Re: Intro

[Guest guest]

Welcome Arnie. There are other men members here as I have seen an

occasional post from them. I don't know if they continue to lurk or

have lost interest/resolve with IE which happens for gals too! When I

read your post, it had no 'gender' - it was simply a story of you and

your concerns regarding eating and body size. IE is for everyone and I

love reading all posts, but because the 'guy' posts are so few, to me

they are extra special because it reinforces for me that this is a

HUMAN (body) concern and 'Fat is not just a feminine issue'. Food

knows no gender and other than where one's body tends to store

'excess', the digestive system and body requirements for nutriments

have to be pretty much the same for all humans.

INTRUDE for sure with you input! I'd love to hear about your struggles

and successes too. IE is 'simple but not easy' and the hardest first

lesson I had to 'get' was that dieting = EXternal dictates while IE =

INternal directing. Eating what and when our bodies indicate for us is

what IE encourages, but boy oh boy has that been detoured, maimed,

shamed or plain old pooh-poohed for most of us. And to add insult to

injury, the diet industry - a multi BILLION $$$ one to boot, is

willing to keep all its propaganda hammering at us to keep us focused

on their products.

Hang with us and kick diet mentality OUT of your life. And maybe you

can help shatter a couple of male/female myths in the mean time too -

like its easier for men to lose weight than it is for women?!?

BEST to you - Katcha

IEing since March 2007

>

> Hi,

>

> I'd like to say hi and introduce myself. I've been lurking here for a

> week or two and have enjoyed reading the posts. I don't know if there

> are any other men here, but if you all don't mind I'd like to join in.

> If you like it being mostly women her, if it feels like a safer place

> to you because it's mostly women, feel free to send a note to me

> directly, I'd like to know, I really don't want to elbow my way in

> here.

>

> I'm your typical yoyo dieter. I can lose weight with pretty much any

> diet. They all work for me. The problem is they all seem to have time

> bombs attached to them. They work great for a certain amount of time,

> then, kablowie, I'm off the diet and gain back all the weight again.

>

> It's got to the point that even when I'm not dieting I'm obsessed with

> food, and meals. It's depressing. Right now I've been on a diet for a

> few months and dropped twenty pounds. But I see my resolve weakening

> already. I can't stand all the restrictions. The length of time I can

> stay on a diet seems to be getting shorter and shorter.

>

> I looked a IE a couple years ago, but didn't jump in with both feet.

> The reason being that I couldn't wrap my head around it. I'm used to

> reading a diet book, summarizing it in two pages, then making a list of

> food to go buy and setting up a schedule of when and how much I can

> eat. That's simple. IE seems more complex. I can see I will have to

> accept small changes over time.

>

> There seems to be a lot of genuine caring and concern for one another

> in this group. I like reading your posts.

>

> Arnie

>

[Guest guest]

Welcome Arnie!

When you wrote about making a list of food to go buy, it reminded me

of when I was on the low-carb kick and I emptied out all of my

cabinets and the fridge and went grocery shopping intent on making low

carb a lifestyle...which lasted about 3 months! I didn't realize

that IE could seem more complex than a diet...that makes sense now

given that all foods are equal...there's no list other than the list

that you make. I made an initial list of all of the foods that I

love/like and have been adding to that list since starting this

process in January. I review that list when I create my grocery

shopping list to make sure that I get as much pleasure and

satisfaction out of the eating process as possible, which in contrast

to low-carb restrictions, is a process that I can do for the rest of

my life. Looking forward to hearing more about your journey with IE.

Latoya:)

>

> Hi,

>

> I'd like to say hi and introduce myself. I've been lurking here for a

> week or two and have enjoyed reading the posts. I don't know if there

> are any other men here, but if you all don't mind I'd like to join in.

> If you like it being mostly women her, if it feels like a safer place

> to you because it's mostly women, feel free to send a note to me

> directly, I'd like to know, I really don't want to elbow my way in

> here.

>

> I'm your typical yoyo dieter. I can lose weight with pretty much any

> diet. They all work for me. The problem is they all seem to have time

> bombs attached to them. They work great for a certain amount of time,

> then, kablowie, I'm off the diet and gain back all the weight again.

>

> It's got to the point that even when I'm not dieting I'm obsessed with

> food, and meals. It's depressing. Right now I've been on a diet for a

> few months and dropped twenty pounds. But I see my resolve weakening

> already. I can't stand all the restrictions. The length of time I can

> stay on a diet seems to be getting shorter and shorter.

>

> I looked a IE a couple years ago, but didn't jump in with both feet.

> The reason being that I couldn't wrap my head around it. I'm used to

> reading a diet book, summarizing it in two pages, then making a list of

> food to go buy and setting up a schedule of when and how much I can

> eat. That's simple. IE seems more complex. I can see I will have to

> accept small changes over time.

>

> There seems to be a lot of genuine caring and concern for one another

> in this group. I like reading your posts.

>

> Arnie

>

[Guest guest]

I for one would be glad to have you on board need your input i am new myself years of dieting I have been everyone of these dieters at one time or another right know I am cannot resit dieter ie doesn't happen over nightBetty

Intro

Hi,I'd like to say hi and introduce myself. I've been lurking here for a week or two and have enjoyed reading the posts. I don't know if there are any other men here, but if you all don't mind I'd like to join in. If you like it being mostly women her, if it feels like a safer place to you because it's mostly women, feel free to send a note to me directly, I'd like to know, I really don't want to elbow my way in here. I'm your typical yoyo dieter. I can lose weight with pretty much any diet. They all work for me. The problem is they all seem to have time bombs attached to them. They work great for a certain amount of time, then, kablowie, I'm off the diet and gain back all the weight again.It's got to the point that even when I'm not dieting I'm obsessed with food, and meals. It's depressing. Right now I've been on a diet for a few months and dropped twenty pounds. But I see my resolve weakening already. I can't stand all the restrictions. The length of time I can stay on a diet seems to be getting shorter and shorter.I looked a IE a couple years ago, but didn't jump in with both feet. The reason being that I couldn't wrap my head around it. I'm used to reading a diet book, summarizing it in two pages, then making a list of food to go buy and setting up a schedule of when and how much I can eat. That's simple. IE seems more complex. I can see I will have to accept small changes over time. There seems to be a lot of genuine caring and concern for one another in this group. I like reading your posts.Arnie

[Guest guest]

Hi Arnie,

Welcome to the group! Judging from your post, I would say you have come

to the right place - regardless of your gender! :-)

I can fully relate to your experience. Like you, it seemed that with

every diet attempt, my " staying power " just got shorter and shorter. By

the time I gave up on diets for good, four months ago, I was lasting

about 2 weeks on a diet. And of course I would gain all the weight back

plus a few pounds for good measure each and every time.

Life it too short to spend it on " The Eternal Diet " , especially

considering they don't work in the first place! I look forward to

hearing about your journey with intuitive eating. Feel free to post any

questions or concerns or if you just want to vent. The first month or

two can be quite a roller coaster ride - scary and exciting all at the

same time!

Best wishes,

[Guest guest]

I'd like to say thanks to all that responded to my introduction. I

appreciate your kind words of encouragement.

I think that this weekend (I have 4 days off work, whohoo!) I'm just

going to quit drinking so much diet pepsi. I've been drinking around a

half dozen or more cans a day. I know I'm going to go through caffeine

withdrawal. But I don't think I can really get started on IE or

evaluate how hungry I am if downing that much diet pepsi. So that's

where I think I'll start and just try to be more aware of when I'm

hungry and when I'm no longer hungry.

Thanks again,

Arnie

[Guest guest]

Hi Katcha,

I think there might be a modicum of distorted truth in the idea that

it's easier for men to lose weight than it is for women. In my house

it's true. My wife and I have often started diets at the same time and

I always shed pounds faster than her.

More generally speaking, I thing that the extra testosterone and

percentage of muscle mass may give some younger men a short term

advantage. BUT, (there's always a " but " ) diets don't work. So the

reality is, that in the long run we all end up gaining the weight back

anyways. So is there really any advantage? I don't think so.

Arnie

[Guest guest]

Arnie, I have never been a good water drinker, I was more like a camel

- fill-'er-up a few times day was my pattern with liquids. In fact

water tasted flat and drinking it seemed to only send me to the

bathroom a whole lot more! But I could intellectually see that water

was important for its 'flushing' of toxins from the body service. My

challenge was to find a way to get me to drink water without it being

1) a chore (stand at sink, drink tall glass of water) & 2) REMEMBERING

to drink water.

What ended up working for me was to have a bunch of little water

bottles (8-12 oz.) filled and left in areas where I was (around my

house). That way I could sip and refresh ( I really was dry often) a

bit at a time. It turned out that I got to where I was drinking at

least 3 or 4 of these each day.

Another thing that I learned since starting IE is that sometimes

overeating is done because one is seeking moisture. Foods do contain

water in them, but its a very inefficient means of obtaining it. It

turns out that its easy to think 'food' when the body is really

signaling 'moisture'. Drinking more water seemed to have eased my

'eat' drive some too - hooray!

As to the 'plain and flat taste' of water (WC Fields remarks about it

giggle thru my head), well its tough to compete with sodas. How about

iced tea as an alternative? That has a bit of 'kick' (caffeine?) to

it, some flavor and I can manage it sans sweetner while I can't take

coffee (decaf in my case) 'black'. You may also want to read about

artificial sweetners and how they can falsely signal your body into

thinking you have taken in a 'sweet' when no actual nutriment has been

ingested. You are wise to know that this could and probably definitely

does throw your ability to sense real body hunger into a tizzy.

Love to hear about your experimenting with alternatives and progress

on your IE journey. Great to have you here

Katcha

IEing since March 2007

>

> I'd like to say thanks to all that responded to my introduction. I

> appreciate your kind words of encouragement.

>

> I think that this weekend (I have 4 days off work, whohoo!) I'm just

> going to quit drinking so much diet pepsi. I've been drinking around a

> half dozen or more cans a day. I know I'm going to go through caffeine

> withdrawal. But I don't think I can really get started on IE or

> evaluate how hungry I am if downing that much diet pepsi. So that's

> where I think I'll start and just try to be more aware of when I'm

> hungry and when I'm no longer hungry.

>

> Thanks again,

> Arnie

>

[Guest guest]

Arnie, I have observed the same thing too. And its more noticeable as

both hubby and I age because that's also one ability that wanes as

time passes - the ability to 'drop a few pounds'. Especially for dear

hubby who never had any concerns about weight until he hit his 50s!

Now it seems that nature has turned on him and given him a belly he

could not imagine ever being attached on him. IE is slowly working its

way to him via osmosis from me, but I have to admit a little nasty

glee in watching him come to grips with this for himself after all the

years of him thinking and saying - " Why all you have to do is eat

less. " Sure honey, that's it - LOL!! At least we are in agreement

about it now and that's good for both of us too.

Keep us gals INFORMED and aware of how our men struggle with this same

issue too. And heck, maybe you will awaken the sleeping bears of your

fellow male members here and inspire them to post too. Hey guys, don't

make Arnie 'carry the weight' for ya'll - LOL! (just kidding of

course) Lets hear what you are up (or down?!?) to too :)

Katcha

IEing since March 2007

>

> Hi Katcha,

>

> I think there might be a modicum of distorted truth in the idea that

> it's easier for men to lose weight than it is for women. In my house

> it's true. My wife and I have often started diets at the same time and

> I always shed pounds faster than her.

>

> More generally speaking, I thing that the extra testosterone and

> percentage of muscle mass may give some younger men a short term

> advantage. BUT, (there's always a " but " ) diets don't work. So the

> reality is, that in the long run we all end up gaining the weight back

> anyways. So is there really any advantage? I don't think so.

>

> Arnie

>

[Guest guest]

Welcome Arnie! We are so glad you are here. Katcha, I couldn't

have said it better when hearing from men in the group reminds us

that this is a human issue and not just a woman's issue. Arnie, I

really do invite you to post. I don't know about anyone else, but I

love to have a men's point of view on some of this stuff. ,

are you still out there?

Alana

> >

> > Hi,

> >

> > I'd like to say hi and introduce myself. I've been lurking here

for a

> > week or two and have enjoyed reading the posts. I don't know if

there

> > are any other men here, but if you all don't mind I'd like to

join in.

> > If you like it being mostly women her, if it feels like a safer

place

> > to you because it's mostly women, feel free to send a note to me

> > directly, I'd like to know, I really don't want to elbow my way

in

> > here.

> >

> > I'm your typical yoyo dieter. I can lose weight with pretty much

any

> > diet. They all work for me. The problem is they all seem to have

time

> > bombs attached to them. They work great for a certain amount of

time,

> > then, kablowie, I'm off the diet and gain back all the weight

again.

> >

> > It's got to the point that even when I'm not dieting I'm

obsessed with

> > food, and meals. It's depressing. Right now I've been on a diet

for a

> > few months and dropped twenty pounds. But I see my resolve

weakening

> > already. I can't stand all the restrictions. The length of time

I can

> > stay on a diet seems to be getting shorter and shorter.

> >

> > I looked a IE a couple years ago, but didn't jump in with both

feet.

> > The reason being that I couldn't wrap my head around it. I'm

used to

> > reading a diet book, summarizing it in two pages, then making a

list of

> > food to go buy and setting up a schedule of when and how much I

can

> > eat. That's simple. IE seems more complex. I can see I will have

to

> > accept small changes over time.

> >

> > There seems to be a lot of genuine caring and concern for one

another

> > in this group. I like reading your posts.

> >

> > Arnie

> >

>

[Guest guest]

Hi Katcha,

Age is certainly a factor for some of us guys. Until I was about 33 I

was quite thin. I remember an Aunt asking me how I do it. My reply

was that I just ate when I was hungry. Little did I know I was a

natural IE-er.

But guys don't want to be thin, we are taught that we should look

like bodybuilders and be big and strong. At age 35 I started working

out at a gym for about two hours a day, five days a week. I learnt

that to get bigger I'd have to eat a certain way. In six month I had

gained a lot of muscle and had very little body fat.

Then things started to fall apart. I got so sick of chicken breasts

and pasta and just didn't want to spend that much time in the gym.

That was my first diet and I've been on and off them ever since.

I'm 50 now and I'm tired of trying to have a younger body. I know

some men my age are getting testosterone injections from their

doctors to turn back the clock, but I think that's insane. I'd just

like to re-learn what originally came naturally.

I have so many rules in my head now it's crazy. Yesterday I had a

piece of watermelon when I thought I shouldn't. I found myself

beating myself up about eating a piece of watermelon. I was really

imagining that my belly was bigger because of it. Jeeze, it was just

a small piece of watermelon. How bad can that be? I really need to

lighten up on all these silly rules.

Arnie

> >

> > Hi Katcha,

> >

> > I think there might be a modicum of distorted truth in the idea

that

> > it's easier for men to lose weight than it is for women. In my

house

> > it's true. My wife and I have often started diets at the same

time and

> > I always shed pounds faster than her.

> >

> > More generally speaking, I thing that the extra testosterone and

> > percentage of muscle mass may give some younger men a short term

> > advantage. BUT, (there's always a " but " ) diets don't work. So the

> > reality is, that in the long run we all end up gaining the weight

back

> > anyways. So is there really any advantage? I don't think so.

> >

> > Arnie

> >

>

[Guest guest]

Hi Arnie,

You sound like my dear hubby too - naturally trim and ate as he

should. I can also identify with weight 'management' having been not a

real problem until I got into my 40s. In hind sight, I really think

that thinking I needed to 'diet' did me more harm (and weight gain!)

than if I hadn't felt like I 'ought' to be thinner. Hearing about the

testosterone injections makes me think of how that time in our lives

when hormones really do come into play, that has to effect our bodies

too. Too bad that can't be accepted as a natural change instead of

fought in too often an attempt to re-gain a 'youth' that isn't coming

back! Well like Alana said in another post - being the best 'me' is

much more important and healthy too.

Great to have you here.

ehugs, Katcha

IEing since March 2007

>

> Hi Katcha,

>

> Age is certainly a factor for some of us guys. Until I was about 33 I

> was quite thin. I remember an Aunt asking me how I do it. My reply

> was that I just ate when I was hungry. Little did I know I was a

> natural IE-er.

>

> But guys don't want to be thin, we are taught that we should look

> like bodybuilders and be big and strong. At age 35 I started working

> out at a gym for about two hours a day, five days a week. I learnt

> that to get bigger I'd have to eat a certain way. In six month I had

> gained a lot of muscle and had very little body fat.

>

> Then things started to fall apart. I got so sick of chicken breasts

> and pasta and just didn't want to spend that much time in the gym.

> That was my first diet and I've been on and off them ever since.

>

> I'm 50 now and I'm tired of trying to have a younger body. I know

> some men my age are getting testosterone injections from their

> doctors to turn back the clock, but I think that's insane. I'd just

> like to re-learn what originally came naturally.

>

> I have so many rules in my head now it's crazy. Yesterday I had a

> piece of watermelon when I thought I shouldn't. I found myself

> beating myself up about eating a piece of watermelon. I was really

> imagining that my belly was bigger because of it. Jeeze, it was just

> a small piece of watermelon. How bad can that be? I really need to

> lighten up on all these silly rules.

>

> Arnie

>

[Guest guest]

I have to reply to this my friend a female friend is getting a low dose of testrone shots for weight lose its suppose to make you lose stomach fat she is taking lowetroic not spelled right shots she has only gotten bigger so far

Betty

Re: Intro

Hi Arnie, You sound like my dear hubby too - naturally trim and ate as heshould. I can also identify with weight 'management' having been not areal problem until I got into my 40s. In hind sight, I really thinkthat thinking I needed to 'diet' did me more harm (and weight gain!)than if I hadn't felt like I 'ought' to be thinner. Hearing about thetestosterone injections makes me think of how that time in our liveswhen hormones really do come into play, that has to effect our bodiestoo. Too bad that can't be accepted as a natural change instead offought in too often an attempt to re-gain a 'youth' that isn't comingback! Well like Alana said in another post - being the best 'me' ismuch more important and healthy too. Great to have you here.ehugs, KatchaIEing since March 2007>> Hi Katcha,> > Age is certainly a factor for some of us guys. Until I was about 33 I > was quite thin. I remember an Aunt asking me how I do it. My reply > was that I just ate when I was hungry. Little did I know I was a > natural IE-er. > > But guys don't want to be thin, we are taught that we should look > like bodybuilders and be big and strong. At age 35 I started working > out at a gym for about two hours a day, five days a week. I learnt > that to get bigger I'd have to eat a certain way. In six month I had > gained a lot of muscle and had very little body fat. > > Then things started to fall apart. I got so sick of chicken breasts > and pasta and just didn't want to spend that much time in the gym. > That was my first diet and I've been on and off them ever since. > > I'm 50 now and I'm tired of trying to have a younger body. I know > some men my age are getting testosterone injections from their > doctors to turn back the clock, but I think that's insane. I'd just > like to re-learn what originally came naturally. > > I have so many rules in my head now it's crazy. Yesterday I had a > piece of watermelon when I thought I shouldn't. I found myself > beating myself up about eating a piece of watermelon. I was really > imagining that my belly was bigger because of it. Jeeze, it was just > a small piece of watermelon. How bad can that be? I really need to > lighten up on all these silly rules.> > Arnie>

[Guest guest]

Oh my oh my, the things we do to our bodies to 'fit' into an image!!

It makes me shudder to think of how much more potential damage is

being done than any good coming out of such 'treatments'. I hope your

friend can let this go and not be ill effected from it too.

Katcha

IEing since March 2007

>

> I have to reply to this my friend a female friend is getting a low

dose of testrone shots for weight lose its suppose to make you lose

stomach fat she is taking lowetroic not spelled right shots she has

only gotten bigger so far

> Betty

[Guest guest]

right now shes looking for the miracle cure. Her dad died recently at 90 . she lives with a man on meth

betty

Re: Intro

Oh my oh my, the things we do to our bodies to 'fit' into an image!!It makes me shudder to think of how much more potential damage isbeing done than any good coming out of such 'treatments'. I hope yourfriend can let this go and not be ill effected from it too.KatchaIEing since March 2007>> I have to reply to this my friend a female friend is getting a lowdose of testrone shots for weight lose its suppose to make you losestomach fat she is taking lowetroic not spelled right shots she hasonly gotten bigger so far> Betty

[Guest guest]

Betty,

Wow, that's a first, I've never heard of the medical profession using

testosterone for weight loss in Women. I'm no doctor, so I wouldn't

tell anyone to not follow their doctors advice, but perhaps she should

seek a second opinion.

Arnie

>

> I have to reply to this my friend a female friend is getting a low

dose of testrone shots for weight lose its suppose to make you lose

stomach fat she is taking lowetroic not spelled right shots she has

only gotten bigger so far

> Betty

[Guest guest]

its a weight loss clinic and its suppose to make women lose weight flatten the stomach supposedly after men women lose this hormone so thus women older women have big stomachs

Betty

Re: Intro

Betty,Wow, that's a first, I've never heard of the medical profession using testosterone for weight loss in Women. I'm no doctor, so I wouldn't tell anyone to not follow their doctors advice, but perhaps she should seek a second opinion.Arnie>> I have to reply to this my friend a female friend is getting a low dose of testrone shots for weight lose its suppose to make you lose stomach fat she is taking lowetroic not spelled right shots she has only gotten bigger so far> Betty

[Guest guest]

Hi, everyone...

I'm new here. I'm back to Intuitive Eating after a long stretch of

being vegan and being really purist about it. I loved how being vegan

made me feel physically and I lost some weight, but then I moved to

Texas and I found it very difficult to be so out of sync with the

cultural environment. Hardly anyone is vegan here.

I don't want to have rigid food rules so I'm just trying to listen to my

body moment by moment. Most of the time I will probably avoid eating

most animal products because I just don't like them, but I don't want to

make myself crazy about it. I especially do not want to ask restaurant

wait staff a million questions about what is in the food. I support

animal rights but I also want to live a sane life.

My big struggle continues to be that I overeat because I'm disappointed

in food. I want to LOVE what I'm eating but I don't even like most

foods. I'm not a foodie and most food is boring to me. I think I need

to accept that and stop looking for some sort of exciting experience

when I eat! Perhaps for me that is the key to releasing the rest of my

extra weight.

Looking forward to getting to know all of you...

Topaz

[Guest guest]

Hi Topaz,

We sound a lot alike! I've got a doctorate and am vegan too! I do live in California, so it's easy here. But, yeah, I'm not going to go crazy if my vegetables were sauteed in butter instead of oil.

My guess is that as you move through the steps of IE, you will find yourself loving your food a lot more. Don't stress about it. Just stay in the moment!

Traci

Creating a great day is all about finding ways to turn ordinary moments into extraordinary opportunities. Tom Feltenstein(¯`v´¯) `*.¸.*´ ¸.•´¸.•*¨) ¸.•*¨ (¸.•´ (¸.•´ Traci