Re: What gets in the way of you waiting for your hunger?

[Guest guest]

Hi Latoya,

I have a hard time recognizing hunger - I mistake anxiety for hunger alot. I'm going through some difficult marriage issues right now, so my anxiety is high. I try to wait for a definite hunger signal - growling stomache, mild headache - because sometimes the anxiety mimics hunger ie: low energy, empty stomache feeling, stomache ache.

Also, I'm still legalizing some foods, so sometimes cravings get in the way of waiting for hunger. I would say I'm honoring my hunger about 85-90% of the time now.

I'm really liking this process of healing my disordered eating. I love learning to trust my body and learning to be gentle and kind to myself.

Keep up the good work, Latoya! You are so aware of your body/mind cues!

Kim

IE since Aug 08

Subject: What gets in the way of you waiting for your hunger?To: IntuitiveEating_Support Date: Friday, October 3, 2008, 5:50 PM

This question has been really important for me this week. I started a new 8 hour/day work position and have started to encounter some of the challenges mentioned by others previously on the group.What gets in the way of me waiting for my hunger?1) Schedule pressures:Our training schedule is 7:30 - 4:00 p.m. I realized that I don't usually get hungry until after 8...so what do do for breakfast? We have lunch schedule at 12:30 - 1:00 p.m. What to do if I'm not hungry then? The first day, I was starving by our 10:30 break and ate something then and then I unconsciously ate lunch at 12:30 because of external schedule pressure and didn't feel good at all. Solution: I bring an assortment of easy snacks (trail mix, granola bars, sliced carrots, etc.) so that I can respond to my hunger as it comes.2) Food/Peer pressure:So, some staff members brought Krispy Kreme donuts to celebrate our

first week of training today. I got pressured to take two donuts and I've already decided to only take one...which I'm fine with. I completely forgot to check in with my hunger...ate the donut...and my stomach started hurting. Solution: Am I hungry? - is really the only checkpoint I have in these moments to take care of myself. After the stomach pains started, I realized that I could have taken the donut and put it aside to eat when I was obviously hungry.3) Self pressure:I've been so tense about learning everything and speaking in front of new people I don't know that I couldn't find/feel my hunger for most of the week...it was like I was overstimulated and this "feeling" state blocked out or repressed my hunger signals. Toward the end of this week, my hunger signals started to get more clear again. Most of the week, I waited longer for my hunger signals than usual...and I felt confident

that they would come through again. When I couldn't feel my hunger, I had thoughts about eating something because I "should"...and I was able to just let my hunger come when it came. How about you all: What gets in the way of you waiting for your hunger?LatoyaPracticing IE since Jan'08

[Guest guest]

Kim,

I'm with you...waiting for definite hunger signals clears up alot of

confusion that can come with anxiety. It's amazing that you're now

aware of how relational challenges in your life may increase anxiety

and can feel similar to hunger. With the new awareness that you have,

you can better take care of yourself during stressful times.

Practicing the IE principles has helped me give needed attention to

what I'm feeling, so I can manage myself better and wait for and

respond to my true hunger...and that is an invaluable gift.

Honoring your hunger 85-90%...wow. I don't know if I can give it a %

cause I definitely honor my true hunger, my hunger signals get

distorted by my emotions which sometimes triggers me to eat for

reasons beside hunger. Each new day I'm learning more about how to

deal with my discomfort without turning to food and honoring my true

hunger. Slowly, I'm also developing an intuitive sense and I just

" know " that I'm hungry along with the physical signals. I wish you

strength, calm, and clarity in resolving the issues you're facing now.

Latoya

> I have a hard time recognizing hunger - I mistake anxiety for hunger

alot. I'm going through some difficult marriage issues right now, so

my anxiety is high. I try to wait for a definite hunger signal -

growling stomache, mild headache - because sometimes the anxiety

mimics hunger ie: low energy, empty stomache feeling, stomache ache.

> Also, I'm still legalizing some foods, so sometimes cravings get in

the way of waiting for hunger. I would say I'm honoring my hunger

about 85-90% of the time now.

> I'm really liking this process of healing my disordered eating. I

love learning to trust my body and learning to be gentle and kind to

myself.

> Kim

> IE since Aug 08

[Guest guest]

Hi Latoya,

Good topic! For me, the answer is simple - STRESS! I find the stress

in my life creates a lot of " white noise " that keeps me from staying

connected to myself - my physical and emotional self. I have to be in

a " good place " , which is very rare these days, for me to be able to

tune into my body's signals.

My stress has been even greater recently because I am still trying to

get used to having hospice workers coming and going to help me with

my mother, not to mention the multitudes of phones calls that this

involves, so I am running around like a chicken with my head cut off

most of the time.

I think my stress is bad enough now that I make a deliberate effort

NOT to " tune in " to my body and mind because if I did and really

allowed myself to get in touch with how I am feeling, physically and

mentally, it would be very bad news indeed and I doubt I would be

able to function. At this stage of the game, " ignorance is bliss " and

it is necessary for me to go on " automatic pilot " .

I so look forward to time in my life when I can reconnect with

myself. Actually, I do have a respite next week so that will be good.

I always do manage to reconnect for a few days during the respites,

which gives me a taste of how nice that feels and makes me look

forward to a time in the future when I can do so on a regular basis.

Good luck with the new job!

I.E.ing since April '08

>

> This question has been really important for me this week. I started

> a new 8 hour/day work position and have started to encounter some

of

> the challenges mentioned by others previously on the group.

>

> What gets in the way of me waiting for my hunger?

> 1) Schedule pressures:

> Our training schedule is 7:30 - 4:00 p.m. I realized that I don't

> usually get hungry until after 8...so what do do for breakfast? We

> have lunch schedule at 12:30 - 1:00 p.m. What to do if I'm not

> hungry then? The first day, I was starving by our 10:30 break and

> ate something then and then I unconsciously ate lunch at 12:30

> because of external schedule pressure and didn't feel good at all.

> Solution: I bring an assortment of easy snacks (trail mix, granola

> bars, sliced carrots, etc.) so that I can respond to my hunger as

it

> comes.

>

> 2) Food/Peer pressure:

> So, some staff members brought Krispy Kreme donuts to celebrate our

> first week of training today. I got pressured to take two donuts

and

> I've already decided to only take one...which I'm fine with. I

> completely forgot to check in with my hunger...ate the donut...and

> my stomach started hurting. Solution: Am I hungry? - is really the

> only checkpoint I have in these moments to take care of myself.

> After the stomach pains started, I realized that I could have taken

> the donut and put it aside to eat when I was obviously hungry.

>

> 3) Self pressure:

> I've been so tense about learning everything and speaking in front

> of new people I don't know that I couldn't find/feel my hunger for

> most of the week...it was like I was overstimulated and

> this " feeling " state blocked out or repressed my hunger signals.

> Toward the end of this week, my hunger signals started to get more

> clear again. Most of the week, I waited longer for my hunger

signals

> than usual...and I felt confident that they would come through

> again. When I couldn't feel my hunger, I had thoughts about

> eating something because I " should " ...and I was able to just let my

> hunger come when it came.

>

> How about you all: What gets in the way of you waiting for your

> hunger?

>

> Latoya

> Practicing IE since Jan'08

>

[Guest guest]

This is a VERY important question and one that I'm in need of tackling

more seriously. I have come to a point where I am 'comfortable' with

the IE I have added in my life, but I haven't conquered the 'H' hurdle

yet.

When I try and think of why I am not waiting to feel hunger before I

eat, the little voice in me comes up with - hunger hurts. I know that

when I get going on some project and ignore hunger because I am so

into what I'm doing, then I end up light headed, grumpy and pushing to

finish and getting angry because mistakes begin to happen too.

Another thing that mess me up on hunger signals is (don't laugh ;-) I

have too much time on my hands! Retirement is lovely and I can do as I

want when I want etc. However when I find myself in the 'what do I

want to do?' mode its way too easy to EAT for something to do. I have

sewn so many blouses for myself that I don't want to make any more. I

would like to make some pants, but I can't get the fit the way I want

- plus I hold out on the hope that some of the 'fit' difficulties will

go away if/when my weight adjusts down.

The good(?) news is that lately I've been feeling 'full' almost all

the time. Yet I still try and eat when I feel 'hungry', and a

realistic amount of time has passed too. Finding my hunger and eating

for it is a work in progress for me.

Katcha

IEing since March 2007

[Guest guest]

Hi Katcha,

I can relate. I am a " recreational eater " too. When I finally get my

mother to bed and have a chance to flop down on the couch, I say to

myself each night, " Ah, alone at last! Now what shall I do? " " EAT! "

is almost always the response that comes to mind. It is never a

question of IF I should eat, it is only a question of WHAT should I

eat.

I also agree with you that hunger does " hurt " . I think most of us who

have suffered through Diet Hell a few times have a lot of experience

with hunger and a very understandable fear of it. I have come to the

conclusion that one of the main reasons I tend to overeat at meals is

so I can " store up " some reserves in order to make sure I don't feel

hungry later. I know, I know I can always eat later when I feel

hungry, but I seem to have this instinctive desire to eat beyond

fullness frequently.It seems like this has gotten worse in the past

few weeks. I am not sure if it is related to the weather growing

colder or anxiety over the state of the economy or what.

>

> This is a VERY important question and one that I'm in need of

tackling

> more seriously. I have come to a point where I am 'comfortable' with

> the IE I have added in my life, but I haven't conquered the 'H'

hurdle

> yet.

>

> When I try and think of why I am not waiting to feel hunger before I

> eat, the little voice in me comes up with - hunger hurts. I know

that

> when I get going on some project and ignore hunger because I am so

> into what I'm doing, then I end up light headed, grumpy and pushing

to

> finish and getting angry because mistakes begin to happen too.

>

> Another thing that mess me up on hunger signals is (don't laugh ;-)

I

> have too much time on my hands! Retirement is lovely and I can do

as I

> want when I want etc. However when I find myself in the 'what do I

> want to do?' mode its way too easy to EAT for something to do. I

have

> sewn so many blouses for myself that I don't want to make any more.

I

> would like to make some pants, but I can't get the fit the way I

want

> - plus I hold out on the hope that some of the 'fit' difficulties

will

> go away if/when my weight adjusts down.

>

> The good(?) news is that lately I've been feeling 'full' almost all

> the time. Yet I still try and eat when I feel 'hungry', and a

> realistic amount of time has passed too. Finding my hunger and

eating

> for it is a work in progress for me.

>

> Katcha

> IEing since March 2007

>

[Guest guest]

I've only been working part-time for the past year. So, I definitely

have experienced eating for something to do pretty regularly too. I

can see myself going to food as activity much more clearly now...so

most of the time I go to my list of appealing things to do besides

eat (which includes getting on this group and posting) and just

really recognize that I'm feeling a need to be active and engaged

with life and figure out ways to respond to that need.

One of my hypotheses since starting IE is that there is an optimal

(intuitive) level of movement I need daily/weekly and that there is

an optimal level of engagement with life (others, the enviroment)

that I need. If those needs are being met, living the IE principles

comes much more naturally.

Good point, on the cold weather and how it may affect our

eating...I eat sometimes just to get " warm " ...I'm slowly

transitioning to drinking tea or a broth instead of " eating " ,

layering my clothing, and doing some movement like cleaning my room.

Latoya

Practicing IE Since Jan '08

I seem to have this instinctive desire to eat beyond

> fullness frequently.It seems like this has gotten worse in the

past few weeks. I am not sure if it is related to the weather

growing colder

>

[Guest guest]

,

Eating as a 'reward' happens in my life too. I've worked so long and

hard to achieve what I have, being able to relax with a 'pleasure'

doesn't seem like such a huge fault. Yet with IE I am seeing that such

a pattern does have consequences that I am not truly thrilled about

either. I object to having to buy new, looser jeans when I still have

a drawer full of serviceable ones that I would like to continue

wearing. Its not even a 'size' thing for me - its a slap-in-the-face

reality check which angers me and then I 'fault' myself. This is

non-productive behavior because the cascade is to 'stop' eating which

drives to EATING instead.

And my hard headed-ness rebels to all input about 'shoulds'!! So I

stay the IE course of being accepting and gentle while I allow my

awareness to morph into better practices. I am NOT eating 'lots', but

I am also not eating when 'nudged' by hunger most times either. its a

painfully slow process for me at times, but no way do I see that

restrictive dieting offers a 'better' way at all. Old, familiar and

'comfortable' patterns are like tattered shoes that fit but look like

heck! Its gremlin jousting time again ;-)

Katcha

IEing since March 2007

>

> Hi Katcha,

> I can relate. I am a " recreational eater " too. When I finally get my

> mother to bed and have a chance to flop down on the couch, I say to

> myself each night, " Ah, alone at last! Now what shall I do? " " EAT! "

> is almost always the response that comes to mind. It is never a

> question of IF I should eat, it is only a question of WHAT should I

> eat.

>

> I also agree with you that hunger does " hurt " . I think most of us who

> have suffered through Diet Hell a few times have a lot of experience

> with hunger and a very understandable fear of it. I have come to the

> conclusion that one of the main reasons I tend to overeat at meals is

> so I can " store up " some reserves in order to make sure I don't feel

> hungry later. I know, I know I can always eat later when I feel

> hungry, but I seem to have this instinctive desire to eat beyond

> fullness frequently.It seems like this has gotten worse in the past

> few weeks. I am not sure if it is related to the weather growing

> colder or anxiety over the state of the economy or what.

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Latoya, you have achieved so much and are such an inspiration! PRE

thinking and having available lists that you yourself have created of

acceptable alternatives is just the ticket. GOOD for you and thanks

for sharing that too.

ehugs, Katcha

IEing since March 2007

>

>I can see myself going to food as activity much more clearly now...so

> most of the time I go to my list of appealing things to do besides

> eat (which includes getting on this group and posting) and just

> really recognize that I'm feeling a need to be active and engaged

> with life and figure out ways to respond to that need.

>

> Latoya

> Practicing IE Since Jan '08