TamTam I agree. Baby steps. I am experiencing those baby steps back into total IE. I have been praying for the Lord to help me because obviously I haven't been successful at this on my own.
When I woke up today I seemed be aware that all this dieting has just kept me in total bondage to a rollercoaster that has actually kept me feeling like a total failure when it comes to food. I've just been stuck and there are so many different ideas on how to lose weight. Like I've said on here before, I am so tired of the contradictions of eat this not that and then someone else says no don't eat that, eat this. It is like being on a rollercoaster of total confusion.
I've been thinking a lot about what Rob Stevens' said in his book The Overfed Head of how is friend ate. She was able to eat what she wanted only when hungry and only as much as she needed to satisfy her hunger. The key was that she didn't have a "diet mentality" so she never felt like she had to eat the whole carton of ice cream because she "knew" she could have more later if she wanted it. She might eat one bite or a few bites, but she never overate whatever she ate. And he said she did not eat "diet" foods either. Next
baby 2 steps I'm taking is... I've decided today that I am not going to use any more diet foods and I am not going to forbid myself any foods that I like.
I realize that a lot of times I just want the taste of a certain food and if I wasn't dieting there are times when I can eat a few bites it doesn't taste as good as it did at first, but I go ahead and eat it just because it is counted in my "Diet Plan". I remember someone saying that when we eat something we are really hungry for that if we would pay attention that we would find that we don't really want the whole serving or package etc because after a few bites it doesn't taste as good as the first few bites did. I read of a woman who eats low carb because that is what works for her physically. However, I've heard her say many a time that when she and her husband who has no weight/food problem go out to eat, she may have him order a dessert she wants just so she can have a few bites of it. She says after a couple of bites that she finds she is satisfied with it because she just wanted a taste of it.
I've done that in the past when I was not dieting. I think, for me, when I'm dieting, the thought sets in that hey I may not be able to have this again so I eat more than I want. I think it is being "afraid" I can't have it again. It's that "diet thinking" keeping me in this trap/merry-go-round.
I think another reason I fall into the "diet mentality" is that since I'm so over weight that I think "I should to be on a diet" so I can say "Oh I'm doing _____diet. It's like when your overweight that you are "obligated" to be on one. However, I've been on a diet of some sort for a good 50 yrs and I still weigh a few lbs more than what I did 50 yrs ago. I've lost and gained and lost and gained and gotten no where. This is crazy to keep doing what got me in this shape to start with. Never was overweight until I started dieting.
The diet bread I had was molding this morning so I had to put it down the garbage disposal and made myself a slice of cheese toast and toast with PB on regular bread and had a cup of coffee and it actually tasted good. I've got a crock pot of stew going for dinner today and it has what some would call good/bad carbs that I like in it and I am looking forward to having it.
I should have learned this before just from experience of when I was thin. When DH and I go out to Golden Coral, I eat a little bit of ALL the foods that I like as well as a piece of my favorite dessert and I never overeat. If I get something looks good and I get it and then I taste it and it doesn't taste as good as I thought it would. I don't eat it. I also love how they now have the small plates with small pieces of cakes on them instead of me having to cut it. I always try to get the smallest cut... just right amount. What has
always amazedme is that when I weigh the next day that I actually have a weight loss NOT a gain. So my question is how in the world did I get so brainwashed into believing that I couldn't eat any food that I like.
Sorry this is so long. It does help when I write it and can see it in print. If you've read this far. Thanks.