Im sorry Locke, that sounds like a bit of a blow. But, I know on MFP there are a couple IE groups that their members practice calorie counting as well. I haven't been there in quite a while but it might be worth also checking out for the support. And please do stick around here, I agree with wannabe.

Locke: I also have PCOS, am 40, with 2 kids (though the 2nd one was harder to conceive - I went on metformin and clomid in which neither of them worked), I do not have diabetes not even when pregnant and so far looking good on the heart front because I'm exercising and keeping it strong. No one has ever given me a death sentence like you've heard from having PCOS. in fact many very thin people have it as well - the most famous one -- Kate Gosselin who did have help having her kids but has always been super thin.

I have my issues, but really when you get down to it, I am probably one of the healthiest overweight - wait, scratch that - OBESE persons around. yes I want to lose weight, but right now, exercising, living IE, making sure I'm getting all the correct nutrients into my body is number 1.

On the other hand, I 100% understand how you are feeling and you should honor that and do what you need to do for you! You are always welcome here friend!!! Thank you for sharing with us!!!

Yeah I definitely panicked yesterday. I don't think I'm going to count calories just yet, but I'm going to wait until I know for sure that I'm hungry before eating and stop when full. This was just sort of a wake up call I guess. I counted calories yesterday and today and the old familiar feelings came back- the hunger, the feelings of deprivation, the craving foods that just a day before didn't hold any power over me. I also was very weak most of the day. I can't live like that for any amount of time.

Post emotional eating: does anyone else experience this? I've gotten very good at identifying my emotional eating triggers and dealing with them accordingly. It no longer makes sense to address my stress with eating, or at least it's gotten much easier to deal with that. I identify the source of stress and I take the necessary steps needed to address the situation without food. And it works well! However, after I deal with a huge emotional hurdle I often feel like having comfort food. I don't know why, could it be the lingering psychological drama of it, the sense of relief that it's over, or a type of reward?

yes I absolutely experience this. I had a very hard day yesterday, dealt with 2 giant issues in my life and I talked them out, I cried a little, and I felt things. Afterwards even though I felt better, I just had to have a bowl of ice cream. It wasn't like a huge stomach hurting helping, just a little to enjoy so that part is different. And comfort food really does work. I really did feel comforted after I just went through all that raw hurting stuff. I figure its all part of the process.

@Wannabe

I'm amazed at the power that food has over my emotions. I would never have thought before my IE journey that I was an emotional eater. I would tell you that I liked food and loved to overeat and binge, but I didn't think that I used it to control my emotions. Boy was I wrong! I thought of emotional eaters as people who cry and eat ice cream or candy while trying to get through a breakup. Because I didn't have the conscious thought process of "I'm feeling x, I want to eat y." I didn't think that I was an emotional eater.

Now I realize that I eat for all kinds of different reasons. I want to eat when I'm tired, lonely, sad, bored, angry, numb, or anxious. I don't think "I'm bored, I should eat." But rather my appetite just happens to arrive in these situations. Fortunately with IE I have been able to understand that this is just "mouth hunger" as OO puts it. Since I listen to my body first I understand that this is not real hunger and I just let it pass *most of the time*.

Yes, this post-emotional eating makes sense to me. I think it's my way of trying to take care of myself, to show myself that it is okay and my needs will be met.

Locke: I'm sorry you experienced the deprivation issue that haunts me as well. If I'm deprived, I just want to go crazy pants with food. I cannot believe how much freedom from food I have on IE. I hate to say it but sometimes, the lack of mental anguish is worth a few extra pounds. I'm just not ruled by food anymore and it really feels awesome!

I am totally an emotional eater - but what I'm reading is that EVERYONE is. I think that was in a couple of the books. The difference between overweight and thin emotional eaters is the ability to stop or not.

Non-Scale Victories (NSV) - August 2014

Here is my list of non scale victories for this month :

1. I bought some skinny jeans and love to wear them! never in the past would I thought it was ok for someone my size to wear them - who cares is what I say.

2. I joined a club that offers intensive group workouts. I've been putting it off for months (years?) because I wasn't small enough or fit enough to keep up. Screw that!

3. I went to camp with my daughter and participated in all the events including 2 in my swim suit!

4. I have been planning a trip to Disney with my family and look forward to going on all the rides and not to worry or get upset if there are weight limits.

5. I'm planning on chopping all my hair off into a pixie cut. I've always shied away from this because my face is too round or heavy women do not look in that type of cut - oh well, I think it will look great!

6. I'm literally not paying attention to calories or carbs or fat or anything. My number one item I'm enjoying and it is so simple is regular maple syrup. I had been eating sugar free for years - NO LONGER!

7. I can keep up at my new club doing push ups, burpees, and these things that they call kosamies (burpee/pushup/jumping jacks all in one).

8. I'm actually gaining muscle!!! I noticed today at my kettle bell class that I didn't have to use the low weights for my exercises! Yahoo!

Does anyone else have some NSV???

THose are all so awesome Jen! I keep wanting to do the pixie cut, but I spent most of my life with a pixie cut so I am trying out long hair for now.

My most major victory is that I bought a bathing suit and wore it in public and played with my kids. They all are scared of the water and I think a big reason ( besides having a grandma who is terrified of water) is that their mom never ever goes swimming. We never even took them to a pool or the lake or anything because I hated to be seen in a swimsuit. We went last weekend and the kids had a great time! I was in the water in my swimsuit with them and the rest of the family. It felt amazing.

Awesome pinkhippie - way to make memories with your family!!!

Just read this - I liked it: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/glenno...b_5586341.html

So I'm back for the umpteenth time...doing a mix of paleo/low card but intuitive eating is the deciding factor. I have added in group exercise and it has helped my energy level a lot...scale is going down..and I don't feel deprived or anything, generally happy.

NSV I can walk the mile crosstown just about without stopping in about 15 min. I used catch the bus even though it took double the time because I just couldn't muster the energy.

I've gotten over my fear of changing in front of the people in the gym and wearing a bathing suit for my aquarobics.

I did not beat myself up when I gained 3 lbs from social drinking, just need to learn not to succumb to peer pressure.

I have ankles again. Over a certain weight my ankles look like grapefruit which I hate

I'm happy and the more I stick to my intuitive eating and working out the easier it seems to get. I pretty much automatically stop eating when I feel a certain way. I haven't had the too full to move or do anything in a long time. I also can sit and watch others eat and not feel pressure to life my fork.

I've been on and off the intuitive eating thread for years. Hoping I stick around long term this time.

Hi Everyone

I think there is something to either shrinking stomach or just acknowledging you're full at a different point than you used to. I've noticed the longer my journey goes the less I want to force myself to continue past a certain point. I seem to have way more left overs than I used to.

I'm so pleased to be able to report that I'm really FEELING my food. I suppose I never really have, just because I was so busy bingeing I didn't have time to enjoy it or dieting so I was too guilty to enjoy it. I admit I'm tracking calories also, but it's more just to SEE what I'm doing and I'm so happy to say I'm doing really well. I eat when I need to, which makes it enjoyable. I don't ban certain food or anything, because why should I? Some things, unfortunately, I can't let myself enjoy just because the old me can't separate enjoying from bingeing, so I intentionally avoid those, but... Overall, I'm really at SUCH a great place in this lifestyle change right now!

I got on the scale this morning as a WTH even though I told myself that I should stick to weighing once a month due to the fact that weighing every day or weekly would be like dieting to me.

Guess what? I gained ANOTHER pound. *sigh* I am sad and worried but still believing that my freedom on IE is worth not dieting and obsessing about food for the rest of my life. I also think I'm recovering from the hunger/fullness diet I was on with my coach so going a little overboard on stuff.... it should level out here soon....

I CAN do this, I AM worth it, so it will be....

Ok I did some searching and found that muscle repair causes water weight gain. so I'm going to start pounding the water - I've been lax on it anyway and can feel the difference.

Also, I'm super duper tired, my cycle is completely off, and my mind keeps wandering to me being pregnant but my husband has been sniped so it freakin' better not be this because I'm OLD people - OLD!