Guest guest Posted July 17, 2011 Report Share Posted July 17, 2011 Hello, I'm a really big advocate of OA and think it's a great program. And as long as a person sticks to the tool of abstinence as defined by the individual, it's absolutely compatible! People were following Geneen Roth in OA in the 90's when I was there - a few people anyway. I'm thinking about going back to OA for the group support and the support of an individual sponsor. From: evmatrixSent: Sunday, July 17, 2011 8:04 AMTo: IntuitiveEating_Support Subject: Tentatively New Hi All,I've been lurking a little bit, reading posts, scared to share. I am in Overeaters Anonymous and I believe that OA and Intuitive Eating are compatible. The nice thing about OA is that I can define my abstinence. I can simply make my abstinence to not eat unconsciously. I was wondering if there is anyone out there using these 2 program together successfully?I've tried to do intuitive eating on my own but failed miserably. I go unconscious so easily. Right now, I'm in a place that I feel good about. I've been abstaining from sugar for over 6 months and I've lost the craving for it. I've just added eating only 3 meals a day to my abstinence and that is going well. Next, I want to start employing some of the principles of intuitive eating. I think I'll start with making sure I'm hungry before I eat. I'd like to let go of any rules, but I feel like the best thing for me is to take it slow. Like I said, I'm scared that everyone is going to jump on me and tell me I'm doing it all wrong. Please be gentle in your comments. I'm not trying to upset anybody. I'm just trying to get help. I don't want to bury my feelings in food anymore. I want to trust my body and give it what it needs. I want freedom around food. Thx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 17, 2011 Report Share Posted July 17, 2011 Hello, I'm a really big advocate of OA and think it's a great program. And as long as a person sticks to the tool of abstinence as defined by the individual, it's absolutely compatible! People were following Geneen Roth in OA in the 90's when I was there - a few people anyway. I'm thinking about going back to OA for the group support and the support of an individual sponsor. From: evmatrixSent: Sunday, July 17, 2011 8:04 AMTo: IntuitiveEating_Support Subject: Tentatively New Hi All,I've been lurking a little bit, reading posts, scared to share. I am in Overeaters Anonymous and I believe that OA and Intuitive Eating are compatible. The nice thing about OA is that I can define my abstinence. I can simply make my abstinence to not eat unconsciously. I was wondering if there is anyone out there using these 2 program together successfully?I've tried to do intuitive eating on my own but failed miserably. I go unconscious so easily. Right now, I'm in a place that I feel good about. I've been abstaining from sugar for over 6 months and I've lost the craving for it. I've just added eating only 3 meals a day to my abstinence and that is going well. Next, I want to start employing some of the principles of intuitive eating. I think I'll start with making sure I'm hungry before I eat. I'd like to let go of any rules, but I feel like the best thing for me is to take it slow. Like I said, I'm scared that everyone is going to jump on me and tell me I'm doing it all wrong. Please be gentle in your comments. I'm not trying to upset anybody. I'm just trying to get help. I don't want to bury my feelings in food anymore. I want to trust my body and give it what it needs. I want freedom around food. Thx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 17, 2011 Report Share Posted July 17, 2011 Hello, I'm a really big advocate of OA and think it's a great program. And as long as a person sticks to the tool of abstinence as defined by the individual, it's absolutely compatible! People were following Geneen Roth in OA in the 90's when I was there - a few people anyway. I'm thinking about going back to OA for the group support and the support of an individual sponsor. From: evmatrixSent: Sunday, July 17, 2011 8:04 AMTo: IntuitiveEating_Support Subject: Tentatively New Hi All,I've been lurking a little bit, reading posts, scared to share. I am in Overeaters Anonymous and I believe that OA and Intuitive Eating are compatible. The nice thing about OA is that I can define my abstinence. I can simply make my abstinence to not eat unconsciously. I was wondering if there is anyone out there using these 2 program together successfully?I've tried to do intuitive eating on my own but failed miserably. I go unconscious so easily. Right now, I'm in a place that I feel good about. I've been abstaining from sugar for over 6 months and I've lost the craving for it. I've just added eating only 3 meals a day to my abstinence and that is going well. Next, I want to start employing some of the principles of intuitive eating. I think I'll start with making sure I'm hungry before I eat. I'd like to let go of any rules, but I feel like the best thing for me is to take it slow. Like I said, I'm scared that everyone is going to jump on me and tell me I'm doing it all wrong. Please be gentle in your comments. I'm not trying to upset anybody. I'm just trying to get help. I don't want to bury my feelings in food anymore. I want to trust my body and give it what it needs. I want freedom around food. Thx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 17, 2011 Report Share Posted July 17, 2011 Thanks for responding Rain. Yes, I really like the support of OA. I'd love to find an OA sponsor who supported Intuitive Eating. Evan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 17, 2011 Report Share Posted July 17, 2011 What you have posted is not all that off base from what most of us start out with - heavier diet mentality than we want to have. Its good that you are aware that you would like to let go of 'rules' and are willing to take it slowly. That's a good place to start from. For me rules = control. For that to come from within myself is superior over what I try to impose upon me. No matter how well intended advice or 'scientific' the evidence is, the last word on what my body needs and appreciates has to come from within me. Gillian's 'in charge' vs. 'control' made it easier for me to put myself back in the driver's seat. That was a big step for me towards freedom regarding food. Wishing you the best. Katcha IEing since March 2007 > > Hi All, > > I've been lurking a little bit, reading posts, scared to share. > > I am in Overeaters Anonymous and I believe that OA and Intuitive Eating are compatible. The nice thing about OA is that I can define my abstinence. I can simply make my abstinence to not eat unconsciously. > > I was wondering if there is anyone out there using these 2 program together successfully? > > I've tried to do intuitive eating on my own but failed miserably. I go unconscious so easily. Right now, I'm in a place that I feel good about. I've been abstaining from sugar for over 6 months and I've lost the craving for it. I've just added eating only 3 meals a day to my abstinence and that is going well. Next, I want to start employing some of the principles of intuitive eating. I think I'll start with making sure I'm hungry before I eat. I'd like to let go of any rules, but I feel like the best thing for me is to take it slow. > > Like I said, I'm scared that everyone is going to jump on me and tell me I'm doing it all wrong. Please be gentle in your comments. I'm not trying to upset anybody. I'm just trying to get help. I don't want to bury my feelings in food anymore. I want to trust my body and give it what it needs. I want freedom around food. Thx > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 17, 2011 Report Share Posted July 17, 2011 Welcome. Glad to have you along. I say whatever works for you, go for it. It sounds like you are doing a pretty good job of combining the two, and that it is really one for you. I like the fact that you made your " abstinence " to not eat unconsciously. I have a problem with sugar. Once I start it is like there is no turning back, never enough. Like sweet desserts. I think we are all made differently. I like that you are going slowly and may start with eating when you are hungry and stopping when you are full. You didn't offend me at all. I appreciate your comments. And I am so glad that you are trusting your body. Keep us posted. Sandy  Hi All, I've been lurking a little bit, reading posts, scared to share. I am in Overeaters Anonymous and I believe that OA and Intuitive Eating are compatible. The nice thing about OA is that I can define my abstinence. I can simply make my abstinence to not eat unconsciously. I was wondering if there is anyone out there using these 2 program together successfully? I've tried to do intuitive eating on my own but failed miserably. I go unconscious so easily. Right now, I'm in a place that I feel good about. I've been abstaining from sugar for over 6 months and I've lost the craving for it. I've just added eating only 3 meals a day to my abstinence and that is going well. Next, I want to start employing some of the principles of intuitive eating. I think I'll start with making sure I'm hungry before I eat. I'd like to let go of any rules, but I feel like the best thing for me is to take it slow. Like I said, I'm scared that everyone is going to jump on me and tell me I'm doing it all wrong. Please be gentle in your comments. I'm not trying to upset anybody. I'm just trying to get help. I don't want to bury my feelings in food anymore. I want to trust my body and give it what it needs. I want freedom around food. Thx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 17, 2011 Report Share Posted July 17, 2011 Welcome. Glad to have you along. I say whatever works for you, go for it. It sounds like you are doing a pretty good job of combining the two, and that it is really one for you. I like the fact that you made your " abstinence " to not eat unconsciously. I have a problem with sugar. Once I start it is like there is no turning back, never enough. Like sweet desserts. I think we are all made differently. I like that you are going slowly and may start with eating when you are hungry and stopping when you are full. You didn't offend me at all. I appreciate your comments. And I am so glad that you are trusting your body. Keep us posted. Sandy  Hi All, I've been lurking a little bit, reading posts, scared to share. I am in Overeaters Anonymous and I believe that OA and Intuitive Eating are compatible. The nice thing about OA is that I can define my abstinence. I can simply make my abstinence to not eat unconsciously. I was wondering if there is anyone out there using these 2 program together successfully? I've tried to do intuitive eating on my own but failed miserably. I go unconscious so easily. Right now, I'm in a place that I feel good about. I've been abstaining from sugar for over 6 months and I've lost the craving for it. I've just added eating only 3 meals a day to my abstinence and that is going well. Next, I want to start employing some of the principles of intuitive eating. I think I'll start with making sure I'm hungry before I eat. I'd like to let go of any rules, but I feel like the best thing for me is to take it slow. Like I said, I'm scared that everyone is going to jump on me and tell me I'm doing it all wrong. Please be gentle in your comments. I'm not trying to upset anybody. I'm just trying to get help. I don't want to bury my feelings in food anymore. I want to trust my body and give it what it needs. I want freedom around food. Thx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 17, 2011 Report Share Posted July 17, 2011 Welcome. Glad to have you along. I say whatever works for you, go for it. It sounds like you are doing a pretty good job of combining the two, and that it is really one for you. I like the fact that you made your " abstinence " to not eat unconsciously. I have a problem with sugar. Once I start it is like there is no turning back, never enough. Like sweet desserts. I think we are all made differently. I like that you are going slowly and may start with eating when you are hungry and stopping when you are full. You didn't offend me at all. I appreciate your comments. And I am so glad that you are trusting your body. Keep us posted. Sandy  Hi All, I've been lurking a little bit, reading posts, scared to share. I am in Overeaters Anonymous and I believe that OA and Intuitive Eating are compatible. The nice thing about OA is that I can define my abstinence. I can simply make my abstinence to not eat unconsciously. I was wondering if there is anyone out there using these 2 program together successfully? I've tried to do intuitive eating on my own but failed miserably. I go unconscious so easily. Right now, I'm in a place that I feel good about. I've been abstaining from sugar for over 6 months and I've lost the craving for it. I've just added eating only 3 meals a day to my abstinence and that is going well. Next, I want to start employing some of the principles of intuitive eating. I think I'll start with making sure I'm hungry before I eat. I'd like to let go of any rules, but I feel like the best thing for me is to take it slow. Like I said, I'm scared that everyone is going to jump on me and tell me I'm doing it all wrong. Please be gentle in your comments. I'm not trying to upset anybody. I'm just trying to get help. I don't want to bury my feelings in food anymore. I want to trust my body and give it what it needs. I want freedom around food. Thx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 17, 2011 Report Share Posted July 17, 2011 Hi, evmatrix. I'll try to be gentle. Perhaps someone or yourself can answer this question for me -- how is doing OA 3 meals a day compatible with IE? (OK, since you're new to OA, maybe some who are well established with IE principles answer this.) TaiTo: IntuitiveEating_Support Sent: Sunday, July 17, 2011 11:04 AMSubject: Tentatively New Hi All, I've been lurking a little bit, reading posts, scared to share. I am in Overeaters Anonymous and I believe that OA and Intuitive Eating are compatible. The nice thing about OA is that I can define my abstinence. I can simply make my abstinence to not eat unconsciously. I was wondering if there is anyone out there using these 2 program together successfully? I've tried to do intuitive eating on my own but failed miserably. I go unconscious so easily. Right now, I'm in a place that I feel good about. I've been abstaining from sugar for over 6 months and I've lost the craving for it. I've just added eating only 3 meals a day to my abstinence and that is going well. Next, I want to start employing some of the principles of intuitive eating. I think I'll start with making sure I'm hungry before I eat. I'd like to let go of any rules, but I feel like the best thing for me is to take it slow. Like I said, I'm scared that everyone is going to jump on me and tell me I'm doing it all wrong. Please be gentle in your comments. I'm not trying to upset anybody. I'm just trying to get help. I don't want to bury my feelings in food anymore. I want to trust my body and give it what it needs. I want freedom around food. Thx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 17, 2011 Report Share Posted July 17, 2011 Tai, as far as OA goes, there is no requirement to eat three meals a day. I would say that most people use that as part of their definition of abstinence, but the actual definitions is ALWAYS left to the individual. A person in OA can define abstinence simply as "eating only when I am physically hungry and stopping when I am full." That is, of course, IE. From: Tailyn GreySent: Sunday, July 17, 2011 7:04 PMTo: IntuitiveEating_Support Subject: Re: Tentatively New Hi, evmatrix. I'll try to be gentle. Perhaps someone or yourself can answer this question for me -- how is doing OA 3 meals a day compatible with IE? (OK, since you're new to OA, maybe some who are well established with IE principles answer this.) Tai To: IntuitiveEating_Support Sent: Sunday, July 17, 2011 11:04 AMSubject: Tentatively New Hi All,I've been lurking a little bit, reading posts, scared to share. I am in Overeaters Anonymous and I believe that OA and Intuitive Eating are compatible. The nice thing about OA is that I can define my abstinence. I can simply make my abstinence to not eat unconsciously. I was wondering if there is anyone out there using these 2 program together successfully?I've tried to do intuitive eating on my own but failed miserably. I go unconscious so easily. Right now, I'm in a place that I feel good about. I've been abstaining from sugar for over 6 months and I've lost the craving for it. I've just added eating only 3 meals a day to my abstinence and that is going well. Next, I want to start employing some of the principles of intuitive eating. I think I'll start with making sure I'm hungry before I eat. I'd like to let go of any rules, but I feel like the best thing for me is to take it slow. Like I said, I'm scared that everyone is going to jump on me and tell me I'm doing it all wrong. Please be gentle in your comments. I'm not trying to upset anybody. I'm just trying to get help. I don't want to bury my feelings in food anymore. I want to trust my body and give it what it needs. I want freedom around food. Thx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 17, 2011 Report Share Posted July 17, 2011 Tai and Evmatrix;I used OA for a number of years; I believe that the focus of IE is listening to your body. I agree with Rain, that you get to define your abstinence in OA, and the two can be compatible. For me, coming to IE meant letting go of the OA rules I was following, and listening more to what my body wanted. I had to relearn about what full meant. I also had to respect my body when it was hungry, which is something I did not listen to in OA. I just followed the rules and the plan I had set up. That was good as far as it went, because it taught me about eating right, and how small a meal I could really eat and still be satisfied. I learned the difference between emotional hunger and physical hunger as well. With IE, I seem to be progressing, and giving my body it's proper respect in saying what it wants, how much it wants, when it wants it, and not ever, ever shaming myself. That is one thing I did not get from OA, is release from shame. That is huge, because shame is a primary motivator to overeat, for me. I thought it was sugar, or fats, or anxiety, or resentment (all of which could contribute to overeating), but shame is almost always the primary motivator. Honoring my body, and learning how to get rid of the shame, has been a major step forward for me.To: IntuitiveEating_Support From: raininberkeley@...Date: Sun, 17 Jul 2011 19:20:48 -0700Subject: RE: Tentatively New Tai, as far as OA goes, there is no requirement to eat three meals a day. I would say that most people use that as part of their definition of abstinence, but the actual definitions is ALWAYS left to the individual. A person in OA can define abstinence simply as "eating only when I am physically hungry and stopping when I am full." That is, of course, IE. From: Tailyn GreySent: Sunday, July 17, 2011 7:04 PMTo: IntuitiveEating_Support Subject: Re: Tentatively New Hi, evmatrix. I'll try to be gentle. Perhaps someone or yourself can answer this question for me -- how is doing OA 3 meals a day compatible with IE? (OK, since you're new to OA, maybe some who are well established with IE principles answer this.) Tai To: IntuitiveEating_Support Sent: Sunday, July 17, 2011 11:04 AMSubject: Tentatively New Hi All,I've been lurking a little bit, reading posts, scared to share. I am in Overeaters Anonymous and I believe that OA and Intuitive Eating are compatible. The nice thing about OA is that I can define my abstinence. I can simply make my abstinence to not eat unconsciously. I was wondering if there is anyone out there using these 2 program together successfully?I've tried to do intuitive eating on my own but failed miserably. I go unconscious so easily. Right now, I'm in a place that I feel good about. I've been abstaining from sugar for over 6 months and I've lost the craving for it. I've just added eating only 3 meals a day to my abstinence and that is going well. Next, I want to start employing some of the principles of intuitive eating. I think I'll start with making sure I'm hungry before I eat. I'd like to let go of any rules, but I feel like the best thing for me is to take it slow. Like I said, I'm scared that everyone is going to jump on me and tell me I'm doing it all wrong. Please be gentle in your comments. I'm not trying to upset anybody. I'm just trying to get help. I don't want to bury my feelings in food anymore. I want to trust my body and give it what it needs. I want freedom around food. Thx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 17, 2011 Report Share Posted July 17, 2011 Hi Tai, You're right. 3 meals a day is a little big in conflict with IE. For me, it's sort of a stepping stone. Right now, it allows me to wait until I'm hungry to eat my meal. It also allows me to not eat after dinner when my body's not hungry any way. I would love to get to a place where I can let the 3 meal structure go, but right now it's helping me. Thanks for your question. Evan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 18, 2011 Report Share Posted July 18, 2011 Wonderful post :-) Thanks for sharing! Katcha IEing since March 2007 > > > Tai and Evmatrix;I used OA for a number of years; I believe that the focus of IE is listening to your body. I agree with Rain, that you get to define your abstinence in OA, and the two can be compatible. For me, coming to IE meant letting go of the OA rules I was following, and listening more to what my body wanted. I had to relearn about what full meant. I also had to respect my body when it was hungry, which is something I did not listen to in OA. I just followed the rules and the plan I had set up. That was good as far as it went, because it taught me about eating right, and how small a meal I could really eat and still be satisfied. I learned the difference between emotional hunger and physical hunger as well. With IE, I seem to be progressing, and giving my body it's proper respect in saying what it wants, how much it wants, when it wants it, and not ever, ever shaming myself. That is one thing I did not get from OA, is release from shame. That is huge, because shame is a primary motivator to overeat, for me. I thought it was sugar, or fats, or anxiety, or resentment (all of which could contribute to overeating), but shame is almost always the primary motivator. Honoring my body, and learning how to get rid of the shame, has been a major step forward for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 18, 2011 Report Share Posted July 18, 2011 Wonderful post :-) Thanks for sharing! Katcha IEing since March 2007 > > > Tai and Evmatrix;I used OA for a number of years; I believe that the focus of IE is listening to your body. I agree with Rain, that you get to define your abstinence in OA, and the two can be compatible. For me, coming to IE meant letting go of the OA rules I was following, and listening more to what my body wanted. I had to relearn about what full meant. I also had to respect my body when it was hungry, which is something I did not listen to in OA. I just followed the rules and the plan I had set up. That was good as far as it went, because it taught me about eating right, and how small a meal I could really eat and still be satisfied. I learned the difference between emotional hunger and physical hunger as well. With IE, I seem to be progressing, and giving my body it's proper respect in saying what it wants, how much it wants, when it wants it, and not ever, ever shaming myself. That is one thing I did not get from OA, is release from shame. That is huge, because shame is a primary motivator to overeat, for me. I thought it was sugar, or fats, or anxiety, or resentment (all of which could contribute to overeating), but shame is almost always the primary motivator. Honoring my body, and learning how to get rid of the shame, has been a major step forward for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 18, 2011 Report Share Posted July 18, 2011 Wonderful post :-) Thanks for sharing! Katcha IEing since March 2007 > > > Tai and Evmatrix;I used OA for a number of years; I believe that the focus of IE is listening to your body. I agree with Rain, that you get to define your abstinence in OA, and the two can be compatible. For me, coming to IE meant letting go of the OA rules I was following, and listening more to what my body wanted. I had to relearn about what full meant. I also had to respect my body when it was hungry, which is something I did not listen to in OA. I just followed the rules and the plan I had set up. That was good as far as it went, because it taught me about eating right, and how small a meal I could really eat and still be satisfied. I learned the difference between emotional hunger and physical hunger as well. With IE, I seem to be progressing, and giving my body it's proper respect in saying what it wants, how much it wants, when it wants it, and not ever, ever shaming myself. That is one thing I did not get from OA, is release from shame. That is huge, because shame is a primary motivator to overeat, for me. I thought it was sugar, or fats, or anxiety, or resentment (all of which could contribute to overeating), but shame is almost always the primary motivator. Honoring my body, and learning how to get rid of the shame, has been a major step forward for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 18, 2011 Report Share Posted July 18, 2011 Thank you so much for your thoughts . That's the main reason I'm here. There's not enough support around listening to and trusting your body in OA. The fellowship and support is wonderful. The spiritual aspect I love, but there's too much making the body wrong. If I was brand new to IE I would just jump into it whole hog, but I've tried to listen to my body before and I just go unconscious immediately. I end up in front of the TV shoveling food into my mouth. My dream is that I will get to a place you've gotten to with it. I've had moments. I don't believe my body betrayed me. I believe my mind did. As I write this I feel so desperate. I'm so sick of acting out with food. I'm sure there are a lot of emotions underneath all this, as well as body shame. If IE had sponsors, someone to walk you through the process I might go for it. For now, I'm going to wade into the pool. Luckily, in OA, I did learn what it feels like to be hungry. So, I am playing with just that part for right now. Waiting until I'm genuinely hungry to start eating. I'm going to try to do that for several months. Then, I think I will add really trying to listening to what my body wants to eat. Thanks for listening. Evan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 18, 2011 Report Share Posted July 18, 2011 Evan, it sounds to me that you are getting off to a good start here. Regarding 'sponsorship' in IE - why not be bold and 'buddy' up with another member here? Yes there is a lot to be said for face-to-face interacting, but seeing how this group is 'open 24/7' you would be hard pressed to find more support than that. All it takes is YOU stepping out in the direction you want to go. I still have contact and enjoy reading the posts of many members who were 'newbies' just like I was when I started. Its been marvelous to witness all our progress and get to know (via online) a few as people too. How about considering the use of something like Skype to hold chats? Many of us have found it powerful to participate in conference call 'teleseminars' when we first began. No one needs be an expert to do this - just toss a topic out and have everyone comment - not far off of any in person support group I've ever attended. Best wishes! Katcha IEing since March 2007 > > Thank you so much for your thoughts . That's the main reason I'm here. There's not enough support around listening to and trusting your body in OA. The fellowship and support is wonderful. The spiritual aspect I love, but there's too much making the body wrong. > > If I was brand new to IE I would just jump into it whole hog, but I've tried to listen to my body before and I just go unconscious immediately. I end up in front of the TV shoveling food into my mouth. My dream is that I will get to a place you've gotten to with it. I've had moments. I don't believe my body betrayed me. I believe my mind did. As I write this I feel so desperate. I'm so sick of acting out with food. > > I'm sure there are a lot of emotions underneath all this, as well as body shame. If IE had sponsors, someone to walk you through the process I might go for it. For now, I'm going to wade into the pool. > > Luckily, in OA, I did learn what it feels like to be hungry. So, I am playing with just that part for right now. Waiting until I'm genuinely hungry to start eating. I'm going to try to do that for several months. Then, I think I will add really trying to listening to what my body wants to eat. > > Thanks for listening. > > Evan > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 19, 2011 Report Share Posted July 19, 2011 Evan;Going unconscious has been a problem of mine, too. I don't know where you are at with a Higher Power, but I ask for help with food focus and compulsion to eat. It helps me stay conscious. I also begin by focusing on each bite, and really enjoying it. When I focus on enjoying it, the shame seems to evaporate. Shame always pushes me deeper into overeating. Then when I'm done eating, I send gratitude to my Higher Power. No big long speech, just thank you. Those are the steps I've been using to deal with the addictive pieces. For me the addiction is more about shame, than it is about any food. When I respect myself enough to listen to my body, and follow what it says, all the rest seems to fall into place. I'm also trying to listen to the IE tapes regularly, so that I remember all the details of IE. Hang in there, Evan, it's a process, and it's always "One day at a time."To: IntuitiveEating_Support From: evmatrix@...Date: Mon, 18 Jul 2011 09:54:10 -0700Subject: RE: Tentatively New Thank you so much for your thoughts . That's the main reason I'm here. There's not enough support around listening to and trusting your body in OA. The fellowship and support is wonderful. The spiritual aspect I love, but there's too much making the body wrong. If I was brand new to IE I would just jump into it whole hog, but I've tried to listen to my body before and I just go unconscious immediately. I end up in front of the TV shoveling food into my mouth. My dream is that I will get to a place you've gotten to with it. I've had moments. I don't believe my body betrayed me. I believe my mind did. As I write this I feel so desperate. I'm so sick of acting out with food. I'm sure there are a lot of emotions underneath all this, as well as body shame. If IE had sponsors, someone to walk you through the process I might go for it. For now, I'm going to wade into the pool. Luckily, in OA, I did learn what it feels like to be hungry. So, I am playing with just that part for right now. Waiting until I'm genuinely hungry to start eating. I'm going to try to do that for several months. Then, I think I will add really trying to listening to what my body wants to eat. Thanks for listening. Evan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 20, 2011 Report Share Posted July 20, 2011 Katcha, regarding " control " vs. " in charge " . I think I have just reached that point in my journey and other things are starting to add up and come together. I have been going for lab work because my liver enzymes were too high. Even after going off one medication, they still went up. Finally I had an ultrasound of my liver. Diagnosis " fatty liver " . I have an appointment with a specialist next week. Here's how that all relates to IE. After having " permission " from Gillian to eat one slice/single serving of Turtle Pie/ day, I had this overwhelming urge to go out and buy whole one and eat it all before that doctor appointment. " Last supper " and " rebellion all rolled into one when I am assuming he will recommend a " diet " . Well I sat with those feelings and did not buy the pie and woke up this morning not even wanting any. But I know I can have a piece if I chose to. I also have a better grip on not depending on external advice, but listening to my body. And gentle nutrition started making more sense. Also I do not have to eat so much at a meal because I know I can eat again when I get hungry. I know this is a big shift for me and also realize that there will be times when I lose sight of this. I also started making a list of all the foods I used to love and now no longer eat and why I had stopped. All of them were because I listened to my body which felt awful after indulging. Some of those on my list are Pancakes with syrup, potato chips, french fries, donuts, loads of margarine on toast and things, cool whip, etc. The difference is I don't see them as forbidden foods but as foods my body recognizes as not good for it. Hope to reinforce all these wonderful insights and keep on the IE journey. Hope some of this made sense. Sandy  What you have posted is not all that off base from what most of us start out with - heavier diet mentality than we want to have. Its good that you are aware that you would like to let go of 'rules' and are willing to take it slowly. That's a good place to start from. For me rules = control. For that to come from within myself is superior over what I try to impose upon me. No matter how well intended advice or 'scientific' the evidence is, the last word on what my body needs and appreciates has to come from within me. Gillian's 'in charge' vs. 'control' made it easier for me to put myself back in the driver's seat. That was a big step for me towards freedom regarding food. Wishing you the best. Katcha IEing since March 2007 > > Hi All, > > I've been lurking a little bit, reading posts, scared to share. > > I am in Overeaters Anonymous and I believe that OA and Intuitive Eating are compatible. The nice thing about OA is that I can define my abstinence. I can simply make my abstinence to not eat unconsciously. > > I was wondering if there is anyone out there using these 2 program together successfully? > > I've tried to do intuitive eating on my own but failed miserably. I go unconscious so easily. Right now, I'm in a place that I feel good about. I've been abstaining from sugar for over 6 months and I've lost the craving for it. I've just added eating only 3 meals a day to my abstinence and that is going well. Next, I want to start employing some of the principles of intuitive eating. I think I'll start with making sure I'm hungry before I eat. I'd like to let go of any rules, but I feel like the best thing for me is to take it slow. > > Like I said, I'm scared that everyone is going to jump on me and tell me I'm doing it all wrong. Please be gentle in your comments. I'm not trying to upset anybody. I'm just trying to get help. I don't want to bury my feelings in food anymore. I want to trust my body and give it what it needs. I want freedom around food. Thx > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 20, 2011 Report Share Posted July 20, 2011 Katcha, regarding " control " vs. " in charge " . I think I have just reached that point in my journey and other things are starting to add up and come together. I have been going for lab work because my liver enzymes were too high. Even after going off one medication, they still went up. Finally I had an ultrasound of my liver. Diagnosis " fatty liver " . I have an appointment with a specialist next week. Here's how that all relates to IE. After having " permission " from Gillian to eat one slice/single serving of Turtle Pie/ day, I had this overwhelming urge to go out and buy whole one and eat it all before that doctor appointment. " Last supper " and " rebellion all rolled into one when I am assuming he will recommend a " diet " . Well I sat with those feelings and did not buy the pie and woke up this morning not even wanting any. But I know I can have a piece if I chose to. I also have a better grip on not depending on external advice, but listening to my body. And gentle nutrition started making more sense. Also I do not have to eat so much at a meal because I know I can eat again when I get hungry. I know this is a big shift for me and also realize that there will be times when I lose sight of this. I also started making a list of all the foods I used to love and now no longer eat and why I had stopped. All of them were because I listened to my body which felt awful after indulging. Some of those on my list are Pancakes with syrup, potato chips, french fries, donuts, loads of margarine on toast and things, cool whip, etc. The difference is I don't see them as forbidden foods but as foods my body recognizes as not good for it. Hope to reinforce all these wonderful insights and keep on the IE journey. Hope some of this made sense. Sandy  What you have posted is not all that off base from what most of us start out with - heavier diet mentality than we want to have. Its good that you are aware that you would like to let go of 'rules' and are willing to take it slowly. That's a good place to start from. For me rules = control. For that to come from within myself is superior over what I try to impose upon me. No matter how well intended advice or 'scientific' the evidence is, the last word on what my body needs and appreciates has to come from within me. Gillian's 'in charge' vs. 'control' made it easier for me to put myself back in the driver's seat. That was a big step for me towards freedom regarding food. Wishing you the best. Katcha IEing since March 2007 > > Hi All, > > I've been lurking a little bit, reading posts, scared to share. > > I am in Overeaters Anonymous and I believe that OA and Intuitive Eating are compatible. The nice thing about OA is that I can define my abstinence. I can simply make my abstinence to not eat unconsciously. > > I was wondering if there is anyone out there using these 2 program together successfully? > > I've tried to do intuitive eating on my own but failed miserably. I go unconscious so easily. Right now, I'm in a place that I feel good about. I've been abstaining from sugar for over 6 months and I've lost the craving for it. I've just added eating only 3 meals a day to my abstinence and that is going well. Next, I want to start employing some of the principles of intuitive eating. I think I'll start with making sure I'm hungry before I eat. I'd like to let go of any rules, but I feel like the best thing for me is to take it slow. > > Like I said, I'm scared that everyone is going to jump on me and tell me I'm doing it all wrong. Please be gentle in your comments. I'm not trying to upset anybody. I'm just trying to get help. I don't want to bury my feelings in food anymore. I want to trust my body and give it what it needs. I want freedom around food. Thx > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 24, 2011 Report Share Posted July 24, 2011 Hi Evan. I honestly don't see what's wrong with 3 meals a day maybe plus some like a snack, etc., but to do it 'right,' you've got to be hungry, a luxury I can't afford always, esp. since I'm on vacation with my family and have the mealtimes there for me. Plus when I do sit down to eat, I don't want to stop when I think I'm full. I'll go until i cannot eat another bite. It's tough, really tough. Tai To: IntuitiveEating_Support Sent: Sunday, July 17, 2011 10:34 PMSubject: Re: Tentatively New Hi Tai,You're right. 3 meals a day is a little big in conflict with IE. For me, it's sort of a stepping stone. Right now, it allows me to wait until I'm hungry to eat my meal. It also allows me to not eat after dinner when my body's not hungry any way. I would love to get to a place where I can let the 3 meal structure go, but right now it's helping me.Thanks for your question. Evan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 24, 2011 Report Share Posted July 24, 2011 Hi Evan. I honestly don't see what's wrong with 3 meals a day maybe plus some like a snack, etc., but to do it 'right,' you've got to be hungry, a luxury I can't afford always, esp. since I'm on vacation with my family and have the mealtimes there for me. Plus when I do sit down to eat, I don't want to stop when I think I'm full. I'll go until i cannot eat another bite. It's tough, really tough. Tai To: IntuitiveEating_Support Sent: Sunday, July 17, 2011 10:34 PMSubject: Re: Tentatively New Hi Tai,You're right. 3 meals a day is a little big in conflict with IE. For me, it's sort of a stepping stone. Right now, it allows me to wait until I'm hungry to eat my meal. It also allows me to not eat after dinner when my body's not hungry any way. I would love to get to a place where I can let the 3 meal structure go, but right now it's helping me.Thanks for your question. Evan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 24, 2011 Report Share Posted July 24, 2011 Hi Evan. I honestly don't see what's wrong with 3 meals a day maybe plus some like a snack, etc., but to do it 'right,' you've got to be hungry, a luxury I can't afford always, esp. since I'm on vacation with my family and have the mealtimes there for me. Plus when I do sit down to eat, I don't want to stop when I think I'm full. I'll go until i cannot eat another bite. It's tough, really tough. Tai To: IntuitiveEating_Support Sent: Sunday, July 17, 2011 10:34 PMSubject: Re: Tentatively New Hi Tai,You're right. 3 meals a day is a little big in conflict with IE. For me, it's sort of a stepping stone. Right now, it allows me to wait until I'm hungry to eat my meal. It also allows me to not eat after dinner when my body's not hungry any way. I would love to get to a place where I can let the 3 meal structure go, but right now it's helping me.Thanks for your question. Evan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 24, 2011 Report Share Posted July 24, 2011 , the concept of listening to your body is such a wonderful one. I imagine that I'm active, and robust when I think of this. To: intuitiveeating_support Sent: Sunday, July 17, 2011 10:30 PMSubject: RE: Tentatively New Tai and Evmatrix; I used OA for a number of years; I believe that the focus of IE is listening to your body. I agree with Rain, that you get to define your abstinence in OA, and the two can be compatible. For me, coming to IE meant letting go of the OA rules I was following, and listening more to what my body wanted. I had to relearn about what full meant. I also had to respect my body when it was hungry, which is something I did not listen to in OA. I just followed the rules and the plan I had set up. That was good as far as it went, because it taught me about eating right, and how small a meal I could really eat and still be satisfied. I learned the difference between emotional hunger and physical hunger as well. With IE, I seem to be progressing, and giving my body it's proper respect in saying what it wants, how much it wants, when it wants it, and not ever, ever shaming myself. That is one thing I did not get from OA, is release from shame. That is huge, because shame is a primary motivator to overeat, for me. I thought it was sugar, or fats, or anxiety, or resentment (all of which could contribute to overeating), but shame is almost always the primary motivator. Honoring my body, and learning how to get rid of the shame, has been a major step forward for me. To: IntuitiveEating_Support From: raininberkeley@...Date: Sun, 17 Jul 2011 19:20:48 -0700Subject: RE: Tentatively New Tai, as far as OA goes, there is no requirement to eat three meals a day. I would say that most people use that as part of their definition of abstinence, but the actual definitions is ALWAYS left to the individual. A person in OA can define abstinence simply as "eating only when I am physically hungry and stopping when I am full." That is, of course, IE. From: Tailyn GreySent: Sunday, July 17, 2011 7:04 PMTo: IntuitiveEating_Support Subject: Re: Tentatively New Hi, evmatrix. I'll try to be gentle. Perhaps someone or yourself can answer this question for me -- how is doing OA 3 meals a day compatible with IE? (OK, since you're new to OA, maybe some who are well established with IE principles answer this.) Tai To: IntuitiveEating_Support Sent: Sunday, July 17, 2011 11:04 AMSubject: Tentatively New Hi All,I've been lurking a little bit, reading posts, scared to share. I am in Overeaters Anonymous and I believe that OA and Intuitive Eating are compatible. The nice thing about OA is that I can define my abstinence. I can simply make my abstinence to not eat unconsciously. I was wondering if there is anyone out there using these 2 program together successfully?I've tried to do intuitive eating on my own but failed miserably. I go unconscious so easily. Right now, I'm in a place that I feel good about. I've been abstaining from sugar for over 6 months and I've lost the craving for it. I've just added eating only 3 meals a day to my abstinence and that is going well. Next, I want to start employing some of the principles of intuitive eating. I think I'll start with making sure I'm hungry before I eat. I'd like to let go of any rules, but I feel like the best thing for me is to take it slow. Like I said, I'm scared that everyone is going to jump on me and tell me I'm doing it all wrong. Please be gentle in your comments. I'm not trying to upset anybody. I'm just trying to get help. I don't want to bury my feelings in food anymore. I want to trust my body and give it what it needs. I want freedom around food. Thx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 24, 2011 Report Share Posted July 24, 2011 , the concept of listening to your body is such a wonderful one. I imagine that I'm active, and robust when I think of this. To: intuitiveeating_support Sent: Sunday, July 17, 2011 10:30 PMSubject: RE: Tentatively New Tai and Evmatrix; I used OA for a number of years; I believe that the focus of IE is listening to your body. I agree with Rain, that you get to define your abstinence in OA, and the two can be compatible. For me, coming to IE meant letting go of the OA rules I was following, and listening more to what my body wanted. I had to relearn about what full meant. I also had to respect my body when it was hungry, which is something I did not listen to in OA. I just followed the rules and the plan I had set up. That was good as far as it went, because it taught me about eating right, and how small a meal I could really eat and still be satisfied. I learned the difference between emotional hunger and physical hunger as well. With IE, I seem to be progressing, and giving my body it's proper respect in saying what it wants, how much it wants, when it wants it, and not ever, ever shaming myself. That is one thing I did not get from OA, is release from shame. That is huge, because shame is a primary motivator to overeat, for me. I thought it was sugar, or fats, or anxiety, or resentment (all of which could contribute to overeating), but shame is almost always the primary motivator. Honoring my body, and learning how to get rid of the shame, has been a major step forward for me. To: IntuitiveEating_Support From: raininberkeley@...Date: Sun, 17 Jul 2011 19:20:48 -0700Subject: RE: Tentatively New Tai, as far as OA goes, there is no requirement to eat three meals a day. I would say that most people use that as part of their definition of abstinence, but the actual definitions is ALWAYS left to the individual. A person in OA can define abstinence simply as "eating only when I am physically hungry and stopping when I am full." That is, of course, IE. From: Tailyn GreySent: Sunday, July 17, 2011 7:04 PMTo: IntuitiveEating_Support Subject: Re: Tentatively New Hi, evmatrix. I'll try to be gentle. Perhaps someone or yourself can answer this question for me -- how is doing OA 3 meals a day compatible with IE? (OK, since you're new to OA, maybe some who are well established with IE principles answer this.) Tai To: IntuitiveEating_Support Sent: Sunday, July 17, 2011 11:04 AMSubject: Tentatively New Hi All,I've been lurking a little bit, reading posts, scared to share. I am in Overeaters Anonymous and I believe that OA and Intuitive Eating are compatible. The nice thing about OA is that I can define my abstinence. I can simply make my abstinence to not eat unconsciously. I was wondering if there is anyone out there using these 2 program together successfully?I've tried to do intuitive eating on my own but failed miserably. I go unconscious so easily. Right now, I'm in a place that I feel good about. I've been abstaining from sugar for over 6 months and I've lost the craving for it. I've just added eating only 3 meals a day to my abstinence and that is going well. Next, I want to start employing some of the principles of intuitive eating. I think I'll start with making sure I'm hungry before I eat. I'd like to let go of any rules, but I feel like the best thing for me is to take it slow. Like I said, I'm scared that everyone is going to jump on me and tell me I'm doing it all wrong. Please be gentle in your comments. I'm not trying to upset anybody. I'm just trying to get help. I don't want to bury my feelings in food anymore. I want to trust my body and give it what it needs. I want freedom around food. Thx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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