what was dieting like for you

[Guest guest]

It would be so much to me if you'd be willing to share some of your experiences

dieting. I've had my own experiences but am really curious what it's been like

for other women.

Did you notice a cycle? What were your moods like? Cravings? How did you feel

about yourself during a diet? After a diet?

What did you do before a diet (all out last supper eating? clean out the

kitchen? buy new workout clothes)?

Anything you care to share would be helpful for me.

[Guest guest]

My experience wasn't terribly different. Of course, there was always the last

supper eating and the anticipation that this time, things would be different.

How long I stayed on the diet depended on how crazy it was. The bigger the fad

and the more restrictive, the less time it would be. Sometimes I never made it

past the first day, for others, maybe I'd last a week.

I'd say I had the most success (for lack of a better term since it was never

lasting) with the more " sensible " plans, like WW. On those plans, I could

usually last three to six months. The first two months would be great. I'd be

really motivated, sticking to the plan, loading up the kitchen with all the

approved frozen meals and LF, FF, and sugar-free products, even though I hated

them and thought they tasted awful. But I felt very virtuous, eating so

" healthy " and sticking to plan. I'd also drag myself to the gym 3-5 times per

week and work out like crazy, always trying to work harder each time to burn

more calories and lose even more. And it worked, the pounds would fall off,

usually at a pretty steady clip. I could pretty easily lose 25-30 pounds during

this time, with all my WW stars and ribbons proudly displayed on my refrigerator

to trumpet my success.

But then in the third or fourth month, things would start to slip. I'd start

getting fed up with the food (I'd rather poke myself in the eye with a sharp

stick than ever choke down another Lean Cuisine!), and I'd start to cheat a bit

more and skip workouts and WW meetings so I wouldn't have to face the dreaded

weigh-in, and gradually the loss would stop and the self-recrimination would

build. I'd beat myself up for being a failure. AGAIN. Clearly losing weight

was possible because I'd been successful for the previous couple of months! If

I weren't so weak-willed, I could make it to goal! And I'd try to hang on and

re-commit to do what I'd been doing in the first couple of months, but my heart

wouldn't be in it and the binges would increase and I'd beat myself up even more

for wasting money on something that I clearly wasn't disciplined enough to do

and eventually I'd drop out. Only to repeat the cycle again often, not terribly

far in the distant future.

I repeated that cycle countless times for over 30 years. But before I started

IE a little over a year ago, I couldn't even do that anymore. I'd been a member

of Spark People for over two years at that time and I literally could not stick

to the eating plan for more than a week at a time. I'd lose five pounds one

week, gain two the next, then lose two and gain three. I probably lost and

regained the same ten pounds a dozen times over that two year period. And my

self-loathing was only matched by my level of rebellion against the " rules " . I

really think I was literally driving myself crazy.

As I've said in the past, this isn't an easy path. I don't always feel 100%

confident that it's going to work and I certainly don't always love my body.

But I think the level of peace I've gained - even though it's not always

constant - is *much* preferable to where I was before. I don't know if I'll

ever reach my " dream weight " but if the cost is the way I felt before finding

IE, it's not worth it.

Josie

>

> > **

> >

> >

> > It would be so much to me if you'd be willing to share some of your

> > experiences dieting. I've had my own experiences but am really curious what

> > it's been like for other women.

> >

> > Did you notice a cycle? What were your moods like? Cravings? How did you

> > feel about yourself during a diet? After a diet?

> >

> > What did you do before a diet (all out last supper eating? clean out the

> > kitchen? buy new workout clothes)?

> >

> > Anything you care to share would be helpful for me.

> >

> >

> >

>

[Guest guest]

My experience wasn't terribly different. Of course, there was always the last

supper eating and the anticipation that this time, things would be different.

How long I stayed on the diet depended on how crazy it was. The bigger the fad

and the more restrictive, the less time it would be. Sometimes I never made it

past the first day, for others, maybe I'd last a week.

I'd say I had the most success (for lack of a better term since it was never

lasting) with the more " sensible " plans, like WW. On those plans, I could

usually last three to six months. The first two months would be great. I'd be

really motivated, sticking to the plan, loading up the kitchen with all the

approved frozen meals and LF, FF, and sugar-free products, even though I hated

them and thought they tasted awful. But I felt very virtuous, eating so

" healthy " and sticking to plan. I'd also drag myself to the gym 3-5 times per

week and work out like crazy, always trying to work harder each time to burn

more calories and lose even more. And it worked, the pounds would fall off,

usually at a pretty steady clip. I could pretty easily lose 25-30 pounds during

this time, with all my WW stars and ribbons proudly displayed on my refrigerator

to trumpet my success.

But then in the third or fourth month, things would start to slip. I'd start

getting fed up with the food (I'd rather poke myself in the eye with a sharp

stick than ever choke down another Lean Cuisine!), and I'd start to cheat a bit

more and skip workouts and WW meetings so I wouldn't have to face the dreaded

weigh-in, and gradually the loss would stop and the self-recrimination would

build. I'd beat myself up for being a failure. AGAIN. Clearly losing weight

was possible because I'd been successful for the previous couple of months! If

I weren't so weak-willed, I could make it to goal! And I'd try to hang on and

re-commit to do what I'd been doing in the first couple of months, but my heart

wouldn't be in it and the binges would increase and I'd beat myself up even more

for wasting money on something that I clearly wasn't disciplined enough to do

and eventually I'd drop out. Only to repeat the cycle again often, not terribly

far in the distant future.

I repeated that cycle countless times for over 30 years. But before I started

IE a little over a year ago, I couldn't even do that anymore. I'd been a member

of Spark People for over two years at that time and I literally could not stick

to the eating plan for more than a week at a time. I'd lose five pounds one

week, gain two the next, then lose two and gain three. I probably lost and

regained the same ten pounds a dozen times over that two year period. And my

self-loathing was only matched by my level of rebellion against the " rules " . I

really think I was literally driving myself crazy.

As I've said in the past, this isn't an easy path. I don't always feel 100%

confident that it's going to work and I certainly don't always love my body.

But I think the level of peace I've gained - even though it's not always

constant - is *much* preferable to where I was before. I don't know if I'll

ever reach my " dream weight " but if the cost is the way I felt before finding

IE, it's not worth it.

Josie

>

> > **

> >

> >

> > It would be so much to me if you'd be willing to share some of your

> > experiences dieting. I've had my own experiences but am really curious what

> > it's been like for other women.

> >

> > Did you notice a cycle? What were your moods like? Cravings? How did you

> > feel about yourself during a diet? After a diet?

> >

> > What did you do before a diet (all out last supper eating? clean out the

> > kitchen? buy new workout clothes)?

> >

> > Anything you care to share would be helpful for me.

> >

> >

> >

>

[Guest guest]

My journey is somewhat similar. I ate whatever I wanted and never worried until I hit my late 20's. Then I started to gain weight and also started to panic. Gaining weight was not acceptable. I was known as thin and pretty and I didn't want to disappoint my friends and family by becoming fat. I particularly remember my father commenting on a picture of me when I hit *gasp* 130 pounds (at 5'5"). He was absolutely shocked at how "fat" I was. The message was, "you've lost your looks." I felt much the same way and the struggle began.

I started restricting my eating and went on two diets, both of which were "successful" in that I lost the weight. The first was a low-fat, low-calorie diet when ediets first came out. It wasn't anything inherently outrageous, just counting calories basically. I stuck with it and lost weight. Then one day I was camping with my husband and some friends who had bought donuts for breakfast. Now, I don't even like donuts, but all the restricting finally caught up with me and I ate 3. The sense of failure was so great, I still remember it years later. So, as a form of self-punishment, I continued to eat until I had gained all the weight back and then some.

Years later I went on a low carb diet that I stuck with for about 2 years. There was no one moment when I stopped, but the carb creep gradually led to re-gaining.

The one thing that I never want to return to is the sense of guilt, deprivation and self-flagellation that goes with believing that you are not essentially OK the way you are. No diet will fix that hole. There is also the preoccupation with food and weight that goes along with it all. Ironically, I first read about intuitive eating over at my regular low carb discussion board.

Mimi

Subject: Re: what was dieting like for youTo: IntuitiveEating_Support Date: Tuesday, October 4, 2011, 2:59 PM

My experience wasn't terribly different. Of course, there was always the last supper eating and the anticipation that this time, things would be different. How long I stayed on the diet depended on how crazy it was. The bigger the fad and the more restrictive, the less time it would be. Sometimes I never made it past the first day, for others, maybe I'd last a week. I'd say I had the most success (for lack of a better term since it was never lasting) with the more "sensible" plans, like WW. On those plans, I could usually last three to six months. The first two months would be great. I'd be really motivated, sticking to the plan, loading up the kitchen with all the approved frozen meals and LF, FF, and sugar-free products, even though I hated them and thought they tasted awful. But I felt very virtuous, eating so "healthy" and sticking to plan. I'd also drag myself to the gym 3-5 times per week and work out like crazy, always trying to work

harder each time to burn more calories and lose even more. And it worked, the pounds would fall off, usually at a pretty steady clip. I could pretty easily lose 25-30 pounds during this time, with all my WW stars and ribbons proudly displayed on my refrigerator to trumpet my success.But then in the third or fourth month, things would start to slip. I'd start getting fed up with the food (I'd rather poke myself in the eye with a sharp stick than ever choke down another Lean Cuisine!), and I'd start to cheat a bit more and skip workouts and WW meetings so I wouldn't have to face the dreaded weigh-in, and gradually the loss would stop and the self-recrimination would build. I'd beat myself up for being a failure. AGAIN. Clearly losing weight was possible because I'd been successful for the previous couple of months! If I weren't so weak-willed, I could make it to goal! And I'd try to hang on and re-commit to do what I'd been doing in the first

couple of months, but my heart wouldn't be in it and the binges would increase and I'd beat myself up even more for wasting money on something that I clearly wasn't disciplined enough to do and eventually I'd drop out. Only to repeat the cycle again often, not terribly far in the distant future.I repeated that cycle countless times for over 30 years. But before I started IE a little over a year ago, I couldn't even do that anymore. I'd been a member of Spark People for over two years at that time and I literally could not stick to the eating plan for more than a week at a time. I'd lose five pounds one week, gain two the next, then lose two and gain three. I probably lost and regained the same ten pounds a dozen times over that two year period. And my self-loathing was only matched by my level of rebellion against the "rules". I really think I was literally driving myself crazy. As I've said in the past, this isn't an easy path. I don't

always feel 100% confident that it's going to work and I certainly don't always love my body. But I think the level of peace I've gained - even though it's not always constant - is *much* preferable to where I was before. I don't know if I'll ever reach my "dream weight" but if the cost is the way I felt before finding IE, it's not worth it. Josie ---

[Guest guest]

My journey is somewhat similar. I ate whatever I wanted and never worried until I hit my late 20's. Then I started to gain weight and also started to panic. Gaining weight was not acceptable. I was known as thin and pretty and I didn't want to disappoint my friends and family by becoming fat. I particularly remember my father commenting on a picture of me when I hit *gasp* 130 pounds (at 5'5"). He was absolutely shocked at how "fat" I was. The message was, "you've lost your looks." I felt much the same way and the struggle began.

I started restricting my eating and went on two diets, both of which were "successful" in that I lost the weight. The first was a low-fat, low-calorie diet when ediets first came out. It wasn't anything inherently outrageous, just counting calories basically. I stuck with it and lost weight. Then one day I was camping with my husband and some friends who had bought donuts for breakfast. Now, I don't even like donuts, but all the restricting finally caught up with me and I ate 3. The sense of failure was so great, I still remember it years later. So, as a form of self-punishment, I continued to eat until I had gained all the weight back and then some.

Years later I went on a low carb diet that I stuck with for about 2 years. There was no one moment when I stopped, but the carb creep gradually led to re-gaining.

The one thing that I never want to return to is the sense of guilt, deprivation and self-flagellation that goes with believing that you are not essentially OK the way you are. No diet will fix that hole. There is also the preoccupation with food and weight that goes along with it all. Ironically, I first read about intuitive eating over at my regular low carb discussion board.

Mimi

Subject: Re: what was dieting like for youTo: IntuitiveEating_Support Date: Tuesday, October 4, 2011, 2:59 PM

My experience wasn't terribly different. Of course, there was always the last supper eating and the anticipation that this time, things would be different. How long I stayed on the diet depended on how crazy it was. The bigger the fad and the more restrictive, the less time it would be. Sometimes I never made it past the first day, for others, maybe I'd last a week. I'd say I had the most success (for lack of a better term since it was never lasting) with the more "sensible" plans, like WW. On those plans, I could usually last three to six months. The first two months would be great. I'd be really motivated, sticking to the plan, loading up the kitchen with all the approved frozen meals and LF, FF, and sugar-free products, even though I hated them and thought they tasted awful. But I felt very virtuous, eating so "healthy" and sticking to plan. I'd also drag myself to the gym 3-5 times per week and work out like crazy, always trying to work

harder each time to burn more calories and lose even more. And it worked, the pounds would fall off, usually at a pretty steady clip. I could pretty easily lose 25-30 pounds during this time, with all my WW stars and ribbons proudly displayed on my refrigerator to trumpet my success.But then in the third or fourth month, things would start to slip. I'd start getting fed up with the food (I'd rather poke myself in the eye with a sharp stick than ever choke down another Lean Cuisine!), and I'd start to cheat a bit more and skip workouts and WW meetings so I wouldn't have to face the dreaded weigh-in, and gradually the loss would stop and the self-recrimination would build. I'd beat myself up for being a failure. AGAIN. Clearly losing weight was possible because I'd been successful for the previous couple of months! If I weren't so weak-willed, I could make it to goal! And I'd try to hang on and re-commit to do what I'd been doing in the first

couple of months, but my heart wouldn't be in it and the binges would increase and I'd beat myself up even more for wasting money on something that I clearly wasn't disciplined enough to do and eventually I'd drop out. Only to repeat the cycle again often, not terribly far in the distant future.I repeated that cycle countless times for over 30 years. But before I started IE a little over a year ago, I couldn't even do that anymore. I'd been a member of Spark People for over two years at that time and I literally could not stick to the eating plan for more than a week at a time. I'd lose five pounds one week, gain two the next, then lose two and gain three. I probably lost and regained the same ten pounds a dozen times over that two year period. And my self-loathing was only matched by my level of rebellion against the "rules". I really think I was literally driving myself crazy. As I've said in the past, this isn't an easy path. I don't

always feel 100% confident that it's going to work and I certainly don't always love my body. But I think the level of peace I've gained - even though it's not always constant - is *much* preferable to where I was before. I don't know if I'll ever reach my "dream weight" but if the cost is the way I felt before finding IE, it's not worth it. Josie ---