blach...IE dosnt work when Martha visits (TOM)....Ive eaten terrible today, gross food that gave me heartburn (didnt totally binge tho...had reasonable portions) and finished off with about a cup of cake batter...I think im gonna puke. Ill get back on track tomorrow...dont like feeling like this. :(

Well, I don't have TOM to deal with anymore but seems there is always something to through a person off.....vacations, heartbreaks, holidays, etc. I think the general trend with ie is down even if it is slow. I took my picture using a mirror last night like I have seen some do on 3fc and I was encouraged. It does help to look at a picture.

I really am doing well today. I had scrambled eggs and ham with a slice of toast and coffee for breakfast. Then when lunch rolled around I was ready to go on auto pilot and start eating when I actually stopped myself and check to see if I really was hungry or just eating because it was lunchtime. Well I wasn't hungry instead I made a cup of tea and was really satisfied. When I'm hungry I'll eat but not before then. I really felt good about it.
I think this reteaching myself to IE again is a day to day process (sometimes minute by minute). My daughter is almost 2 and I've noticed she does this Intuitive eating automaticly. I never try to make her eat more then she wants (don't want her to learn about the clean plate club lol) Some meals she'll eat alot and some times just a little bit but she knows when she's hungry and she knows when she full. She loves veggies - she'll go for them before anything else. And boy is she active! So for such a little girl she really is teaching and inspiring me too.

Thanks Carol about the info on the book. I can't wait until it comes in . I did read the reviews on Amazon which is one of the reasons why I got it. I can hardly wait until it comes.

Food Burnout
 

I have noticed I am more interested in fruits and vegetables, but I can't seem to make myself want a salad. I think its because will all the dieting it was the one thing I knew I could eat, but now that I'm not limited I just can't seem to want it.


Anyway else going through this?

Obi, I can't eat salad everyday either but I LOVE fresh tomatoes. We only get them about 2 mo a year because it feezes here in early Oct. My hubby always kids me that come Nov. 1st I'll be buying cukes and tomatoes at the store. Well, at least he doesn't have to pay for them for 2 mo. Ladybug, you really are going to enjoy that book. There is hardly and angle he doesn't cover and how did we all eat at one time in our lives? IE, right?

Now salad is something I'm loving now. I never use to eat it and with Blue Cheese Dressing too. I never liked that kind. I love it now. I just made a chicken cutlet sandwich with lots of lettus and a smear of Blue Cheese dressing on a nice fresh roll. I had chips on the side too. Ok, here comes the amazement part....I only ate half the sandwich and a few chips then I was done. I wrapped the rest of the sandwich up for tomorrow if I want it. I felt my hunger was gone and I stopped eating. WHAT A VICTORY! I think I'm getting the hang of this now.

Button- when I overeat like like that and feel terrible, I try to remeber that feeling the next time I am tempted to overeat. I know it is easier said than done. The problem I have with IE is that I can eat foods that I really enjoy, because of that I have a hard time stopping when the food tastes so good.

Captain Ladybug - the book Intuitive Eating is also a great book to read

I have always failed on diets becasue I don't care for vegetables and generally hate salad. Probably because you are eating exactly what you savor, your hunger is satisfied more easily. Who can think of salad when there are so many other wonderful things to eat. LOL

Thansk Lisainchicago I'll definately put that one on my list too.

Has anyone else discoverd things they use to love when dieting or doing another program that now doing IE you can't stand?

There is hardly a food I don't like!!!! Sorry. When I was a kid I hated Chinese food but Mom made me eat it. ha!

I think every day with IE is learning because there are a lot of nuances and rituals to eating that you don't think of when you are relearning to eat.
For example: Old ritual- When you go off campus for training, eat out, eat junk food. Today I went to training at another campus. I thought about getting junk food, but I didn't feel like it. I thought about going out to eat and pigging out, but it was fine to stay on campus and get a sandwich in the cafeteria. When I got home this afternoon, I really wanted to go out to eat to relieve the stress from the day. I wanted to comfort myself with food. Then I asked myself, do you really want to do that? The answer was no, and I fixed dinner at home. There are so many ways I used to reward myself with food that I am unlearning. And it is getting easier!
One thing that happens that isn't so wonderful is when I introduce a once "forbidden" food back into my diet. Usually I overeat that food the first time I let it back in my life. I try to eat it again shortly after the overeating session so that the second time I allow myself to have it, the memory of the overeating is still present in my mind and I don't want to repeat it. The "second" eating is always much more controlled. I might even be able to realize at that point that that food isn't quite as wonderful as I once thought. I guess I wanted to tell everyone that it is normal to have a little over eating during food reintroduction, but it won't continue with that food.

I love reading all your posts. It gives me such hope that I can do this.

Anyway, I've been reading Intuitive Eating again, and I ordered the Overfed Head.

It's been easy for me to eat intuitively these past few days because I haven't been feeling well (a cold), so I mostly haven't even felt like eating.

I am hungry tonight, though, and my husband suggested stir fry. Now, I really like stir fry, but it's something I ate a lot when I was trying to lose weight. So, to me, it's like a "diet food". I thought about what I really wanted to eat, and what I never would have eaten during a diet, and that's what we're eating!!

Since everyone is talking about the overfed head, I went and read part of the first chapter last night... Now I'll HAVE to buy it :) I started thinking about how I am doing well at meal time but I started wondering whether I am really waiting until I am hungry to eat. My mom happened to give me a copy of "Weigh Down" ages ago and I never read it. I started glancing through it, and it is a form of IE. It talks a lot about waiting for the feeling of hunger before you eat. My goal over the next few days is really going to be learning to listen and feel true hunger. I have to laugh... my old goals used to be lose x number of pounds. This goal is so much more attainable and realistic. My self esteem isn't on the line!

Anyone want to add to the list?---
Foods that used to be wonderful that aren't so wonderful now since working through IE... (for me)
Breakfast sausage
brownies
chicken nuggets from McDonalds
cheap cookies ($1 pack with chocolate and vanilla)

McDonalds anything...had an emergency food shortage on the way to work with my Trainer the other day... was starving, but didnt want to eat too close to working out, so I had to pick something that I could have in my hand in just a few minutes...got a kids meal...ate 1/2 the "hamburger" and was just repulsed...had heartburn later....and honestly I think I ate more later in the day trying to get rid of the heartburn...i.e. my tummy hurts, Ill try to put some more food on it to settle it....needless to say it didnt work, but made me wonder how often I had done this in the past...ate because my stomach was upset...and how much sense does that make??? doh.

How long has everyone been doing IE, and what got you interested?

I've only been doing it since Tuesday, but I've known about it for a long time. About 10 years ago I read a review about the book Intuitive Eating, and as I was living out of the country (also before Amazon) I had my sister send it to me. It all made so much sense; unfortunately, I didn't stick with it. I did lose about 10lbs while using the principles of IE about 7 years ago, but it didn't stick. I think back then I wanted faster weight loss, and couldn't get out of the diet mentality. I think I'm ready this time.

Any kind of meat (I was a low carb person, and now I have a freezer full of meat and no desire to cook it.

Salads

Fast Food

Cookies and sweets

Pasta (because I couldn't have it low carbing)

Thats all that comes to mind now.

Kinda of funny. I haven't had more than 4 or 5 hours sleep each night between working late and trying to get ready to go visit my BF this weekend (he lives 2 hours a way.) So Last night I had a taste for something that wasn't in my house. Meaning I knew I wanted something, but I knew whatever it was wasn't in my house. So I thought about all the fast food spots and wasn't interested. Then when I decided I was going to stop and and go to dunkin donuts. It was closed. Went to McDonalds and it was closed (i was kinda of focused at this point) but the drive through was open. So I get up to the speaker and all I ordered was an ice coffee. I ran through everything else (ice cream, pie...you get the idea) and just wasn't interested. I think my body knew I was tired, but since I still had stuff to do I needed some kind of boost.

It was kinda of nice to know that I could have a desire for sugar and not go overboard, and also that it is ok to trust myself.

I've really been more serious about it since I read The Overfed Head. That must have been about a month or 2 ago. I kind of laugh when I see the posts for loosing so much by a certain date here. That's how I ALWAYS used to think. Now I don't think like that anymore. I think that kind of thinking is contrary to IE. Years ago I read Jean Antonello's book Naturally Thin by Eating More but she limits what she calls pleasure foods so that one never worked for me. Then about 8 yr ago I read Weigh Down but was always stuck on eating half of what I would normally eat which is what she suggested. Praying is part of life for me so that wasn't the problem. The idea of eating between hunger and fulness is just so sensible and Rob Stevens covers just about every question you might have on it. (The Overfed Head) I've seen a few other books but haven't purchased them yet. Yahoo has several IE groups that are interesting, too.

Oh, I have read Intuitive Eating by Tribole and Resch. It's not quiet so concise as the The Overfed Head but it is good. You can tell she's a nutritionist. That was one of the neat things about Weigh Down. Gwen Shamblin is a nutritionist, too, but she has rejected lot of that type of mentality.

I've been doing IE for I guess about a week. It's funny some days I feel myself slipping into that diet mentatlity of (I have to count everything) but then I think ok, I did "X" plan and lost X amount of weight then what happened when I stopped being so stricked? I gained it all back plus. It's almost like you're addicted to dieting and just have to go cold turkey with that mentatlity. I actually found a tape set that I bought YEARS and YEARS ago called Beyond Dieting The Bonius Plan. I don't know if anyone has ever heard of that one. But it's a whole tape set about stopping dieting and re-learning how to eat like a naturally thin person. Same concept as IE. When I tried to follow it all that time ago I think I wasn't ready to trust myself and tryed to make it a diet and of course I failed at it. But now doing this I feel like it is achievable and I can be successful at it.

You really have to be mentally ready to take this challenge on and give up dieting to relearn how your body works. So, I've made a commitment to myself to see this through until it's second nature and not go back to dieting.

It's definately worth it.

Yowza! Gone for a few days and ya'll have been posting away!

I have this fancy wedding tomorrow evening and have been shopping like a nut for the last few days. It has been very frustrating and exhausting. I don't know about ya'll, but I have a large chest and trying to find shirts to fit it is irritating to say the least. I have made a decision to lose my weight and next year get a reduction. I am done with these things! :)
I think my outfit will work. Black jacket, black skirt, silk sparkly chartreusse tank underneath...oh, and I have to wear heels. Haven't had heels on in 10 yrs. woohoo!

I have not read all the posts, but I really do hope everyone is doing well. I have been so busy that food has not been on my mind that much, but when I sit down to relax in front of the tv I find myself thinking about wandering around in the pantry. I need to realize I am just tired and go on to bed.

I think I will weigh in the morning and see if I can move the pig.

Take care all! I will try to keep up with everyone next week. I am having surgery Monday so I will have time to sit and read.

:dizzy:

I started some of the basics of IE in April after I started going to a nutritionist. She didn't say it was IE, in fact I didn't know what IE was until I read a people magazine in July about that American Idol girl and I was like, "Hey, that's what I'm doing!" I got excited to have a name, ran back to this forum, and Carol had put in the first post about IE that day!!! Since then I bought the book and have really taken on the lifestyle.
When I first started going to the nutritionist my thinking was so warped. Once I told her that I had a tuna sandwich for lunch even though I don't really like tuna. I ate it because it is healthy. When said asked me what I would really like, I said peanut butter and jelly. She said, "Then eat it." I almost fainted! I can't eat that crap! It actually took several weeks for me to be willing to allow myself to eat food I wanted without the guilt. I still sometimes wonder, "Shouldn't I feel guilty?" I see how forcing myself to eat food I hated led to my secret binges. I have to say that had I just picked up the book and read it without any help before hand, I might not have been ready to do this. It is such a huge difference from my old lifestyle.

Isn't it funny what we'll do to lose weight. I cringe when I think about how many rice cakes, etc. I've eaten, all in the name of losing weight.

I imagine it will take a while to get rid of the feelings that something I'm eating is "wrong". But I just keep telling myself that nothing is wrong anymore. I can eat whatever I want and not feel guilty. I can't wait until that is a natural instinct for me.

Anyway, I've been eating oatmeal for breakfast this week. I put brown sugar and butter in it, and it's delicious. I've been enjoying a fairly large bowl every day. Yesterday, I only ate about half of it, cause I didn't want anymore. And then I didn't feel hungry for lunch until about 2 p.m., which is weird. For dinner we made pizza, and I ate more than I was hungry for, but I was aware that I was eating it and enjoying it. I wasn't just eating it because it was there.

I love this!!

It is so good to hear everyone's experiences. Kay, have you read The Overfed Head or is the book you are talking about Intuitive Eating? The first book is my favorite. I still find myself eating for reasons other than hunger but they are getting less. I still have a hang up about the scale, too. I am so afraid I will gain and not realize it. Really, I'd like to never weigh again. There have been times when I have avoided it but then regretted it when I got on months later and had gained. Recently (in the last year) most of my weight gain coincided with taking prednisone. I had lost a lot of weight before that due to illness. Now my dose is low so I don't think it is causing me to be over hungry. But when I was on 40mg the hunger was unbelievable.

I can relate with eating "bad/yummy" foods and thinking there is no way you can lose wt that way. It is alot to take in because we have been told for so long that anything that tastes good has got to be bad for us. That is why losing weight is so difficult. Too much information!!!!! When I first got turned onto IE I tried it for a bit and it was working. I lost my focus and then kept hearing about other diets and thought, hey, those might work better. Well, they didn't. IE is definitely the most simple plan I could follow and I really like simple.

Gotta run get my nails done for the wedding, but I did step on the scale and lost 2 more pounds, so that is 4 total...I will take it!

See ya later!

Since I have been doing IE I decided to only weigh myself once a month since I just get too emotional with the fluctuations in weight from day to day. I know when I am eating badly and I know when I am eating correctly.

I also work out and this week has been down the drain because of work and coming to visit the BF, but the IE seems to be going ok. One thing I realize is not to let the hunger go to long, so now I carry around low fat string cheese in my bag with me. So this morning I wasn't hungry. When I finally wanted something I ate the string cheese and I should be ok for later. We're going to a BBQ at his fathers house (who I am meeting for the first time and may be my FIL).

I am assuming there will be lots of food so I am trying to balance things out so I am not ravenous when I get there, but I still have some room for the yummy stuff.

Ah something that happened at work this week. I was talking to my co-workers daughter (she's 15 I think) who I think is absolutely gorgeous (think beyonce) and she was telling me how she was going to go on a diet of about 1200 calories and try and eat just toast for breakfast and so on.....I told her before she tried that to try and add more excercise, more fruit and more vegetables and get back to me in 2 weeks.

So we'll see how it goes.

Hey, I love McDonalds. You always know what you are getting!!! After 10 kids .........well McDonalds is kind of like an old friend. I like the big and tasty no mayo or cheese, fries and ice tea. I love ice tea but caffeine seems to bother me.

McDonalds Wow I haven't had that in years. And to be honest I don't really miss it. I had Wendy's the other day now that's a good hamburger.

I love Wendy's and Burger King Burgers and the fries from McDonalds. Since I've been on IE though not so excited about eating it as I once was.

I've been gone awhile. In that time, unfortunately, I've fallen off the IE wagon. All due to the stress of having my hours at work cut from F/T to P/T. With that comes the financial worries, etc. I'm a stress eater, anyway, and guess what? I'm pouring the food in!

How do you guys deal with stress and eating?

My husband and I went out last night for our anniversary. Oh boy - I'm defninatley not use to eating like that anymore. Let's just say on a hunger chart level I crossed the line of buffet full and went straight for food coma lol. The food was outstanding but we definately ate too much. This morning I woke up and boy did I feel awful. I think I finally felt like eating something small a little while ago and I did. I realized how much more I enjoy my food when I follow IE instead of going hog wild. I definately didn't beat myself up for it becuase it's not something that happens all the time - but I'll remember next time not to overload like that. Lesson learned!

Hope you're all doing well !!

I really like that idea. I usually weigh myself every day but I think by doing it once a month like you are - I'll have to focus on other things to measure my progress or good and bad days and not the number on the scale.

My new philosphy....." SCALES FOR FISH!"

:carrot:

Usually when I'm stessed I lose my appetite but now looking for something to do.......that's my problem. Sometimes I just get these cravings to eat for no reason. Maybe it's because there is something I need to do that I don't feel like doing right then. There are plenty of reasons to eat other than hunger. Seems like we are a food driven society.....eat for fun, to celebrate, etc.....any excuse to eat. Sun. are hard because I usually don't have time to eat much before church as I am preparing dinner then. Then when we get home I have to finish the preparation and we don't eat until 1pm by which time I am starving. I might eat some raw potato to hold me off or a little bite of something else. Then dinner doesn't taste as good because I've toned down hunger. Lots of situations to consider.

WOW, this IE thing sounds perfect for me. i think I do this anyways. I've been known to turn down the appetizers or snacks before dinner because I wanted the meal and knew it would fill me up.

I can't count points or calories because I get truly obsessed. So now I'm focusing on trying to be more active and exercising, but eating wise. i eat what I want, when i'm hungry and eat til I'm full. Granted, I overeat sometimes, but this is mostly how I do it.

I have never heard of IE and now I'll have to get the books and read up on it.

I do LOVE food and flavors and tastes though so you'll never hear me saying I don't like anything. I appreciate food and it's a big part of my life as an enjoyment, not an obsession. In fact, my and my man have talked about becoming restaurant critics, we're always critiquing the dishes at the restaurants!

I hope this IE stuff will work for me, coupled with my newfound exercising.

When I'm stressed, unfortunately, I eat. And anything can set me off; particularly bad traffic, a client with an attitude, problems with my business partner, Tuesdays (you get the idea). I'm trying to learn how to comfort myself in other ways. Sometimes just a cup of tea will do. It's warm and reminds me of nicer times. Or I'll try to go out and play with the dogs. My first instinct is still always food (breads, chocolate, etc.), but I know that doesn't help. I need to spend more time figuring out why I'm mad, frustrated, sad, etc. and deal with it. There's not much I can do about the traffic, but I can confront my business partner. For me personally, I think if I could learn to be more assertive, I wouldn't always feel like stuffing my feelings down with food.

With that said, yesterday was an ok day, eating-wise. I just had toast for breakfast, I had a big lunch (we went out for Vietnamese food-so good), I did have a big cookie from the bakery, but I saved it until later when I wasn't so full. Usually I would eat it as soon as I got in the car. Dinner was bean soup.

On Sunday mornings my husband and I usually make a large breakfast, and I have always enjoyed it. But this morning, I realized that I wasn't really hungry for a huge breakfast, or any breakfast for that matter. I don't think I'm ever really that hungry on Sunday mornings; I think we make it more out of habit or tradition, than anything. So, another thing I've learned. Anyway, we made sandwiches for lunch (I had two-they were big too!) and probably soup for dinner.

I'm realizing that not only do I eat because of stress or other emotional reasons, I also eat many of my meals out of habit, whether I'm hungry or not.

So much to learn! I ordered the Overfed Head last week, and I really hope I get it this week! Has anyone else ordered it from the thintuition site? Did you get it pretty quickly?

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