Amy! Of course you don't have to buy a book to do this. I was really trying to get away from all the structure of previous diets so initially I didn't buy a book either. I did eventually decide to buy a book because I needed just a little bit of structure. I am doing better since doing that.

Pattygirl--I'm starting to throw away food. Well only if I know I won't go back to it later. Once I'm satisfied everything is removed from my sight. Its been going well.

I am a binger and I do believe there is a direct correlation to me reading this book, starting this new lifestyle change--intuitive eating--, and being 8 days binge free. I'm off to read another chapter. I will check in later.

Hi, everyone!

After dieting my way up the scale for the past 30 years, I just can't do it any more. I'm very familiar with IE and non-diet, and was Googling around for some new IE blogs when I stumbled upon this thread. I've gone back to the first post in the first thread, and have read everything up to today. I must say, this has been one of the most helpful threads I've ever read--real people having success with IE.

I haven't posted on 3FC for the last seven years, but just reactivated myself so that I could participate in this thread.

I'm 51, happily married, mom of one, grandmother of four. I was naturally thin all my life until I got pregnant and gained over sixty pounds. I got back down to 156 after having my daughter, but lived with a stick thin (now ex) husband who hated fat women, who acted like my Food Police, and who, I'm sure, helped me become an emotional eater and chronic dieter.

I lost fifty pounds during the bitter divorce, but became hypothyroid shortly after, which caused me an almost immediate regain of forty pounds. Additional health challenges, some periods of major stress, menopause, and a much more sedentary lifestyle the last few years have contributed to my yo-yo'ing up and down the scale--but mostly UP.

My highest weight ever was 277.4, and today I'm at 274.2. I've been back with IE for a few days, and plan to continue. Just deciding to go back to IE has meant an immediate decrease in my mindless eating, so I hope that will continue.

After reading back through all the IE threads, I feel like I know some of you already.

I look forward to "formally" meeting everyone, and look forward to participating here.

Wow! I can't believe I missed so much. Welcome to all the new people. Even some of the IE books have little hints at dieting so you have to be careful. I guess the best one I've ever read is The Overfed Head and even though Gwen Shamblin has been in a lot of hot water, her first book is pretty good. I just finished trying Fast-5 which is IE in a limited time space but I don't think it is for me. Just so good to see all the new posts.

Thank you all for the warm welcome! I'm excited to see that someone else joined on the same day I did. I also went back to the start of the thread and saw that there is no one particular book, but it's good to know there are resources out there if I need it.

Hi, welcome all new ones. i am just watching what i am eating and portions mostly. got to add to exercise tho. not enough of it. good luck to all. LaDean

I have scale issues. LOL I've had to have my husband hide it from me. I think a lot of it is because I have to report in with my endo. I'm much better now though.. I think the 3rd or 4th read of IE helped. LOL!

After a few days of trying Fast-5, I'm back to IE. Seems like nothing will calm the hunger and if I find out I'll let you know. I know some people say to stick to low carb but I don't think you are supposed to do that if you have kidney problems. Good to see so many posting.

Hello,
I've been out for a while-- moving and morning sickness (that sure helps with IE, haha) and internet problems. I'm glad to be back and so thrilled with all the activity on this thread!
Been sticking with IE and have not gained any weight with this pregnancy yet. Wow! Sometimes I feel like I'm eating too much, but it's just what my body needs.
Welcome to all the new people!
I look forward to all the great stuff everyone will share in the discussion.

Hi everyone,
I need to remember to not let myself get to the point where I'm starving. Last night I was there. A victim of my schedule and not planning well. I ate the most I've eaten since earnestly starting IE. I was satisfied not full but it was quite a bit of food. I feel like some of it is creeping into today also. I will honor my hunger but really watch my signals. I'm just trying to make sure this is physical and not emotional hunger. I'm really conscious of that because I am a self sabotager. When I'm doing really well I start to question it and find a way to mess it all up.

If I make it through today without bingeing I will be 10 days binge free! I'm excited about that. I already bought my reward because I know I will make it. It is a journal.

Reminder to everyone. A new thread will be started tomorrow. I'm more than happy to take on that task because I'm an early riser. So look for: Intuitive Eating #6--March 08. We will go to monthly threads. I will also put a post and link in this thread to guide people to the new thread.

Hey! I've been enjoying the undieting lifestyle. I had a big lunch yesterday then I was hungry an hour later and ate the most delicious monster bar at work. (I think that's what they're called...a brownie with chocolate chips, walnuts, butterscotch chips, coconut...). It was so freeing to realize hey, I can eat this because I am starving and I don't have to obsess over trying to figure out how many points it was. And I don't think anything more delicious has ever existed in the world.

Anyway, I got home from work and realized that I wasn't really that hungry, so I had some vegetable soup (homemade Weight Watchers 0 point garden soup...I actually like that stuff and will probably make it again) and a salad with low fat dressing. So delicious and perfect for what I needed right then. Then, we went out shopping (honestly, I did a lot of walking!) and when I got home, I decided to have a small serving of full-fat ice cream. I know they say it over and over again, it's better to just have a little bit of something you really want than to keep grazing on substitutes, but man was that ever true last night. Yum! (I think I may be PMSing and finding fatty foods more appealing than normal...).

Anyway, I'm proud of myself for not going too overboard. I sort of anticipate that since I'm newly recovering from WW I'll overeat a bit at first as I try out this intuitive eating thing. But I like that the flexibility of this. I know not to beat myself up for overindulging. And I am proud that when I got home for dinner, instead of going for the pot roast leftovers, I started with soup and found myself satisfied with that. So good start for me, yay!

Since this thread is so long, I've been reviewing bits and pieces and have not read the whole thing. So I have a question for everyone: I have always heard people say that once they stopped dieting, the weight fell off them (sort of like how love finds you when you're not looking.).

Anyway, have any of you found this to be true? I just wonder if, above and beyond not being satisfied with portions, etc. when on a diet, losing the added stress associated with dieting contributes to weight loss. Does that make sense?

Amy, it has very slowly crept down for me and maybe it would be faster if I would stick to it and not get side tracked. Sounds like you are going good. Thanks, Shay for the new thread. One reason I never did this is because sometimes it gets so slow here.

Amy--I say ask me about weight in a few months. Before I started IE I had just come off a 2-3 week continuous binge. Then in the beginning of IE I was still not responding to the fullness signals. It has finally started to click for me in the last week or so. I will weigh in tomorrow for the first time since January 31. What I expect to see is a gain but not as large as it would have been had I not started IE. In the past after a long binge I've gained over 10 pounds. I'm thinking maybe it will be half that this time. I won't weigh again until June 1. I've decided to do quarterly weigh ins. The IE book I'm reading suggests you not weigh at all. I'm not there yet. I think Geneen Roth may be the same. My mom has been healthy and fit my entire life and she never weighs herself.

Carol--You're right it was really slow when I started posting. We have more people posting now and that is fantastic. I think more people will post if the thread is a bit more manageable.

Hi everyone,
A new thread has been started. See you there.
www.3fatchicks.com/forum/showthread.php?t=135811

Moderator please lock this one. Thank you.