Re: New Here Just Joined

[Guest guest]

Hey Laurie,Thanks for the welcome! I think over the past year I finally "got it". I got so sick of on and off diets. Gaining and losing. On and off IE eating. I knew in the past it worked. I sense God really was showing the damage I was causing emotionally, spiritually, and physically. Now I'm not perfect. I do on occasion give into cravings. Like last week I gave into a sugar craving. It caused me to want to eat and eat. Which I did. Looking back I see that I had an emotional situation and sugar would comfort me and hold down the feelings so I thought. It only made me feel worse. So this week, I have made a decision that I must stick with this and do this. I felt awful on my last binge. Both physically, spiritually, and emotionally.

I find I need the accountability. That is when I found this group and joined today.When I eat this way I feel better about myself. God's presence is nearer, and I have more energy. Having that is worth it to me, to wait for hunger and stop when just satisfied or full. Not stuffed. Hope that answers your question. How about you? How long have you been doing this? How has your journey been?Debbie

>>>I just joined this group. I was looking for an active group on intuitive eating. I've been doing this on and off for 10 years. After now coming back to eating when hungry and stopping when full for a year now, I know this is the way to eat. I need to be around others who are doing this. I find I feel more free and not deprived. <<<

[Guest guest]

Hey Laurie,Thanks for the welcome! I think over the past year I finally "got it". I got so sick of on and off diets. Gaining and losing. On and off IE eating. I knew in the past it worked. I sense God really was showing the damage I was causing emotionally, spiritually, and physically. Now I'm not perfect. I do on occasion give into cravings. Like last week I gave into a sugar craving. It caused me to want to eat and eat. Which I did. Looking back I see that I had an emotional situation and sugar would comfort me and hold down the feelings so I thought. It only made me feel worse. So this week, I have made a decision that I must stick with this and do this. I felt awful on my last binge. Both physically, spiritually, and emotionally.

I find I need the accountability. That is when I found this group and joined today.When I eat this way I feel better about myself. God's presence is nearer, and I have more energy. Having that is worth it to me, to wait for hunger and stop when just satisfied or full. Not stuffed. Hope that answers your question. How about you? How long have you been doing this? How has your journey been?Debbie

>>>I just joined this group. I was looking for an active group on intuitive eating. I've been doing this on and off for 10 years. After now coming back to eating when hungry and stopping when full for a year now, I know this is the way to eat. I need to be around others who are doing this. I find I feel more free and not deprived. <<<

[Guest guest]

Hey Laurie,Thanks for the welcome! I think over the past year I finally "got it". I got so sick of on and off diets. Gaining and losing. On and off IE eating. I knew in the past it worked. I sense God really was showing the damage I was causing emotionally, spiritually, and physically. Now I'm not perfect. I do on occasion give into cravings. Like last week I gave into a sugar craving. It caused me to want to eat and eat. Which I did. Looking back I see that I had an emotional situation and sugar would comfort me and hold down the feelings so I thought. It only made me feel worse. So this week, I have made a decision that I must stick with this and do this. I felt awful on my last binge. Both physically, spiritually, and emotionally.

I find I need the accountability. That is when I found this group and joined today.When I eat this way I feel better about myself. God's presence is nearer, and I have more energy. Having that is worth it to me, to wait for hunger and stop when just satisfied or full. Not stuffed. Hope that answers your question. How about you? How long have you been doing this? How has your journey been?Debbie

>>>I just joined this group. I was looking for an active group on intuitive eating. I've been doing this on and off for 10 years. After now coming back to eating when hungry and stopping when full for a year now, I know this is the way to eat. I need to be around others who are doing this. I find I feel more free and not deprived. <<<

[Guest guest]

Hi Jeanne,Thanks for the welcome! How has your journey been? How did you come to IE?DebbieSubject: New Here Just JoinedTo: IntuitiveEating_Support Date: Thursday, June 3, 2010, 11:53 AM

Hi Debbie,

Welcome! I'm glad you're here and look forward to hearing more from you!

I started the IE process about seven months ago, so I'm still a work in progress. This process has been so worth it because, as you say, feeling more free and the peace of mind you feel once you decide to give up the dieting craziness.

All the best,

Jeanne

[Guest guest]

Hi Jeanne,Thanks for the welcome! How has your journey been? How did you come to IE?DebbieSubject: New Here Just JoinedTo: IntuitiveEating_Support Date: Thursday, June 3, 2010, 11:53 AM

Hi Debbie,

Welcome! I'm glad you're here and look forward to hearing more from you!

I started the IE process about seven months ago, so I'm still a work in progress. This process has been so worth it because, as you say, feeling more free and the peace of mind you feel once you decide to give up the dieting craziness.

All the best,

Jeanne

[Guest guest]

Hi, Debbie,

I've been inching toward IE for the last several years. I discovered I simply could *not* diet, but if I didn't diet, I'd find myself gaining more and more weight. Last year I joined Weight Watchers for the first time and lost 30 pounds. Their emphasis on filling foods helped me to normalize my eating, and reading "The End of Overeating" by Kessler helped me to recognize hidden triggers in foods (basically, fat, sugar, salt combos), while reading "Hungry" by Zadoff helped me recognize how totally addicted to food I really was. He has some hilarious (and painfully true) descriptions of his addiction, and I saw myself in those descriptions. I've kept off the weight I lost in WW, but I got more and more resentful of the obsessive way I had to count points and spend a good deal of my day thinking about food. I longed for some way to get to a normal relationship with food. I started reading books on mindful eating, and started trying to address my tendency to cycle between overexercising and then blowing out and going all couch-potatoey.

I'd say I'm basically a "permitter" when it comes to food, and an obsessive manic person when it comes to exercise. So I have to learn to stop: Stop eating when I'm full, and stop exercising when I've done enough. I guess I tend to excess in everything. An odd combo.

Seeing how different it feels to live more sanely is very motivating for me. Sounds like it is for you, too!

Laurie

Debbie wrote:

>>>Thanks for the welcome! I think over the past year I finally "got it". I got so sick of on and off diets. Gaining and losing. On and off IE eating. I knew in the past it worked. I sense God really was showing the damage I was causing emotionally, spiritually, and physically. Now I'm not perfect. I do on occasion give into cravings. Like last week I gave into a sugar craving. It caused me to want to eat and eat. Which I did.

Looking back I see that I had an emotional situation and sugar would comfort me and hold down the feelings so I thought. It only made me feel worse. So this week, I have made a decision that I must stick with this and do this. I felt awful on my last binge. Both physically, spiritually, and emotionally. I find I need the accountability. That is when I found this group and joined today.

When I eat this way I feel better about myself. God's presence is nearer, and I have more energy. Having that is worth it to me, to wait for hunger and stop when just satisfied or full. Not stuffed. Hope that answers your question. How about you? How long have you been doing this? How has your journey been?<<<

[Guest guest]

Hi, Debbie,

I've been inching toward IE for the last several years. I discovered I simply could *not* diet, but if I didn't diet, I'd find myself gaining more and more weight. Last year I joined Weight Watchers for the first time and lost 30 pounds. Their emphasis on filling foods helped me to normalize my eating, and reading "The End of Overeating" by Kessler helped me to recognize hidden triggers in foods (basically, fat, sugar, salt combos), while reading "Hungry" by Zadoff helped me recognize how totally addicted to food I really was. He has some hilarious (and painfully true) descriptions of his addiction, and I saw myself in those descriptions. I've kept off the weight I lost in WW, but I got more and more resentful of the obsessive way I had to count points and spend a good deal of my day thinking about food. I longed for some way to get to a normal relationship with food. I started reading books on mindful eating, and started trying to address my tendency to cycle between overexercising and then blowing out and going all couch-potatoey.

I'd say I'm basically a "permitter" when it comes to food, and an obsessive manic person when it comes to exercise. So I have to learn to stop: Stop eating when I'm full, and stop exercising when I've done enough. I guess I tend to excess in everything. An odd combo.

Seeing how different it feels to live more sanely is very motivating for me. Sounds like it is for you, too!

Laurie

Debbie wrote:

>>>Thanks for the welcome! I think over the past year I finally "got it". I got so sick of on and off diets. Gaining and losing. On and off IE eating. I knew in the past it worked. I sense God really was showing the damage I was causing emotionally, spiritually, and physically. Now I'm not perfect. I do on occasion give into cravings. Like last week I gave into a sugar craving. It caused me to want to eat and eat. Which I did.

Looking back I see that I had an emotional situation and sugar would comfort me and hold down the feelings so I thought. It only made me feel worse. So this week, I have made a decision that I must stick with this and do this. I felt awful on my last binge. Both physically, spiritually, and emotionally. I find I need the accountability. That is when I found this group and joined today.

When I eat this way I feel better about myself. God's presence is nearer, and I have more energy. Having that is worth it to me, to wait for hunger and stop when just satisfied or full. Not stuffed. Hope that answers your question. How about you? How long have you been doing this? How has your journey been?<<<

[Guest guest]

Hi, Debbie,

I've been inching toward IE for the last several years. I discovered I simply could *not* diet, but if I didn't diet, I'd find myself gaining more and more weight. Last year I joined Weight Watchers for the first time and lost 30 pounds. Their emphasis on filling foods helped me to normalize my eating, and reading "The End of Overeating" by Kessler helped me to recognize hidden triggers in foods (basically, fat, sugar, salt combos), while reading "Hungry" by Zadoff helped me recognize how totally addicted to food I really was. He has some hilarious (and painfully true) descriptions of his addiction, and I saw myself in those descriptions. I've kept off the weight I lost in WW, but I got more and more resentful of the obsessive way I had to count points and spend a good deal of my day thinking about food. I longed for some way to get to a normal relationship with food. I started reading books on mindful eating, and started trying to address my tendency to cycle between overexercising and then blowing out and going all couch-potatoey.

I'd say I'm basically a "permitter" when it comes to food, and an obsessive manic person when it comes to exercise. So I have to learn to stop: Stop eating when I'm full, and stop exercising when I've done enough. I guess I tend to excess in everything. An odd combo.

Seeing how different it feels to live more sanely is very motivating for me. Sounds like it is for you, too!

Laurie

Debbie wrote:

>>>Thanks for the welcome! I think over the past year I finally "got it". I got so sick of on and off diets. Gaining and losing. On and off IE eating. I knew in the past it worked. I sense God really was showing the damage I was causing emotionally, spiritually, and physically. Now I'm not perfect. I do on occasion give into cravings. Like last week I gave into a sugar craving. It caused me to want to eat and eat. Which I did.

Looking back I see that I had an emotional situation and sugar would comfort me and hold down the feelings so I thought. It only made me feel worse. So this week, I have made a decision that I must stick with this and do this. I felt awful on my last binge. Both physically, spiritually, and emotionally. I find I need the accountability. That is when I found this group and joined today.

When I eat this way I feel better about myself. God's presence is nearer, and I have more energy. Having that is worth it to me, to wait for hunger and stop when just satisfied or full. Not stuffed. Hope that answers your question. How about you? How long have you been doing this? How has your journey been?<<<

[Guest guest]

Hi Laurie,I did the WW thing a couple of times. I lost 35 pounds, and like you I didn't like being caged in with the points. Then I got back into eating emotionally and then wanting to find another 'diet'. I can relate to the wanting to exercise to get rid of what I just ate. Since finding IE I have found more freedom. I like you, don't want food to have the power it seems to have. So doing IE way of eating I eat when hungry and stop when just full. That way I really don't need to think of food until I'm hungry. Like I said, there are days in the month where I might have some cravings. Now, today, I've decided no more of that. I can do this. Thanks for sharing your journey with me.Debbie---

Subject: Re: New Here Just JoinedTo: IntuitiveEating_Support Date: Thursday, June 3, 2010, 7:16 PM

Hi, Debbie,

I've been inching toward IE for the last several years. I discovered I simply could *not* diet, but if I didn't diet, I'd find myself gaining more and more weight. Last year I joined Weight Watchers for the first time and lost 30 pounds. Their emphasis on filling foods helped me to normalize my eating, and reading "The End of Overeating" by Kessler helped me to recognize hidden triggers in foods (basically, fat, sugar, salt combos), while reading "Hungry" by Zadoff helped me recognize how totally addicted to food I really was. He has some hilarious (and painfully true) descriptions of his addiction, and I saw myself in those descriptions. I've kept off the weight I lost in WW, but I got more and more resentful of the obsessive way I had to count points and spend a good deal of my day thinking about food. I longed for some way to get to a normal relationship with food. I started reading books on mindful eating, and started trying to address my

tendency to cycle between overexercising and then blowing out and going all couch-potatoey.

I'd say I'm basically a "permitter" when it comes to food, and an obsessive manic person when it comes to exercise. So I have to learn to stop: Stop eating when I'm full, and stop exercising when I've done enough. I guess I tend to excess in everything. An odd combo.

Seeing how different it feels to live more sanely is very motivating for me. Sounds like it is for you, too!

Laurie

Debbie wrote:

>>>Thanks for the welcome! I think over the past year I finally "got it". I got so sick of on and off diets. Gaining and losing. On and off IE eating. I knew in the past it worked. I sense God really was showing the damage I was causing emotionally, spiritually, and physically. Now I'm not perfect. I do on occasion give into cravings. Like last week I gave into a sugar craving. It caused me to want to eat and eat. Which I did.

Looking back I see that I had an emotional situation and sugar would comfort me and hold down the feelings so I thought. It only made me feel worse. So this week, I have made a decision that I must stick with this and do this. I felt awful on my last binge. Both physically, spiritually, and emotionally. I find I need the accountability. That is when I found this group and joined today.

When I eat this way I feel better about myself. God's presence is nearer, and I have more energy. Having that is worth it to me, to wait for hunger and stop when just satisfied or full. Not stuffed. Hope that answers your question. How about you? How long have you been doing this? How has your journey been?<<<

[Guest guest]

Hi Laurie,I did the WW thing a couple of times. I lost 35 pounds, and like you I didn't like being caged in with the points. Then I got back into eating emotionally and then wanting to find another 'diet'. I can relate to the wanting to exercise to get rid of what I just ate. Since finding IE I have found more freedom. I like you, don't want food to have the power it seems to have. So doing IE way of eating I eat when hungry and stop when just full. That way I really don't need to think of food until I'm hungry. Like I said, there are days in the month where I might have some cravings. Now, today, I've decided no more of that. I can do this. Thanks for sharing your journey with me.Debbie---

Subject: Re: New Here Just JoinedTo: IntuitiveEating_Support Date: Thursday, June 3, 2010, 7:16 PM

Hi, Debbie,

I've been inching toward IE for the last several years. I discovered I simply could *not* diet, but if I didn't diet, I'd find myself gaining more and more weight. Last year I joined Weight Watchers for the first time and lost 30 pounds. Their emphasis on filling foods helped me to normalize my eating, and reading "The End of Overeating" by Kessler helped me to recognize hidden triggers in foods (basically, fat, sugar, salt combos), while reading "Hungry" by Zadoff helped me recognize how totally addicted to food I really was. He has some hilarious (and painfully true) descriptions of his addiction, and I saw myself in those descriptions. I've kept off the weight I lost in WW, but I got more and more resentful of the obsessive way I had to count points and spend a good deal of my day thinking about food. I longed for some way to get to a normal relationship with food. I started reading books on mindful eating, and started trying to address my

tendency to cycle between overexercising and then blowing out and going all couch-potatoey.

I'd say I'm basically a "permitter" when it comes to food, and an obsessive manic person when it comes to exercise. So I have to learn to stop: Stop eating when I'm full, and stop exercising when I've done enough. I guess I tend to excess in everything. An odd combo.

Seeing how different it feels to live more sanely is very motivating for me. Sounds like it is for you, too!

Laurie

Debbie wrote:

>>>Thanks for the welcome! I think over the past year I finally "got it". I got so sick of on and off diets. Gaining and losing. On and off IE eating. I knew in the past it worked. I sense God really was showing the damage I was causing emotionally, spiritually, and physically. Now I'm not perfect. I do on occasion give into cravings. Like last week I gave into a sugar craving. It caused me to want to eat and eat. Which I did.

Looking back I see that I had an emotional situation and sugar would comfort me and hold down the feelings so I thought. It only made me feel worse. So this week, I have made a decision that I must stick with this and do this. I felt awful on my last binge. Both physically, spiritually, and emotionally. I find I need the accountability. That is when I found this group and joined today.

When I eat this way I feel better about myself. God's presence is nearer, and I have more energy. Having that is worth it to me, to wait for hunger and stop when just satisfied or full. Not stuffed. Hope that answers your question. How about you? How long have you been doing this? How has your journey been?<<<

[Guest guest]

Hi Laurie,I did the WW thing a couple of times. I lost 35 pounds, and like you I didn't like being caged in with the points. Then I got back into eating emotionally and then wanting to find another 'diet'. I can relate to the wanting to exercise to get rid of what I just ate. Since finding IE I have found more freedom. I like you, don't want food to have the power it seems to have. So doing IE way of eating I eat when hungry and stop when just full. That way I really don't need to think of food until I'm hungry. Like I said, there are days in the month where I might have some cravings. Now, today, I've decided no more of that. I can do this. Thanks for sharing your journey with me.Debbie---

Subject: Re: New Here Just JoinedTo: IntuitiveEating_Support Date: Thursday, June 3, 2010, 7:16 PM

Hi, Debbie,

I've been inching toward IE for the last several years. I discovered I simply could *not* diet, but if I didn't diet, I'd find myself gaining more and more weight. Last year I joined Weight Watchers for the first time and lost 30 pounds. Their emphasis on filling foods helped me to normalize my eating, and reading "The End of Overeating" by Kessler helped me to recognize hidden triggers in foods (basically, fat, sugar, salt combos), while reading "Hungry" by Zadoff helped me recognize how totally addicted to food I really was. He has some hilarious (and painfully true) descriptions of his addiction, and I saw myself in those descriptions. I've kept off the weight I lost in WW, but I got more and more resentful of the obsessive way I had to count points and spend a good deal of my day thinking about food. I longed for some way to get to a normal relationship with food. I started reading books on mindful eating, and started trying to address my

tendency to cycle between overexercising and then blowing out and going all couch-potatoey.

I'd say I'm basically a "permitter" when it comes to food, and an obsessive manic person when it comes to exercise. So I have to learn to stop: Stop eating when I'm full, and stop exercising when I've done enough. I guess I tend to excess in everything. An odd combo.

Seeing how different it feels to live more sanely is very motivating for me. Sounds like it is for you, too!

Laurie

Debbie wrote:

>>>Thanks for the welcome! I think over the past year I finally "got it". I got so sick of on and off diets. Gaining and losing. On and off IE eating. I knew in the past it worked. I sense God really was showing the damage I was causing emotionally, spiritually, and physically. Now I'm not perfect. I do on occasion give into cravings. Like last week I gave into a sugar craving. It caused me to want to eat and eat. Which I did.

Looking back I see that I had an emotional situation and sugar would comfort me and hold down the feelings so I thought. It only made me feel worse. So this week, I have made a decision that I must stick with this and do this. I felt awful on my last binge. Both physically, spiritually, and emotionally. I find I need the accountability. That is when I found this group and joined today.

When I eat this way I feel better about myself. God's presence is nearer, and I have more energy. Having that is worth it to me, to wait for hunger and stop when just satisfied or full. Not stuffed. Hope that answers your question. How about you? How long have you been doing this? How has your journey been?<<<

[Guest guest]

Hi Debbie,

My IE journey has been a wonderful and challenging adventure!

I heard about IE back during the 90s, but I wasn't ready for it at the time. It would take a few more years of the dieting craziness before I was ready to get off the merry-go-round. A couple of years ago, I went on my last diet partly at the urging of my doctor to help get my HBP under better control, plus I'd just retired and was putting on weight. I'd been on maintenance for about a year when life got a little too stressful, and I started binging. I felt like the biggest failure because I just couldn't seem to get myself back on track! After some reflection, I realized I had had enough with this craziness and obsessiveness. There had to be a better and more peaceful way to live! I came across an article on the internet one day about IE; it really made sense to me, googled IE, and found this wonderful support group.

Jeanne

[Guest guest]

Hi Debbie,

My IE journey has been a wonderful and challenging adventure!

I heard about IE back during the 90s, but I wasn't ready for it at the time. It would take a few more years of the dieting craziness before I was ready to get off the merry-go-round. A couple of years ago, I went on my last diet partly at the urging of my doctor to help get my HBP under better control, plus I'd just retired and was putting on weight. I'd been on maintenance for about a year when life got a little too stressful, and I started binging. I felt like the biggest failure because I just couldn't seem to get myself back on track! After some reflection, I realized I had had enough with this craziness and obsessiveness. There had to be a better and more peaceful way to live! I came across an article on the internet one day about IE; it really made sense to me, googled IE, and found this wonderful support group.

Jeanne

[Guest guest]

Hi Debbie,

My IE journey has been a wonderful and challenging adventure!

I heard about IE back during the 90s, but I wasn't ready for it at the time. It would take a few more years of the dieting craziness before I was ready to get off the merry-go-round. A couple of years ago, I went on my last diet partly at the urging of my doctor to help get my HBP under better control, plus I'd just retired and was putting on weight. I'd been on maintenance for about a year when life got a little too stressful, and I started binging. I felt like the biggest failure because I just couldn't seem to get myself back on track! After some reflection, I realized I had had enough with this craziness and obsessiveness. There had to be a better and more peaceful way to live! I came across an article on the internet one day about IE; it really made sense to me, googled IE, and found this wonderful support group.

Jeanne

[Guest guest]

I find it interesting that each of you mention loosing around 30 pounds with WW.

I have done WW numerous times in my life - starting back in the 70's when I was

9 yrs old and my mother started going to WW. Each time I have done WW or any

other program ( Craig, The Diet Center) I would lose about 30 lbs and then

not be able to lose any more. I would step up the exercise as they always

instructed but it never helped. I think the reason for this is A)my body was

possibly in starvation mode from the diet and would theerfore hang onto the

weight or B)out of feeling deprived I would mindlessly and secretly (even to

myself) eat " forbidden " foods in excess.

I have been doing IE for about 3 years now (hard to believe!) and I love how

freeing IE is! At first I freaked out because I did put on some pounds and my

clothes got pretty tight. But once I went out and bought some clothes (yeah

Lane !) that I feel good in and fit me in the here and now, I stopped

gaining and relaxed and started to accept my body for where it was at. That

doesn't mean that I still didn't and still do desire to be at a lessor weight.

Over this past year, I have stabalized my weight (something I could never seem

to do on any diet plan) and I think now might be finally releasing some weight.

I don't know for sure as I don't weigh myself except when I have to go to the

Dr's. (about every 6 months). I am just guessing based on how my pants are

feeling. But how wonderful it is to be able to put on my clothes from last

summer and they even are a little bit loose!

IE is soooo great!

Alana

>

[Guest guest]

I find it interesting that each of you mention loosing around 30 pounds with WW.

I have done WW numerous times in my life - starting back in the 70's when I was

9 yrs old and my mother started going to WW. Each time I have done WW or any

other program ( Craig, The Diet Center) I would lose about 30 lbs and then

not be able to lose any more. I would step up the exercise as they always

instructed but it never helped. I think the reason for this is A)my body was

possibly in starvation mode from the diet and would theerfore hang onto the

weight or B)out of feeling deprived I would mindlessly and secretly (even to

myself) eat " forbidden " foods in excess.

I have been doing IE for about 3 years now (hard to believe!) and I love how

freeing IE is! At first I freaked out because I did put on some pounds and my

clothes got pretty tight. But once I went out and bought some clothes (yeah

Lane !) that I feel good in and fit me in the here and now, I stopped

gaining and relaxed and started to accept my body for where it was at. That

doesn't mean that I still didn't and still do desire to be at a lessor weight.

Over this past year, I have stabalized my weight (something I could never seem

to do on any diet plan) and I think now might be finally releasing some weight.

I don't know for sure as I don't weigh myself except when I have to go to the

Dr's. (about every 6 months). I am just guessing based on how my pants are

feeling. But how wonderful it is to be able to put on my clothes from last

summer and they even are a little bit loose!

IE is soooo great!

Alana

>

[Guest guest]

Hi, Alana,

I have no idea why the WW loss came to a grinding halt for me, but I do know that I reached the point of high resentment. Even though I was only doing WW online, I got pissy about their messages to me, semi-scolding me if I lost "too much," clicking their electronic tongue at me if I gained a little. The resentment built and that's when the losing stalled. Any kind of rule-bound system just doesn't work anymore for me.

I used to be one heck of a restricter, and I could diet myself down with the best of them. I could be literally fainting from hunger, and still telling myself I was doing great. But more and more, diets worked less and less. I'd be able to stay on them for shorter and shorter lengths of time.

Then came the great cookie diet fiasco, where I hit my own personal wall. A friend of mine went on the Smart for Life cookie diet, actually going to one of their satellite centers for supervision. She was getting a double hip replacement and the doctor wanted her to lose weight. She lost a ton of weight in 6 months, got down to a size 2, her thinnest ever (as did her husband, who went on the diet with her), and sang praises of the diet--how easy it was, how fast the weight came off, how tolerable the cookies and muffins were. I bought a case of the cookies and a case muffins ($ ka-ching! $) and began. Halfway through the cases, I lost it. Could not gag down one more of their bilious cookies or their laughably tiny, pricey muffins. Did I stop? No; instead I bought some of their vile shakes. And their gaggy soups. I had to throw all of these things out because they each went out of date because I could not face sticking them in my mouth. Still, in an act of sheer desperation, I actually *bought another case of the cookies*! I ended up throwing out nearly the whole second case. It was at that point that I realized I simply could not do another stupid diet, but I was still thinking a "healthy diet" would work. Thus, my foray into WW.

After reading the IE book and other similar books, I'm finally "getting it." I know that any diet, by any name, will end in me gaining, not losing weight. There has been ample evidence of this since those initial calorie restriction studies, but there's a lot of money to be made out there in the diet industry, and so there's little incentive for people to spread the word about IE.

As much as I'd like to lose more weight, I figure the worst that can happen to me on IE is that my weight stabilizes and I feel good about myself. That's so much better than what happened to me while dieting: I steadily gained more and more weight (two years ago I suddenly realized in horror that there *was* no upper limit to how much I could gain), and I was deeply miserable.

I'm slowly trying to adjust the quantity I eat by being mindful of how full I feel, and how I feel when I'm overfull. I'd like to make some gains in controlling my only moderately high blood pressure, so I'll not toss out my scales, but I've stored the scales in a closet.I am planning on weighing every month or two months, but I will do it in a kindly way or not do it at all if I find I'm using it to beat myself up. Meanwhile, I'm exercising more consistently and more sanely than I've ever done, and I actually look forward to my chosen exercise, walking.

Laurie

Alana wrote:

>>>I find it interesting that each of you mention loosing around 30 pounds with WW. I have done WW numerous times in my life - starting back in the 70's when I was 9 yrs old and my mother started going to WW. Each time I have done WW or any other program ( Craig, The Diet Center) I would lose about 30 lbs and then not be able to lose any more. I would step up the exercise as they always instructed but it never helped. I think the reason for this is A)my body was possibly in starvation mode from the diet and would theerfore hang onto the weight or B)out of feeling deprived I would mindlessly and secretly (even to myself) eat "forbidden" foods in excess.<<<

[Guest guest]

Hi, Alana,

I have no idea why the WW loss came to a grinding halt for me, but I do know that I reached the point of high resentment. Even though I was only doing WW online, I got pissy about their messages to me, semi-scolding me if I lost "too much," clicking their electronic tongue at me if I gained a little. The resentment built and that's when the losing stalled. Any kind of rule-bound system just doesn't work anymore for me.

I used to be one heck of a restricter, and I could diet myself down with the best of them. I could be literally fainting from hunger, and still telling myself I was doing great. But more and more, diets worked less and less. I'd be able to stay on them for shorter and shorter lengths of time.

Then came the great cookie diet fiasco, where I hit my own personal wall. A friend of mine went on the Smart for Life cookie diet, actually going to one of their satellite centers for supervision. She was getting a double hip replacement and the doctor wanted her to lose weight. She lost a ton of weight in 6 months, got down to a size 2, her thinnest ever (as did her husband, who went on the diet with her), and sang praises of the diet--how easy it was, how fast the weight came off, how tolerable the cookies and muffins were. I bought a case of the cookies and a case muffins ($ ka-ching! $) and began. Halfway through the cases, I lost it. Could not gag down one more of their bilious cookies or their laughably tiny, pricey muffins. Did I stop? No; instead I bought some of their vile shakes. And their gaggy soups. I had to throw all of these things out because they each went out of date because I could not face sticking them in my mouth. Still, in an act of sheer desperation, I actually *bought another case of the cookies*! I ended up throwing out nearly the whole second case. It was at that point that I realized I simply could not do another stupid diet, but I was still thinking a "healthy diet" would work. Thus, my foray into WW.

After reading the IE book and other similar books, I'm finally "getting it." I know that any diet, by any name, will end in me gaining, not losing weight. There has been ample evidence of this since those initial calorie restriction studies, but there's a lot of money to be made out there in the diet industry, and so there's little incentive for people to spread the word about IE.

As much as I'd like to lose more weight, I figure the worst that can happen to me on IE is that my weight stabilizes and I feel good about myself. That's so much better than what happened to me while dieting: I steadily gained more and more weight (two years ago I suddenly realized in horror that there *was* no upper limit to how much I could gain), and I was deeply miserable.

I'm slowly trying to adjust the quantity I eat by being mindful of how full I feel, and how I feel when I'm overfull. I'd like to make some gains in controlling my only moderately high blood pressure, so I'll not toss out my scales, but I've stored the scales in a closet.I am planning on weighing every month or two months, but I will do it in a kindly way or not do it at all if I find I'm using it to beat myself up. Meanwhile, I'm exercising more consistently and more sanely than I've ever done, and I actually look forward to my chosen exercise, walking.

Laurie

Alana wrote:

>>>I find it interesting that each of you mention loosing around 30 pounds with WW. I have done WW numerous times in my life - starting back in the 70's when I was 9 yrs old and my mother started going to WW. Each time I have done WW or any other program ( Craig, The Diet Center) I would lose about 30 lbs and then not be able to lose any more. I would step up the exercise as they always instructed but it never helped. I think the reason for this is A)my body was possibly in starvation mode from the diet and would theerfore hang onto the weight or B)out of feeling deprived I would mindlessly and secretly (even to myself) eat "forbidden" foods in excess.<<<

[Guest guest]

Hi,

I'm a WW veteran too, having done it numerous times over years and even becoming a lifetime member. After the doctor suggested I lose weight for my HBP, I went back to WW about two years ago. I lost about 40 pounds, but found myself obsessive and feeling crazy about food, my weight, the number of points I could eat per day, exercise and being the perfect WW member. What an insane way to live; I always felt like I was one bite away from a binge. And you know, if I really admit it, I looked pretty awful and was underweight!

In the IE book, the age breakdown of the weight charts was a real eye-opener for me! I'm almost 60 years old and was thinking when I lost weight like I was 25 again! Although I'm a little overweight right now, IE has helped me stabilize my weight. And I would rather be a little heavy and at peace! I weigh periodically and find that if anything it reaffirms that the IE process works!

Best wishes,

Jeanne