Hi everyone

I have some back-reading to do here, but I think this may be the place for me . . . I spent the last year gaining back much of the weight I lost. Many many things went into that but the main thing that has come out of it is that I cant diet any longer. Not even "diets" that say you dont have to "count" but rather just eat "portions". As I type this I am welling with anxiety at not being able to do "it" . . . that next diet perfectly so all I want to do is not do it!

I remember a time last year when I was on holiday for 3 months . . . it was the most perfect stretch of calm I have had in my life around food and body issues. Things were not "perfect" during that time. I did break up with someone, I was out of work and trying to get a new job . . . but the food stuff was not such a struggle.

I ate when I was hungry. I ate whatever spoke to me and I stopped when it was no longer doing it for me. I listened to my body and if something did not sit well with me . . . I didnt eat it again (or at least not daily!). I did not sit and stuff my face and body full of food. I ate freely. Not low carb, not low fat but foods in quantities that kept me happy and healthy.

I want that back.

Bootsie I remember an article Carolr posted here way back by a man who ate at fast food place in another country. He said that he realized that the foods he bought there were the same as what he got in the same fast food place here in the states except the food in the foreign country was in smaller quantities. What surprised him was that he was just as satisfied with the what he there as he was when he ate it here. Some times when Tony and I go out to eat we will share a meal and I find that I'm just as satisfied with the smaller portion as I would have been if I had eaten a regular portion. I'm not sure why we think we need larger portions.

Danni. Glad to have you here and look forward to getting to know you. I've been there as many of us have and understand where you are coming from. I think IE is the only way to get free of all the craziness I've done in the past. Good luck with your journey.

Thanks Trish!!

And I hear you on the US/Canadian portions . . . coffee is larger, McDonald's drinks/fries (this is a good thing when you are on holidays bcos you feel you are getting value for money) . . . Everytime I come home from a few months in the states I look at my "large" coffee here as though I have a kiddy cup!

Hi Everyone,

A quick one here. I just finished reading the Steps in Principle #1 and I am going to give up the scales. I understand why I should give them up period, but not sure I can do that yet. So I'm going to try to give them up for a little over a month and not weigh again until the September 1sr.

Now because of my age and the fact that I have gaine weight rather than lose in the last 3 months, I sneaked a peek again at what they had to say about basic nutrition. Although I will be working at not getting back into a "diet mentality", I wanted to know what they say about certain foods. I see that carbs are not my enemy, but done right are helpful. I also see that while nutrition has its place that enjoying the taste and texture of what I eat is extremely important.

I also like one thing I read today. You cannot fail at Intuitive Eating. We are free from the old falling off the wagon so to speak. If we eat something that we consider "bad" food etc, we are never to look at it as "blowing" it since for one thing we are not on a "diet". We are to see how we feel when we eat some of what Elyse Resch calls "play foods" rather than "junk or bad foods". Actually she says she eats 90% healthy and 10% "play" foods. Evaluate how we feel after eating the "play" foods and then decide if how we feel (good, lethargic, headaches, etc) is worth eating it again. I can do this.

Have a great IE day

Hi y'all! I had my first 2 mile walk with a friend this morning! It is so nice to be able to walk and talk even if your dripping in sweat. Good old Texas weather, Love it! I think its 104 high today.

I looked for the book while in town, no luck...is the title Intuitive Eater or is it under another title? I think it sounds a-lot like the New 4/health in First Place, except we have to weigh in etc..

Patty girl it is hard giving up those scales! We can do it though it is like weaning ourselves from them, like a calf from a cow, their gonna ball for each other for two or 3 weeks then they are somewhat weaned, in 6 weeks they are weaned! I just thank Jesus those scales can't talk to me! I do like the tape measure for it does not lie, my scales[ have two pair] dance; may say something one time and you get all excited, think I got to see this again! The dumb scales go up 3 or 4 pounds makes you want to take a bat to em!

Welcome dietcokeaddict! I agree with you, too! I was just thinking about the whole good/bad mentality thing the other day. It's an area I have struggled with and find that I have a hard time breaking free from that good/bad attitude. I've even mentioned this before, that I always feel like if I'm not doing something that I'm "off" my plan but if I am actively doing something (monitoring my food, counting something, etc.) then I'm "good" and "on" plan. I don't know why I can't just accept that eating normal IS on plan!!! LOL! Sounds like it's time for me to reread my book, too! Oh, and the weight-loss issue. Yeah, guilty there. I so desperately want to lose weight, and don't know how to turn off that motivator either. Like Trish, I wish I had never "budgeted" my food (by trying my first diet).

Welcome, Danni, you're in the right place to share this journey and find motivation. I personally wish I could be a better testimonial of IE, but I struggle with it every day. But, coming here regularly helps keep me focused, the ladies here are quite encouraging.


Hi Trish, this is exactly where I find myself struggling right now (as I mentioned earlier). I'm having a hard time making the mental shift that I'm not being bad or good. Even when talking to relatives (who diet and/or watch their food intake for whatever reason) the topic always comes up ... "I was so bad today, I ate ________" or "Monday I start over" ... that's not me saying those things, but others do and it only helps to remind me that when I'm not dieting like they are I'm being bad. They're losing weight or keeping health concerns under control and all I can do is be bad and watch that darn scale (that yes, I want to beat with a bat, lol) go up and up. I try to tell myself that I can eat whatever I want and I'm NOT being bad, but STILL feel guilty for doing so. I really need to reread my book! Sorry for venting. Just feeling like I've hit a brick wall lately.

Well, have a great one!

Hang in there Blue and others here. This takes time. This summer I am basically not very hungry and might see the scale below 140 but not worrying about it. I have not put the lever ........we have a balance beam scale....... below 150.......you know it goes in increments of 50.........for years. And if it goes below 150 with clothes and after eating that is getting pretty close to 140. But the little rewards like wearing smaller clothes and people commenting on my loss is good enough. I rarely pay attention to the scale. I have also noticed that when I buy something like donuts that I get tired of them before they are gone. I keep them in the freezer and can give them to my DH.

Hi everyone!

Hi Bootsie, sorry for not answering you in my last post. I was having a moment. lol Here's a link to the book I have: Intuitive Eating You can also click on the link in my signature for more info.

Carol, I'm hanging! But my arms are getting tired!

Have a great one!

Hi Trish, this is exactly where I find myself struggling right now (as I mentioned earlier). I'm having a hard time making the mental shift that I'm not being bad or good. Even when talking to relatives (who diet and/or watch their food intake for whatever reason) the topic always comes up ... "I was so bad today, I ate ________" or "Monday I start over" ... that's not me saying those things, but others do and it only helps to remind me that when I'm not dieting like they are I'm being bad. They're losing weight or keeping health concerns under control and all I can do is be bad and watch that darn scale (that yes, I want to beat with a bat, lol) go up and up. I try to tell myself that I can eat whatever I want and I'm NOT being bad, but STILL feel guilty for doing so. I really need to reread my book! Sorry for venting. Just feeling like I've hit a brick wall lately. [/QUOTE]

Blue - I do the same thing. I think that is why I have bounced around so much on diets. I wish I had a nickle for every time someone shared with me the "diet" they just knew would work for me. I feel guilty when I don't try it and I have experienced that for years. Now, I choose to do what "I" believe is right for me. I think we have to learn to say, "I'm glad you have found what works for you. I am equally glad that I have found what works for me" smile, walk away or change the subject.

Bootsie - I live in SC, but I was born and raised in Waco. I've lived in Dallas, League City down between Houston and Galveston, Gatesville besides Waco.

I got my book from Amazon.com It is Intuitive Eating by Rachel Tribole and Elyse Resch.

Bootsie - I didn't weigh this morning. I gave up the scales today. It wasn't as difficult as I thought it would be. When I saw the section under Step 3 Get Rid of the Dieter's Tools in the book in bold letters The Scales as False God, I think it did it for me. As a Christian, I don't have any intention of allowing a scale become a god to me. Looking at it from that thought, it was easy to stay off the scales this morning. Strange, but it suddenly became an enemy not a friend.

Busy day we hadn't planned on so will be eating out, but I don't think that is going to be a problem any more.The last time we went to Ryan's I walked around trying to decide what jumped out at me and just ended up eating something because I was there and we were eating our main meal.

carolr - I understand about the donuts. I think I am moving into a new attitude about food, because suddenly nothing tastes as good as it did when it was "forbidden" foods when dieting. In fact, I got one of those "getting to know you" type emails recently and one of the questions was... "What is your favorite food?" I didn't have an answer? I could not think of anything that I would consider a favorite food. In fact, I'm having a hard time deciding what to eat because nothing is really appealing except maybe fruit and I think that is because you don't have to cook it and you can grab it and just eat it and be done.

Who would every have thought that I would get to the place that nothing looks good to eat.

Hope everybody has a great day.

Oh, I have a favorite food..... a fresh garden tomato on toast. But a lot of former favorites have faded in significance.

Hey reading the book today and I found out today that I am actually in stage 2. I am glad to learn that I won't be eating the way I eat forever. I suddenly realized today that I really have this problem. I don't know what foods I like and don't like. My choices of food has pretty much been planned for me either by other people... example my Mama when I was growing up, friends when we went out to eat, my aunt when I lived with her and then by what hubbies and children liked to eat. Oh and diets. Now that I'm free to choose for me, I have the problem of figuring out what to eat just because "I" like it. Strange thing is that my DH is going through this thing right now where nothing tastes good to him. Makes it hard to plan meals, but this may be good because right now I have to choose without any outside ideas. But according to the book, this is normal.

Patty - what is the book that you are referring to?

And I totally understand falling back into the "diet" mentality.

I realised the other day that the way I eat is basically South Beachy when I opened some of the cookbooks that I had at home for some new meal ideas. I know I have been eating mindlessly at night (and thefore not intuitively at all . . . ) so I thought I would get some structure around my eating and look into SB.

For me, being intuitive with structure feels really good at the moment. I think when it doesnt feel good is when I will know that I need to adjust something a little. I cant log calories though. Or count carbs. Or limit veggies that I know make me feel like a rockstar. And I wont eat everything on the SB "plan" just bcos someone has said I need to have those servings at those times. But I do like to read about new ideas and different plans as I know I like some loose rules - particularly with my insulin resistance it helps to be educated about what will make me feel better.

Being aware of how I feel and just asking myself "are you hungry" "how did that make you feel" is really helpful.

ps. I love that you are all finding what works for you