RE: Fixated on one food?

[Guest guest]

Hey !

I don't know if you've ever read " Breaking Free from Emotional Eating "

by Geneen Roth; in it, she describes EXACTLY what you're going through

when she started the IE process - only it was with chocolate chip

cookies! She ate them for every meal every day until her body started

craving other things and it looked for satisfaction in other foods.

She said it took that long for her body and her mind to be satisfied

with the idea that it's finally getting what it wants, which for her

(and for you too!) is taking a while on one thing.

So I think it's normal, and you should keep listening to your body on

this: it's been deprived for so long, and once it's satisfied

(mentally and physically) -- and if you keep giving yourself

unconditional permission to eat it, then it'll stop. Good luck!

>

> Hi all! I'm new to the group and decided it was time to post and get

> some insight. I have struggled with my weight and my " eating issues "

> for years. Things have actually improved tremendously over the past

> several years and I certainly don't beat myself up the way I used to.

> I am so happy to have found IE and know that it truly describes the

> relationship I want with food and my body.

>

> So with that said...has anyone every gotten totally fixated on one

> food? For the past three years I have not been able to stop with

> peppermint ice cream with hot fudge. It's nuts!! The first year I

> gained twenty pounds over the holiday season. Luckily in February

> peppermint ice cream disappeared and the weight fell back off over

> the spring and summer. Last winter, peppermint ice cream and I again

> became buddies. I gained thirty pounds over a 3-4 month period. I

> obviously knew it was happening but just couldn't stop. Of course now

> there is a local company that has peppermint available year round. I

> had previously thought that the obsession came from the fact that I

> could only have the pep during a " limited time. " Apparently this

> wasn't true, because for months I ate peppermint ice cream. Snack,

> dinner, often times breakfast. Sigh. Luckily the weight stayed pretty

> stable, but this has gotten crazy. I even tried counseling with a few

> different therapists, all of whom seemed perplexed and recommended

> that I " just not buy it anymore. " Well, obviously that would be the

> easiest solution but that is so much harder than it sounds that I

> can't even describe it! I feel so foolish saying that I'm hooked on

> ice cream! I am an intelligent and successful individual and I'm

> perplexed too!! I've tried to stop buying it several times, at one

> point even going for a few weeks, but it quickly gets replaced by

> brownie batter/cookies/other sweets and I decided that what I REALLY

> want it the peppermint ice cream and then it all begins again. I have

> driven to multiple stores in the driving snow in search of the pink

> stuff. I try not to think about the " good " and the " bad " but the fact

> of the matter is--many times I am not providing my body with any real

> nutrition. I'm running on a tank of sugar and red dye!!! )

>

> So if you're still reading--does anyone have ANY suggestions? I am at

> my wits end!!

>

> --The Peppermint Princess

>

[Guest guest]

Since I started IE about 2 months ago, for me it's been ham sandwiches!!! I used to really crave salami sandwiches, and felt guilty about eating them because " bread is bad " and " salami is bad " and " miracle whip and cheese aren't so great either " . Well, after staring IE that was what I legalized first LOL - then realized that salami tastes nasty, but deli ham is just right. I've been eating 1-2 ham sandwiches every day! I love being able to have TWO slices of bread instead balancing my fillings on one piece of bread (from my low carb days, can you tell?)

at any rate, I'm just trying to apply the IE principles to my ham sandwiches - eat when I'm hungry, be willing to stop before the last bite is gone (still working on that one!!), and my body will tell me when its over ham sandwiches Yesterday afternoon I had two in a row and that was definitely too much! But at dinner I was really craving a salad, so that's all I had and it was perfect.

I guess all I can add to the above is to try and accept that you are probably working on legalizing your peppermint ice creamn - because even though you ate tons of it the last few winters, I bet you felt guilty about every bite. When your inner self finally realizes that it's OK to eat it, you will probably naturally normalize portion sizes and frequency. Just try to enjoy every bite :)

hugs

Mikki

..

[Guest guest]

I say keep eating the ice cream!! You obviously LOVE peppermint ice cream....do you really want to stop eating it? As long as you keep thinking that you shouldn't be eating so much of it you are just going to crave it and want to eat it even more. I'm going through the same thing with chips right now....I was going to give them up several weeks ago but people here talked me out of it. I am SLOWLY starting to learn that I am going to always be able to eat chips.

Kipkabob

(Intuitive eating since September 2006)

Subject: Fixated on one food?To: IntuitiveEating_Support Received: Wednesday, December 10, 2008, 9:40 PM

Hi all! I'm new to the group and decided it was time to post and get some insight. I have struggled with my weight and my "eating issues" for years. Things have actually improved tremendously over the past several years and I certainly don't beat myself up the way I used to. I am so happy to have found IE and know that it truly describes the relationship I want with food and my body.So with that said...has anyone every gotten totally fixated on one food? For the past three years I have not been able to stop with peppermint ice cream with hot fudge. It's nuts!! The first year I gained twenty pounds over the holiday season. Luckily in February peppermint ice cream disappeared and the weight fell back off over the spring and summer. Last winter, peppermint ice cream and I again became buddies. I gained thirty pounds over a 3-4 month period. I obviously knew it was happening but just couldn't stop.

Of course now there is a local company that has peppermint available year round. I had previously thought that the obsession came from the fact that I could only have the pep during a "limited time." Apparently this wasn't true, because for months I ate peppermint ice cream. Snack, dinner, often times breakfast. Sigh. Luckily the weight stayed pretty stable, but this has gotten crazy. I even tried counseling with a few different therapists, all of whom seemed perplexed and recommended that I "just not buy it anymore." Well, obviously that would be the easiest solution but that is so much harder than it sounds that I can't even describe it! I feel so foolish saying that I'm hooked on ice cream! I am an intelligent and successful individual and I'm perplexed too!! I've tried to stop buying it several times, at one point even going for a few weeks, but it quickly gets replaced by brownie

batter/cookies/ other sweets and I decided that what I REALLY want it the peppermint ice cream and then it all begins again. I have driven to multiple stores in the driving snow in search of the pink stuff. I try not to think about the "good" and the "bad" but the fact of the matter is--many times I am not providing my body with any real nutrition. I'm running on a tank of sugar and red dye!!! )So if you're still reading--does anyone have ANY suggestions? I am at my wits end!!--The Peppermint Princess

Ask a question on any topic and get answers from real people. Go to Yahoo! Answers.

[Guest guest]

Hi !!

I think you've gotten some great advice from others here. I have been having the exact same struggle with chocolate. You should see all the chocolate in my house right now!!!! The problem is that I cannot keep out of it...ugh!!!! I keep telling myself...just one more piece and next thing I know an entire bag of chocolates is gone. I think I'm going to start sitting down with just a couple pieces of chocolate at a time and close my eyes and really focus on how awesome it tastes.

One thing I know I CAN'T do is get it out of the house. It seems that everytime I start thinking that I need to keep the stuff away from the house I start doing the "last supper" thing.

God Bless,

Dayna

To: IntuitiveEating_Support From: jsmiffvt@...Date: Thu, 11 Dec 2008 02:40:31 +0000Subject: Fixated on one food?

Hi all! I'm new to the group and decided it was time to post and get some insight. I have struggled with my weight and my "eating issues" for years. Things have actually improved tremendously over the past several years and I certainly don't beat myself up the way I used to. I am so happy to have found IE and know that it truly describes the relationship I want with food and my body.So with that said...has anyone every gotten totally fixated on one food? For the past three years I have not been able to stop with peppermint ice cream with hot fudge. It's nuts!! The first year I gained twenty pounds over the holiday season. Luckily in February peppermint ice cream disappeared and the weight fell back off over the spring and summer. Last winter, peppermint ice cream and I again became buddies. I gained thirty pounds over a 3-4 month period. I obviously knew it was happening but just couldn't stop. Of course now there is a local company that has peppermint available year round. I had previously thought that the obsession came from the fact that I could only have the pep during a "limited time." Apparently this wasn't true, because for months I ate peppermint ice cream. Snack, dinner, often times breakfast. Sigh. Luckily the weight stayed pretty stable, but this has gotten crazy. I even tried counseling with a few different therapists, all of whom seemed perplexed and recommended that I "just not buy it anymore." Well, obviously that would be the easiest solution but that is so much harder than it sounds that I can't even describe it! I feel so foolish saying that I'm hooked on ice cream! I am an intelligent and successful individual and I'm perplexed too!! I've tried to stop buying it several times, at one point even going for a few weeks, but it quickly gets replaced by brownie batter/cookies/other sweets and I decided that what I REALLY want it the peppermint ice cream and then it all begins again. I have driven to multiple stores in the driving snow in search of the pink stuff. I try not to think about the "good" and the "bad" but the fact of the matter is--many times I am not providing my body with any real nutrition. I'm running on a tank of sugar and red dye!!! )So if you're still reading--does anyone have ANY suggestions? I am at my wits end!!--The Peppermint Princess Send e-mail faster without improving your typing skills. Get your Hotmail® account.

[Guest guest]

I think you are still struggling with the fact that you can have

peppermint ice cream all day long, everyday, if that's what you truly

want. I think you still feel guilty having it breakfast, lunch, and

dinner. The goal is to not feel guilty so that eventually you become

satisfied with having it only at one meal, and then eventually only a

few times a week... maybe even only once a week! But now you just

have to focus on the fact that you are allowed to have peppermint ice

cream! No food is forbidden! So if that's what you truly want

everyday all day long, then eat it everyday all day long! You can't

deprive yourself and you can't tell yourself that you should be

eating this ice cream for breakfast (and lunch and dinner) because

these thoughts will just make your body crave the food more. What

you should be focusing on is savoring every last bite so that when it

comes time that your body is satisfied, you will feel fulfilled and

ready to stop, knowing full well that you will be able to eat

peppermint ice cream again for your next meal, should your body crave

it again.

Hope that helps!

<3----

>

> Hi all! I'm new to the group and decided it was time to post and

get

> some insight. I have struggled with my weight and my " eating

issues "

> for years. Things have actually improved tremendously over the past

> several years and I certainly don't beat myself up the way I used

to.

> I am so happy to have found IE and know that it truly describes the

> relationship I want with food and my body.

>

> So with that said...has anyone every gotten totally fixated on one

> food? For the past three years I have not been able to stop with

> peppermint ice cream with hot fudge. It's nuts!! The first year I

> gained twenty pounds over the holiday season. Luckily in February

> peppermint ice cream disappeared and the weight fell back off over

> the spring and summer. Last winter, peppermint ice cream and I

again

> became buddies. I gained thirty pounds over a 3-4 month period. I

> obviously knew it was happening but just couldn't stop. Of course

now

> there is a local company that has peppermint available year round.

I

> had previously thought that the obsession came from the fact that I

> could only have the pep during a " limited time. " Apparently this

> wasn't true, because for months I ate peppermint ice cream. Snack,

> dinner, often times breakfast. Sigh. Luckily the weight stayed

pretty

> stable, but this has gotten crazy. I even tried counseling with a

few

> different therapists, all of whom seemed perplexed and recommended

> that I " just not buy it anymore. " Well, obviously that would be the

> easiest solution but that is so much harder than it sounds that I

> can't even describe it! I feel so foolish saying that I'm hooked on

> ice cream! I am an intelligent and successful individual and I'm

> perplexed too!! I've tried to stop buying it several times, at one

> point even going for a few weeks, but it quickly gets replaced by

> brownie batter/cookies/other sweets and I decided that what I

REALLY

> want it the peppermint ice cream and then it all begins again. I

have

> driven to multiple stores in the driving snow in search of the pink

> stuff. I try not to think about the " good " and the " bad " but the

fact

> of the matter is--many times I am not providing my body with any

real

> nutrition. I'm running on a tank of sugar and red dye!!! )

>

> So if you're still reading--does anyone have ANY suggestions? I am

at

> my wits end!!

>

> --The Peppermint Princess

>

[Guest guest]

OMG ! I had to stop and think "DID I WRITE THIS? AND I DON'T REMEMBER??"

I LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE PEPPERMINT ICECREAM!

I actually didn't start eating it until this fall when I started IE, but when I went to the grocery store for my big shopping spree to buy whatever sounded good, Peppermint Ice Cream went in my basket. And it is soo good. I think i like it so much because it is so light and refreshing. I have gone thru 2 big 1/2 gallons already. Do you buy Blue Bell? All I have to say right now is YUM!

Bonnie

To: IntuitiveEating_Support Sent: Wednesday, December 10, 2008 8:40:31 PMSubject: Fixated on one food?

Hi all! I'm new to the group and decided it was time to post and get some insight. I have struggled with my weight and my "eating issues" for years. Things have actually improved tremendously over the past several years and I certainly don't beat myself up the way I used to. I am so happy to have found IE and know that it truly describes the relationship I want with food and my body.So with that said...has anyone every gotten totally fixated on one food? For the past three years I have not been able to stop with peppermint ice cream with hot fudge. It's nuts!! The first year I gained twenty pounds over the holiday season. Luckily in February peppermint ice cream disappeared and the weight fell back off over the spring and summer. Last winter, peppermint ice cream and I again became buddies. I gained thirty pounds over a 3-4 month period. I obviously knew it was happening but just couldn't stop.

Of course now there is a local company that has peppermint available year round. I had previously thought that the obsession came from the fact that I could only have the pep during a "limited time." Apparently this wasn't true, because for months I ate peppermint ice cream. Snack, dinner, often times breakfast. Sigh. Luckily the weight stayed pretty stable, but this has gotten crazy. I even tried counseling with a few different therapists, all of whom seemed perplexed and recommended that I "just not buy it anymore." Well, obviously that would be the easiest solution but that is so much harder than it sounds that I can't even describe it! I feel so foolish saying that I'm hooked on ice cream! I am an intelligent and successful individual and I'm perplexed too!! I've tried to stop buying it several times, at one point even going for a few weeks, but it quickly gets replaced by brownie

batter/cookies/ other sweets and I decided that what I REALLY want it the peppermint ice cream and then it all begins again. I have driven to multiple stores in the driving snow in search of the pink stuff. I try not to think about the "good" and the "bad" but the fact of the matter is--many times I am not providing my body with any real nutrition. I'm running on a tank of sugar and red dye!!! )So if you're still reading--does anyone have ANY suggestions? I am at my wits end!!--The Peppermint Princess

[Guest guest]

Bonnie,

I have met with an IE counselor only once.

I have trigger foods too. One is peanut M & Ms. She told me to buy a huge bag

and eat them whenever I feel like it. Super scary. I bought a 3 lb. bag. It

lasted only four days. She promised me I would not have to do this with every

trigger food to stop obsessing about certain foods.

I finished it about a week ago and I have

to say, I thought it was pretty much out of my system. I just didn’t

think to much about M & Ms or any particular food. I just kind of went about

my life not really obsessing about food. Sweet relief! Today, however, I had a

tough day emotionally with my family seemingly acting out a Jerry Springer

episode, and I ate 4 packages. For that week though, I think I caught a glimpse

of what IE is all about.

I think the key is to know, really know,

in your heart of hearts, that you can have it whenever you really want it and if

you have to overindulge to get there, so be it.

Ellis

From:

IntuitiveEating_Support [mailto:IntuitiveEating_Support ]

On Behalf Of Intuitive.Eater.

In.Training

Sent: Thursday, December 11, 2008

1:27 PM

To:

IntuitiveEating_Support

Subject: Re:

Fixated on one food?

OMG ! I had to stop and think " DID I WRITE THIS? AND I

DON'T REMEMBER?? "

I LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE PEPPERMINT ICECREAM!

I actually didn't start eating it until this fall when I started IE,

but when I went to the grocery store for my big shopping spree to buy whatever

sounded good, Peppermint Ice Cream went in my basket. And it is soo good. I

think i like it so much because it is so light and refreshing. I have gone thru

2 big 1/2 gallons already. Do you buy Blue Bell? All I have to say right now is

YUM!

Bonnie

From: jsmiffvt

<jsmiffvt>

To: IntuitiveEating_Support

Sent: Wednesday, December 10, 2008

8:40:31 PM

Subject:

Fixated on one food?

Hi all! I'm new to the group and decided it was time

to post and get

some insight. I have struggled with my weight and my " eating issues "

for years. Things have actually improved tremendously over the past

several years and I certainly don't beat myself up the way I used to.

I am so happy to have found IE and know that it truly describes the

relationship I want with food and my body.

So with that said...has anyone every gotten totally fixated on one

food? For the past three years I have not been able to stop with

peppermint ice cream with hot fudge. It's nuts!! The first year I

gained twenty pounds over the holiday season. Luckily in February

peppermint ice cream disappeared and the weight fell back off over

the spring and summer. Last winter, peppermint ice cream and I again

became buddies. I gained thirty pounds over a 3-4 month period. I

obviously knew it was happening but just couldn't stop. Of course now

there is a local company that has peppermint available year round. I

had previously thought that the obsession came from the fact that I

could only have the pep during a " limited time. " Apparently this

wasn't true, because for months I ate peppermint ice cream. Snack,

dinner, often times breakfast. Sigh. Luckily the weight stayed pretty

stable, but this has gotten crazy. I even tried counseling with a few

different therapists, all of whom seemed perplexed and recommended

that I " just not buy it anymore. " Well, obviously that would be the

easiest solution but that is so much harder than it sounds that I

can't even describe it! I feel so foolish saying that I'm hooked on

ice cream! I am an intelligent and successful individual and I'm

perplexed too!! I've tried to stop buying it several times, at one

point even going for a few weeks, but it quickly gets replaced by

brownie batter/cookies/ other sweets and I decided that what I REALLY

want it the peppermint ice cream and then it all begins again. I have

driven to multiple stores in the driving snow in search of the pink

stuff. I try not to think about the " good " and the " bad "

but the fact

of the matter is--many times I am not providing my body with any real

nutrition. I'm running on a tank of sugar and red dye!!! )

So if you're still reading--does anyone have ANY suggestions? I am at

my wits end!!

--The Peppermint Princess

[Guest guest]

Why is it different with food?

We don't tell someone who is an alcoholic to drink whenever, how ever much they want.

We don't tell a drug addict to smoke up when they feel like it.

Counselors help point out triggers for these addicts and then counsel them to deal with those triggers, but usually by avoiding the substance of the addiction.

Why is it different with food?

Subject: RE: Fixated on one food?To: IntuitiveEating_Support Date: Friday, December 12, 2008, 12:56 AM

Bonnie,

I have met with an IE counselor only once. I have trigger foods too. One is peanut M & Ms. She told me to buy a huge bag and eat them whenever I feel like it. Super scary. I bought a 3 lb. bag. It lasted only four days. She promised me I would not have to do this with every trigger food to stop obsessing about certain foods.

I finished it about a week ago and I have to say, I thought it was pretty much out of my system. I just didn¢t think to much about M & Ms or any particular food. I just kind of went about my life not really obsessing about food. Sweet relief! Today, however, I had a tough day emotionally with my family seemingly acting out a Jerry Springer episode, and I ate 4 packages. For that week though, I think I caught a glimpse of what IE is all about.

I think the key is to know, really know, in your heart of hearts, that you can have it whenever you really want it and if you have to overindulge to get there, so be it.

Ellis

From: IntuitiveEating_ Support@yahoogro ups.com [mailto:IntuitiveEa ting_Support@ yahoogroups. com] On Behalf Of Intuitive.Eater. In.TrainingSent: Thursday, December 11, 2008 1:27 PMTo: IntuitiveEating_ Support@yahoogro ups.comSubject: Re: [intuitiveEating_ Support] Fixated on one food?

OMG ! I had to stop and think "DID I WRITE THIS? AND I DON'T REMEMBER??"

I LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE PEPPERMINT ICECREAM!

I actually didn't start eating it until this fall when I started IE, but when I went to the grocery store for my big shopping spree to buy whatever sounded good, Peppermint Ice Cream went in my basket. And it is soo good. I think i like it so much because it is so light and refreshing. I have gone thru 2 big 1/2 gallons already. Do you buy Blue Bell? All I have to say right now is YUM!

Bonnie

From: jsmiffvt <jsmiffvtyahoo (DOT) com>To: IntuitiveEating_ Support@yahoogro ups.comSent: Wednesday, December 10, 2008 8:40:31 PMSubject: [intuitiveEating_ Support] Fixated on one food?

Hi all! I'm new to the group and decided it was time to post and get some insight. I have struggled with my weight and my "eating issues" for years. Things have actually improved tremendously over the past several years and I certainly don't beat myself up the way I used to. I am so happy to have found IE and know that it truly describes the relationship I want with food and my body.So with that said...has anyone every gotten totally fixated on one food? For the past three years I have not been able to stop with peppermint ice cream with hot fudge. It's nuts!! The first year I gained twenty pounds over the holiday season. Luckily in February peppermint ice cream disappeared and the weight fell back off over the spring and summer. Last winter, peppermint ice cream and I again became buddies. I gained thirty pounds over a 3-4 month

period. I obviously knew it was happening but just couldn't stop. Of course now there is a local company that has peppermint available year round. I had previously thought that the obsession came from the fact that I could only have the pep during a "limited time." Apparently this wasn't true, because for months I ate peppermint ice cream. Snack, dinner, often times breakfast. Sigh. Luckily the weight stayed pretty stable, but this has gotten crazy. I even tried counseling with a few different therapists, all of whom seemed perplexed and recommended that I "just not buy it anymore." Well, obviously that would be the easiest solution but that is so much harder than it sounds that I can't even describe it! I feel so foolish saying that I'm hooked on ice cream! I am an intelligent and successful individual and I'm perplexed too!! I've tried to stop buying it several times, at one point even going for

a few weeks, but it quickly gets replaced by brownie batter/cookies/ other sweets and I decided that what I REALLY want it the peppermint ice cream and then it all begins again. I have driven to multiple stores in the driving snow in search of the pink stuff. I try not to think about the "good" and the "bad" but the fact of the matter is--many times I am not providing my body with any real nutrition. I'm running on a tank of sugar and red dye!!! )So if you're still reading--does anyone have ANY suggestions? I am at my wits end!!--The Peppermint Princess

[Guest guest]

Kathy wrote:

> Why is it different with food?

That's what I wonder myself.

Maybe because there is still disagreement if food addiction is " real " or

not.

Regards

s.

[Guest guest]

That IS a good question. I think perhaps because with alcohol and drugs it is a physical addiction to a substance not required by the body? You can't be " addicted " to " food " , " water " , or " air " because they are necessary for survival!! Personally (and others may disagree with me!!) that food " addictions " are emotional issues - if a food is a trigger for you, it's often the case that there is a strong *emotional* connection to that food. IT doesn't have to be a good one - in fact I'd guess that they usually stem from very bad experiences- our parents were abusive in some way and we learned to soothe ourselves with a certain food item (the creaminess of ice cream, the warmth and satiation of pizza, whatever..) or whatever the isse is. Then much later, when other life situation cause the same FEELING (and it may just be the voices in our heads playing those old tapes!!), we crave the " fix " of the food that soothed us before.

In addition, I think most of us have spent YEARS denying ourselves anything the least bit tasty, or at least rigidly controlling our intake and have giant doses of guilt associated with eating it. So what we are breaking is not a physical addiction, but the emotional connection coupled with the feelings of guilt and judgement about it. It's more like overcoming your fear of water by dipping your feet in the baby pool, over and over again and learning through habituation that it's not scary after all.

I'm not a psychologist, but that's my take on it at least...

hugs

Mikki

p.s.- since I'm a scientist, I can't help adding the caveat that some substances ARE addictive (caffeiene), and some are mood-altering (chocolate and carbs) at the biochemical level, so one might crave a food for it's additives, but that's separate from triggers I think...

..

[Guest guest]

I think you are right Mikki. Food is different because it is needed for life. We can't just give up eating! And I agree with what you said about emotional connections with food. Food is just food...it's not good or bad and we need to break those emotional connections.

Kipkabob

(Intuitive eating since September 2006)

..

Yahoo! Canada Toolbar : Search from anywhere on the web and bookmark your favourite sites. Download it now!

[Guest guest]

I think its different with food because we can't live without it. Can't quit cold turkey. It's funny about the fixation on one food. I think I am pretty much over my need for Peppermint Ice Cream, maybe because I am craving warm comfort foods now. It's always changing, but I don't feel so out of control because I have IE!

Bonnie

To: IntuitiveEating_Support Sent: Wednesday, December 17, 2008 2:25:02 PMSubject: RE: Fixated on one food?

Why is it different with food?

We don't tell someone who is an alcoholic to drink whenever, how ever much they want..

We don't tell a drug addict to smoke up when they feel like it.

Counselors help point out triggers for these addicts and then counsel them to deal with those triggers, but usually by avoiding the substance of the addiction.

Why is it different with food?

From: ELLIS CARTER <mcarter371cox (DOT) net>Subject: RE: [intuitiveEating_ Support] Fixated on one food?To: IntuitiveEating_ Support@yahoogro ups.comDate: Friday, December 12, 2008, 12:56 AM

Bonnie,

I have met with an IE counselor only once. I have trigger foods too. One is peanut M & Ms. She told me to buy a huge bag and eat them whenever I feel like it. Super scary. I bought a 3 lb. bag. It lasted only four days. She promised me I would not have to do this with every trigger food to stop obsessing about certain foods.

I finished it about a week ago and I have to say, I thought it was pretty much out of my system. I just didn¢t think to much about M & Ms or any particular food. I just kind of went about my life not really obsessing about food. Sweet relief! Today, however, I had a tough day emotionally with my family seemingly acting out a Jerry Springer episode, and I ate 4 packages. For that week though, I think I caught a glimpse of what IE is all about.

I think the key is to know, really know, in your heart of hearts, that you can have it whenever you really want it and if you have to overindulge to get there, so be it.

Ellis

From: IntuitiveEating_ Support@yahoogro ups..com [mailto:IntuitiveEa ting_Support@ yahoogroups. com] On Behalf Of Intuitive.Eater. In.TrainingSent: Thursday, December 11, 2008 1:27 PMTo: IntuitiveEating_ Support@yahoogro ups.comSubject: Re: [intuitiveEating_ Support] Fixated on one food?

OMG ! I had to stop and think "DID I WRITE THIS? AND I DON'T REMEMBER??"

I LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE PEPPERMINT ICECREAM!

I actually didn't start eating it until this fall when I started IE, but when I went to the grocery store for my big shopping spree to buy whatever sounded good, Peppermint Ice Cream went in my basket. And it is soo good. I think i like it so much because it is so light and refreshing. I have gone thru 2 big 1/2 gallons already. Do you buy Blue Bell? All I have to say right now is YUM!

Bonnie

From: jsmiffvt <jsmiffvtyahoo (DOT) com>To: IntuitiveEating_ Support@yahoogro ups.comSent: Wednesday, December 10, 2008 8:40:31 PMSubject: [intuitiveEating_ Support] Fixated on one food?

Hi all! I'm new to the group and decided it was time to post and get some insight. I have struggled with my weight and my "eating issues" for years. Things have actually improved tremendously over the past several years and I certainly don't beat myself up the way I used to. I am so happy to have found IE and know that it truly describes the relationship I want with food and my body.So with that said...has anyone every gotten totally fixated on one food? For the past three years I have not been able to stop with peppermint ice cream with hot fudge. It's nuts!! The first year I gained twenty pounds over the holiday season. Luckily in February peppermint ice cream disappeared and the weight fell back off over the spring and summer. Last winter, peppermint ice cream and I again became buddies. I gained thirty pounds over a 3-4 month

period. I obviously knew it was happening but just couldn't stop. Of course now there is a local company that has peppermint available year round. I had previously thought that the obsession came from the fact that I could only have the pep during a "limited time." Apparently this wasn't true, because for months I ate peppermint ice cream. Snack, dinner, often times breakfast. Sigh. Luckily the weight stayed pretty stable, but this has gotten crazy. I even tried counseling with a few different therapists, all of whom seemed perplexed and recommended that I "just not buy it anymore." Well, obviously that would be the easiest solution but that is so much harder than it sounds that I can't even describe it! I feel so foolish saying that I'm hooked on ice cream! I am an intelligent and successful individual and I'm perplexed too!! I've tried to stop buying it several times, at one point even going for

a few weeks, but it quickly gets replaced by brownie batter/cookies/ other sweets and I decided that what I REALLY want it the peppermint ice cream and then it all begins again. I have driven to multiple stores in the driving snow in search of the pink stuff. I try not to think about the "good" and the "bad" but the fact of the matter is--many times I am not providing my body with any real nutrition. I'm running on a tank of sugar and red dye!!! )So if you're still reading--does anyone have ANY suggestions? I am at my wits end!!--The Peppermint Princess

[Guest guest]

How interesting...I was reviewing some pages in Eating By the Light of

the Moon on Amazon.com last night that said basically what you said.

The book says that " unlike such things as alcoholism and drug

addiction, disordered eating is a process addiction. The woman [or

man] with disordered eating is addicted to her [or his] eating

behavior, and not the food itself...Food is not the problem....To

recover from disordered eating, we must be willing to go beyond the

food itself and discover the presence of the real hunger that

underlines the urge to eat compulsively (pp. 33-34) " .

So what we are breaking is not a physical addiction, but the emotional

connection coupled with the feelings of guilt and judgement about it.

It's more like overcoming your fear of water by dipping your feet in

the baby pool, over and over again and learning through habituation

that it's not scary after all.

[Guest guest]

I think Latoya made a great comment about how the 'addictive'

substances ALTER one's body feedback, while food doesn't. However I

think we also have come to believe that food(s) have 'addictive'

qualities so perhaps then give up any attempt to 'fight' these? How

wrong that all seems to me now.

Katcha

IEing since March 2007

>

> Why is it different with food?

>  

> We don't tell someone who is an alcoholic to drink whenever, how

ever much they want.

> We don't tell a drug addict to smoke up when they feel like it.

> Counselors help point out triggers for these addicts and then

counsel them to deal with those triggers, but usually by avoiding the

substance of the addiction.

> Why is it different with food?

[Guest guest]

For me, the addictive part of an eating disorder is the behavior, not the food. I am still attending some OA meetings (I get some stuff out of it) and I hear people say things like "I could binge on lettuce". This leads me to believe the behavior/thoughts around food are the "addiction". If it were a particular food, then binging on something else wouldn't work, you know? Just my thoughts...I consider my eating disoder a process addiction, not a substance addiction.

That said, IE has helped my change my thinking around food, my body, and my self. I have so much more peace around food. I rarely eat compulsively or unconsiously any more. I overeat on occasion, but I'm working on the fullness principle, so I'm totally ok with that. I know I will figure out my fullness level in time. I have much less shameful thinking around food and when/how I eat. I love being able to trust my body...I love being able to care for myself in such a basic way. When my body is hungry, I feed it. When my heart is hungry, I nourish it with what it needs. It's great to be learning the difference between hunger and emotions!!

So, those are my thoughts today!

Kim

IE since Aug 08> I think Latoya made a great comment about how the 'addictive'> substances ALTER one's body feedback, while food doesn't. However I> think we also have come to believe that food(s) have 'addictive'> qualities so perhaps then give up any attempt to 'fight' these?They actually have "addictive qualities" in the way that they alterbrain chemistry, i. e. neurotransmitters. Just like the substances wedon't tend to see really as drugs[1], e. g. caffeine or relatedsubstances.I think we're back to black-and-white- thinking again when discussing thesubject if a certain food is a drug or not. One holds the opinion "yes",another says "no" and some change their opinion from one side to

theother.I like the theory (but that is only reflecting my opinion) that certainfoods AND the process of eating alone and especially the COMBINATION ofboth really DOES alter brain chemistry, i. e. release ofneurotransmitters like dopamine and there seems to be actual evidence ofthat.I don't think we're "powerless"[ 2] because there seems also to beevidence that THOUGHTS alone can alter brain chemistry as well whichwould (or at least could) mean that we might not be doomed to be hookedto food/eating forever to boost our neurotransmitters but that we havesome power to change our addiction to the process of eating.Regardss.[1] maybe because so many people are consuming these without ending likesomeone who we'd consider "a drug addict"[2] how I hate this OA principle. Who likes to be powerless after all?

[Guest guest]

Mikki - I really liked what you said below. Lots to think about.

Kathy

..

[Guest guest]

In response to:

It's so much more difficult with food because we have to have food to physically live/survive. An alcoholic doesn't have to have alcohol to physically survive; a drug addict doesn't have to have the drugs to physically survive. You see? Food addiction is just a whole different ball of wax, unfortunately. ..Hope this helps~Marla in Charlottesville, VA

But doesn't the drug addict and/or alcoholic so desperately feel that they HAVE to have the substance to survive!? The thought of being without the substance is terrifying to them!

To live (i.e. have a relationship without being intoxicated, perform without a high, wake up without some numbing agent) is just unthinkable and perhaps emotionally unbearable for the substance abuser/addict.

So, here I am, with my compulsive overeating... With no one saying, "stay away from the food!"

Why? Because, yes, we all need food. It is our daily bread. It is nourishing, good, wholesome yada yada yada.

With IE, you hear this talk about no fear with foods.

Meanwhile, my relationship with the chocolate, the cake, the pizza, and the oreos are glimpses of a downward spiral of crap.

However, what attracted me to IE was the desire to have a healthy relationship with foods....maybe even the chocolate, the oreos, the pizza, etc. ...the desire to perhaps have a healthy way of relating and having those things in my life.

I want that.

And i would love to see my substance addicted friends have a healthy relationship with alcohol and drugs...but for many of them, it seem slike sobriety is abstinence. Maybe some day they will be able to live with liquor and not over indulge. But sobriety for them is more important than "freedom", an I really admire and respect that.

To some extent they have believed that they can be "free" with ALL things around them (even drugs and alcohol). To them, the truth is, they must surrender things (the vodka and pot) and bury them from their lives in order to live.

Why, is it different with overweight, obese, food addicts??

We demand that we should be able to have our cake and eat it or not...whatever we feel like!

Are we arrogant?

Are we trying to soothe ourselves with a lie?

Right now I am sick from overeating chocolate and crap.

At least, if the stuff was not in my house, I might not be sick right now. (And I would not substitute carrots with chocolate...I know that much about myself!)

I know this is a big old emotional process of healing, and I am in the midst of it (thank god!)

But I am rebelling with food right now. and It doesn't feel very good.

So I am angry.

I imagine I am not alone in feeling this way, so I will post this, against the voice in my head that says "delete" and move on.

> Why is it different with food?--> It's so much more difficult with food because we have to have food to physically live/survive. An alcoholic doesn't have to have alcohol to physically survive; a drug addict doesn't have to have the drugs to physically survive. You see? Food addiction is just a whole different ball of wax, unfortunately. ..Hope this helps~Marla in Charlottesville, VA

[Guest guest]

As I have gone through the IE process I have been very surprised by

the anger I have felt...

I realized that before IE alot of my overeating/binging was

misdirected anger. I was angry at people telling me what to do with

my body. But instead of voicing my hurt and feelings I swallowed it.

And I did my own " screw you " by eating all I wanted in secret. Like

you said, I was rebeling with food.

After I let myself really feel these emotions, and maintain my

personal boundaries I found that the anger really subsided. If

someone says something to me that hurts my feelings I tell them I

really don't apprecaite that. And I won't let myself eat when I am

angry because usually it is just emotional eating.

Hopefully that helps!

Goodluck!

Kaylin

>

> > Why is it different with food?

>

> -->

>  It's so much more difficult with food because we have to have food

> to physically live/survive. An alcoholic doesn't have to have

alcohol

> to physically survive; a drug addict doesn't have to have the drugs

to

> physically survive. You see? Food addiction is just a whole

different

> ball of wax, unfortunately. ..

>

> Hope this helps~

> Marla in Charlottesville, VA

>