I have been thinking lately about when I was young......teens and early adulthood......how I never thought about dieting or eating for that matter. In school I sat for long hours and really didn't exercise much. Those were the days before women's sports. So how did we do it? I really don't think my metabolism slowed that much later on. The only thing different was all the dieting. I remember being obsessed with my size. I'm trying to think when that started because I weighed 145 when I went in to deliver the first of our ten children. I think the first time I really got concerned was when I took prednisone for extended periods. These are the things I wish I could figure out. Seems like the key to remaining a normal size is elusive.
I've just been reading the messages y'all have written in the last few days. I found it quite interesting. I finished reading The Eden Diet yesterday and I have to say that you who are working IE and IE is working for you have learned and experience so much of what I read in the book. Althought the book talks about eating less, it is more about tuning into your hunger signals before you eat and then eat only as much as you need to satisfied. She mentioned how some people have to learn portion control by measuring and keeping record of what you eat, however, she also warns not to do that too long because the key is learning to listen to our bodies instead of depending on outside signals.
I have just finished the 7 day challenge and went a little longer since I want to do the 30 Day Blocks starting tomorrow and go from month to month. I found so far that I there are days that I eat more than others. Some days I want breakfast and some days I don't. I am going to have to break the habit of eating by the clock especially at certain times of the day. I too have learned that if I eat more at one meal that I will go longer before I need to eat again and if I eat less that I may need more food sooner. However, I am amazed sometimes how long I can go without eating. The Eden Diet author says this means we have more in reserve and that it will finally even out. I know I can't diet either. I do the same thing Beckey does. I may start out okay in the morning and before the morning is over, I've blown it. I also need to stop letting the scale control how I feel about myself.
I've read so much lately, but isn't there a process in IE that says that we need to make peace with our bodies. I've been working on that. No my body doesn't look like I want it to look, but I am starting to accept myself the way I am knowing that it is subject to change as I treat it better. From a Christian point of view, I realize that it is important for me to love myself as I am inspite of the things I want to change. It is beginning to work for me.
It is really nice to see so much activity here at IE. There are a lot of good advice and ideas here. I've really enjoyed reading.
Optical Goodess I've had some of the same fears you have. However, I still believe it is the best way to go. Be patient with yourself. I like what someone else here said about listening to you body and see how the foods you eat makes you feel. I need to do a better job of that myself. I also love fried chicken and made it today for our main meal. I later learned that it is not a food I can eat very often because I was so sleepy afterwards. Good luck on your journey.
IE is the only way to go. As I considered DIE-ting, It felt like I was being punished, having to do time or something. I went to the library and picked up the beck diet solution and a Paul McKenna book, they seemed to be kinda IE themed. The Eden Diet wasn't available.
It did give me the motivation I needed and I didn't binge away the day, I started right away. I had an awesome tasty supper but as soon as I felt hungry, I packed my food away for tomorrow. I also ate slowly, and drank a lot of water with my meal.
the only thing I'm going to count is the ways that IE is much better than dieting, at least for this girl. Even though I may not lose as fast as I want, I still can't imagine truly going back to dieting
Well said Trish maybe I should get the Eden book. I got on the scale today and it ruined my whole mood. My husband gets on the scale and then I decide what the heck I might as well weigh myself since its been a month I was up about 3 lbs. I cried and my husband kept reminding me on how beautiful I am and that I'm to hard on myself. So after I got over that phase which took about 3 HOURS! I was reading up on how its normal to gain weight when 1st starting and that it takes a while before you body adjust to this way of eating. Plus I reminded myself that diets don't work and thats not even a option. Im pretty hopeful that I will be able to start losing weight eventually with IE and I am in this for the long haul.
IE is the only way to go. As I considered DIE-ting, It felt like I was being punished, having to do time or something. I went to the library and picked up the beck diet solution and a Paul McKenna book, they seemed to be kinda IE themed. The Eden Diet wasn't available.
It did give me the motivation I needed and I didn't binge away the day, I started right away. I had an awesome tasty supper but as soon as I felt hungry, I packed my food away for tomorrow. I also ate slowly, and drank a lot of water with my meal.
the only thing I'm going to count is the ways that IE is much better than dieting, at least for this girl. Even though I may not lose as fast as I want, I still can't imagine truly going back to dieting
Optical Goddess The Beck solution helped me with IE. I made the cards that is recommended and made them fit IE statements. I also know of some IE-ser who use McKenna with IE. You know it is just what works for you. I've taken good things from a lot of plans and made them work for me. I think many of us have. I think we have to take it one step at a time. Also, I have a hard time remembering that it is not about "perfection" it is about consistency and persistence. Not all times that we eat a little more is wrong. It can be caused by us not eating enough or eating less at the previous meal. I read some where I think in the Eden Diet, that we just need to be 80% right on. If we aren't careful, we can even make IE a diet if we make a lot of rules getting into "diet mentality". Believe me, I speak from experience. You did good at supper so you have a good one to build on.
Well said Trish maybe I should get the Eden book. I got on the scale today and it ruined my whole mood. My husband gets on the scale and then I decide what the heck I might as well weigh myself since its been a month I was up about 3 lbs. I cried and my husband kept reminding me on how beautiful I am and that I'm to hard on myself. So after I got over that phase which took about 3 HOURS! I was reading up on how its normal to gain weight when 1st starting and that it takes a while before you body adjust to this way of eating. Plus I reminded myself that diets don't work and thats not even a option. Im pretty hopeful that I will be able to start losing weight eventually with IE and I am in this for the long haul.
Carly Boy do I identify. Those scales have had way to much control and power over my moods. It can make or break my day. I weigh in the morning for day 1 of my 1st 30 Day Block and then I put them in the closet so that I cannot weigh again until I'm supposed to weigh on the 1st day of my next one 30 Day Block. You are so blessed to have your husband as you cheerleader/encourager. I don't have that. I think that would be great and so helpful. If he thinks you are beautiful the way you are, then I believe you are and you should as well. My deceased hubby always thought I was beautiful, but I didn't think I was and thought he was nuts. I would love to have that again. So you accept his perception of you and enjoy it.
I also believe if we keep doing what we know to do with IE, it will eventually work for us.
i have a question about IE. Once you feel like you've recovered from binge eating, is IE still necessary? It took me 2 years of IE to get over binge eating disorder, but now I just feel like my base level of consumption is abnormally high. also, i'm at the mercy of the dining hall to satisfy my intuitive desires and it's not always possible. So, can IE be...adapted a little? Like, just trying to eat a little healthier--in my case, less sugar so i can take less insulin and lose weight.
Carly Boy do I identify. Those scales have had way to much control and power over my moods. It can make or break my day. I weigh in the morning for day 1 of my 1st 30 Day Block and then I put them in the closet so that I cannot weigh again until I'm supposed to weigh on the 1st day of my next one 30 Day Block. You are so blessed to have your husband as you cheerleader/encourager. I don't have that. I think that would be great and so helpful. If he thinks you are beautiful the way you are, then I believe you are and you should as well. My deceased hubby always thought I was beautiful, but I didn't think I was and thought he was nuts. I would love to have that again. So you accept his perception of you and enjoy it.
I also believe if we keep doing what we know to do with IE, it will eventually work for us.
I'm so sorry to hear about your husband passing away, it does make me think twice when I dismiss my husband when he says that I'm beautiful. I really do need to be more thankful for having his support. I was shocked to see the scale go up but I just have to remind myself that weight fluctuates from day to day and this could of been the day that it fluctuated up a couple of pounds. I'm just glad that we are all supportive of each other on this thread. Also my husband said that the stress from moving could of caused the weight gain since we were on the road and eating fast food. I still ate intuitively but and maybe thats why I didn't gain as much weight as I could of when we were moving. I think maybe I should get a book to help me even more with understanding IE more.
moctezumax, yes I think IE can be adapted. If sugar makes you feel ill you surely would want to eat less of it. In one book it says that when you eat less you lose weight and then need less insulin.
Carly I think your hubby is right. I wouldn't be too worried about the gain since you were moving. If you were eating out some of that time, you don't really know what you got in the food such as added salt or msg (although people aren't supposed to use it any more, I think they do) that may have caused the gain and the added stress of the move. When you get settled down, you will probably see a loss.
It is easy for me to see the blessing I had with my deceased husband concerning my weight and what you have with yours because my hubby I have not never understands nor does he try to understand what I'm doing whether it is IE or a diet. He isn't very good at encouraging me. I always feel that he has more of a problem about my weight than I do which doesn't help since I've had such a problem mentally and physically with it. But then he has a lot of hang ups and problems of his own to deal with. That is why I encourage you to see your blessing. Bill just always stressed to me how much he loved me the way I was, but was my encourager too. I must say that I have missed that with Tony.
I'm starting my 30 Day Block with the IE/Eden Diet combo. I've only had yogurt for breakfast and haven't been hungry so far. Decided that while I may need to eat breakfast and I don't like to eat breakfast that yogurt with my coffee would be a good choice. I did my measurements and weighed this morning and hopefully will be able to break the habit of weighing if I put those darn scales somewhere that isn't easy to get to for a month. That is one of my goals this month. On the brighter side, I think I did manage to lose 1.5 lbs last month and 1 or 2 inches over all. So not a big loss but at least I didn't gain and I can accept that. I know doing it this way isn't going to be fast any way. I have managed to lose 4 lbs so far for this year so at least I'm going in the right direction as slow as it may be.
When I finished the Eden diet I was disappointed and I'm not sure why. I thought it was really good at first but then it was too "diety" is all I can think. Though Gwen Shamblin has a lot of bad ideas now, her first book was really good.
Thin Within is another option, too. Also, Thin Again (also published as Silent Hunger and Get Thin Stay Thin). These are Christian "intuitive eating" type of books not written by Gwen Shamblin.
Hello! I hope your don't mind my dropping by. I just finished Paul McKenna's book, I liked his ideas, I was in a group called Lightweigh and it was more or less McKenna's line of thinking. I do ok with my hunger/fullness until supper time, then I tend to overeat, and I think it has a lot to do with fatique and the end of the day stress. I will have to pay more attention to my eating at that time of day. Have a blessed day. Tammy
Well, I'm glad I finally found this thread. Was looking for one that focuses on eating techniques. I am eating healthy but still overeat. I too have ordered Paul McKenna's book.
I did not care for Thin Within. To this day something about that book didn't ring right with me. I am a person of faith, but it was just too heavy handed for me.
The Paul McKenna book seems like what I have been looking for. I searched and searched on google and found an excerpt from his book. I really liked it. I just ordered it from amazon. I don't care for the title of his book "I Can Make you Thin"...after all, only we have that power over our fork and knife! But it's just a title. I really enjoyed that excerpt I read.
If any other folks are reading the book, perhaps we can discuss it here?
On the brighter side, I think I did manage to lose 1.5 lbs last month and 1 or 2 inches over all. So not a big loss but at least I didn't gain and I can accept that. I know doing it this way isn't going to be fast any way. I have managed to lose 4 lbs so far for this year so at least I'm going in the right direction as slow as it may be. 
