That's an interesting thought. The subconscious is strong. I've heard of women holding on to their weight, subconsciously, for fear of intimacy/relationships.

Hi Everyone,

I've been back from FL for a week now. Haven't written before because I didn't consider myself IE until yesterday. I ate pretty much what I wanted on our trip to see the new grandson. BTW He is absolutely precious. He learned my voice right away and learned to cry when he heard me talk so that I would pick him up and hold him. I know, I know bad thing to do, but I was only going to get to hold him for 4 days before we had to head back home.

I didn't didn't gain a lot but did gain while gone. I seem to have gotten a lot of salt from eating so much fast foods. I came home and decided to do zig zag/shifting calorie counting. I learned that I wasn't eating enough. I had to learn to know when I'm hungry since I can go a long time without eating or I can want to eat all the time. So the zig zag/shifting cals really helped. Suddenly IE/Eden Diet made sense to me. I've learned that "normal" or IEaters don't always eat the same amount of food everyday. The unknowingly or subconciously zig zag cals. I've also learned that I need to eat more lowcarb whole foods. I can have what some call the "play foods" even once a day if I want them. I recently heard someone say "don't worry about the 10% you can't do. Just focus on the 90% you can". They were talking about exercise, but I've applied it to my way of eating. Even Dr. Rita says the same thing in the Eden Diet. Not sure it was in the book, may have been on the website. So the short time of zig zagging cals has helped me learn why IE should work and it has helped me get back to IE. I read that many people zig zag calories, carb or points (the WW Wendy woe) to overcome stalls or jump start weight loss. This made me realize that when we learn to listen to our bodies and eat only when our body signals it needs food and what it really wants, that nutrition and weight loss will follow.

So yesterday I didn't count my calories, I just ate what I wanted when I was hungry. I've narrowed my food down to just the foods I like, which if I remember correctly is what we were told to do in the IE book. And I am happy to say that it REALLY works. I remember a lady who learned there were only either 10 or 20 foods she really liked and only ate those foods. Suddenly I am more relaxed with IE. And I am happy to say that the scales are moving downward. Hopefully, I am finally past the "diet" mentality.

Sorry this is so long. I just wanted to share my experience. I don't always post, but I do read. I enjoy following your journey.

Carolr Your garden sounds great. Wish you were close so I could buy fresh foods from you. I'm trying to find where I can do that here.

Tammy Hope your ankle is better.

Blue I was in a group years ago where many of us talked about how we felt that we used our weight as a safety net from relationships etc. One lady said that she didn't have to worry about sexual moves towards her because the guys just thought of her as one of them and she felt save. So yes, I think we can subconciously use it as a safety or cover.

To Everybody else.

Have a great day.

Hi, Trish, Congrats on the new grandson!! That is just great! I'm glad you are getting the hang of IE.

I've been lurking, of course. Not much to say. I'm about the same weight as always, but I've been making more of an effort to exercise. It's getting addictive. I like the way I feel -- you know, stronger. I'm just taking it one step at a time. IE seems the way to go, but it's also still really difficult for me. I really want something to eat in the evening, even though I know I am not hungry. I suppose I should go to bed earlier. I'm sure that would help.

Hope everyone is doing okay. I will continue to lurk. It helps to see what like-minded people are doing.

An interesting article from Beyond Chocolate.

Is sugar addictive? This is a question that often comes up in our workshops and monthly Masterclasses. Some participants worry that if they follow the 10 Beyond Chocolate Principles and let themselves eat whatever they want they are on a slippery slope to disaster. So what is Beyond Chocolate’s take on ‘sugar addiction’?

Well, like most things we only purport to know what’s true for us. True to the ‘Be your own Guru’ principle, we choose to believe, or not to believe in something because we have drawn conclusions based on personal experience and what we read about it. We have debated, experimented, researched and asked nutritionists and doctors what their take is on it. And so far, we have come across no clear scientific or empirical evidence that sugar is addictive.

Sure, if by ‘addictive’ you mean something that you crave when you can’t have it, that the more you have of, the more you want and that you feel miserable without - then maybe it is. But then I’d have to say I’m addicted to sunshine, sushi and expensive soap too, and that’s just things starting with the letter ‘s’.


Are you addicted to sugar? Be your own guru and find out. Here are a few suggestions to get you started. Let yourself have as much sugar and sugary foods as you like for a few days. What do you notice? Do you want more and more? Do you feel uncontrollably drawn to sugary foods? Is it hard to stop? How do you feel physically? Do you notice any changes in your emotional well being? What do you tell yourself about the foods you are eating? Then cut sugar out of your diet completely for a few days. What happens then? How does your body react? How do you feel? Are you thinking about sugar all the time or not at all?


Investigate. Gather information. Assess. Re-assess. What have you learned about your relationship with sugar? Does this fit with your idea of addiction? Be your own guru!

I think the suggestion to get rid of sugar for a few days (and after having lots and lots of it for a few days right before) is inadequate. I think it takes a lot longer than that for most people to get over sugar. What's interesting to me is that even after a couple years of eating better, my taste for sugar (and junk) food is still changing.

Hi Trish! Good to hear from you and congratulations on the grand baby! How special!

Regarding sugar ... I used to follow the "YOU: On a Diet" program which basically had people ditch the sugar (and white flour, etc.) I could always tell after a few days of not eating it that I didn't crave the "junk" food anymore and had no problem with any desire to eat it. However, I've also learned about myself that I can have sugar, like in ice cream, for instance, and have no further cravings for it. But give me crackers and cookies and the like and whoa ... that's when the cravings hit! So, I think for me, anyways that the cravings are really caused by the white flour foods, not necessarily the sugar. I guess.

Last night my dh and I ate a very late supper because he was cutting hay until ten pm. We had steak, potatoes, salad, and bread. It tasted good. This morning I thought I wouldn't be hungry but I was so hungry I felt nauseous. So I came right down stairs and had a little soy milk. I don't like eating in the morning........strange thing all my life.

carolr Interesting article. You know I've experienced that before exept not to the point of nausea. I have experienced being so hungry I felt weak almost to passing out. Really strange how our bodies acts sometimes.

Hope all of you have a great & safe Memorial Day weekend!!!

Came down with UTI so that may be part of the nausea feeling. This may take a few days to get over as I feel it has been coming for a month. I've had kidney problems so had my blood tested and my creatine was normal.

Carol I find any time I eat a late supper I am always starving the next morning, why I cannot say, but it has always affected me that way.

I just got my book on IE in, I read it before and can't find my original copy, I think since I have made this new committment to IE the book will make more sense this time around.

Hubby and I weighed in this morning, I stayed the same and he gained the pound he had lost, but all in all not too bad.

I hope you all make this a Blessed Day. Tammy

I have always noticed the same thing.

A tip from Michelle May, M.D.

How to Tell if You're Hungry

Do you sometimes confuse wanting to eat with needing to eat? Learning to tell the difference is an essential skill for breaking your eat-repent-repeat cycle.

You were born with the innate ability to know when and how much to eat. Have you forgotten how to use this information?

Maybe you never feel hungry because you eat regularly in response to other emotional and external cues. Maybe you ignore hunger until you’re starving then eat anything you can get your hands on. Perhaps dieting has caused you to dread feeling hungry or taught you to eat by the clock to prevent it.

Why Using Hunger Helps

Using hunger and fullness to guide your eating helps because:

* You'll eat less. If you aren't hungry when you start eating, how do you know when to stop?
* You’re more likely to choose nourishing foods. If you’re eating because you’re stressed or bored, what kinds of foods do you crave?
* Food tastes better when you're hungry. Hunger really is the best seasoning.
* You’ll feel more satisfied because food is great for satisfying hunger but not so great for satisfying other needs.
* You’ll notice you’re hungry before you get too hungry, decreasing the likelihood you’ll overeat.
* Most importantly, when you recognize that you want to eat because of some other need, you’ll have the opportunity to address it more effectively than with food.

Trust Your Body Wisdom

To break your eat-repent-repeat cycle, develop the habit of asking yourself, "Am I hungry?" before you eat. Think of it this way: When you see a gas station, you might consider stopping to fill up—but first you’d check your fuel gauge.

So how do you know whether you’re hungry? Pause and take a few deep breaths. Do a brief mind-body scan and look for physical symptoms of hunger.

Here are the most common signs:

* Hunger pangs
* Growling or grumbling
* Gnawing
* Empty or hollow feeling
* Slight queasy feeling
* Weakness or loss of energy
* Trouble concentrating
* Difficulty making decisions
* Light-headedness
* Slight headache
* Shakiness
* Irritability or crankiness

Notice that hunger is physical. It's not a thought, a craving, or a rationalization.

You're not asking the question, “Am I hungry?” to decide whether you're allowed to eat but to figure out why you want to.

Get in the habit of checking your fuel gauge before you fill up. You’ll soon find yourself eating less, feeling more satisfied, and meeting your needs more effectively.

Carol As usual you always post the best "articles" God Bless You! Tammy

Too quite here today......makes me want to eat........ha ha!