Obie - doing a kind of "hybrid" eating plan has occured to me, but I think with a little fine tuning I'll do that naturally anyway. I still tend to pick low fat varieties of everything I eat and I'm mindful of what I'm eating. I'll see how I go I guess!

Ulapie - You're probably more experienced at IE than I am, but when I'm trying to get myself into the right frame of mind to succeed at this, I remind myself that I don't have to finish what I'm eating, I can have more later, or another day. I think I have to remember that I'm an adult who can go out anytime and buy whatever delicious food I like, so why am I so intent on stuffing myself all day? I'm still getting the hang of this. Like, when there's something good on offer I feel like eating it even when I'm not hungry. But you're so right, we're all only human, and we need to give ourselves time to evolve and learn.

Hi everyone. Long time since I stuck my head in here.

Well, April was my first full month of trying IE. Well, actually I kind of do what I’d call “modified” IE. I am trying to honor my body’s hungry/full signals, but I won’t just eat anything. The nutritionist in my head still tells me to run screaming from refined white flour and sugar products and other “nutritionally devoid” items. I find that if I really listen though, most of the time what I really want is healthy food. Last night I was thinking I wanted something sweet, so I considered a 100 cal pack or oreo crisps (those packs are the only junk food I allow in the house, df really likes them and I have to admit, if I’m having a sugar/junk food craving one of those packs does the trick nicely). Then I thought about it, and a bowl of fruit actually sounded much better, so that’s what I had.

Weight loss for the month was a little underwhelming to say the least. One pound. I’ll keep moving along with this through May and see if things don’t pick up a bit. I totally understand the urge to go back to the “diet” mentality, it’s frustrating when the pounds don’t come off as fast as you might like. I could be doing a lot more lifting too. I’ve become a bit distracted by the running, which I’m still quite new to and it seems to have dominated my workout priorities lately. Can’t forget the strength training though, it’s just as important!

Ulapie – Glad to hear the physical therapy is going so well! Personally I’m not a huge fan of doing squats, but what they do to lift the buns makes them totally worth it. That is so nice of you to walk your friend’s dog, and super sweet of you to consider helping out shelter dogs. I’ve wanted to spend some time volunteering for an animal rescue group since that’s how we got our dog, but with my weekends being so consumed by wedding and house buying stuff lately and trying to spend a little quality time with my own pooch I don’t think I’ll have any time for that soon.

:wave:

Hello hello, yesterday was a good IE day for me. We went out for dinner, and I'm finding that it really REALLY helps at those times, because they used to be my danger times. Now I haven't overeaten when we've been out for dinner since I started IE.

I have started comfort eating a little bit sometimes, but I figure that's mainly when I'm tired and distressed with myself. I think if I get plenty of naps in I'll be fine. :)

Thanks Diana! I'm not very experienced at this at all! I'm definitely still learning the ropes. :) Those are great suggestions about what to think about. I think I'm going to write them down.

Shananigans - I know losing one pound in a month seems pretty slow compared to crash dieting, but at least you'll be able to keep that pound off, right? Not so with dieting!

That's cool that you adopted your dog! I'd love to adopt a dog, but my cat wouldn't approve. :) I'm going to the shelter orientation on Saturday, so I'm pretty excited! The place is only like 5 minutes from where I live, so I figure it'll be a good way to stay motivated to exercise. :running:

My Weird Relationship with Food
 

Hi everybody. I'm new to this thread so I wanted to introduce myself. For now I'll forego the factoids like what I do, how old, etc. I most need to talk about how I came to this board and this thread.

Years ago I read Geneen Roth's Feeding the Hungry Heart and When Food Is Love. Also read Fat Is a Feminist Issue by ????. The problem is I never really internalized what I read there.

I did throw away my scale and long ago gave myself permission to eat the foods I love. But my weight has been steadily creeping up all these years because I cannot seem to stop eating when I'm full. I LOOOOve the flavors of foods. I'm a good cook, some even say a gourmet cook. I don't like to use fake ingredients like "reduced fat" and try to stick with organics whenever possible. I know a lot about nutrition and whole foods and all that but I still love junk food. Sometimes I just have to have a BigMac, that's the only thing that will satisfy. My cooking motto has always been, why use one dairy product when you could use 3 or 4!

I've lost weight on Atkins several times but my best dieting success was something I invented for myself that I called the "bracelet diet". I wore a bunch (9) of those stretchy beaded bracelets on one wrist and as the day wore on whenever I ate a fruit or veggie (1/2 C. serving) I switched it to the other wrist. This wasn't my original idea - I saw a headline in a woman's magazine at the checkout and just made up my own thing. I felt better than I had in years and was nearly to my goal weight when a couple of crummy things happened in my life and I just stopped doing it. I was depressed for months and gained all the weight back and now, two years later, I am at the heaviest I've ever been.

Lately I've been reading Intuitive Eating and The Food and Feelings Workbook and yesterday I read reviews of The Overfed Head and went to the Thintuition website(s). I'd have joined that, mainly because of the online support, but when I went to their forums, most of the messages were really old and someone had posted a bunch of porn links.

BUT

I don't know what it feels like to be hungry anymore. For years I haven't allowed myself to get hungry. I can't tell when I'm full. I rarely REALLY taste the things I eat. I'm always doing something else when I'm eating. Reading, on the computer, watching a movie. I've come to realize that I'm eating unconsciously about 99% of the time.

So....when I googled "intuitive eating" I saw the 3fatchicks webaddress and ended up on this thread. Actually it wasn't THIS thread it was the first one with IE in the name.

I guess my question is how do I get started? My attitude about food is so black and white. I'm either on a drastic diet or I'm eating everything in sight. I'm so tired of it. I'm so self-concious about how I look, it has become hard for me to leave the house.

What's the first step?

neen

What do y'all think are the best books on IE?

:wave:

Hi neen - I think the best first step is to "tune in". Listen to what your body is telling you. You don't have to take action right away, but just notice when you're a little bit hungry, a little bit full, overfull, why you eat when you're not hungry. Just notice things. I would also recommend journalling about the things you notice.

rubberlegs - I think neen went through just about all the best IE books in her post. However I love Beyond Chocolate, which is a UK book. I think that's why I love it. :)

I had a lovely day yesterday, DH and I are celebrating 6 months of married life, so we checked out a new pub. We had green beans in sesame and ginger to start, a really thin and crispy veggie and goat's cheese pizza, and brownies and ice cream. We shared everything and I ate just a little bit more than enough. Not enough to make me feel ill, or like I'd overeaten, but I knew it was enough because I got my satisfaction moment when I was eating pizza! I did finish eating pizza then, but later on we got the brownies and I had a white russian cocktail. I don't normally drink, but I fancied a cocktail and I was quite merry after that! :dizzy:

Hi again and thanks for responding to my posts.

I noticed the "cookies" at the bottom of 2frustrated's posts - at least I think they're cookies -- or maybe blueberry muffins.

Tune In
Eat When You're Hungry
Eat Whatever You Want
Sit Down, Put It On A Plate And Focus
Enjoy!
Stop When You're Satisfied
Own Your Body
Move
Support Yourself
Be Your Own Guru

Is this from IE? I haven't read the whole book yet.

I tried to do this yesterday and just couldn't stop thinking about food. The "eat when you're hungry" thing is so much harder than it seems it should be. I know that naturally slender people don't fixate on food this way. It's like quitting smoking. The thoughts just keep up the bombardment.

Especially sweets. I confess I'm addicted to sugar. Is it necessary to break this addiction or will it go away on its own as I start hearing my body's signals?

And it just feels so boring to do nothing while eating.

Can someone describe for me what hunger feels like?

neen

It's the principles from Beyond Chocolate.

Hunger feels like, empty. It feels like there's nothing in the tank and my tummy gets rumbly. If I leave it a little bit longer I get shakey, I get SUPREMELY grumpy. I am 3 headed she-devil :devil: if I don't eat soon enough and Dh knows it :lol: I can also get faint/headachey and lack concentration.

I think the best thing to breaking into eating when you're hungry is every time you reach for food, ask yourself why, are you bored? Tired? Stressed? Happy? Sad? Need a hug? If you realise WHY you are eating, then it will be a little bit easier to figure out if you really need it or not.

For example, I like chocolate cookies, and I often eat at work out of boredom. I ask myself what I'm feeling before I reach for them, and I'm usually bored, so I find something else to do, or I just have a cuppa :coffee:

Hi Neen!

I'm new here too, just wanted to say hi! I'm feeling quite liberated about my eating thanks to IE. I still have a lot to get a grip on (like stopping when I'm satisfied), but hopefully we'll learn together. I think it's really hard eating "freely" and not following a list of rules. But psychologically it feels so good!! Good luck with it. Trust your body to tell you and listen closely to what it wants. I really hope you get something out of it.

Hi ladies haven't posted in a while. Lots of emotional upheavel with the ex. Tried to cut him off completely and ended up with lots of crying messages about him being afraid he is going to die in Iraq and wanting to spend time with me until he leaves and accept the other chick he is also seeing blah....

IE has saved me from blowing everything completely. I have eaten once when I wasn't hungry, but just don't have it in me to over indulge like I used to. Now I just save it for later. I haven't eaten the healthiest foods, but I am back on track. :dizzy:

Hi to all the new people.

OK, for the last three days I've waited (and waited and waited) until I felt hungry to eat. It only seems to happen once a day. But since I live alone and only have myself to cook for, that hasn't been a problem. I've made things I really like (Pasta Alfredo w/ broccoli), sat down to eat w/ no TV, book, music or other distractions. I put a fist-sized portion on the plate and only added a bit more if I still felt hungry.

The food was incredibly delicious!! Everyone knows that things taste better when you're hungry, but it has been so long since I experienced this personally, I was really surprised at the intensity of the flavors.

I am still obsessed with food. My anxieties are showing up in other ways. (More on this later.) But so far, I've learned a lot.

I've eaten some sugar but I'm not going to beat myself up for that. I'm trying to be forgiving and accepting.

Why does it take me so long to get hungry? Is my brain just not connected to the feeling or am I always going to be eating just once a day?

One thing I do like is the absence of the feeling of being overfull. I didn't realize how much time I spent feeling sluggish and sleepy. My activity level has increased some - still not what I would like it to be but we'll see what happens as we go on.

Thanks to everyone for bearing with me in my ignorance! :rolleyes:

later,

neen

Hello!

Well I've been doing pretty well with IE at the moment, but I did "discover" something yesterday. I used myself as the dustbin.... :lol: I finished off this bowl of brownies and marshmallows and ice cream when I wasn't hungry "because it tasted nice" but in reality it didn't taste nice at all because I wasn't hungry for it and it was making me feel sick, but I still kept eating. I didn't want to waste it... :doh: Well it was wasted stuffing it into me instead of putting it in the fridge for today.

Well I've learned from that. :)

Hi girls!

I had a rough weekend IE-wise. I'm starting to really get the hang of eating properly when I'm on my own, on a day-to-day basis, and can really address what I want and focus on the food. This weekend I went down to Kansas City to visit my guy, and starting with the drive down I was out of focus when it comes to food.

I have a bad habit of eating just to have something to do while driving, and there are certain foods I never eat unless I'm on the road (Gardetto's snack mix, to be exact - the crunchy garlicy mix is completely tied to "road trip" in my mind!) Before I hit the road, I washed and packed up some berries in a cooler, mainly because they were starting to get old and I wanted to have them on hand if I didn't want to stop on the road. I was only about an hour on the road when I started to get droopy, and stopped for coffee, an energy drink, and some gardettos. I ate a few and then wrapped up the bag, but found myself reaching for them again and again when I was getting bored and wanting somethiing to do. Eventually, I pushed them to the far side of the seat, and they ended up falling on the floor and spilling. Somehow seeing a few pieces on the floor of the car made it a lot less tempting to pick up the half-empty bag and start eating again!

Eating once I got to KC was hit and miss - I didn't really eat a whole lot on Friday night since I'd munched in the car, when I normally would have just eaten what was being served because it was there. Saturday morning I woke hungry and was really glad I'd packed my blackberries and strawberries - my guy and his roommate just moved and had NO food in the house! Saturday night was a pizza-and-beer fest with the gang, where I ate to "full" rather than "satisfied," but at least stopped short of "stuffed." Wish I could say the same for Sunday morning - I was starving by the time we went out for breakfast around 11, and just plowed through a plate of fried eggs and hashbrowns. Too much food, and the grease made me queasy before long.

Well, every experience is one I can learn from - I can still see where I'm making progress in eating for hunger (not just eating the whole bag of chips because it's there, etc). I'm making major strides in avoiding mindless munching just because I'm working on my thesis - sitting at a computer has always been linked with mindless eating in my past.

Neen - I found myself not getting hungry at all when I first started trying to eat properly, too. I'd been so out of touch with my hunger that I couldn't really tell unless I was really starving. Add on the fact that my body expected a huge amount of food any time I ate, and I didn't get hungry that often. Once I started tuning in and eating properly, I found my body adjusted - once I wasn't stuffing myself to capacity at dinner, I now find I wake up hungry and ready for a small meal, and so forth.


One more bit of insanity from the weekend - my guy finally talked me into going to a jeweler on Saturday and making the arrangements for the custom ring I want (we're using stones from his grandmother's engagement ring and re-setting them). I suppose I have to face the fact that we're "officially" engaged - I really struggle with all the expectations and overkill of weddings, and have been putting off any planning since Christmas.

So, now we're looking at Sept 08 to make it official. I don't know why I'm so skittish about all this - I know we're good together and I can't imagine spending my life with anyone else, but I'd rather just sign the paperwork and get on with life.

Thanks for responding to this, RCC.

This is the - what? - 5th day, I think, that I've been doing this IE thing. I'm still not getting hungry at "normal" times like "normal" people. On Sunday, I went all day without eating because I couldn't discern any real hunger, then went to some friends' for dinner. I helped cook and by the time we (six of us)were ready to eat I was starving. And of course, I ate too much. When I got home around midnight I still felt stuffed and sick and a little annoyed with myself.

If this is gonna work it has to work not just when I'm alone. Somehow I have to internalize the self-questioning while I'm eating. Am I full? Am I satisfied? Those kinds of questions. I love eating with other people but the conversation is so distracting. Naturally slim people don't have to remind themselves that they're full and it's time to stop eating! I hope this eventually becomes instinctive or I guess I should say, Intuitive.

But I have the habits of many years of overeating, of mindless eating. I especially appreciated your point, RCC, about night eating. No wonder I never feel hungry in the morning. I always eat at night. I have to distract myself at night with a book on tape or something to fall asleep to just to keep my mind off what's in the kitchen.

Anyway, I don't think I've lost any weight yet. As I said before, I tossed my scale years ago and only weigh in when I see a doctor. But I feel "intuitively" that this is the right course for me.

I'm also feeling the urge to MOVE more often. My little dog has been getting extra walks. The weather has been gorgeous and lures me outdoors.

Overall, I feel better. I'm not sluggish food-drunk. The depression is lifting because I'm doing something to make a change. That helps.

Thanks to all for listening. I really appreciate being able to come here and check in.

neen

neen - sounds like you're making good progress. It is odd to start off with but it does get easier.

Says she just having had a cwappy IE day yesterday :p but never mind, I'm back to my good IE self today. I think that overeating on Monday night triggered it, so I know what triggers getting off track, so I think I might have to really try harder to listen to my body and STOP when I need to otherwise it leads to days of not really caring that much :(

I'm planning on today being a much better day.

I also find that if I go to the gym that it puts me in a good IE frame of mind, I want to look after my body and nourish it. Whereas if I skive off the gym I feel sluggish and tired and I know I benefit from a workout more than the "rest" I give myself most days. So today I am off for some treadmill pounding in my new shoes :D

We are flat-hunting at the moment and it is soul-destroying. We can't afford anything where we want to live apart from a shack or a shoebox. The place we are in now has really spoilt us, it's a bargain for what we get, modern, smart, secure. Places we are looking at are run-down, shabby and have really dodgy neighbours.

Last night we went to see a place and I got home hungry and upset. Usually I would've hit the kitchen, but I didn't. DH brought some stuff home from a bakery and I ate until I was satisfied. Then we were watching a film and I made some ryvita and cheese crackers but only ate 1 out of 3. This morning I woke up hungry for breakfast at 7am! That's not happened in a long time because I usually have dinner at 9pm or later. So this morning I made myself French Toast with Brioche bread because it's something I can't make at work :goodvibes: YUMMY!

I'm glad that I managed to get back on track yesterday, this means that I was only thrown for 1 day after overeating, rather than the 2 that happened last week! Progress!

Hey haven't posted in a while due to the drama with the ex and work has been beating me over the head.

I think because I have been so distracted by work and the ex and I haven't had the conscious talks with myself to find out if I am hungry. I go through my day at some point I get hungry...if I want to eat I do if I don't I wait a little longer. I eat till I am ready to stop. If I get tempted to keep eating I remember how I felt being stuffed a few weeks ago. Also putting the fork down seems to have been a real break through.

I honestly think if I hadn't been doing the IE before the drama in my life erupted there would have been alot more over eating.

Due to the drama (lots of late late night phone conversations) I didn't workout for a week and when I was ready and actually missing it I went back to it.

Also not as obsessed about what I weigh or when will I get to a certain size. Yeah I want to lose weight, but it will happen as it is meant to happen and as long as I stick doing the right thing I know it will come off. My weigh in is next week and I'm ok with whatever number comes up and I will decide what to do then.

It’s been a while since I’ve caught up with you IE folks.

Obsidian – Sorry you’ve been having such a rough time with the ex. Just keep on being good to yourself and things will work themselves out.

neen – Sounds like you’re learning a lot about yourself. I’m sure after some time and practice you will become an expert at reading your body’s signals.

ulapie – Sounds like you’re doing great. Old habits are hard to change, but day-by-day if we keep trying we’re bound to make progress. How are things going with volunteering at the shelter?

RCC – I have a hard time with keeping in tune with my body when I’m traveling, or even just out of my normal routine. Heck, I struggle with weekends. Not that I generally prefer rigid structure (quite the opposite actually) but I really seem to have the flow of the workday eating and working out down. Other than that all **** seems to break loose. :dizzy: BTW, I understand how you feel about the wedding stuff. I got engaged in Feb and at first thought eloping sounded like an attractive prospect, but now that we’ve got a few of the big things taken care of (the date, ceremony and reception sites reserved) I’m kind of excited about the wedding. Plus my fiancé is super excited and involved, so that helps. I see you’ve joined us in the “brides to be” thread over in miscellaneous groups. Take a deep breath, you’ve got a long timeline for planning (as do I) so that should help take some of the edge off.

2Fru – Have I ever told you how much I admire your attitude? Always a silver lining on your cloud. No matter if we over eat or “screw up” somehow, you can always just hop right back on and keep truckin’. And admirable example, you are. :)

I’ve been hanging in there, eating has been good on weekdays as usual. The weekends I tend to get carried away, I guess more so than usual this past one if the scale is any indication. Went wacky up and then down almost 4 pounds for the previous few days, back to where I was last week as of this morning. Seriously, I have three 3 beers and eat some restaurant food and my body just seems to go nuts. I really was hungry for those 3 beers though, and if I hadn’t listened to my tummy my head would have told me to go right on drinkin’ a 4th. :o

:wave:

For all the Brides to be - I got married in November and a lovely time was had by all! I think the best thing is to not mind too much about getting EXACTLY what you want - no-one on the day is going to care that you weren't allowed helium filled balloons and had to settle for a single stem rose in a glass tumbler bought for 20p in Ikea! :lol: I think once the date and place is sorted then you're almost there! I decided to let my menfolk wear what they wanted (not matching the bridesmaids or anything) and I eventually got all the bridesmaid dresses sorted and everyone was chilled and happy. Remember it's about enjoying the day, not worrying that the ribbon on the flowers doesn't match the bridesmaid dresses :D

ulapie - fostering a cat sounds lovely :D Wish I had the house-room.

Obi - :hug: I'd be in a total mess right now! :eek: Glad you're not breaking out the chocolate or crying into a wine glass :)

Shananagins - thank you :o :) For me IE seemed to help me at weekends - once I'd truly "legalised" the restaurant food we were eating and the chocolate and the ice cream, then I could enjoy them and know that there would always be more restaurants, ice cream and chocolate to enjoy so I didn't have to cram it all down while I "could" because "the diet started on Monday". I now know that I can have chocolate or ice cream or anything ANY time I want. I can have Fish and Chips for lunch today if that's what I want, or a Chinese takeaway, or pizza or the sushi I brought or the chocolate brownies or whatever ANY TIME, so I don't feel the need to "get it while I can" any more.

Personally I'm having a good time. I was pretty hungry yesterday but I think I needed it. I even ate a doughnut :D

Today I'm tired and beaten up :boxing: from kickboxing, but I'm doing ok :)

Life is pretty good. Me and the ex actually went to the same events. I having lost 35 or so lbs looked fabulous and got alot of attention and he looked miserable and finally realized what he had lost and we bonded and are friends. I know it sounds wacky, but seems like the drama is over.

Went out NO knee pain, old clothes fit wonderfully. I wore a tight slinky red dress with a slit to mid thigh, topped off with black strappy high heel sandals, and felt good about it.

Eating is ok. No over eating although I ate some crap, but stopped when I was satisfied. I weighed myself day before my tom started and I was down. Assuming I have some water weight I am probably down more than that.

Since drama with the ex is over I seem to more motivated to get up and workout.

Just wanted to say thank you to everyone for putting up with my venting over the last few weeks, much appreciated.

:hug: Glad everything's going well for you Obi.

I'm also doing well on the IE front. Yesterday I realised I was eating out of anger, not hunger so I stopped. :) Today I seem a little bit hungry and I'm frustrated that I didn't go to the gym at lunch ( :rain: ) but I will kick soom bootay tonight at kickboxing. I'll be doing kiddies kickboxing with them.

We've found a new flat to move into next month, so that should be fun. I keep half putting life on hold until we move, but we've actually got a few weeks to go and we're going on holiday to Spain between now and then, so it'll be good. So far, no moving-house-stress-eating has occured :D

Feeling good today - had a bit of the nibbles attack last night, but I only really nibbled for my dinner :rolleyes: Never mind I'm sure I probably ate as much as a proper dinner.

I'm finding that health and fitness is gradually sliding out of my life.... Like I spend less time worrying about food and exercise and I find that I want to do OTHER things with my time :eek: :lol: I've bought a hobby book and intend to start making my own clothes. I've been on ebay and bought some material and some fun buttons to start playing with.

Don't get me wrong - I will still be a kick-*** martial artist and I'll still be running a marathon, but they're just not as important and they're not taking up as much "head space" as they were before. It's cool!

Eeeeee but it's quiet in here! :mag:

I'm doing really really well. I realised yesterday and the day before that now to me food is JUST food. It's not comfort or entertainment or any of those things. Some days I can't even be bothered to cook a lavish meal - I just see what's in the fridge! I don't go nutso if there's no "healthy" food in, there tends to be at least a pizza or some veggies or something in the freezer.

This morning I even forgot to pack my lunch! WHOOPS! But that's a heckuva lot better than getting up 45 minutes earlier and cooking and preparing all my 6 meals for the day :D

Hey girls,

I've been kind of absent from here for a while, and am probably going to make it more permanent. I've found that poking around 3FC has kind of hurt me IE-wise - it's really hard not to compare myself to others when weight and sizes and all those other numbers are being thrown around... and as much as I try to remind myself that IE will help me be healthier and saner in the long run, it's really distracting and tempting to go back to formal dieting when I see people losing 20 pounds in 2 months, etc.

When it comes down to it, trying to get a handle on IE and stopping dieting when I'm still frequenting a dieting message board is just not working for me. I'm hoping I'll be able to come back after a while and help support others who are trying to escape the diet trap, but for now I have to do what's best for me.

I really appreciate all the stuff I've learned from hanging out here, though - I've now read the Overfed Head and am working my way through a copy of Beyond Chocolate I bought through Amazon UK (and LOVING it!). I'm glad to have added a few more resources to my IE arsenal - each book has a slightly different approach and I've taken something good from every one I've read.

Anyhow, I want to thank you guys for the support I've gotten here - it's definitely not this thread that's the problem, but all the others I read while I'm wasting time! Good luck with the continued intuition!

I've been gone awhile, too, RCC and I know what you mean about the time it takes to read here. I really enjoy 2frus posts so I'm back and doing pretty good with IE.

I've also been missing in action. Eating has been pretty ok. I hit my latest mild stone. New goal of 299. I have stopped myself from going out so much, more because of cost than anything else. I also noticed that I was justifying eating when I wasn't hungry anymore because I was out and talking and would get distracted. So between the 2 no eating out till June1.


I start doing slim and lean (jari love) Wednesday. it was supposed to be today, but I slept in.

Me and the ex are doing pretty good so definitely no more drama here. Life is pretty good right now.

I agree with RCC. I tend not to come to 3fc as much because it messes with my head. I don't think I'll ever give it up since I have learned lots and lots.

Hope everyone else is going ok.

:high: WELL DONE OBI!

I know what you mean about the whole diet mentality here :) I just chat in the UK chicks and there tends to be less diet talk in our monthly chat thread! In fact we have a few maintainers and some who are just there for the chatter I'm sure! :lol:

I've had a great 2 weeks - I ate really really well and I even survived a weekend with my parents (MAJOR binge territory!). However yesterday I was SO tired, a little bit stressed and depressed and just blah that I ate half a packet of biscuits and half a ginger loaf cake at about 3pm. Well, never mind - I didn't eat anything after that!

Today is going a little bit better... I've had breakfast but I still feel hungry. I think perhaps I will have some tea.

Tomorrow DH and I are going to Spain so I will MIA for a week and a day! :D I'm really looking forward to it and I feel that I can come back from holiday without the extra "baggage" I usually bring... ;)

Oh and I weighed myself yesterday morning - I'm not sure whether this contributed to the binge or not, but I am up 4lbs since February. It's not a lot at all, and considering I have been eating mainly cake and biscuits for a lot of that time I am fairly hopeful that when we're back from holiday, and when we've moved house and when I've got a little bit of motivation back to go to the gym at lunch that it'll come off fairly easily - and hopefully more. It's the first time I've weighed myself for about 2 months, so I wasn't too surprised. :)

Hi, Obi. We'll miss you 2frus. One thing I have learned from IE is that no matter what the food is, if you eat it on a regular basis it loses its power. Lately it was chocolate muffins for me and I'm really glad that they don't seem as special. I planted the garden yesterday and am really sore as usual for this time of year. I still have a lot of flowers to plant but that will take awhile. We still have pretty cool weather here in WI and even get a freeze once in awhile.

Have a great time 2Frus.

Slept in on Monday so no slim and lean, Stayed with Get ripped today since I had a new cardio video today and it kicked my but. Didn't think 2 new videos in one day was a good move. Slim and lean Friday. I think I'm a little scared of it. Nothing to report on eating. Curious how I will do with the holiday weekend coming up.

Hi Obi. I finished Bob Green's new book and was very surprised that he advocated using hunger and fullness as weight loss guides. It's a very good book with a forward by Oprah. He is an interesting writer. A lot of weight loss authors are kind of boring. We got a new eliptical machine by Reebok. I really like it, although I can't go very far yet. I'm really sore from lots of gardening. Every year I tell myself I will do some kind of exercises to prepare myself for gardening but it rolls around before I get to it. Then I pay for it....ouch! I usually garden around sunset because I'm not supposed to be in the sun. That's why I'm really thankful for the eliptical, too.

There was a good article in Prevention on the lines of IE.

8 Secrets of the Naturally Slim

Act like you're a size smaller, and you'll be a size smaller. How thin women thrive in a supersized world

by Megan McMorris




We all have that one thin friend--the one who's never bullied into submission by the bread basket, and when she says "I'll just have a bite," she does just that. Is she for real?

Turns out, research shows that thin people simply don't think about food the same way as--well, the rest of us. "Thin people have a relaxed relationship with food," explains David L. Katz, MD, an associate professor adjunct in public health at Yale University. "Those who are overweight, however, tend to be preoccupied by it. They focus on how much or how often they eat, or attach labels like good and bad to certain foods. As a result, mealtime is always on the brain."

Here, weight loss experts explore the mysterious minds of the "naturally" slim. Learn what they do, what they don't, and how you can act the part.

1. They Choose Satisfied Over Stuffed
On a fullness scale of 1 to 10, the slim stop eating at a level of 6 or 7, says Jill Fleming, RD, author of Thin People Don't Clean Their Plates. The rest of us may keep going to an 8 or 10. Why? It may be because you mistakenly equate the sensation of fullness with satisfaction and feel deprived if you stop short, says Fleming. Or you may just be used to finishing what's in front of you, regardless of whether you really need it.

Copy Them: About halfway through your next meal, put your fork down and, using the 1 to 10 scale, rate your level of fullness. Do it again when you have about five bites left. The goal is to increase your awareness of how satisfied you feel during a meal. (Bonus: It also slows down your eating, which allows the sensation of fullness to settle in.)

2. They Realize Hunger Isn't An Emergency
Most of us who struggle with extra pounds tend to view hunger as a condition that needs to be cured--and fast, says Judith S. Beck, PhD, author of the new Beck Diet Solution. "If you fear hunger, you might routinely overeat to avoid it," she says. Thin people tolerate it because they know hunger pangs always come and go, buying them some time.

Copy Them: Pick a busy day to purposely delay lunch by an hour or two. Or try skipping an afternoon snack one day. You'll see that you can still function just fine. Then next time you feel those grumbles, you'll hold off before making a beeline for the fridge.

3. They Don't Use Food To Cure The Blues
It's not that thin women are immune to emotional eating, says Kara Gallagher, PhD, a weight loss expert based in Louisville. But they tend to recognize when they're doing it and stop.

Copy Them: Add the word 'Halt' to your vocabulary, says Gallagher. More than just a command (as in stop eating that entire sleeve of cookies), it's an acronym that stands for Hungry, Angry, Lonely, or Tired--the four most common triggers for emotional eating.

If you're truly hungry, choose a balanced snack, such as a handful of nuts, to tide you over until your next meal. But if you're angry, lonely, or tired, seek an alternative calorie-free solution to your emotional need. Blow off steam by going for a run or just jumping around--the heartbeat boost will help dissipate your anger. Lonely? Call a friend, e-mail your kid, or walk to the park or mall. Being around others will make you feel more connected to your community (even if you don't bump into anyone you know). If you're tired, for heaven's sake, sleep!

4. They Eat More Fruit
Lean people, on average, have one more serving of fruit and eat more fiber and less fat per day than overweight people, reports a 2006 study published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association.

Copy Them: Start tinkering. Examine your diet for ways to add whole fruits (not juices) to your meals and snacks. Aim for two or three servings per day. Sprinkle berries in your cereal or on your yogurt. Add sliced pears to your turkey sandwich, or bake an apple for dessert. Keep a bowl of fruit on your kitchen table or desk to motivate you to think fruit first, vending machine never.

5. They're Creatures Of Habit
Any dietitian will tell you that a varied diet is good--but too much variety can backfire, says Katz, author of The Flavor Point Diet. Studies have shown that too many tastes and textures encourage you to overeat, he explains. "Thin people have what I call a food groove--the majority of their meals consist of well-planned staples," says Beck. "There are a few surprises thrown in, but for the most part, their diets are fairly predictable."

Copy Them: Try to be as consistent as possible with your major meals--have cereal for breakfast, a salad at lunch, and so forth. It's okay to add grilled chicken to the salad one day and tuna the next, but by sticking to a loosely prescribed meal schedule, you limit the opportunities to overindulge.

6. They Have A Self-Control Gene
Researchers at Tufts University found that the biggest predictor of weight gain among women in their 50s and 60s was their level of disinhibition, or unrestrained behavior. Women with low disinhibition (in other words, a finely tuned sense of restraint) had the lowest body mass index. High disinhibition (i.e., low restraint) was linked to an adult weight gain of as much as 33 pounds.

Copy Them: Prepare for moments when your disinhibition is likely to be higher--such as when you're in a festive atmosphere with a large group of friends. If you're at a party, tell yourself you'll take one of every fourth passed hors d'oeuvre. If you're out at dinner, order an appetizer portion and share dessert. Or if you're stressed--another low-restraint moment--make sure you have a source of crunchy snacks (like fruit or carrot sticks) at the ready.

7. They're Movers And Shakers
On average, slim people are on their feet an extra 2 1/2 hours per day--which can help burn off 33 pounds a year, according to a study from the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN.

Copy Them: Try a reality check. Studies have shown that people often overestimate how active they really are, says Gallagher. Most people actually spend 16 to 20 hours a day just sitting. Wear a pedometer on an average day, and see how close you get to the recommended 10,000 steps. Your day should combine 30 minutes of structured exercise with a variety of healthy habits, such as taking the stairs instead of the elevator or mopping the floor with extra vigor. To see how many calories your activities burn, see the exercise calculator at www.caloriecontrol.org.

8. They Sleep--Well
They snooze 2 more hours per week, compared with overweight people, says a study from Eastern Virginia Medical School. Researchers theorize that a lack of shut-eye is linked to lower levels of appetite-suppressing hormones like leptin and higher levels of the appetite-boosting hormone ghrelin.

Copy Them: Break it down: Two extra hours of sleep a week is only 17 more minutes a day--a lot more manageable, even for the most packed of schedules. Start there and slowly work toward 8 hours of snooze time a night--the right amount for most adults.

Quick Tip
Eat breakfast! 78% of successful dieters do it every day, according to the National Weight Control Registry, A database of more than 5,000 people who've lost more than 30 pounds and kept the weight off for at least a year

(Posted April 2007)

Fiddler, We're missing you here at IE.

What a beautiful day it is here today in WI! We had a few inches of rain yesterday and it cooled things right down. I'm not a big fan of hot weather so that's ok with me. Maybe I'll get more flowers planted today. Does anyone know anything about melatonin? It's a sleep aid but I have read that some dr use it in the treatment of sarcoidosis, which I have. I've never really liked it because it makes me kind of groggy in the morning but it also took my appetite away!! I'm ususally starving in the morning. I did eat but that's only because I want to use the eliptical and I thought it wouldn't be to good to do that without eating.

Kind of quiet around here. Well, I didn't get the flowers planted because my dh put some weed killer around the edges of the flower beds and I thought it might not be a good idea to come into contact with the stuff. But I did plant some more seeds so I think I'm finished with the garden. The strawberries should be on soon.......yummmm. Seems like it is easier to eat healthy in the summer time.

Wow! am I sore. Planting flowers sure is work when you're not used to it. Seems like I was really hungry today. I'm also doing the eliptical every day and I notice I'm not getting up at night as much to use the restroom. Wonder if there is a connection. I sure enjoy it and listen to stories while I use it.

Interested in Intuitive Eating
 

Hi! I just found your thread. I.E. was something I used to do before I got married & became a competitive eater. It's almost 19 years later & we've worked out our differences. Now I have to get back to my old GOOD habits.

One question I've got, tho--does the "E" word HAVE to be highlighted every single time? I find it creepy and annoying. Is there any way those of us who don't prefer it can have it removed? (No offense to everyone who likes it--it's just a big world with room for all of us, & if I don't have to have the highlighted word, I would prefer that, thanks.)

WOW! I don't know what happened, or rather, HOW, since I didn't do anything I knew--but the highlighting's gone! YAY!!--and Thank you!

Hi FatToFitVirgo!
Is it possible you originally did some kind of search containing the word "eating" when you got here? I just tried it and the word was brightly highlighted all the way through. That would get rather annoying after awhile!! lol Welcome and good luck to you :D

I had trouble with the highlighting, too, but it went away and I know it has something to do with searching for certain words. I don't like it either. Glad it is gone. Does anyone know much about the Beyond Chocolate website? There is a book with that name and it is based in the UK. I think you have to pay to find out more. I tried to get the book from Amazon UK but it was $26 for a paper back and I thought that was a bit much.

I'm missing you guys too! Haven't had time to even read posts for weeks, much less respond.

My boss is keeping me too busy to go to the gym, but he keeps me too busy to eat too, so I haven't gained any weight. I guess there's a silver lining to every cloud.

I saw my ex a couple of weeks ago, and he was quite impressed with the weight loss, especially since he has gained weight since we split up. In my opinion, it serves him right :D

I had some new photos taken over the weekend. I haven't gotten them back yet, but I'll post them when I do.

Hope everyone is doing well, and a big "Welcome" to all the new people! :D