Other side of the spectrum

[Guest guest]

Hi, McKella,

First of all, it's awesome that you don't hate your body anymore--just awesome!

I wonder if you could just "get curious" about what happens when you choose not to eat sweets for a day or two? I have found that I feel so much better when I either don't eat sweets at all (I'll have fruit instead), or have only things that I have no desire to binge on--like Panda licorice, which I do like and can keep on my counter in case I want something sweet. You might want to see what it feels like not to be on that rollercoaster of always wanting the next bite. For me, it's a great feeling, one that I choose to stay in whenever I can. The hard edge of the craving is gone in two days, period. I sort of "remember" wanting something sweet, but I no longer crave it. And then I really can make choices, not this automatic knee-jerk addicted action that happens when I'm on the fat-sugar-salt rollercoaster. I never say I can never have anything I want--I have sweets often, but I make choices that won't send me into a place where I can no longer really even think straight.

Since you've got the stress of a move to another country looming, please be extra kind to yourself. Eating well, nourishing your body with foods that actually give it nutrients, is a kindness.

And for the record, I have a hard time not eating if my husband and I have scheduled a dinner out and I'm not yet hungry. I've worked to try to eat less in anticipation of things like that, but I'm not there yet in learning how best to do this without triggering mini-binges.

All best,

Laurie

>>>I don't hate my body anymore, I don't consider any food off limits, but I still can't resist the jar of trail mix at work or the container of cookie dough in the freezer.

I think this is a combination of emotional eating and maybe a chemical addiction to food because I have such a rough time with sweets and fatty foods.<<<

[Guest guest]

Hi McKella,Just from reading your email, it feels like you have a lot coming at you at once. Are you able to have even an hour a day to yourself? How radical would it be for you to ask your husband to attend to his own meals for a week, while you spend a week experiencing food without distractions or being pulled into what other people are eating?I wouldn't get sidetracked with all the food theories of sugar and fat...that's just more restrictive thinking. Everyday there is a new food theory put out in the news.Start with looking at the stress--I think there may be some big answers there. Here are some free stress reduction audio guided imagery from Kaiser Health...maybe try listening once and see if it makes any difference in slowing things down enough so that you can take care of yourself. https://members.kaiserpermanente.org/redirects/listen/KateOn Jun 21, 2010, at 8:23 PM, mckella11 wrote:When I started IE a year and a half ago, I was restricting and had horrible body image. I made peace with food, learned to shut up the food police, and learned body respect. I ate whenever I got hungry, when I thought I was hungry, or when I just wanted to eat. I have a hard time with stopping when I'm full and I have a hard time feeling satisfied. Sometimes I have wonderful satisfying meals, but I have such a hard time with nibbling and munching all day, whenever food is available. I can't resist food lying around, especially sweets. My husband wanted burgers tonight, so we went out and I wasn't hungry, but I ordered and ate a sandwich and most of an order of fries anyway. I don't hate my body anymore, I don't consider any food off limits, but I still can't resist the jar of trail mix at work or the container of cookie dough in the freezer.I think this is a combination of emotional eating and maybe a chemical addiction to food because I have such a rough time with sweets and fatty foods. I'm working on the emotional thing, and I'm (understandably) stressed because I'm probably moving to South Korea for a year, but I'm not sure what to do about the chemical thing. I don't have health insurance, but it would probably be worth a trip to the doctor, but I don't know if she could do anything. I think I'm leaving in two months and that's not very long to experiment with medications. I've heard that sugar and fat can act like drugs on the brain, but I think trying to limit them in any way would trigger diet tendencies.I feel so awful right now because I've gone from one extreme to the other and IE is supposed to help you find balance, so maybe I feel like kind of a failure at IE even though I know you can really "fail" IE. I know my body isn't comfortable with me eating like this. I know my hunger and fullness signals, but from some reason I keep choosing to ignore them. I shouldn't get down on myself, but I am. I don't know what to do. I feel like I should be eating intuitively by now, but I know this isn't a linear process, I have to be patient, bla bla bla. I know everything I need to do, I just can't or won't seem to do it. I'm really frustrated and I don't know why. McKella