Re: Ready to give up...

[Guest guest]

Raina,Have you read Geneen Roth's new book, Women, Food, and God? i don't remember much of what she said, but she did talk about this issue a fair bit, and i remember liking what she said. she had one chapter in particular, " It's not about the weight, but it's not not about the weight " that i think really speaks to the issue you are struggling with.

IE is tough because there really are no rules... but that's hopefully to allow you to explore your relationship with food, knowing there are no boundaries. However, I continued to use food as my primary coping mechanism for dealing with life, it's not really intuitive eating (to my mind), it's just more emotional or unconscious eating. So maybe you need to check in with yourself about how you are using food? are you paying attention to hunger and satiety when you eat? are you eating consciously, or mostly when you do other things?

another book i really liked is called I Can Make You Thin by McKenna. he introduced me to the idea of you can eat whatever you want and lose weight.... but only if you pay attention to hunger and satiety. i actually am not sure that i can lose weight, regardless, because of hormonal imbalances but his was the first book that made me stop dieting and start paying attention to eating. 

finally, maybe you want to think about speaking with a nutritionist (trained in IE)? or a therapist.it sounds like you are in a really tough spot. we are all here to support you however we can.

best,abby 

 

I have been trying IE for awhile now. In the process, I have put on 50 pounds. I have never been this big or unhealthy in my life. I have trouble with my knees and awful heel pain. I didn't gain this much when I went off a diet. I am so disappointed because I thought this was the way to go. I always want junk food and never crave any of the healthier stuff. I feel terrible. I have acid reflux and terrible anxiety from all this weight I have put on. It is a constant struggle for me to turn away from food. I have to fight with myself all the time to try not to eat when I'm not hungry. To me, this seems so much like a diet. I am only 33 years old and having all these issues. Please tell me how you all get through this. My ankles swell really bad now and gaining all this weight has made me really depressed. What put the icing on the cake was when I went for my yearly physical, my doc recommended gastric bypass. IE seems so simple, but yet is so hard. I just don't know if this is for me. Sorry for rambling.

Raina

[Guest guest]

Hi Raina,

I truly understand how you feel. I, too have been struggling with IE. I haven't

been able to read everyone's posts but I'm sure they mentioned all the things to

start with like get the junk food out of the house, see a nutrionist or

counselor, read Geneen Roth's book " Women Food and God " ...

I can only tell you what helped with me when I was really in touch with my

hunger and my emotions/feelings. I was eating well, felt better, and started

moving ( walking the dogs). I kept a food journal. I really planned out my day

and alloted for the time during the day that was the worst for me; the ride home

from work. It was always so easy to go through the drive thru or stop at the hot

foods line at the grocery store, so I would make sure I ate something before

leaving work and had a piece of fruit while I was driving home. I know one of

the rules is to not eat in the car but for me it worked because I wasn't in the

drive thru line.

Also, I keep an eating journal. I journal before I eat: how I'm feeling ( tired,

anxious, happy etc), my hunger level on a scale of 1-10 ( 10 being STARVING and

I never allowed myself to get to that) and the time. All of these helped me

judge how truly hungry I was. I would journal again after I ate as well: again

how I felt, my hunger level ( usually at 1-2) and the time. It sounds like a

lot, I know but it really can help gage your hunger and your emotions. And if

you don't think you have time for it, you do, really you do (I am saying this

for me as well). I work at a busy animal hopsital and have managed to take the

time for ME. Yep I said it ME!

I hope this helps you in some way. As I said, I am struggling as well to get

back to IE and stop shoving food in my mouth without knowing why, especially

take out and drive thru. I'm starting over today so you have helped because I

have been feeling the same way. So tired of being overweight and tired of

struggling. I have felt bad about myself all the while using food to numb

myself. I'm tired of saying to myself " tomorrow I'll start to journal and eat

well and truly listen to my body " . So, I'm with you. Change is hard but we can

do it!

Cort

>

> I have been trying IE for awhile now. In the process, I have put on 50 pounds.

I have never been this big or unhealthy in my life. I have trouble with my knees

and awful heel pain. I didn't gain this much when I went off a diet. I am so

disappointed because I thought this was the way to go. I always want junk food

and never crave any of the healthier stuff. I feel terrible. I have acid reflux

and terrible anxiety from all this weight I have put on. It is a constant

struggle for me to turn away from food. I have to fight with myself all the time

to try not to eat when I'm not hungry. To me, this seems so much like a diet. I

am only 33 years old and having all these issues. Please tell me how you all get

through this. My ankles swell really bad now and gaining all this weight has

made me really depressed. What put the icing on the cake was when I went for my

yearly physical, my doc recommended gastric bypass. IE seems so simple, but yet

is so hard. I just don't know if this is for me. Sorry for rambling.

>

> Raina

>

[Guest guest]

Hi Raina,

I truly understand how you feel. I, too have been struggling with IE. I haven't

been able to read everyone's posts but I'm sure they mentioned all the things to

start with like get the junk food out of the house, see a nutrionist or

counselor, read Geneen Roth's book " Women Food and God " ...

I can only tell you what helped with me when I was really in touch with my

hunger and my emotions/feelings. I was eating well, felt better, and started

moving ( walking the dogs). I kept a food journal. I really planned out my day

and alloted for the time during the day that was the worst for me; the ride home

from work. It was always so easy to go through the drive thru or stop at the hot

foods line at the grocery store, so I would make sure I ate something before

leaving work and had a piece of fruit while I was driving home. I know one of

the rules is to not eat in the car but for me it worked because I wasn't in the

drive thru line.

Also, I keep an eating journal. I journal before I eat: how I'm feeling ( tired,

anxious, happy etc), my hunger level on a scale of 1-10 ( 10 being STARVING and

I never allowed myself to get to that) and the time. All of these helped me

judge how truly hungry I was. I would journal again after I ate as well: again

how I felt, my hunger level ( usually at 1-2) and the time. It sounds like a

lot, I know but it really can help gage your hunger and your emotions. And if

you don't think you have time for it, you do, really you do (I am saying this

for me as well). I work at a busy animal hopsital and have managed to take the

time for ME. Yep I said it ME!

I hope this helps you in some way. As I said, I am struggling as well to get

back to IE and stop shoving food in my mouth without knowing why, especially

take out and drive thru. I'm starting over today so you have helped because I

have been feeling the same way. So tired of being overweight and tired of

struggling. I have felt bad about myself all the while using food to numb

myself. I'm tired of saying to myself " tomorrow I'll start to journal and eat

well and truly listen to my body " . So, I'm with you. Change is hard but we can

do it!

Cort

>

> I have been trying IE for awhile now. In the process, I have put on 50 pounds.

I have never been this big or unhealthy in my life. I have trouble with my knees

and awful heel pain. I didn't gain this much when I went off a diet. I am so

disappointed because I thought this was the way to go. I always want junk food

and never crave any of the healthier stuff. I feel terrible. I have acid reflux

and terrible anxiety from all this weight I have put on. It is a constant

struggle for me to turn away from food. I have to fight with myself all the time

to try not to eat when I'm not hungry. To me, this seems so much like a diet. I

am only 33 years old and having all these issues. Please tell me how you all get

through this. My ankles swell really bad now and gaining all this weight has

made me really depressed. What put the icing on the cake was when I went for my

yearly physical, my doc recommended gastric bypass. IE seems so simple, but yet

is so hard. I just don't know if this is for me. Sorry for rambling.

>

> Raina

>

[Guest guest]

Hi, Sue,

I was on Prilosec for a couple 6 weeks, then tried to go off it, as my doctor suggested, and got reflux back really bad, so went back on. Then I heard a report on the radio that said that you can't go off Prilosec all at once, you have to wean yourself slowly off of it, because otherwise there is rebound reflux, worse than before you started the meds! So I then read about the vinegar, started taking that, and meanwhile I sloooooowly weaned myself off Prilosec. By the time I was done with the weaning, I discovered the vinegar was working for me.

I can't give you medical advice because I'm not a doctor; I'm just telling you what I did. You should make your own decision, after doing your own research and reading, and maybe consulting with your doctor. I did not check with my doctor before doing this (was pretty sure what she'd say), but I did tell my doctor at my last check up that I was off Prilosec, and why. She was impressed and wrote down what I said, and congratulated me.

Bragg Apple Cider Vinegar is also way cheaper than Prilosec. Only known side effects are that the acid in the vinegar can affect the enamel on your teeth, but if you brush your teeth afterwards, and drink from a straw (I do neither), the effects should be minimal.

Laurie

Re: Ready to give up...

Laurie, I was really interested to read this. I was just diagnosed with GERD a couple of weeks ago and the doctor put me on 2 Prilosec per day. It has helped, but I really don't like taking meds if I can get by without...I have read elsewhere about the vinegar and am wondering if I shouldn't try it....but now I am afraid to quit taking the meds because the reflux was so bad before the meds...did you take meds before trying the vinegar?

Sue

I have had total relief from acid reflux by drinking a small amount of Bragg Apple Cider Vinegar each day. You can find Bragg brand in health food stores and most major grocery chains; it has a cloudiness at the bottom they call "the mother" that is especially beneficial, though other people swear any old apple cider vinegar will do. If you use the Bragg brand, do not refrigerate, and shake before using. I take 1 to 2 teaspoons per day. I like to mix it into ginger tea (which is also beneficial to digestion). Usually I just sip it throughout the day, but sometimes I drink it all in the morning--depends on how I feel. I don't mind the taste (actually sort of like it; Bragg has, I think, a less strong taste than others), but some people prefer it mixed with honey. You can also drink it just mixed with water (and honey, if you like) rather than tea.

I am now able to eat anything I want without any reflux at all. On days when I know we'll be going somewhere that I may be eating something that would usually cause problems, I take the higher amount (2 teaspoons) and sometimes will have a second cup of the tea after I get home. This has been a godsend for me. I no longer have to take any GERD medications.

You can find some information and testimonials here:

http://www.apple-cider-vinegar-benefits.com/vinegar-and-acid-reflux.html

I also use a wedge pillow under my sheet, which initially helped me before I started the vinegar, but now I keep using just because I sleep better with it than without. They sell them in all sorts of elevations; mine is relatively low elevation and suits me perfectly. You can find them on amazon.com and lots of other places--just google "wedge pillow." I think mine cost about $35 and was worth every penny.

I hope this information is as helpful for others as was for me.

Laurie

--

Sue on Fritz

Check out my blogs at: http://alifeofbooks.blogspot.com/

http://suesresearch.blogspot.com

http://suesretirementmusings.blogspot.com/

Check out my books on Goodreads: <

[Guest guest]

Hi, Sue,

I was on Prilosec for a couple 6 weeks, then tried to go off it, as my doctor suggested, and got reflux back really bad, so went back on. Then I heard a report on the radio that said that you can't go off Prilosec all at once, you have to wean yourself slowly off of it, because otherwise there is rebound reflux, worse than before you started the meds! So I then read about the vinegar, started taking that, and meanwhile I sloooooowly weaned myself off Prilosec. By the time I was done with the weaning, I discovered the vinegar was working for me.

I can't give you medical advice because I'm not a doctor; I'm just telling you what I did. You should make your own decision, after doing your own research and reading, and maybe consulting with your doctor. I did not check with my doctor before doing this (was pretty sure what she'd say), but I did tell my doctor at my last check up that I was off Prilosec, and why. She was impressed and wrote down what I said, and congratulated me.

Bragg Apple Cider Vinegar is also way cheaper than Prilosec. Only known side effects are that the acid in the vinegar can affect the enamel on your teeth, but if you brush your teeth afterwards, and drink from a straw (I do neither), the effects should be minimal.

Laurie

Re: Ready to give up...

Laurie, I was really interested to read this. I was just diagnosed with GERD a couple of weeks ago and the doctor put me on 2 Prilosec per day. It has helped, but I really don't like taking meds if I can get by without...I have read elsewhere about the vinegar and am wondering if I shouldn't try it....but now I am afraid to quit taking the meds because the reflux was so bad before the meds...did you take meds before trying the vinegar?

Sue

I have had total relief from acid reflux by drinking a small amount of Bragg Apple Cider Vinegar each day. You can find Bragg brand in health food stores and most major grocery chains; it has a cloudiness at the bottom they call "the mother" that is especially beneficial, though other people swear any old apple cider vinegar will do. If you use the Bragg brand, do not refrigerate, and shake before using. I take 1 to 2 teaspoons per day. I like to mix it into ginger tea (which is also beneficial to digestion). Usually I just sip it throughout the day, but sometimes I drink it all in the morning--depends on how I feel. I don't mind the taste (actually sort of like it; Bragg has, I think, a less strong taste than others), but some people prefer it mixed with honey. You can also drink it just mixed with water (and honey, if you like) rather than tea.

I am now able to eat anything I want without any reflux at all. On days when I know we'll be going somewhere that I may be eating something that would usually cause problems, I take the higher amount (2 teaspoons) and sometimes will have a second cup of the tea after I get home. This has been a godsend for me. I no longer have to take any GERD medications.

You can find some information and testimonials here:

http://www.apple-cider-vinegar-benefits.com/vinegar-and-acid-reflux.html

I also use a wedge pillow under my sheet, which initially helped me before I started the vinegar, but now I keep using just because I sleep better with it than without. They sell them in all sorts of elevations; mine is relatively low elevation and suits me perfectly. You can find them on amazon.com and lots of other places--just google "wedge pillow." I think mine cost about $35 and was worth every penny.

I hope this information is as helpful for others as was for me.

Laurie

--

Sue on Fritz

Check out my blogs at: http://alifeofbooks.blogspot.com/

http://suesresearch.blogspot.com

http://suesretirementmusings.blogspot.com/

Check out my books on Goodreads: <

[Guest guest]

Thanks Laurie! It's nice to know somebody did the same thing I do right now.

Only I live alone and I will eat one meal in the car and then up to 2-3

addittional meals for dinner, if not more.

I having a good day today but I know that there is a bunch of take out waiting

for me at home and in my mind all I want to do is get home and finish it off and

get it out of the house.

I, at some point, need to go to the mall to return stuff but I'm not sure about

doing it today. I find that when I'm having a good day with IE I tend to

overspend hence having to go back to the mall and return $500 boots that I can't

afford.

Cort

>

>

> I used to have a big problem with drive-thrus on the way home from work, too.

My route home (and it's the only one feasible) takes me past every freaking fast

food joint imaginable. I sometimes used to stop at two different ones, one for

my meal (I'd tell myself I wouldn't eat dinner at home) and one for my dessert,

then I'd eat a second dinner at home, ashamed to tell my husband that I'd

already eaten.

>

> Here's how I was able to still eat at drive-thrus but in an IE sort of way:

>

> (1) If I felt I was hungry (and this was before IE), I'd call my husband first

and tell him I was going to eat on the way home, so he should prepare something

for himself. I was, in a way, claiming my right to eat because I was " hungry "

(not sure I always was) but, pre-IE, this was mostly as a control to keep me

from eating again at home, from shame, alas. I'd then eat on the way home, in

the car, as I was driving. Sometimes this remained a problem, because by the

time I got home, I'd feel like eating again, and sometimes end up bingeing by

sneaking food. In hindsight, I think maybe I still felt hungry was because I was

eating while driving (not to mention eating nutritionally questionable food),

and eating something I identified as " bad, " and eating mainly as a way to

destress from work, not from hunger. And of course eating really doesn't work to

alleviate stress, not for long, anyway.

>

> (2) After I started doing IE, I would do the same, but with these differences:

First I'd stop and assess if I was really hungry. If I was just feeling stress,

I'd give myself permission to do something else to de-stress, like browse in a

store. I'd call my husband and ask him to make something for himself, so I

wouldn't have to hurry or worry about him waiting for me to eat his dinner. If I

was truly hungry, I'd stop and get something at the drive-thru, but I would

either sit in the parking lot and eat or pull into a park and eat at a picnic

table. I hate eating inside fast food places, but at least this way I was able

to enjoy my food and pay attention to my level of hunger. I wouldn't then have

the feeling I hadn't eaten, because I'd paid attention and enjoyed it. I'd also

given myself permission to eat whatever it was I had a taste for.

>

> Oddly (or maybe not), I rarely feel the urge to stop anymore. Can't even

remember the last time I did.

>

> Laurie

[Guest guest]

Thanks Laurie! It's nice to know somebody did the same thing I do right now.

Only I live alone and I will eat one meal in the car and then up to 2-3

addittional meals for dinner, if not more.

I having a good day today but I know that there is a bunch of take out waiting

for me at home and in my mind all I want to do is get home and finish it off and

get it out of the house.

I, at some point, need to go to the mall to return stuff but I'm not sure about

doing it today. I find that when I'm having a good day with IE I tend to

overspend hence having to go back to the mall and return $500 boots that I can't

afford.

Cort

>

>

> I used to have a big problem with drive-thrus on the way home from work, too.

My route home (and it's the only one feasible) takes me past every freaking fast

food joint imaginable. I sometimes used to stop at two different ones, one for

my meal (I'd tell myself I wouldn't eat dinner at home) and one for my dessert,

then I'd eat a second dinner at home, ashamed to tell my husband that I'd

already eaten.

>

> Here's how I was able to still eat at drive-thrus but in an IE sort of way:

>

> (1) If I felt I was hungry (and this was before IE), I'd call my husband first

and tell him I was going to eat on the way home, so he should prepare something

for himself. I was, in a way, claiming my right to eat because I was " hungry "

(not sure I always was) but, pre-IE, this was mostly as a control to keep me

from eating again at home, from shame, alas. I'd then eat on the way home, in

the car, as I was driving. Sometimes this remained a problem, because by the

time I got home, I'd feel like eating again, and sometimes end up bingeing by

sneaking food. In hindsight, I think maybe I still felt hungry was because I was

eating while driving (not to mention eating nutritionally questionable food),

and eating something I identified as " bad, " and eating mainly as a way to

destress from work, not from hunger. And of course eating really doesn't work to

alleviate stress, not for long, anyway.

>

> (2) After I started doing IE, I would do the same, but with these differences:

First I'd stop and assess if I was really hungry. If I was just feeling stress,

I'd give myself permission to do something else to de-stress, like browse in a

store. I'd call my husband and ask him to make something for himself, so I

wouldn't have to hurry or worry about him waiting for me to eat his dinner. If I

was truly hungry, I'd stop and get something at the drive-thru, but I would

either sit in the parking lot and eat or pull into a park and eat at a picnic

table. I hate eating inside fast food places, but at least this way I was able

to enjoy my food and pay attention to my level of hunger. I wouldn't then have

the feeling I hadn't eaten, because I'd paid attention and enjoyed it. I'd also

given myself permission to eat whatever it was I had a taste for.

>

> Oddly (or maybe not), I rarely feel the urge to stop anymore. Can't even

remember the last time I did.

>

> Laurie

[Guest guest]

Hi Raina,

I really like WFG but I find it very philosophical & so it is dificult for me to

remember what she says in it. I've read it several times AND my book club has

been reading it aloud & discussing (we only get about 10 - 15 pages done per

week due to the discussion part LOL). AND still it is hard for me to remember

exactly what she is saying. WHAT I DO REMEMBER VERY EASILY ARE THE GUIDELINES

AND I THINK THAT THOSE ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF THE BOOK. Also, I think

they are what set this book apart from the other IE books that I've read. Don't

get me wron, I LOVE all the other books & have learned valuable info from each

of them, it's just that Geneen's book is somehow in another category. It is not

really fact based & how to like the other ones, it seems to pull at my heart

strings where the others were more about how to do IE, wfg was more about WHY

for me.

I will keep reading it, it will sink in eventually & then it will all make sense

(or NOT) LOL

mj

> >

> > I have been trying IE for awhile now. In the process, I have put on

> > 50 pounds. I have never been this big or unhealthy in my life. I

> > have trouble with my knees and awful heel pain. I didn't gain this

> > much when I went off a diet. I am so disappointed because I thought

> > this was the way to go. I always want junk food and never crave any

> > of the healthier stuff. I feel terrible. I have acid reflux and

> > terrible anxiety from all this weight I have put on. It is a

> > constant struggle for me to turn away from food. I have to fight

> > with myself all the time to try not to eat when I'm not hungry. To

> > me, this seems so much like a diet. I am only 33 years old and

> > having all these issues. Please tell me how you all get through

> > this. My ankles swell really bad now and gaining all this weight has

> > made me really depressed. What put the icing on the cake was when I

> > went for my yearly physical, my doc recommended gastric bypass. IE

> > seems so simple, but yet is so hard. I just don't know if this is

> > for me. Sorry for rambling.

> >

> > Raina

> >

> >

> >

>

[Guest guest]

Hi Raina,

I really like WFG but I find it very philosophical & so it is dificult for me to

remember what she says in it. I've read it several times AND my book club has

been reading it aloud & discussing (we only get about 10 - 15 pages done per

week due to the discussion part LOL). AND still it is hard for me to remember

exactly what she is saying. WHAT I DO REMEMBER VERY EASILY ARE THE GUIDELINES

AND I THINK THAT THOSE ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF THE BOOK. Also, I think

they are what set this book apart from the other IE books that I've read. Don't

get me wron, I LOVE all the other books & have learned valuable info from each

of them, it's just that Geneen's book is somehow in another category. It is not

really fact based & how to like the other ones, it seems to pull at my heart

strings where the others were more about how to do IE, wfg was more about WHY

for me.

I will keep reading it, it will sink in eventually & then it will all make sense

(or NOT) LOL

mj

> >

> > I have been trying IE for awhile now. In the process, I have put on

> > 50 pounds. I have never been this big or unhealthy in my life. I

> > have trouble with my knees and awful heel pain. I didn't gain this

> > much when I went off a diet. I am so disappointed because I thought

> > this was the way to go. I always want junk food and never crave any

> > of the healthier stuff. I feel terrible. I have acid reflux and

> > terrible anxiety from all this weight I have put on. It is a

> > constant struggle for me to turn away from food. I have to fight

> > with myself all the time to try not to eat when I'm not hungry. To

> > me, this seems so much like a diet. I am only 33 years old and

> > having all these issues. Please tell me how you all get through

> > this. My ankles swell really bad now and gaining all this weight has

> > made me really depressed. What put the icing on the cake was when I

> > went for my yearly physical, my doc recommended gastric bypass. IE

> > seems so simple, but yet is so hard. I just don't know if this is

> > for me. Sorry for rambling.

> >

> > Raina

> >

> >

> >

>

[Guest guest]

Latoya,

This is an awesome post, something here for all of us. I especially like hearing your description of how coming to balance was a slow, deliberate, step-by-step process for you. I think my past addiction to quick-fix dieting has given me an unrealistic expectation that this all can somehow be righted quickly and cleanly. I don't know why I would believe this--it never really worked with diets, either, but those were and are still the claims that the diet industry makes.

A dear friend of mine told me today that she is paying an obscene amount of money to have human growth hormone shots daily, and will go on a doctor-supervised 23-day, 500-calorie-a-day diet that is preceded by a 2-day gorge. This obscenity, believe it or not, is being touted by her doctor as a way for my friend to lose a stubborn final 10 pounds that she previously lost (along with 35 other pounds) on the Smart-for-Life cookie diet, also touted by this same doctor. It saddens me so deeply that this lovely, intelligent woman would put herself onto such a horrible deprivation diet, even if it is "only" for 23 days. When I expressed my concern, all she could say was "I knew I shouldn't have told you."

I can't imagine being in that position anymore. Truly, I would rather be fat than be that desperate ever again. But I don't think those are my only two choices. I do think I can come to a healthy weight AND have peace of mind, but I don't believe that this, or any meaningful change, can come quickly. And right now, tonight anyway, I'm willing to wait and do what I need to do to work the IE program.

Laurie

Re: Ready to give up...

Raina,

It always hurts my heart to hear stories like yours of people continuing to gain weight in their efforts to stop dieting and to eat intuitively. I don't believe that IE is about weight loss, though I definitely believe that practicing IE is one of the best methods to find balance; no weight gain and no weight loss.

I definitely concur with Christie's Honoring Your Health blog points about 3 of the top reasons that people gain weight on their IE path: 1) A person may interpret intuitive eating to mean "no holds barred" eating (binging) 2) A connection with a person's true biological hunger and fullness has not been made or 3) A person on the lower end of the weight range, may need to gain weight.

If someone who does not need to gain weight is experiencing continuous weight gain with IE, I believe that they should seek outside assistance within the first 1-3 months. There could be some biological or hormonal imbalance going on. So, a consult with a MD might be in order. Most likely a connection and ability to honor hunger signals hasn't been made and eating for emotional reasons and compulsive eating habits continue to dominate. Who wouldn't be ready to give up IE, if they've gone 6 months and gained weight?!

I'm 33 too. And, about 3 weeks ago, I felt like a "normal eater" for the first time since I was 4 years old! For the most part, food is just food. I know that practicing intuitive eating is a major reason that I've made peace with food and my body.

A lot of people say that finding balance in your body or losing weight is about a "lifestyle" change. I don't agree. I believe that a person's "lifestyle" is a reflection or extension of who they are inside. So, for me finding balance and disconnecting from an obsessive-compulsive relationship with food required that I actually become a different person than who I had been.

I had to willingly admit, confront, and transform each one of my habits that caused me to be a chronic and expert weight gainer for the majority of my life. That meant learning how to "wait" for my hunger and eventually how to honor my fullness signals. That meant ending the free pass to overeat during holidays and vacations and at special event or office gathering, etc. That meant keeping my body hydrated so that I wasn't turning to moist foods for my water needs.

It meant learning how to stay conscious and mindful, how not to trance out or abandon myself through food, how to sit with my emotions, and how distract and soothe myself with non-food self-care methods [Read When Women Stop Hating Their Bodies]. It meant experimenting with and exploring how and when my body loves to move and making movement a priority.

Fortunately, I have a masters degree in counseling psychology, so I could coach and counsel myself through this journey. If I didn't have those skills/knowledge, I would have definitely sought help with my emotional eating and compulsive thoughts related to food. Personally, I knew that I had truly connected with my body's needs and signals when my weight stayed level for 6 whole months at the beginning of my journey.

I have met several healthcare practitioners in my area who have reported that many of their patients, who have undergone gastric bypass, continue to struggle with food and have gained weight back. So, whether you continue IE or choose another option, your weight gaining habits need to be transformed, if you want to experience peace and balance in your body. You may benefit from a more structured eating plan to detox from junk food in order to get your body in a more peaceful place that allows you to connect with your hunger and fullness signals.

My greatest wish for you, me, and everyone else is to experience ongoing peace, balance, and love in relationship with our bodies.

Latoya

Practicing IE since January '08

>

> I have been trying IE for awhile now. In the process, I have put on 50 pounds. I have never been this big or unhealthy in my life. I have trouble with my knees and awful heel pain. I didn't gain this much when I went off a diet. I am so disappointed because I thought this was the way to go. I always want junk food and never crave any of the healthier stuff. I feel terrible. I have acid reflux and terrible anxiety from all this weight I have put on. It is a constant struggle for me to turn away from food. I have to fight with myself all the time to try not to eat when I'm not hungry. To me, this seems so much like a diet. I am only 33 years old and having all these issues. Please tell me how you all get through this. My ankles swell really bad now and gaining all this weight has made me really depressed. What put the icing on the cake was when I went for my yearly physical, my doc recommended gastric bypass. IE seems so simple, but yet is so hard. I just don't know if thi s is for me. Sorry for rambling.

>

> Raina

[Guest guest]

Latoya,

This is an awesome post, something here for all of us. I especially like hearing your description of how coming to balance was a slow, deliberate, step-by-step process for you. I think my past addiction to quick-fix dieting has given me an unrealistic expectation that this all can somehow be righted quickly and cleanly. I don't know why I would believe this--it never really worked with diets, either, but those were and are still the claims that the diet industry makes.

A dear friend of mine told me today that she is paying an obscene amount of money to have human growth hormone shots daily, and will go on a doctor-supervised 23-day, 500-calorie-a-day diet that is preceded by a 2-day gorge. This obscenity, believe it or not, is being touted by her doctor as a way for my friend to lose a stubborn final 10 pounds that she previously lost (along with 35 other pounds) on the Smart-for-Life cookie diet, also touted by this same doctor. It saddens me so deeply that this lovely, intelligent woman would put herself onto such a horrible deprivation diet, even if it is "only" for 23 days. When I expressed my concern, all she could say was "I knew I shouldn't have told you."

I can't imagine being in that position anymore. Truly, I would rather be fat than be that desperate ever again. But I don't think those are my only two choices. I do think I can come to a healthy weight AND have peace of mind, but I don't believe that this, or any meaningful change, can come quickly. And right now, tonight anyway, I'm willing to wait and do what I need to do to work the IE program.

Laurie

Re: Ready to give up...

Raina,

It always hurts my heart to hear stories like yours of people continuing to gain weight in their efforts to stop dieting and to eat intuitively. I don't believe that IE is about weight loss, though I definitely believe that practicing IE is one of the best methods to find balance; no weight gain and no weight loss.

I definitely concur with Christie's Honoring Your Health blog points about 3 of the top reasons that people gain weight on their IE path: 1) A person may interpret intuitive eating to mean "no holds barred" eating (binging) 2) A connection with a person's true biological hunger and fullness has not been made or 3) A person on the lower end of the weight range, may need to gain weight.

If someone who does not need to gain weight is experiencing continuous weight gain with IE, I believe that they should seek outside assistance within the first 1-3 months. There could be some biological or hormonal imbalance going on. So, a consult with a MD might be in order. Most likely a connection and ability to honor hunger signals hasn't been made and eating for emotional reasons and compulsive eating habits continue to dominate. Who wouldn't be ready to give up IE, if they've gone 6 months and gained weight?!

I'm 33 too. And, about 3 weeks ago, I felt like a "normal eater" for the first time since I was 4 years old! For the most part, food is just food. I know that practicing intuitive eating is a major reason that I've made peace with food and my body.

A lot of people say that finding balance in your body or losing weight is about a "lifestyle" change. I don't agree. I believe that a person's "lifestyle" is a reflection or extension of who they are inside. So, for me finding balance and disconnecting from an obsessive-compulsive relationship with food required that I actually become a different person than who I had been.

I had to willingly admit, confront, and transform each one of my habits that caused me to be a chronic and expert weight gainer for the majority of my life. That meant learning how to "wait" for my hunger and eventually how to honor my fullness signals. That meant ending the free pass to overeat during holidays and vacations and at special event or office gathering, etc. That meant keeping my body hydrated so that I wasn't turning to moist foods for my water needs.

It meant learning how to stay conscious and mindful, how not to trance out or abandon myself through food, how to sit with my emotions, and how distract and soothe myself with non-food self-care methods [Read When Women Stop Hating Their Bodies]. It meant experimenting with and exploring how and when my body loves to move and making movement a priority.

Fortunately, I have a masters degree in counseling psychology, so I could coach and counsel myself through this journey. If I didn't have those skills/knowledge, I would have definitely sought help with my emotional eating and compulsive thoughts related to food. Personally, I knew that I had truly connected with my body's needs and signals when my weight stayed level for 6 whole months at the beginning of my journey.

I have met several healthcare practitioners in my area who have reported that many of their patients, who have undergone gastric bypass, continue to struggle with food and have gained weight back. So, whether you continue IE or choose another option, your weight gaining habits need to be transformed, if you want to experience peace and balance in your body. You may benefit from a more structured eating plan to detox from junk food in order to get your body in a more peaceful place that allows you to connect with your hunger and fullness signals.

My greatest wish for you, me, and everyone else is to experience ongoing peace, balance, and love in relationship with our bodies.

Latoya

Practicing IE since January '08

>

> I have been trying IE for awhile now. In the process, I have put on 50 pounds. I have never been this big or unhealthy in my life. I have trouble with my knees and awful heel pain. I didn't gain this much when I went off a diet. I am so disappointed because I thought this was the way to go. I always want junk food and never crave any of the healthier stuff. I feel terrible. I have acid reflux and terrible anxiety from all this weight I have put on. It is a constant struggle for me to turn away from food. I have to fight with myself all the time to try not to eat when I'm not hungry. To me, this seems so much like a diet. I am only 33 years old and having all these issues. Please tell me how you all get through this. My ankles swell really bad now and gaining all this weight has made me really depressed. What put the icing on the cake was when I went for my yearly physical, my doc recommended gastric bypass. IE seems so simple, but yet is so hard. I just don't know if thi s is for me. Sorry for rambling.

>

> Raina

[Guest guest]

Latoya,

Awesome post!!! Thanks SO MUCH for your support. I'm 33, and I

assumed you were older because your wisdom is so wonderful. Funny

that!!!

I'm doing so much better lately as well...food is getting closer to

being just food...but joyful and delicious too. I'm eating at home

more and going to Taco Bell drive thru less, because I deserve better

than to just shovel food down my gullet. This weekend I'm going to a

spiritual retreat, and I've spent quality time putting together foods

that I like, having a bag of food with me to nourish me...honey

roasted cashews and smokehouse almonds so I'm not hungry (since I'm

veg and some smaller retreats don't have many options), soymilk in

serving containers, some veggie chips and kettle corn, and chocolate

covered coconut and almonds. Things that are decadent, wonderful,

and still relatively healthy.

Another interesting book many have recommended to me is Bacon's

Health at Every Size. Have any of you read that? I've also read a

book by Kolata called Rethinking Thin which confirms the fact

that diets don't work.

I avoid complimenting people when they've lost weight. I find it

insulting in a weird way...and that attention people get

can be very psychologically damaging when the weight comes back on,

when most of the time it does.

I'm rambling as it's late night...hope this makes sense. I

appreciate you all so much and your encouragement. You're all

AWESOME!!!

Cheers,

[Guest guest]

Latoya,

Awesome post!!! Thanks SO MUCH for your support. I'm 33, and I

assumed you were older because your wisdom is so wonderful. Funny

that!!!

I'm doing so much better lately as well...food is getting closer to

being just food...but joyful and delicious too. I'm eating at home

more and going to Taco Bell drive thru less, because I deserve better

than to just shovel food down my gullet. This weekend I'm going to a

spiritual retreat, and I've spent quality time putting together foods

that I like, having a bag of food with me to nourish me...honey

roasted cashews and smokehouse almonds so I'm not hungry (since I'm

veg and some smaller retreats don't have many options), soymilk in

serving containers, some veggie chips and kettle corn, and chocolate

covered coconut and almonds. Things that are decadent, wonderful,

and still relatively healthy.

Another interesting book many have recommended to me is Bacon's

Health at Every Size. Have any of you read that? I've also read a

book by Kolata called Rethinking Thin which confirms the fact

that diets don't work.

I avoid complimenting people when they've lost weight. I find it

insulting in a weird way...and that attention people get

can be very psychologically damaging when the weight comes back on,

when most of the time it does.

I'm rambling as it's late night...hope this makes sense. I

appreciate you all so much and your encouragement. You're all

AWESOME!!!

Cheers,

[Guest guest]

You can say "you look great". You don't have to comment unless they tell you they have lost weight, then you say "Congratulations, good for you." I don't like comments about my weight, because if they notice when I lose, then they notice when I gain. I'd rather talk about something else.

Debbie

I feel uncomfortable right now when I notice that people have lost weight because quite simply, I don't know WHAT to say. It is really not a good feeling. Do I comment on it or not? I would love to hear how other people on this list handle that OR how they feel about it when someone comments on their weight loss. Speaking personally, Sometimes I don't have a problem with someone noticing that I have lost around 40 lbs & am probably at my "natural" weight now. Other times it does bother me a bit. I'm going to try to keep track of exactly what feelings come up when someone notices in the future.mj

[Guest guest]

I totally agree. I never mention body characteristics at all, unless its

something the person has direct control over (like hair style). What i wish i

had more courage to do is to challenge diet/weight talk when i hear it.

Especially from my family.

Thea

>

> I've *always* hated it when people complimented me for losing weight. I agree

with that I find it kind of insulting, even though I know that it's not

meant that way. But it's sort of like, no one ever compliments me and tells me

I look good when I'm heavier, so why compliment me when I'm thinner? They're

basically saying that I don't look good unless I'm thinner. So, for that

reason, I never compliment people for losing weight, either. I'll compliment

their outfit or jewelry or hair, or whatever. But I never tie compliments to

weight loss.

>

[Guest guest]

I totally agree. I never mention body characteristics at all, unless its

something the person has direct control over (like hair style). What i wish i

had more courage to do is to challenge diet/weight talk when i hear it.

Especially from my family.

Thea

>

> I've *always* hated it when people complimented me for losing weight. I agree

with that I find it kind of insulting, even though I know that it's not

meant that way. But it's sort of like, no one ever compliments me and tells me

I look good when I'm heavier, so why compliment me when I'm thinner? They're

basically saying that I don't look good unless I'm thinner. So, for that

reason, I never compliment people for losing weight, either. I'll compliment

their outfit or jewelry or hair, or whatever. But I never tie compliments to

weight loss.

>