Re:I just want something...real hunger...

[Guest guest]

Hey ,

Everyday situations that trigger a "call" to eat are definitely tricky and getting out of an eating trance is trickier. While writing this message, I realized how important developing the Observer self or the IE "Food Anthropologist" is to the process. Both you and I have observed how we sometimes get triggered by commercials and other people eating. Anytime I get an observation like that, I explore ways to retrain myself with that knowledge. So, I simply told myself to check-in with my body when I start thinking about food...and myself did it. My thought process can get fixated on food...so I've given it another option...do a body check/scan...in service of IE. I was talking with my brother about this last evening. Mind you, he's near 6 feet and has always been thin and he told me that he gets triggered by commercials and food out on the table. I thought it was just me! My physique makes the consequences of eating when not

hungry more obvious for my body while his body can tolerate it. Such situations might just be some primal human mechanism. I'm coming to believe that those of us integrating IE are sort of like pioneers in the evolution of cultivating a more conscious relationship with food, hunger, movement, etc. As humans, we have more complexity in our lives than ever...and therefore our skillfulness at dealing with food, hunger, and movement could use some development.

I don't think I'll ever get the whole eating or hunger thing right! One of the many ideas that I loved in the Intiutive Eating book and that I've learned is true...is that consistency is more imporant than perfection. I feel that I'm getting more consistent with being able to recognize my true hunger and gaining the ability to deal with emotional hunger in a variety of ways instead of automatically going to food. It's like I've had one solution my whole life...feel bad or uncomfortable...eat food. Now, sometimes I still do eat but there are many more times that I get up and move, take a walk, play a game, channel that energy or change my body state without using food. Each time that I can create a new solution or do something besides eat my needs away...I feel amazing and I reinforce a new more balanced habit. I have gained invaluable knowledge and insight about myself by integrating Intuitive Eating, which I've been

working with since January of this year.

By the end of the first three weeks with IE, I felt like I was driving myself crazy with tracking hunger, fullness, etc. So, I made myself relax around it. I can see now that the process is going to be cyclical for me. When I have the energy and inclination or need a refresher, I'll work with the principles more consciously and other times I'll be more relaxed about. During the more relaxed periods, I'll be able to see where I've gotten more balanced and what areas may need more attention. I agree that the process does require some effort (more in the beginning) and I also think following a diet requires alot of effort too! The difference is that I feel like my work with IE is an investment in myself and the more adventure and exploration I inject into the process the less like work it feels.

Latoya:)

[Guest guest]

That was so beautifully written, Latoya! My compliments!

It is interesting that your thin brother also gets hungry from

external cues! I thought that only happened to me, especially when I

was doing extreme dieting!

I do feel like an IE " Food Anthropologist " on a mission.

I agree with the perseverance of consistency in following my hunger

with eating. I think that if I expect myself to be perfect all the

time, I'm bound to fail. I've been doing some research on reading

others comments about following different types of " no-diet " diets and

one thing that stands out for me is that it stopped working for them

when they stopped trying or they used it as an excuse to binge. I am

happy to post that I feel I've reached beyond that stage because I am

really working at it. I will probably have to work at it for many

years to come in checking in with my hunger.

I feel you are right on target with creating and reinforcing a " new

balanced habit " . This is what I want to do too, and practice makes

perfect, even if I'm not aiming for perfection because it's way too

stressful.

I'm impressed that you have been working on this since January. That's

over six months and you haven't given up! Based on your posts, it

sounds like you really have it figured out with IE. It's comforting to

know that this is possible.

I am hoping that I will soon be able to relax more like you and be

kinder to myself too when I slip up as I really don't want to turn back!!

-

>

> Hey ,

>

>

> Everyday situations that trigger a " call " to eat are definitely

tricky and getting out of an eating trance is trickier. While writing

this message, I realized how important developing the Observer self or

the IE " Food Anthropologist " is to the process. Both you and I have

observed how we sometimes get triggered by commercials and other

people eating. Anytime I get an observation like that, I explore ways

to retrain myself with that knowledge. So, I simply told myself to

check-in with my body when I start thinking about food...and myself

did it. My thought process can get fixated on food...so I've given it

another option...do a body check/scan...in service of IE. I was

talking with my brother about this last evening. Mind you, he's near 6

feet and has always been thin and he told me that he gets triggered by

commercials and food out on the table. I thought it was just me! My

physique makes the consequences of eating when not hungry more obvious

> for my body while his body can tolerate it. Such situations might

just be some primal human mechanism. I'm coming to believe that those

of us integrating IE are sort of like pioneers in the evolution of

cultivating a more conscious relationship with food, hunger, movement,

etc. As humans, we have more complexity in our lives than ever...and

therefore our skillfulness at dealing with food, hunger, and

movement could use some development.

>

> I don't think I'll ever get the whole eating or hunger thing right!

One of the many ideas that I loved in the Intiutive Eating book and

that I've learned is true...is that consistency is more imporant than

perfection. I feel that I'm getting more consistent with being able to

recognize my true hunger and gaining the ability to deal with

emotional hunger in a variety of ways instead of automatically going

to food. It's like I've had one solution my whole life...feel bad or

uncomfortable...eat food. Now, sometimes I still do eat but there are

many more times that I get up and move, take a walk, play a game,

channel that energy or change my body state without using food. Each

time that I can create a new solution or do something besides eat my

needs away...I feel amazing and I reinforce a new more balanced habit.

I have gained invaluable knowledge and insight about myself by

integrating Intuitive Eating, which I've been working with since

January of

> this year.

>

> By the end of the first three weeks with IE, I felt like I was

driving myself crazy with tracking hunger, fullness, etc. So, I made

myself relax around it. I can see now that the process is going to be

cyclical for me. When I have the energy and inclination or need a

refresher, I'll work with the principles more consciously and other

times I'll be more relaxed about. During the more relaxed periods,

I'll be able to see where I've gotten more balanced and what areas may

need more attention. I agree that the process does require some effort

(more in the beginning) and I also think following a diet requires

alot of effort too! The difference is that I feel like my work with IE

is an investment in myself and the more adventure and exploration I

inject into the process the less like work it feels.

>

> Latoya:)

>