots of support here. Check out the IE related threads in Chicks in Control and the April Intuitive Eating thread in General Diet Plans. We're a lot more active on the board nowadays and have been seeing a lot of new followers of the program lately.

There's no program that enables us to completely go without a little effort. If you're a little stuck now pick and choose the one activity or strategy that got you to success before. For me when I'm having a rough day and I want to overeat I just force myself to experience a full-on mindful eating meal. Ok, so I want to eat a bucket of fried chicken... I don't beat myself up for it but I do force myself to eat it mindfully. TV off, nice plates, relaxing music if possible, and I begin but smelling, tasting and I also make yummy noises out loud. After I've allowed myself to fully enjoy every morsel of that food I feel more sane and satisfied and without even thinking about it I inevitably choose something less fried for my next meal lol.

Good for you for not wanting to tighten the reigns on calorie counting and food restriction. Follow your instincts and welcome back.