Re: Newbie: Slowly Legalizing Foods

[Guest guest]

Hi Ginger: When I first committed to eat intuitively 8 years ago, I hesitated to

load my house with all of my former 'binge foods'. I also realized that the

point of 'legalizing' food was to become more comfortable with and learn to eat

all foods moderately, rather than restrict and or binge eat certain foods. So I

followed an approach I read (can't remember where) to slowly legalize foods:

I listed all the foods I feared or ate during binges or loved but wouldn't let

myself eat regularly. Then I rated each food according to which food I feared

the most and which food I feared the least and could sometimes eat moderately.

Then I relisted the foods from least to most problematic.

Then I committed to bring the least problematic food into my house and eat it

daily until I felt comfortable with that food. When I could eat that food

moderately and no longer worry about overeating that food, I bought the next

least problematic food on my list and ate that daily for a week or until I felt

safe with that food or got tired of eating it.

I proceeded down my list until I was comfortable with all my former 'binge'

foods. I noticed that I really didn't like a few foods that I only ate during

binges. I liked the idea of those foods more than I liked the taste or how those

felt in my body. Nevertheless, I no longer feared I would lose control or binge

eat those foods. I learned that I really loved other foods and feel really good

after eating them. (I still eat peanut butter on a muffin with fruit almost

every other day for breakfast.)

Not all IE books recommend that method. However, bringing just one food into my

house at a time let me comfortably legalize all my former binge foods until they

became 'just food'.

SUE

>

> Hi Abby-thanks for your thoughts...I sooooo wish I was ready to buy a large

> amount of off-limits food and do what you've advised...I don't trust myself

> yet. Just ordered the book Intuitive Eating (not available at my library)

> and am hoping to make progress on that soon. I want to be brave!!!! Or I

> guess I want food to just be a normal part of my life. I will let you know

> the day I am able to do what you've said here--I'm looking forward to it. My

> son will look forward to it too--he always wants to bake cookies, brownies,

> etc. and I usually find some excuse because I am afraid I'll eat it all (and

> I usually do when we do bake). But I am hopeful this will change soon!!!!

> Thanks for the welcome. Ginger

>

[Guest guest]

Hi,

I've allowed candy and cookies since I began this process, but I just can't seem to quite wrap my head around the thought of bringing cream-filled doughnuts or birthday-type cake into the house.

Jeanne

[Guest guest]

Hi Sue,

When we had cake and donuts at work, I would usually go back for seconds and/or thirds during the workday and usually when not hungry. But these foods have seemed to be more problematic when I was dieting. Guess maybe my diet rebel or some emotional thing would kick in, I'd go to the donut shop buy a half dozen or more, drive to the Walmart parking lot and stuff my face in the car. Sometimes I would do this with several cake slices from the grocery store at home. I realize this now this was mindless eating. I always did this secretly because I was too embarrassed by the whole activity but couldn't seem to stop myself.

You know how sometimes when you've been dieting and then find yourself in the presence of some tempting food and all your resolve caves in? I've wondered many times what I would do now in the presence of these foods. I can certainly visualize buying a donut or piece of cake (when not hungry), sitting down, eating mindfully and discovering just a few bites may be enough, or it wasn't as good as I imagined it would be.

Apologize for such a lengthy post. And Laurie thought her issues with chicken parm was silly!

Best wishes,

Jeanne

[Guest guest]

Hi Sue,

When we had cake and donuts at work, I would usually go back for seconds and/or thirds during the workday and usually when not hungry. But these foods have seemed to be more problematic when I was dieting. Guess maybe my diet rebel or some emotional thing would kick in, I'd go to the donut shop buy a half dozen or more, drive to the Walmart parking lot and stuff my face in the car. Sometimes I would do this with several cake slices from the grocery store at home. I realize this now this was mindless eating. I always did this secretly because I was too embarrassed by the whole activity but couldn't seem to stop myself.

You know how sometimes when you've been dieting and then find yourself in the presence of some tempting food and all your resolve caves in? I've wondered many times what I would do now in the presence of these foods. I can certainly visualize buying a donut or piece of cake (when not hungry), sitting down, eating mindfully and discovering just a few bites may be enough, or it wasn't as good as I imagined it would be.

Apologize for such a lengthy post. And Laurie thought her issues with chicken parm was silly!

Best wishes,

Jeanne

[Guest guest]

Hi Sue,

When we had cake and donuts at work, I would usually go back for seconds and/or thirds during the workday and usually when not hungry. But these foods have seemed to be more problematic when I was dieting. Guess maybe my diet rebel or some emotional thing would kick in, I'd go to the donut shop buy a half dozen or more, drive to the Walmart parking lot and stuff my face in the car. Sometimes I would do this with several cake slices from the grocery store at home. I realize this now this was mindless eating. I always did this secretly because I was too embarrassed by the whole activity but couldn't seem to stop myself.

You know how sometimes when you've been dieting and then find yourself in the presence of some tempting food and all your resolve caves in? I've wondered many times what I would do now in the presence of these foods. I can certainly visualize buying a donut or piece of cake (when not hungry), sitting down, eating mindfully and discovering just a few bites may be enough, or it wasn't as good as I imagined it would be.

Apologize for such a lengthy post. And Laurie thought her issues with chicken parm was silly!

Best wishes,

Jeanne