Carol,
I was happy to read in the book about how it is natural not to have the same hunger every day and how eventually the calories all even out. I see that with my three year old. Some days he eats well at every meal. Some days he may only want to eat once. He is just fine. I too like how foods that used to seem so fabulous don't seem all that great now that I can eat them whenever I want. I am also pickier about what I want to eat. I had a piece of chocolate yesterday and it wasn't really good chocolate. In the past I would have eaten it (and many more pieces) no matter what because it was available. The new me decided it wasn't worth wasting the time eating something that wasn't really delicious. I thought that this way of eating would have me eating junk food all of the time, but I am eating healthy food now because I get to choose to eat it, it isn't forced on me. I also know that it isn't the only thing I can eat. I had a slice of pizza for dinner last night and decided I really didn't want a second piece but felt a small twinge, so I ate some carrots dipped in ranch dressing. The old me would have eaten as many pieces of pizza as possible because it would have been (in my mind) the last time I was ever going to get to have pizza again. Then I would have been over stuffed and miserable. I would be angry at myself. and so on... Last night I felt satisfied and I felt happy that I was able to get some vegetables in. Happy feelings were never equated with eating pizza when I was dieting.
Kay, That sounds great! I'm still not listening to my appetite at times, but I think I'm getting better. I have a funny disease, sarcoidosis, (tiny tumors in the lungs) that causes high blood calcium so I can't have diary products except those with little calcium like cream or sour cream. I am to stay out of the sun as much as possible because vitamin D is involved in this high blood calcium thing, too. I have learned to like soy milk with a little flavoring. It has fiber which I really need. I also take prednisone but my dose is low enough now that I don't think it is affecting my appetite. I may have to increase it again in the future. Last summer I lost 30 lb and looked good for the first time in 20 yr. but put it back on again on high doses of prednisone. Now I have lost about 10 again and hoping to keep going, though I know it will be slow. That's ok.
It is definately hard when medications are in the mix. I gained my weight when I was put on a combination of zoloft, respirdal, and ritalin for post traumatic stress disorder induced depression. By the grace of God who put me in the hands of wonderful therapists over 9 years I have finally weened myself off all of them(as of April). Now that I am actually feeling my feelings it takes more conscious effort not to eat for emotional reasons. I start back to school next week and the kids come on Tuesday the 15th and my anxiety level is rising each day. I would love to gorge myself to numb the anxiety, but I am just trying to remind myself that it is okay to have these feelings and I am making a list of things I could do that would help me feel more prepared. I keep reminding myself that food is not the cure. When you "sober up" after a binge the problems remain.
That's the thing with me, too. I am always trying to take the least possible effective dose. I can't seem to get it across to the dr. But he's the expert. Hope other people will chime in here on IE. There was an earlier thread called no diet. I was reading that yesterday. It's nice that you can search about anything on this site. Other sites aren't like that. Once I asked a lady how she lost her weigh.......her story......and she said she had never written down the whole thing but that it was included in past posts. That was another site with no way to search. I enjoy reading the success stories especially about those people who have similar problems to yours. The girl that lost a lot of weight on prednisone on 3Fc used Atkins and I don't think I could do that again after trying it off and on for years. Still, her story is realy inspiring. (search Lilybelle) She's under Goal.
thintuition and his website also, but the book is called Overfed Head. I got a book in my packet of materials but I already read it over the 4th of july holiday weekend. I'm starting now with a 3 day journal just writing down when I eat and why I'm eating which is actually making me think more about it. Wish me luck, I'm trying to cancel my WW membership today! Oy...
My first thintuition meeting is next Tuesday, I'll let you all know how that goes.
I subscribed to the thintuition newsletter and the deal came with that. I live a little too far from Chicago to take advantage of the health club. I was going over IE in past posts under no diet and found this:
If we remove all the issues around eating, then hunger and thirst become a body function, like peeing. If someone tried to tell you that you should only pee three times a day, at certain specified hours, etc., it wouldn't work for most of us! So we pee when we have a need to, stop when we are done. Could we do the same with eating if we really listened to our bodies?
I thought that was interesting.
Ali, Kay, How are you doing with IE?
I do have the book, Overfed Head, somewhere around, but at the moment I can't find it. I also have Jean Antonello's books, Breaking out of Food Jail and How to Weigh Less by Eating More. In addition to those two I have 7 Secrets of Slim People.
I am taking things 1 day at a time. The other day for lunch I made myself a sandwich and had a 100 cal. pkg. of pretzels along with the sandwich. After I ate 1/2 my sandwich I stopped to see how I felt. I was totally satisfied, so wrapped up the other 1/2 of my sandwich, put it in the refrigerator, and had it with some soup for my dinner. I did not finish the bag of pretzels either.
The hardest part for me is getting rid of the "diet" mindset.
How are you all doing with IE?
Hi Carol and Linda!
I have used a journal on and off in the past. I think I am going to go ahead and start writing in a journal again like Linda. I have found that I am doing really well during the day, but I feel like snacking in the evening. I know that I am not hungry. I know that I am feeling anxious and want something to occupy my time. My husband is working from 3-11pm for a couple of weeks so I have the kids all day and I'm not getting my "me" time. I just want to sit down and decompress in the evening (which is when my dh would usually bathe the kids and put them to bed). Maybe I need to put in a pilates video...
I am pretty hypersensitive trying to listen for my hunger. I keep thinking my stomach will growl when I am hungry. I want that physicial sensation. Don't ask me why! hee hee
I used to want to eat out all of the time. Which would be okay if it weren't so bad on our budget. I have been making a weekly schedule of our evening meals so I know what to shop for. We don't necessarily eat them on the day we planned, but I always know what food we have. It has actually reduced the desire for eating out knowing that we have the supplies to make a tasty meal. (Our grocery bill has also reduced itself by at least $30 a week.)
Carol- I love the peeing reference. I was struggling after exercising with the fact that I am hungrier because I have exercised. When you are on a diet you usually exercise then deprive yourself of food to try to lose weight. If you actually want to recover and build muscle, you need to eat. You might have to pee with more frequency! I have to honor the fact that I might have to pee a little longer (eat a little more). Okay that was cheesy... I think I refrain from any more pee references.
Ali, Kay, Linda, Kathy, It is so good to hear of your experiences! This idea of IE isn't really new but has never really caught on. Suzanne 3FC, have you ever read "Intuitive Eating" by Evelyn Tribole? I am reading the newest version and it is quite an eye opener. There is a co-author, the name slips my mind right now, and they see thousands of clients a year. I think they are from CA. I would love to get your input on that book. Jean Antonello's book "Naturally Thin by Eating More" is my favorite diet book, as far as interesting and being able to explain things simply. I wish I could have stuck to it when I read it almost 20 yr ago. I have 10 kids and put on about 5 lb with each one. Just as a side line, my 6th grandchild, a boy, was born Tues. ! So good to hear from you all. Carol
Forgot to say, Kay, that the strange thing with me is waking up hungry in the night. (I don't get up to eat) By morning it is gone. But I do eat breakfast and get hungry a short while after rising. I really don't have a problem with hunger. Mine is recognizing fullness.
Thanks for inviting me over here from the 100lb. Club! I don't know if you noticed but I did write a brief post here on 7/31. This is a FANTASTIC thread and I'm so glad to see some interest in this approach to eating.
I'm not familiar with any of the books/programs that have been mentioned here. My influence has been Geneen Roth (Feeding the Hungry Heart, When Food is Love, etc.). She addresses those who overeat for emotional reasons, which doesn't apply to everyone. She's about learning to meet emotional needs with things other than food. Toward that end, she stresses listening to your body to "hear" what if really wants to eat at any given time, eating mindfully so you can become reacquainted with your "hungry/full" signals and generally learning to trust yourself around food. She says that by doing these things (among others - ya gotta read the books!) she achieved her natural weight and has been able to maintain it. Let me just say that I am FAR from being able to do all this and it takes a concentrated effort on my part but when I was doing it (and I plan to start again shortly) it does work like aleka's experience w/ the sandwich & pretzels above. It does take effort & practice, though, at least for me.
Not that I want to disagree, but I am curious if it does work. I think there are different types of hunger, one is a mental hunger and one is a physical hunger. How do you distinguish between them? I don't know.
I have also heard that hunger means your body has empty fat cells that are ready to fill so it sends you hunger signals.
I believe I have heard others who have lost a lot of weight and are at/near goal say something before about not being able to trust her own body because it constantly sending hunger signals. Obviously not something I would look forward to. I personally and trying to deal with hunger as an acceptable signal as long as I know I've been eating healthfully.
I also have Jean Antonello's books, Breaking out of Food Jail and How to Weigh Less by Eating More. In addition to those two I have 7 Secrets of Slim People. 
