Guest guest Posted July 30, 2008 Report Share Posted July 30, 2008 I agree with you Emmanuelle, I found IEing rather difficult in the beginning. I think lots of the reasons for this lies in the basic difference between dieting and IEing - OUTer vs. INner directions. Dieting is seductive because it promises to provide you all the 'instructions' - what, when and even where to eat. IEing relies on returning to one's own body as THE source for 'instructions' for eating. One of the hard parts is that emotions are a part of our bodies too, but eating for (fuel) hunger is different than eating for emotional hunger (mainly comforting). What worked the best for me was to take ONE aspect of IE that I thought I could try and then worked on that until I got comfortable enough to take on another IE element. Evening, night time eating is a bane of mine too. I think a lot of it is 'last supper' mentality - we start out with 'good' resolve in the morning, hang tough thru lunch and dinner, but if/because we have eaten ANYTHING that doesn't fit into what we expect of ourselves, WHAM! all holds are off and the evening is a make up time for whatever deprivation one has felt during the day time. Maybe the first thing you can do that is very IE is to just be gentle with yourself. You are pursuing what you feel is right and best for you (IE) and that is just going to take time. You really are in charge of what you eat and while you may not like the fact that you are overeating, just being conscious of that fact really is a starting point. Try and say to yourself this evening - I choose to overeat. I am aware that I am not hungry, but eating is the choice I make now because so far its the way I take care of myself. I bet you find that doing so takes some of the edge off of what you feel then. BEST to you - Katcha IEing since March 2007 > > Good morning to all of you! > > I joined this group a couple of weeks ago but never post so I > thought today would be the day! > > I have a history of intense dieting since I was 6 years old (I am > now 35) and Intuitive Eating is what feels right. > Yet, even though this is what feels right, I am tempted (and I have > in the past few days)to go on a diet or food plan of some sort. > I used to follow the CEA HOW (compulsive Eaters Anonymous) food plan > but of course I feel like a failure each time I eat something I am > not supposed to. > > These past few months I have been bingeing at night after dinner.. > until I pass out on the sofa. Needless to say that I am not hungry > when I do that and that this pattern has consequences of my negative > self talk..... > > I am sorry but I find not eating when I am not hungry the most > difficult thing to do.... > > I find IE very difficult yet I cannot take diets anymore... > > Anybody has been through that?? > Thanks > Emmanuelle > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 31, 2008 Report Share Posted July 31, 2008 Emmanuelle, I liked Katcha's crazy wisdom about seeing what happens when you consciously choose to overeat since that seems to be the repeating pattern ever night anyway. I too have been challenged by night time eating. What I figured out is that some part of me felt like dinner was the " last " meal and that I wouldn't get hungry again that night...so I wouldn't be able to eat again to comfort myself. You are aware that this eating pattern is happening and awareness is so important to helping our bodies find balance through options besides food. What thoughts or feelings are driving you? You wrote: " I am sorry but I find not eating when I am not hungry the most difficult thing to do.... " I definitely can relate to that at times! So, I've focused on what I can do that I enjoy besides eat when I'm not hungry. I realized that I had excess energy at night that I was using by eating until I started moving regularly...walking, playing dance dance revolution, etc. and finding activities at night to distract and entertain myself. The longer I sat on the couch watching tv without moving, the more likely I was to find myself in a trance with the fridge or cupboard doors open. There's probably some thought or feeling sequence that's going on in your body and triggering the binging...see if you can track it. I still eat at night sometimes when I'm not hungry AND now I also have many times when I play dance dance revolution, color designs, sing out loud, dance to music, go to sleep, clean my bedroom, play an online games, etc. I've discovered many ways that we can respond to our needs for comfort and activity. Also, I've found that being hydrated at night is important too. Working with ourselves with IE is definitely a journey...a ongoing process...and every new thing we learn and ever small success we have adds up and strengthens us. Latoya Working with IE since January 2008. > > > > Good morning to all of you! > > > > I joined this group a couple of weeks ago but never post so I > > thought today would be the day! > > > > I have a history of intense dieting since I was 6 years old (I am > > now 35) and Intuitive Eating is what feels right. > > Yet, even though this is what feels right, I am tempted (and I have > > in the past few days)to go on a diet or food plan of some sort. > > I used to follow the CEA HOW (compulsive Eaters Anonymous) food plan > > but of course I feel like a failure each time I eat something I am > > not supposed to. > > > > These past few months I have been bingeing at night after dinner.. > > until I pass out on the sofa. Needless to say that I am not hungry > > when I do that and that this pattern has consequences of my negative > > self talk..... > > > > I am sorry but I find not eating when I am not hungry the most > > difficult thing to do.... > > > > I find IE very difficult yet I cannot take diets anymore... > > > > Anybody has been through that?? > > Thanks > > Emmanuelle > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 1, 2008 Report Share Posted August 1, 2008 I think that's the nub of the problem I have with nighttime eating, Latoya. A need for comfort and activity. If I'm happy and fully engaged in something, I don't even think about food until I get genuine hunger signals from my stomach. But when I'm having a quiet night at home, not particularly thrilling, just doing the usual TV/computer/sudoku kind of thing, when I'm dissatisfied about something, when I feel the need for *something* more in my life ... that's when it translates into " feel the need to eat " . And while I don't binge any more, I'm still eating for entertainment and distraction, to some extent, rather than purely for hunger and only to the point of simple satisfaction. And understanding the issue unfortunately doesn't seem to be helping to break the cycle, at the moment. I'm currently carrying an injury so I can't go to gym for a while (that used to be a good hobby) - I may have to take up your dancing suggestion! ;-) >. > I still eat at night sometimes when I'm not hungry AND now I also have > many times when I play dance dance revolution, color designs, sing out > loud, dance to music, go to sleep, clean my bedroom, play an online > games, etc. I've discovered many ways that we can respond to our needs > for comfort and activity. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 4, 2008 Report Share Posted August 4, 2008 I FULLY agree with this : " A need for comfort and activity. If I'm happy and fully engaged in something, I don't even think about food until I get genuine hunger signals from my stomach. But when I'm having a quiet night at home, not particularly thrilling, just doing the usual TV/computer/ sudoku kind of thing, when I'm dissatisfied about something, when I feel the need for *something* more in my life ... that's when it translates into " feel the need to eat " .--sigi_gee Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 4, 2008 Report Share Posted August 4, 2008 you know what I just realized We had a strom it knocked the power out. I have a cap machine i quit breathing without it and I set in my recliner with flash light all night and didn't think about eating goodness a first for me Betty Re: Impatience.... I FULLY agree with this : "A need for comfort and activity. If I'm happy and fully engaged in something, I don't even think about food until I get genuine hunger signals from my stomach. But when I'm having a quiet night at home, not particularly thrilling, just doing the usual TV/computer/ sudoku kind of thing, when I'm dissatisfied about something, when I feel the need for *something* more in my life ... that's when it translates into "feel the need to eat".--sigi_gee Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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