[QUOTE=Blue Serenity;2862478]You know, this makes me wonder ... there's a diner I love to go that's about an hour away, so it's usually a treat for us to eat there. First of all they have awesome meals and a huge menu but secondly, they have a bakery window loaded with the most sinful looking desserts that I am always way too full to try (but would love to). Meals are huge portions, can hardly ever finish a plate, usually get leftovers to go, so I never get to try the desserts that look so very yummy. I just wonder if a trip is in order. I always joke around saying "we ought to just skip dinner and go straight for dessert" ... why not?[/QUOTE]

Blue - I agree. WHY NOT?

Carolr - Again thanks for the article. You always find such good stuff there at Beyond chocolate. I must be looking in the wrong places.

Trish, what do you suppose causes you to go into diet mentality? Are there triggers? Like maybe walking past a mirror or getting frustrated with the scale, feeling out of control around food? Maybe if you focus on recognizing any triggers that cause you to think about turning to a diet and recognize that they are triggers and find a way to deal with them so that they do not blindside you? Just thinking out loud here, and hoping maybe it will help you because it seems this is an area that you have trouble with. :hug:

What do you do for exercise and what do you enjoy about it?

I walk with my friend 5 days a week but so far its been 3 days a week. We thought we was walking 2 miles a day, that is what my late friend Lorretta had measured out, but it is 3 Miles! Measured it today!

I like visiting with my friend and walking to keep my body,mind and soul healthy
I also love the flowers along the way [even though there has been no rain to brag about] that God planted along the way, sorta like saying to us," Good Morning Girls!"

Good Morning ladies! Just stopping by to say hello. I've been studying for a certification exam I wanted to take and took that yesterday so whoo-hoo....no more studying. I'm looking forward to having more time to read and think and exercise and get in touch with myself. We're headed off on vacation in a couple of days and that means 1000 miles in the car both ways. Ugh. Not fun.

Hi Bootsie. Not much these days. I had been walking on the treadmill quite a bit until it got sluggish and I tried to grease it up with all kinds of stuff that seems to have made it worse! (it's a manual one) Also, occasionally do lots of walking outdoors around town enjoying the scenery. Bought a mini trampoline a while back to try to get some exercise on but that thing hurts my knees. May have to ease back into that someday when I lose some weight (perhaps follow the routine that came with it instead of doing my own thing, seems to be less impact).

Best wishes for your certification, flmom23! I hear you about the long car trip! We got that out of the way earlier this summer, whew! But we've been doing a couple of shorter trips, too. Still lots of sitting time each way (about 7-8 hours.) I like the sight-seeing, tho. If we don't see you again soon, enjoy your trip!

I'm doing OK. Yesterday I think I ate too much (what's new?) lol! I think I just lose focus too easily. Still in subconscious "diet mode." I keep telling myself "I'll be good tomorrow." But then tomorrow comes and I'm not putting myself on a diet, but it's almost like I have to engage in that "last supper" eating as if I'll be going on a diet, even tho I KNOW I'm not getting on one. I guess I still don't trust myself with food. Started re-reading the book over the weekend, haven't picked it up since, need to get back at it. Perhaps check out some more IE web sites for more inspiration. I love the Beyond Chocolate articles Carol posts! Maybe daily doses of IE reminders like that will help me stay focused and get me out of diet fog. Think I'll go hunting for IE sites and make a special bookmark folder for just those.

Trish, how are you?

Have a great one everyone! :sunny:

I do yoga. It's a pretty good workout. Takes an hour to an hour and a half. I had wanted to do it for a long time, and picked it up in earnest when I started losing weight last year. Then this year I got off track and wasn't exercising - but I've done my yoga daily for the past two weeks and my body is starting to thank me for it. I'm stiff and have more pains without it. And it's a good strengthener. I always intended to do not just the exercise part of it, but work on the breathing and meditation too - but never did! I didn't feel bad about that, as I was making *so* many other changes in my life. But now I'm trying to keep my focus on my breath while doing my yoga, instead of letting my mind go helter skelter. It's amazing how *hard* that is to do.

I like it because it does amazing things for your relationship with your body. Because I was very inflexible before and now I'm not :). Because it makes me strong. Because I can do it anywhere (almost). Because I get a mental and spiritual practice all at the same time.

I was running last year too - that's a little harder to pick up again, but I liked what it was doing for me, so I haven't given up on it yet. But it's so hot! And my knee makes me work into it *very* slowly. I'm telling myself I need to do my yoga for say a month first, to strengthen my knees and ankles first :). We'll see.

I like running because it makes me feel so *able* to know I could run 3 miles if I wanted to. Because I tend to get shin splints and knee and hip pains, even when walking, if I don't keep up a regular running practice. Because being a runner makes me feel cool :cool:. Because it makes me sleep better. And because getting up and running before dawn is an amazing feeling.

Hi again! :wave:

This sure was a timely find for me. Thanks Google. :) For anybody out there struggling with IE (like me), you might want to take a look at this article, some very helpful advice that I'm taking to heart.

NOTE: IE discourages the use of scales and body image to get the process to become natural, HOWEVER, the blogger makes a very good point FOR the use of a scale or other measuring device. More commentary after the article ...

The blue paragraph is me. This is where I'm finding myself now. And I totally agree with the scale thing. In the past I used the scale to measure my weight-loss. But perhaps a new view of the scale is in order. I agree that using it to make sure I'm NOT overeating consistently would be a great help. Had I been friends with my scale over the years instead of treating it as an instrument of doom, maybe I would have naturally put a cap on my overeating. But I didn't. I dreaded the scale and ignored it (between diets) and the result each time I'd step back on it would always be a weight gain. "How'd I get so fat?" I'm taking her advice here for sure, but now I'm not trying to see how much I lost this week, but make sure I'm not gaining over several weeks. (And if I do see a loss ... wonderful!) Refocusing here!

And portions! What can one say about portions that hasn't already been said?!? I have to agree with the blogger again totally! When I lost weight with a form of IE in the past I paid VERY close attention to my portions, something I definitely haven't been doing this time around. I love her advice about sharing the food! Love it!

OK, well I'm outta here for now. The tummy is growling, time for lunch!

Blue Serenity, I'd agree with a lot of what she said too.

Eating whole grains (and not refined grains), lots of veggies, plenty of fruits and nuts and avocado, and little sugar is what makes this *possible* for me. I don't get trying to eat intuitively of stuff that is *designed* to make you *always* *want* *more*. I couldn't do it. But, I can eat healthy foods without making myself go hungry, without counting every last morsel, without feeling guilty when I have dessert, without putting up with food that is so-so.

To some extent, it feels like IE just trades restricting calories for restricting eating when not hungry. I 100% believe that's a better deal, but it's not really any easier, at least at first. It is, however, much more rewarding for me.

Hi Julie. Agreed. And I think the bottom line is we each, as individuals, need to find what works for us, that we can live with long-term. I've been reading some of the responses to this blog that are a tad negative and I started second guessing myself, whether I should have posted the article or not. But then I realized that we're all at different phases in this process of becoming intuitive eaters and while some detected "diet mentality" in the blogger's post, I have to stand firm on what I said earlier (about scales and portion control) because for me, at this time in my journey, I am needing this. I have not yet reached a point where I trust myself enough to just throw out everything and eat freely. I've done that and like the blogger I need(ed) fat pants! It helps to have something to aim for ... in my case, no steady gaining of weight and eating less than I am accustomed to. After all, "if you keep doing what you've always done, you'll always get what you've always gotten." So, baby steps for me. I can't do this all in one bite. ;)

Hey Blue, that was a great article. Everything in a nutshell. Julie, how did you learn yoga? I don't live anywhere near a gym so I would need a DVD. Thanks.

Carol, I don't know a DVD to recommend. I read lots of different books and read a lot on the internet!

I'm not sure what triggered the "diet" thing. I think it is just part of the IE process. However, I took the idea of Response Cards and Advantage Deck from the Beck diet and made them according to IE principles etc and I have to admit that I am doing so much better with things. There seems to be something about reading those, especially the response cards that just puts me into a positive attitude about IE.

Thanks for the thought.

Julie it is hot in Texas too and it is getting where I have to force myself to go walking I hate that hill!!! But thank God that he gives me the strength to walk it.We walked again 3 miles today but yesterday in total of walking back and forth to my husbands store I walked not just the 3 miles I walked 11 miles! I drinked a-lot of water and felt water logged last night. I walked a total of 10 miles today and yes I got another blister on my left foot but bought me some men running shoes today, they have a sole about 1 inch thick and feel comfy, also some good sunglasses.
Julie I am going to see if I can learn yoga , I have heard a-lot of people into it around here maybe I can get them to join in. Since it is so hot maybe this would be better for us.

I am so new at this and my book is getting in next Wed they say at the book store so I can learn this a-lot better but right now, I don't know if I can say the site but it has helped me a-lot. What you put on here Blue Serenity is a part like they are teaching us but to get rid of the scale or not to get rid of the scale, That is the question in all our minds. I would say if the scale stresses you out yes , if the scale helps you hey what ever works, do what you need to do for yourself, it is your body and you know what is best for it.
The scales do stress me out, I would rather go by the measuring tape, I just feel more comfortable knowing I am making some progress ,even if the scales say I am not! I had to laugh at my friend this morning she said, I found out how much old man Satan's toe weighed this morning, 2 pounds!

It is good to eat what I want but I am trying to make mine healthy choices and trying hard to listen to my body being full. That is the hardest part but think I am getting it down. Tonight I made a six layer bean dip in a small bowl, all fat free, it should last me a while but the Doritos broke my mouth out so I will have to use tortilla wraps instead. There is some kind of salt on the chips that I just really am allergic too. Knowing that I can have something if I want it is working on the binging part and just gotta have something, is it helping any of you?

Bootsie - I have gotten to the place to where I do not have any cravings or binges. I follow what someone called the 4GR(IE's 4 Golden Rules). 1. When you are hungry - Eat.
2. Eat what you want "not" what you think you should eat.
3. Eat slowly and savor every bite.
4. Stop when you think you are getting full.
Getting your book should help you a lot since it explains a lot for you. I read the book a while back and then got off and tried a diet for a few months. This time I am reading the book much slower and allowing the info and the Principles I'm doing slowly.

This is starting to come together for me.
I have to confess that I've not given up the scales. I did read in the book that you might gain at first, then level off and then the weight would begin to come off. I am at the place right now where I believe am leveling off as I gained about 11 lbs. Then I've lost 2 lbs and I've been at about the same weight now all this week. I'm not hungry as often as I used to be. I'm not eating sweets much any more. Haven't needed or wanted candy, cookies or anything like that now for 2 or 3 days. The voices she talks about in the book are beginning to kick in for me and I am learning what I think and feel.

Everybody have a great week end.

I'm so glad this is getting easier for you Trish!

Just a funny thought ... how'd they know people would gain weight and then level off and then lose ... without a scale? lol I'm not that in-tune with my body to know what it's doing without a scale, every day feels bloated and fat, and some days bloated and fatter. lol (Trying to keep a sense of humor here.) ;)

Yeah, the scale thing is really personal, Bootsie. It doesn't really stress me out like it used to because I've accepted that I'm not gonna lose 2 pounds a week right now. Maybe somewhere down the road I'll be able to give it up, like when I actually know I'm making some kind of progress on this journey. For now, tho I'm gonna use it just to make sure I'm not steadily gaining.

I had joined a challenge on the 3FC board recently because I thought it would be the motivation I needed to "do" something to lose some weight, but backed out of it because I'm just not losing at a steady rate and don't want to have the high expectation to lose looming over my shoulder every day. Not good for learning to live IE.

Hello everyone else! Hope everybody is enjoying their weekend. :sunny: