Working at IE

[Guest guest]

I don't know where to begin this post. First, I want to thank everyone for all

the posts. I'm

a newbie (since June) lurker and I read every single one. I find myself smiling

quite a bit -

- I see myself in so many of the posts. The posts have made me think about

things I don't

even realize are issues for me (until a post turns on the light switch).

I realized within the last few days that I have been treating IE like another

diet. I can now

hear some of the tapes running in my head, " Oh crap, I ate (fill in the blank)

when I wasn't

hungry so I've blown it today. Since I blew it so I might as well have (fill in

the blank). " or

" I ate past being comfortable, might as well eat (fill in the blank). "

Rationally, I know there

is no right/wrong things to eat in IE. I just didn't realize how strong the

dieting voice was

in my head. Gosh, IE sounds easy but it's not. Don't get me wrong, I know IE

is the path I

want to be on but I've caught myself at least a dozen times in the last few

weeks thinking,

" Crap, I should start counting calories again. "

I've also realized that I started doing too much too soon (stupid perfectionism

streak in

me). I was using the book as a set of rules versus taking baby steps and

getting

comfortable. (Once again, that all or nothing/black and white mentality rearing

its ugly

head.) So, I've taken a step back. Right now I'm focusing on eating when I'm

hungry. It

sounds so simple yet I've come to realize that hungry for me is not just a

rumbling

stomach. Sometimes, I get cranky or tired or weak or headachy then realize I

need to eat

something. I'm trying to feel how I feel as I eat. Am I getting full? Is this

tasting good?

BUT, I'm focusing first and foremost on the basic question: am I hungry?

(Another little

bloop the last few weeks is that I've tried to eat until just satisfied.

Unfortunately, I was

eating until just not hungry and then starving not long after. I need a bit

more I realized

and am trying instead to be a bit more comfortable after a meal.)

To end this post on a really positive note, I want to share some successes over

the last few

days. I got my cholesterol and blood sugar checked and the numbers are great!

My doc

says not to get too caught up in the number on the scale but to be where I feel

good and

am healthy (weight wise) -- so I've found a doc I want to keep. Woo Hoo!

Yesterday, I

went for an hour and a half walk on the beach with my husband. We chatted and

had a

nice time (part of a date for us). My mind started saying, " Well, too bad you

didn't get any

exercise in today. You didn't get sweaty or breathing hard at all on the walk. "

But, I

stopped the tape and said, " Gentle exercise is good for me. " a few times. I

went out for

dinner last night with some friends. I had a salmon caesar salad (after going

over the

entire menu but the salad is what I really wanted) and some of the appetizer.

Everyone

else got dessert. I checked how I felt and the message came back loud and

clear, " Nothing

sounds amazing and I'm not hungry. " so I just had a cup of tea and felt great

not because I

had avoided cheesecake but because I listened to my body. (On the way to the

car, one of

the women said she felt so bloated. That usually would be me but I felt great.)

Have a great day!!

Red

[Guest guest]

Great progress Red!! I treated IE like a diet at first too. I think everyone does. It's what we know and it's hard to let go that there are no rules in IE. It's all about experimenting and finding what works for you! Great job!

Kipkabob

(Intuitive eating since September 2006)

Subject: Working at IETo: IntuitiveEating_Support Received: Thursday, July 24, 2008, 12:11 PM

I don't know where to begin this post. First, I want to thank everyone for all the posts. I'm a newbie (since June) lurker and I read every single one. I find myself smiling quite a bit -- I see myself in so many of the posts. The posts have made me think about things I don't even realize are issues for me (until a post turns on the light switch).I realized within the last few days that I have been treating IE like another diet. I can now hear some of the tapes running in my head, "Oh crap, I ate (fill in the blank) when I wasn't hungry so I've blown it today. Since I blew it so I might as well have (fill in the blank)." or "I ate past being comfortable, might as well eat (fill in the blank)." Rationally, I know there is no right/wrong things to eat in IE. I just didn't realize how strong the dieting voice was in my head. Gosh, IE sounds easy but it's not. Don't get me wrong, I know IE is the path I want to

be on but I've caught myself at least a dozen times in the last few weeks thinking, "Crap, I should start counting calories again."I've also realized that I started doing too much too soon (stupid perfectionism streak in me). I was using the book as a set of rules versus taking baby steps and getting comfortable. (Once again, that all or nothing/black and white mentality rearing its ugly head.) So, I've taken a step back. Right now I'm focusing on eating when I'm hungry. It sounds so simple yet I've come to realize that hungry for me is not just a rumbling stomach. Sometimes, I get cranky or tired or weak or headachy then realize I need to eat something. I'm trying to feel how I feel as I eat. Am I getting full? Is this tasting good? BUT, I'm focusing first and foremost on the basic question: am I hungry? (Another little bloop the last few weeks is that I've tried to eat until just satisfied. Unfortunately, I

was eating until just not hungry and then starving not long after. I need a bit more I realized and am trying instead to be a bit more comfortable after a meal.)To end this post on a really positive note, I want to share some successes over the last few days. I got my cholesterol and blood sugar checked and the numbers are great! My doc says not to get too caught up in the number on the scale but to be where I feel good and am healthy (weight wise) -- so I've found a doc I want to keep. Woo Hoo! Yesterday, I went for an hour and a half walk on the beach with my husband. We chatted and had a nice time (part of a date for us). My mind started saying, "Well, too bad you didn't get any exercise in today. You didn't get sweaty or breathing hard at all on the walk." But, I stopped the tape and said, "Gentle exercise is good for me." a few times. I went out for dinner last night with some friends. I had a salmon

caesar salad (after going over the entire menu but the salad is what I really wanted) and some of the appetizer. Everyone else got dessert. I checked how I felt and the message came back loud and clear, "Nothing sounds amazing and I'm not hungry." so I just had a cup of tea and felt great not because I had avoided cheesecake but because I listened to my body. (On the way to the car, one of the women said she felt so bloated. That usually would be me but I felt great.)Have a great day!!Red

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