Location: Home of the Pirates, Steelers and Penguins
Posts: 12,402
S/C/G: 217/179/142
Height: 5'2
Christmas is over at our house, and all the leftovers went home with my step-daughter. Yay! I can honestly say I did not follow IE. Christmas wasn't bad because I was hosting and I was too stressed out to eat, but yesterday the stress was gone and I knew my step-daughter was coming to pick up the leftovers. I had a little bit of everything just to get a taste before it was gone, and that added up to a lot in total I definitely ate past satisfaction!
The idea of getting the leftovers out of the house was not so much diet mentality as it was the fact that they are in a money crunch and this food will be their lunches for the coming week. My DH won't eat leftovers.
But that's in the past and I'm back to IE today and from this day forward.
Went out yesterday with a group of girlfriends. It is troubling how weight/age/appearance are a constant topic of conversation. It's all in "fun" and people are laughing about how much weight they put on and how they'll have to diet like crazy soon. Everyone is talking about their wrinkles, their clothes, their age, their fatness etc. I felt very uncomfortable because I did not want to participate in the conversation but I also could not stop it. I really felt like I should say something to alert the girls to how much they were putting themselves down but I didn't want to be a party pooper. I don't know how to handle these conversations anymore. I want to stop them, I want to be a voice of reason but I don't want to offend anyone or come across as righteous. It's a toughy.
I am just checking in, although I am not feeling IE right now at all.
I got my blood work back from my doctor and the news isn't good. Not only is my A1C still up, I have also been diagnosed as having mild hypothyroidism, so she put me on a very small dose of Synthroid. I've only been taking it about a week but I'm hopeful that it might increase my energy level.
I feel that I MUST do something to improve my health. With the new year approaching and the serious temptation to make "losing weight" my #1 resolution, I find myself at a real crossroads.
The truth is that I feel absolutely horrible physically. I can't remember the last time I felt this bad. I guess it's just that carrying this weight at my age is so bad for me that the inexorable pull toward making a serious plan to lose weight is overwhelming. The numbers don't lie; I'm pre-diabetic and I feel that I am being irresponsible by not doing something about it.
So if I fall off the map and you don't see me after the first of the year, know that I've probably succumbed and have entered diet h**l.
SouthernMaven you're not alone, a great deal of us are in that same boat. IE does not mean bring fat and happy! Our health is the most important thing we have, our body is the only thing we truly own. We must be good to it. Although gentle nutrition is the most difficult part of IE that sends most IEers into total diet relapse it's also the most important part of IE. This is not about weight, this is about health so don't blame your weight on your health. They have something to do with each other but weight is just a symptom, it is not the cause of all your problems.
Incorporating good habits into your daily life is just as crucial as brushing your teeth, looking both ways before you cross the street, and drinking water. You don't have to think about doing these things, you don't have to moralize them to get them done! I find that just doing some things that are pro health without moralizing them or patting myself on the back for them helps me the most. Just like I brush my teeth everyday without much thought I also
- make sure to eat lots of veg all day
- exercise every day
- make sleep a daily priority
- find time to relax
I know these are the things that my body NEEDS to function at its best and I just do them and try not to think about them. The food bit is the trickiest for sure and I'm always working on being a better IEer but the exercise bit is non negotiable. Move it or lose it.
I hope we don't lose you to diet land, I know you can do this without going that route!
I've had a few set backs over the season, and was in quite the mood yesterday when I originally wrote this post. I'll just say that, like several of you, I too was plagued by comments from others.
But, a new year is upon us and I am ready to release that which doesn't serve me and renew my focus on positive, peaceful choices.
Oh, and just because my goals aren't measured in pounds, doesn't mean losing pounds isn't a happy side effect of my IE focus.
Best wishes to you all.
Last edited by beginme; 12-31-2015 at 09:50 AM.
Reason: Was just too much of a rant
SouthernMaven you're not alone, a great deal of us are in that same boat. IE does not mean bring fat and happy! Our health is the most important thing we have, our body is the only thing we truly own. We must be good to it. Although gentle nutrition is the most difficult part of IE that sends most IEers into total diet relapse it's also the most important part of IE. This is not about weight, this is about health so don't blame your weight on your health. They have something to do with each other but weight is just a symptom, it is not the cause of all your problems.
Incorporating good habits into your daily life is just as crucial as brushing your teeth, looking both ways before you cross the street, and drinking water. You don't have to think about doing these things, you don't have to moralize them to get them done! I find that just doing some things that are pro health without moralizing them or patting myself on the back for them helps me the most. Just like I brush my teeth everyday without much thought I also
- make sure to eat lots of veg all day
- exercise every day
- make sleep a daily priority
- find time to relax
I know these are the things that my body NEEDS to function at its best and I just do them and try not to think about them. The food bit is the trickiest for sure and I'm always working on being a better IEer but the exercise bit is non negotiable. Move it or lose it.
I hope we don't lose you to diet land, I know you can do this without going that route!
Thank you, Palestrina, for that most thoughtful and encouraging post. I am grateful for the wise words and will definitely keep them in mind, especially when the diet mentality creeps in.
I hope everyone has a very special and wonderful New Year!
Location: Home of the Pirates, Steelers and Penguins
Posts: 12,402
S/C/G: 217/179/142
Height: 5'2
Palestrina, it seems that that's the way it is when women get together for some reason. If you could direct the conversation to each one's good points, such as great hair, pretty skin, good sense of style or sense of humor, they might realize that they are more than a number on the scale.
Southern Maven, I too am dealing with a high A1c. Really, you can attack this with exercise, good sleep, good food, all the things Palestrina mentioned, without actually worrying about your weight. If you do those things it will improve your A1c and you might drop a few pounds as a side effect.
SouthernMaven you're not alone, a great deal of us are in that same boat. IE does not mean bring fat and happy! Our health is the most important thing we have, our body is the only thing we truly own. We must be good to it. Although gentle nutrition is the most difficult part of IE that sends most IEers into total diet relapse it's also the most important part of IE. This is not about weight, this is about health so don't blame your weight on your health. They have something to do with each other but weight is just a symptom, it is not the cause of all your problems.
Incorporating good habits into your daily life is just as crucial as brushing your teeth, looking both ways before you cross the street, and drinking water. You don't have to think about doing these things, you don't have to moralize them to get them done! I find that just doing some things that are pro health without moralizing them or patting myself on the back for them helps me the most. Just like I brush my teeth everyday without much thought I also
- make sure to eat lots of veg all day
- exercise every day
- make sleep a daily priority
- find time to relax
I know these are the things that my body NEEDS to function at its best and I just do them and try not to think about them. The food bit is the trickiest for sure and I'm always working on being a better IEer but the exercise bit is non negotiable. Move it or lose it.
I hope we don't lose you to diet land, I know you can do this without going that route!
I agree with all of this and I am definitely working on it.
I think I MAY have reached the point of gentle nutrition... I am not sure. I have slowly over time been eating more and more sugar and feeling worse and worse. I also stopped exercising or even doing anything and just lay around. I can definitely see the difference in my face, it looks much fuller. My clothes still fit, just not as loosely as they used to.
I think I mentioned we got a puppy. I started noticing that playing with him actually got me a little out of breath and gave me sore arms. Yes I am that out of shape and weak. I had started drinking soda over the past few months. I have not EVER been a soda person. I generally find it too sweet, too cloying, and Im not a fizz person either. I started to notice that I wanted it a little more often and so I had it and a little more often and so I had it and suddenly for every meal I wanted soda. ( well lunch and dinner) It was amazing to me to watch it in action, I actually got into the habit of soda so strongly that even though I don't like it I was craving it. I realized the same thing had happened with my sugar habit too. So, last week I decided to eat less refined sugar and just use honey and raw sugar when I was able to. I did that and started noticing that I was feeling better and had more energy. I also realized that sugar seems to make me feel more hungry a lot of the time, even if I just ate and felt full or satisfied.
Then I started noticing that overeating was hurting my stomach and so I slowly have been eating a little less because i don't want my stomach to hurt.
I started taking the puppy for walks now that he has had all his shots and it feels good to get out and move my body again.
I hesitate to call out any food or ingredient, but for ME I truly think my body feels better with less sugar. I have actually been productive, I have been less anxious, sleeping better, and I feel like I am actually taking care of myself and my body. etc... It's kind of crazy.
Anyway, I know I couldn't have come to this point if I hadn't legalized all the food and truly allowed myself to eat whatever I wanted any time I wanted. It took a while but I started noticing that eating certain things didn't make me feel so good and then it took a while more before I was able to decide, I didn't want to eat some of those things that made me feel bad. Im hopeful that this is the beginning of more healthful habits that I create for ME and for me to feel good and enjoy life, not to lose weight and deprive myself. I definitely don't feel deprived, I feel relieved and happy that I feel so much better.
So, I don't know if this is IE or not. I feel confused about IE sometimes. I hope my story doesn't trigger anyone in a different phase of IE.
Last edited by Pinkhippie; 12-31-2015 at 09:09 PM.
I've had a few set backs over the season, and was in quite the mood yesterday when I originally wrote this post. I'll just say that, like several of you, I too was plagued by comments from others.
But, a new year is upon us and I am ready to release that which doesn't serve me and renew my focus on positive, peaceful choices.
Oh, and just because my goals aren't measured in pounds, doesn't mean losing pounds isn't a happy side effect of my IE focus.
Best wishes to you all.
Beginme, I missed your original rant but I understand the sentiment.
Best wishes to you too! I hope this new year is filled with peace and joy for all of us.
Location: Home of the Pirates, Steelers and Penguins
Posts: 12,402
S/C/G: 217/179/142
Height: 5'2
Wow! No posts since the first of the year! I thought maybe there was a new thread for 2016, but didn't see one.
Surprisingly, I was able to eat intuitively over the holidays, but not so well since then. I don't know why. I was wondering why I've felt different lately and realized I have started back eating when food appears in front of me, rather than waiting for hunger. And eating past satisfaction. So as of today, I am once again following IE. I feel so much better when I do that.
I don't post often anymore. I have gained back 15 pounds in the last 2 yr. but never got below 150. I weighed 120 after my first child so I know that is too much. I don't think I could ever go back to dieting but my son is pushing a ketosis diet.............something with a lot of coconut oil. He has a lot of weight to lose...........100lb. I listen. He says it would cure everything that ails me...........after affects of stroke, neuropathy, etc. Help.
I don't post often anymore. I have gained back 15 pounds in the last 2 yr. but never got below 150. I weighed 120 after my first child so I know that is too much. I don't think I could ever go back to dieting but my son is pushing a ketosis diet.............something with a lot of coconut oil. He has a lot of weight to lose...........100lb. I listen. He says it would cure everything that ails me...........after affects of stroke, neuropathy, etc. Help.
Carol - good to hear from you again! I hope you are doing well in the new year.
As someone who is still struggling with the desire to lose weight, I well understand how you feel. I will say this however - after the birth of my second (and last) child, I weighed 95 lbs. I am 5'2" and even at that height I can tell you that I was underweight. I was 30 years old at this point, and that is absolutely the lowest weight I'd been since I was 18 years old. I did eventually gain some weight back, but I was a good weight until I hit menopause. At that point I started slowly gaining a little weight and wish I'd left well enough alone, because I now know that as you age, you naturally put on a few pounds and it's no big deal.
At 28, I thought I was fat at 130. I'm now 64, and I'd be thrilled to be 130 which would put me within a normal BMI range. I maintained between 110-115 lbs from 30-48, then I began to gain. There's no way I could ever get down to that weight again, and I accept that. Even my doctor said 130 is a good weight for me. But I'm nowhere near that right now.
As tempted as I have been to diet, I agree with you - it's just never going to happen. The best I can do is try to practice gentle nutrition, as Palestrina pointed out in her very encouraging post to me a couple of weeks ago. I have been doing that, and I definitely feel better. Don't know what I weigh, but I just can't worry about that right now. I'm also walking when I can and staying busy with hobbies that keep my mind busy.
Don't know if this is where I belong, but some of the discussions show that this may be a place to post for a while.
Quote:
6. Discover the Satisfaction Factor. The Japanese have the wisdom to promote pleasure as one of their goals of healthy living In our fury to be thin and healthy, we often overlook one of the most basic gifts of existence--the pleasure and satisfaction that can be found in the eating experience. When you eat what you really want, in an environment that is inviting and conducive, the pleasure you derive will be a powerful force in helping you feel satisfied and content. By providing this experience for yourself, you will find that it takes much less food to decide you've had "enough".
This is one place for me to start. I eat too often in a distracted state of mind. At TV or computer for example. Going to spend the next few weeks exploring this issue. Thanks Palestrina,
Reading Dr. Oz's book and he sounded as if the concentration on calorie counting and such can actually interfere with our body's natural hunger/satisfaction ways.
Sure agree that keeping sugar way down is helpful. In fact, absolutely necessary for me. I'm very tempted as I walk past isle with chocolate, but are walking past without stopping more often. DH agrees, thank goodness!!
Sandy
Last edited by love2garden; 01-14-2016 at 04:17 PM.
Sm, I didn't lose until I was about 60 and I would be happy with 150 if I could stay there. When I start restricting things I crave them. My dd is fasting right now.
Carol3639 I agree, that when I restrict foods, immediately I want them.
I assumed that just was the way of life I needed to accept. Perhaps this is a better way.
Quote:
Shift your focus to how it feels to move your body, rather than the calorie burning effect of exercise.
from page one.
What a wonderful new way to think. Reminds me of the enjoyment of a good massage, or the fun of coming down a hill on a bike and simply enjoying the wind in my hair and moving without effort after the hard climb on the trip UP the mountain.
I've lost that feeling of enjoyment at moving myself. WOW! Thanks.
