Not hungry, Not wanting to eat but still craving food...

[Guest guest]

Hello!

I have recently renewed my committment to IE... and, several times, I

have noticed myself being nowhere near hungry, very satisfied with

the meal I just ate, not feeling drawn to any food item but still

desiring to eat more.

What is that about?

A good example was last night when I finished dinner. It was a really

tasty meal and I stopped eating just at the point of feeling full. I

felt completely satisfied but still had a craving to eat more. But

when I thought about that feeling there was no food item I wanted to

eat. It is almost like I am craving the motion of munching on food...

Does that make sense?

So when I feel like this I have been sipping on one of my favorite

drinks, diet root beer. Usually the cravings pass.

The best explanation I can come up with is that for years I have

munched constantly on food to relieve emotional burdens but to just

pass the time as well. So maybe there is a sense of withdrawal there.

If I was craving a specific food item I would totally go eat it but

with this I don't even want to eat any food.

: )

Any thoughts?

- K

[Guest guest]

K, I know that for so long I associated being 'stuffed' with 'full'

and thought that was 'satisfied' too. And when I first started IE not

'stuffed' felt like 'need more' to me. I think its just due to such a

LONG time of association with those feelings. IE is about

re-acquainting with being content with (real) satisfaction and even

the body feedback (subtle or dormant in many cases) for that. Its like

if you wore heavy boots for many years and now find yourself in light

shoes! See if you can feel the (re)new sensations and come to embrace

these as what you now want to associate with satisfaction.

Beyond that, I needed to 'finish' my meals with one small sweet so

that I could know that I was indeed satisfied. Given time, you will

want to eat less too.

Best to you, Katcha

IEing since March 2007

>

> Hello!

>

> I have recently renewed my committment to IE... and, several times, I

> have noticed myself being nowhere near hungry, very satisfied with

> the meal I just ate, not feeling drawn to any food item but still

> desiring to eat more.

>

> What is that about?

>

> A good example was last night when I finished dinner. It was a really

> tasty meal and I stopped eating just at the point of feeling full. I

> felt completely satisfied but still had a craving to eat more. But

> when I thought about that feeling there was no food item I wanted to

> eat. It is almost like I am craving the motion of munching on food...

> Does that make sense?

>

> So when I feel like this I have been sipping on one of my favorite

> drinks, diet root beer. Usually the cravings pass.

>

> The best explanation I can come up with is that for years I have

> munched constantly on food to relieve emotional burdens but to just

> pass the time as well. So maybe there is a sense of withdrawal there.

>

> If I was craving a specific food item I would totally go eat it but

> with this I don't even want to eat any food.

>

> : )

>

> Any thoughts?

>

> - K

>

[Guest guest]

Yes, I am totally experiencing that... I am having to remind myself

that being uncomfortably full and bloated is beyond the point of when

I should stop eating. It is a weird thing being present in what I am

eating!

When I first started experimenting with IE I can recall realizing I

had not felt truely hungry in a long long time...

Thanx!

Kaylin

> >

> > Hello!

> >

> > I have recently renewed my committment to IE... and, several

times, I

> > have noticed myself being nowhere near hungry, very satisfied

with

> > the meal I just ate, not feeling drawn to any food item but still

> > desiring to eat more.

> >

> > What is that about?

> >

> > A good example was last night when I finished dinner. It was a

really

> > tasty meal and I stopped eating just at the point of feeling

full. I

> > felt completely satisfied but still had a craving to eat more.

But

> > when I thought about that feeling there was no food item I wanted

to

> > eat. It is almost like I am craving the motion of munching on

food...

> > Does that make sense?

> >

> > So when I feel like this I have been sipping on one of my

favorite

> > drinks, diet root beer. Usually the cravings pass.

> >

> > The best explanation I can come up with is that for years I have

> > munched constantly on food to relieve emotional burdens but to

just

> > pass the time as well. So maybe there is a sense of withdrawal

there.

> >

> > If I was craving a specific food item I would totally go eat it

but

> > with this I don't even want to eat any food.

> >

> > : )

> >

> > Any thoughts?

> >

> > - K

> >

>

[Guest guest]

K,

I've definitely had similar experiences since starting IE. I hadn't

thought of it as withdrawal though...which is probably true. I had

been so used to eating for the distraction of it/for something to

do...without a sense of my hunger or a sense of my satisfaction. Now,

with those natural cues in place, I don't eat as much and I can feel

antsy at the end of a meal. These experiences usually only happen at

dinner or on the weekend when there is nothing " to do " after a meal.

I'm wanting to continue my eating experience because the unknown is

lurking beyond that point of my last bite...what to do with myself.

Drinking something sounds like a helpful weaning practice. Maybe

planning something fun and engaging after a meal as well.

Latoya

> If I was craving a specific food item I would totally go eat it but

> with this I don't even want to eat any food.

> Any thoughts?

> - K

[Guest guest]

Thanks for sharing, I always appreciate your responses.

I am also finding it difficult to eat less... even though I physically

feel so much better doing so. A lot of it just feels like the force of

habit.

- K

[Guest guest]

normaaaaaaaa wrote:

> I am also finding it difficult to eat less..

For me the " eat less " part is the hardest as well. I'm simply not

satisfied (psychologically) with one piece of toast. STILL not.

Regards

s.

[Guest guest]

I am so glad someone else feels that way!

I find myself looking at the amount of food that will keep me satisfied

and feeling like I (mentally) need more.

Maybe it comes from years of overeating and binging? I just can't

believe a cup of pasta will do it for me... But physically it does! But

mentally it is like I do not believe it and I try to push myself to eat

more...

I guess I need to work on that!

- K

[Guest guest]

normaaaaaaaa wrote:

> Maybe it comes from years of overeating and binging? I just can't

> believe a cup of pasta will do it for me...

I think this might be it (same with me). I think there are other factors

(food being a source of pleasure after all) as well though. Food simply

tastes good. After years of depriving myself of good tasting foods I

simply want to have that taste. LOTS of this taste. Of course one can't

make up for the lost years but thinking and feeling are still two

different things.

Regards

s.

[Guest guest]

Along the lines of what you said... I was thinking today that maybe I

am having a hard time giving up eating to the point of discomfort

because of my relationship with food.

Rather food has always been there for me, it has never shamed me. It

was always there to comfort me in any time of stress. So I was

wondering what impact that has had on me. Like maybe some of my

resistance is because food is almost like a friend. Its old reliable.

And who wants to let loose a friend.

Well after reading it further solidifies for me that IE is the way

for me. Food should not be considered a friend.

: )

K

>

> > Maybe it comes from years of overeating and binging? I just can't

> > believe a cup of pasta will do it for me...

>

> I think this might be it (same with me). I think there are other

factors

> (food being a source of pleasure after all) as well though. Food

simply

> tastes good. After years of depriving myself of good tasting foods I

> simply want to have that taste. LOTS of this taste. Of course one

can't

> make up for the lost years but thinking and feeling are still two

> different things.

>

> Regards

> s.

>

[Guest guest]

Yeah, I definitely see what you are saying.

Maybe breaking loose from a co - dependent boyfriend and making new

and more supportive friends is a better metaphor.

Ok I will stop with the metaphors. : )

- K

>

> > And who wants to let loose a friend.

> > Well after reading it further solidifies for me that IE is the

way

> > for me. Food should not be considered a friend.

> > : )

> >

> > K

>

[Guest guest]

Metaphors are great. I think it's helpful to figure out the

model/story that we've been living. Sometimes a metaphor or story can

really help me feel what's going on or figure out what I want to do

next. One of my best instructors talked with our class once about the

ability to be able to change the story that we have been living. I

have found that creating a new story about how I want to live my life

has been a real resource at times throughout this process, that

centers and grounds me..and the story keeps changing and unfolding as

I evolve.

Latoya:)

> Yeah, I definitely see what you are saying.

> Maybe breaking loose from a co - dependent boyfriend and making new

> and more supportive friends is a better metaphor.

> Ok I will stop with the metaphors. : )

[Guest guest]

I really like the idea of writing your own story for your life!

Have fun!

Kaylin

> > Yeah, I definitely see what you are saying.

> > Maybe breaking loose from a co - dependent boyfriend and making

new

> > and more supportive friends is a better metaphor.

> > Ok I will stop with the metaphors. : )

>