Hello everyone!

Good to hear Carol.

Hi Julie and Nancy, haven't seen either of you in a while.

I'm doing well. Still following my diabetic IE plan. Seems silly to say I'm on a "plan" when the whole idea of IE is normal eating, but "normal" eating for me always seemed to be overeating, so it is what it is.

I found out what happens if I eat too many carbs ... it leads to carb binging later in the day. Yep. That's the cycle I was locked into before I started watching my carbs. Had someone's birthday cake recently and it sure set me up for a binge later. I'm just way too carb sensitive! So I think if I enjoy dessert anymore I'll stick to the 3-bite rule. I just cannot handle the glucose rush!

At the same time I'm becoming more in tune with my body by eating this way, so that is a good thing. I can tell when I need carbs and I can tell when I've had too many. I think one of the good things to come out of this is realizing that my body chemistry is to blame for the seemingly endless binges I've been on in the past and not a lack of will power on my part. Will power is what I would have first thing in the morning, even into lunch, but by late afternoon and into the evening every ounce of will power I had seemed to be diminished, (unknowingly crushed by the weight of carb overload). But I didn't understand why I didn't have will power later in the day even tho I would start each day with new determination to stick to some diet. Now I get it. And the beauty of it is, I don't need an ounce of will power in the latter part of the day to stop overeating anymore (well, except for the birthday cake incident, lol). So it's been quite the learning experience for me. I guess you could say that what I'm doing falls into the "gentle nutrition" section of the IE book (which I need to read yet again). Overall I'm feeling pretty good about the way things are going. I think I'll look at it like this ... if you have poor eyesight you either get glasses or contacts or have laser surgery to correct the problem. If you are carb sensitive you cut back on your carbs. I can live with that.

Have a great day everyone!

Hi Blue. I'm rereading the IE book again, too. It just helps. I knew someone on another board that lost 21 lb in two weeks on South Beach which got me to wondering again. The I looked at the diet....no bread.....and I laughed. What makes me think I could ever diet again in the traditional sense?

Life without bread is NOT GOOD! lol

I've noticed lately that I've lost my taste for some of the things I thought I loved. I bought some almond mnms and they just don't taste that good. I've always loved sweets but seems I'm getting kind of finicky. Some days nothing really tastes very good. I know you are not supposed to let yourself get famished but that is when everything tastes so good.

Blue, I agree...I NEED bread

I had a hard time with ie the first (or second) time around, and jumped right on the bandwagon to find another "diet". I was most recently on low carb and was trying to be very careful. That didn't last too long either.

Being in the midst of a divorce and raising my daughter, while going back to school, gave me very little time to count points or carbs and agonize over everything I put in my mouth. I just didn't have the mental space for it anymore. So I started ie the beginning of this week and have had an easier time of it. I went to godiva and bought 2 peices of chocolate and ended up giving them away cause I didn't feel like having it. I actually baked a cake today and is over there sitting on my counter. I wouldn't have done that in a million years! The only thing I try to do is not eat close to bed, my body just does better that way.

Im so glad that I can take dieting "off my plate" so to speak to free my mind up to focus on other things

Nancy, after a lot of thought I think I am going to snack before bed. I wake up lot in the night very hungry and can't sleep. So I might try eating a little something before bed to see if that helps. I used to blame it on the prednisone that I took but I'm not taking it now.

yeah, its not easy being hungry in bed. I'll get up for a piece of cheese or something if it gets bad

My bedroom is on the 2nd floor so I don't usually come down to eat. I just don't like eating in the night so I'd rather have a little something before bed to avoid the night hunger. It worked great last night.

Hi Ladies,

I haven't been around much.

Blue As usual, we are together on things. I eat my starchy carbs once a day and do great with that. I eat only what I really want at that time. The rest of the day I eat low carb foods if I need them. This way of eating makes me feel more in control. It helped me to learn that this is some kind of body quirk for me, not a will power thing. Since I've learned this and learned how to deal with it, I find that I can go hours without feeling hungry. There are days when I only eat one meal and there are times when I might need a snack later in the day. I used to feel like I was starving all the time and never could figure out why, but now I know that I was eating enitely too many carbs for me. Now I know why diets that worked for other people didn't fit me. Now I eat what I really like and want when I want it without starving. I've also learned not to let myself get to the starving stage. It really feels great and I'm sure you feel the same way.

carolr and tigerseye I heard a doctor on tv say that some people need a little something before they go to bed. So maybe you are one of those people.

You know the one nice thing about all this is the fact that we all have proven that "One size doesn't fit all" even when it comes to diets or losing weight whether it is IE, WW, low carb, or whatever. Everybody has to learn what works for them. And I think it is great that IE pretty much has taught us that. IE fits any plan anyone one chooses to follow. I still hate counting calories, carbs, points or anything else. I know that my body functions better with theories of Carbohydrate Addict's Diet, but at the same time it is very easy for me to use those theories with the IE Principles. It makes me feel completely free so that I do not feel like I'm on a diet. I just eat the way I need to eat for my body to function at its best. Being free from bad/good food thoughts, I have the liberty to eat anything I want. I like you carolr have learned that a lot of things just don't taste as good or have the power they once did. I love to eat at buffets. We went out to eat at Ryan's this past week. Things that I usually couldn't wait to eat when I went there didn't look good this time. I got just small amounts of a few things only to find some things didn't taste as good as I thought the would or as I had remembered. Actually, I'm getting to where I would rather cook what I want at home instead of going out to eat. Never thought I would ever get to this place in IE.

Hugs,
Trish

Me too, Patty. I like eating at home now. We are visiting relatives in NE now so probably won't be on much. We went to a buffet tonight and I could hardly eat one small plate

Carolr Isn't that a wonderful feeling? I used to start out at a buffet with a huge salad so I wouldn't eat so much. Now I leave off the salad unless I really want it. I check out what is offered and then I get a little of only the foods that I really appeals to me and that I think I would like. Then I eat just as much as I want. Most people on diets don't like buffets, but I love them. To me they are great because of the variety of choices. I don't think I have to have everything they have to offer or feel deprived. I think that is the blessing of IE.

Enjoy your trip. Look forward to hearing from you when you return.

Everyone else have a great IE day.

Carol, I just found the intuitive thread, I had asked you in the Christian thread where you all were. I hope you don't mind my popping in. I have a question, I get the intuitive eating for meals, but what do you all do for snacks? Do you eat "junk" food or do you try and eat fruits, veggies? I really would appreciate some feedback on snacking. Thanks. Have a blessed day.

Welcome CatholicCajun. I snack on just normal foods, perhaps a smaller amount of a meal. All foods are allowed, however. Have you read the IE book by Tribole and Resch? It is very helpful and you can get it on Amazon very reasonably. We have been eating out and I am really tired of it. I find that if I don't like what I ordered that I am searching for something to satisfy. Thankfully we are home now!!!

carolr Welcome back home. Isn't it amazing? I used to love eating how, now I have no desire to eat out. We ate out this way and it just wasn't as good as what I cook here at home.

Catholiccajun I too eat whatever I want to eat. I find my tastes for foods have changed a lot since I started eating IE and learned that all foods are equal with IE. There are no bad foods/good foods.

Y'all have a great weekend.

hello all,

I hope I am not intruding...I have finally admitted I have an eating disorder after dieting non stop since the age of 11. Its a cycle really, do really good, lose a lot of weight, fall off the wagon-feel awful, hate myself, gain weight, start over.....Oh well. I went to a counselor that specializes on eating disorders. I am a emotional eater/binge eater(is there a difference ). She wanted me to stop drinking diet pop, to focus on eating as healthy as possible, and to listen to my body-eat only when hungry and stop when satisfied. I have been doing weight watchers since 3/07 so the idea of going away from monitoring portions and points is really scarry to me. I was so nervous and scarred and then I thought I would give it one week and see how it goes...its not like I am doing so wonderfully right now on weight watchers . So after the meeting with her my husband, my son and I met my mother for dinner at IHOP. Usually I would've talked myself into indulging and starting over tomorrow, but I really listened to what she said. I ordered an eggbeaters omlete with spinach and tomatoes and pancakes. I really focused on my hunger and left with a take home box. I told myself "eat only till full then you can have the leftovers tomorrow at home." Before I would've eaten it all due to the fact I couldn't eat it tomorrow. It is the first time ever I have done this. THe first time ever I left IHOP feeling satisfied, not ready to explode and angry at myself. THe next day samething and today as well...

So I am feeling free, like a ton of weights have been lifted. I woke up and didn't have that dread hit me like a ton of bricks...starting dieting again.... I feel like a normal person. I still have my moments where I get really scared-I need to lose weight.....I need to be healthy. I am just hoping this is really the way I can do it...it is something I can live with. Any tips, advice, and support would be appreciated. I am new at this and still fighting the urge to count points and control portions........Also what books do you recommend...?


Thank you,
Nicky