Traditional fiddle tunes and classical violin. I prefer the fiddle tunes though.

This was a really interesting post. Like you said this seems more philosophical than physical (per se). I went to a website that showed what 200 calories looked like in different things (carrots, bbacon, bread) and I was shocked at how much vegetable I could have versus bacon or pasta....but I like bacon or pasta.

In terms or world eating particularly places where people don't have the food we have obvious more is better (bacon versus vegetables) but I want to eat what I want to eat....which I think is sort of IE-ish....


Yes I could force myself to eat tofu, and salad and bean sprouts because I can have more and they are good for me..but I don't want to. I know it sounds childish...but I think at this point when (not if) I make my goal weight I will most like follow IE forever Philosopically(sp?) and Physically. I think its different if you don't have the choice.

Another things though is as I follow IE I try and buy more organic, natural foods (they are high though) and naturally I am making the choice to eat better, but every now and gain I want some bacon and pasta..

Ok, not ever sure I responded to your post correctly but there it is.....

Nice to see people coming back.

<< gives Spiny her own mousey looking soapbox to step on should the need arise>>

This is the part of dieting that has never worked for me. Massive quantities of a food you don't want do not provide the same level of satisfaction as a small quantity of a food you do want.

There is a concept called Volumetrics that I incorporate into my weight loss plan. The basic premise is that there are certain foods like soup that are not very calorie-dense, and that you can eat more foods like these and still lose weight than if you are eating something that packs a lot of calories in a small serving, like cheesecake. But soup (at least if homemade) is generally nutritious and something I like anyway, not something I'm eating just to be able to gorge myself on as much food as possible.

What really gets me are things like diet sodas and rice cakes that have no calories or nutrients. Basically, you're eating something that doesn't even qualify as food. I used to think that kind of stuff was terrific because it didn't do any "damage" to my diet. I didn't realize until years later that I could lose weight much more successfully by making sure that everything I ate was as nutrient-dense as possible, not the opposite.

So do any of you IE eaters try to practice IE while eating 5-6 small meals/snacks per day? This is how I'm currently losing (20? #'s to goal). I'm trying to figure out what I will do for maintenance and a lifelong eating style. I love whole foods/super foods and think I'd like to practice IE also. However, the 5-6x a day is working so well for me I think I want to stick with that. I'll probably try to incorporate all of it and see what works for me.

I'm curious if you all eat 3x per day or 5-6x or have you learned how to be stictly IE?

Thanks,
Beth

Hi ladies! I didn't fall off the planet! I just realized that I haven't been on since October! I can say though, that I have continued to progress with IE. Obi, I wanted to say I am with you about the volume issue. When I tried to do weight watchers, I found myself trying to choose foods that I could eat in mass quantities, but that didn't really satisfy me.
Cinnamon, IE doesn't really have rules about how often you can have meals except just to be sure that you are eating because you are hungry. If smaller meals make you hungry more frequently, that would be okay.
I haven't weighed myself since October. I know that I haven't gained weight. It makes me laugh to finally be eating foods I like, but not gain weight because it isn't crazy binge eating. I am at that point where if a have 3 bites of a piece of cheesecake, that will satisfy my desire for the taste and I can walk away. I have had a cheesecake in my fridge for over a week and only 1/4 of it is gone. Now that is progress!
I am going to go back and read the old posts so I can catch up on everyone. I didn't mean to be gone so long, but I started playing in two volleyball leagues, graduate school, and afterschool clubs that I sponsor kept me hopping. We go back to school on Monday, and I start my next graduate class on Tuesday, but I will try to keep with the group. For the past two days, I was actually thinking about dieting because I decided I have to lose weight. I know that some fad diet will ruin all of my progress with food. I do think I will go back to my nutritionist and join her new support group. Now that I have my ducks in a row, I would like to focus on healthier eating without the extreme obsession.

I think with IE you decide when you want to eat. Right now I am trying bring food from home for lunch and breakfast. So I bring 2 pieces of fruit and some kind of pre-made lunch (I have been eating these lean cuisine type things from the organic food section. I eat the fruit about an hour and a half apart ( essentially whenever I get hungry) then by the time I am hungry again it is time for lunch. I notice about mid way between lunch and time to go home I am hungry again and need something else. Today I had wheat thins (IE victory. no desire for the bbq chips or candy in the vending machine)

Then home for dinner. If I am up late enough I'll want something else then it is usually fruit or a small salad.

It's been working and I am saving money. WOO HOO.

I don't get hungry more than 3 times a day (sometimes not even that much), so I don't eat more often than that. But you have to do whatever works for you.

I just eat when hungry, I don't think about how many times.

Being that I work alot and I am not at home alot I find I need to plan more. Also since I don't really want the fast food that is easily available and I want to save money planning really is key for me right now.

I don't obsess over it. I forgot to pack something today so I had sushi (which I had been wanting) but it was $14 versus the 8 bucks or less for what I would have packed.

I'm hoping I will settle into what's comfortable and workable over time, IE wise. I work out of my studio in my home so I'm lucky to be able to control what food is around (try for only whole foods), except for what my DH wants. Luckily most of the stuff he likes I abhore and he's opening up to more and more whole foods. I don't have the challenge that most of you have with food in the office, thank God.

I assume it will just take time to learn to understand what type of hunger I'm experiencing. I know I used to eat a lot out of procrastination. I know I've learned how to recognize that behavior and I think I've figured out how to manage it. I do know that if I don't eat a small amount every 2-3 hours I catch myself acting distracted or even pacing around like a caged animal. If I eat something small like a ww cracker with 1/2 tsp. peanut butter and a small apple then I calm right down. It's an interesting thing to start discovering new things about your body at 44 years old.

Thanks for the advice,
Beth

[QUOTE=CinnamonGirl;1518150] It's an interesting thing to start discovering new things about your body at 44 years old.

Oh yes!
I am discovering new things about my body also. I only recently discovered that there was an actual label "Intuitive Eating" for the concept but it makes sense that we are all different and we can learn to listen to ourselves and what we really need, rather than to follow a prescribed regimen. So you might need to eat every couple hours and I may not get "hungry" till next Tuesday, but that's just individual differences. (I put hungry in quotes because I still can't bring myself to use that word like most people do. To me hungry applies to people digging for insects not knowing where thier next bowl of rice will come from.)
But back to discovering new things about ones body: I have noticed that my tastes are really changing lately. I just turned 50. I used to love cheese; the more the better. Lately it goes bad in my refrigerator. My body is speaking in a foreign language it seems: it is saying things like "almonds" and "salad" instead of "cheese." Anybody else notice anything like that going on with them?

I once heard a lady say that if you eat chocolate for several meals and nothing else you will cure your chocolate addiction. I know when I eat something for several days I get tired of it. But I don't suppose that's what you mean. Do you mean that when you listen to your body it actually craves healthy foods?

Yes, that is what I mean. I knew someone, an older gentleman, who didn't read about nutrition at all, but seemed to know intuitively what he needed. When he needed a certain nutrient, he would intuitively go and get the food that contained that nutrient. Especially if he became ill, he knew instinctively what food to eat (if any. Sometimes the answer was no food.) I think he's in his 90's now....
My hypothesis is that we usually aren't that in touch with what we really need, so we try aimlessly to satisfy our needs with stuff that doesn't work, so then, still unfulfilled, we eat more of what doesn't work. That's what bugs me when I see recipes using Cool Whip Light (that's not a food!!) Like Fiddler was saying there is no nutrition in there. But people like it because they "get to" eat it; but their bodies are no doubt asking for something different entirely.

Oh - a personal example of the craving thing:

A year or so ago I was diagnosed with pernicious anemia. I lack the intrinsic factor that is necessary to absorb vitamin B12 from the foods I eat. I have to inject B12 for the rest of my life. (And I feel so much better now with the injections!!) I noticed that after getting my B12 levels up with the injections, I do not crave high B12 content foods (like cheese) so much as I used to. It does taste good to me but I don't want to eat so much of it. And I have no desire for meat (high B12 content) at all anymore. I am not saying there is anything wrong with high B12 content foods at all but my point is just that your body tries to tell you what it needs.