Re: Some random stuff....

[Guest guest]

Dear Sohni,

I actually feel that when one is living intuitively, checking in, listening and responding is at the heart of being spirtiually fit, no striving or trying to be spiritual, just being present to live, inside and out as it is. For me really ultimate trust and faith to honor one's own interior life and voice. I really thought that I had this whole " weight" issue resolved. Have been into growth work for 30 plus years. I am 52 now. From age 30 to 40 I ate intuitively, didn't calorie count, weigh myself and my weight was stable. Then around age 40, hormone changes seemed to alter that...Anyway from age 40 to now have been not caring to periods of restricting. I have been at current weight for about 1 year but had hoped to loose more but I also in the process became obsessed with the whole diet mentality. The other thing that is really throwing me more than I imagined is how the hormones are affecting my mood and making it hard

to keep things in perspective and mostly positive which generally come fairly naturally but of late is not coming with any kind of ease or consistency. This is where my spirituality can come in handy if i remember to reflect on it...which is not identifying or trying to change that constant stream of thoughts and feelings. Identifying with the sea as who I am rather than the flying fish which are the thoughts and feelings. Looking forward to the interior life and attitude I had from age 30 to 40, where I felt confident and content in my own mind, heart and for the most part my body. None of my inner circle have struggled with this and see me as more confident and certain than I feel right now so I really appreciate being able to hear from you and share myself back in response. Hope your day is filled with some quiet and moments of no demands.

To: IntuitiveEating_Support Sent: Thu, February 11, 2010 10:37:29 PMSubject: Re: Some random stuff....

IE per se only a few weeks, but this has been an on/off progressing journey since I stopped being bulimic over 20 years ago. Don't panic at the length of time! It's mostly been off, which is why I haven't made much progress (sigh). It's really been mainly over the past couple of years that I've started to make some real conclusions about my eating patterns, childhood, mind/body disconnect, and things like that. I did do some IE work in the mid-90s (Geneen Roth), but I didn't understand it (or she didn't explain it so I could understand it) and didn't get very far with it.Oddly enough, my desire to calorie count and log food went away as soon as I stopped doing it. I think it had become such a chore (one more thing demanding my time) that it was a relief to know that I had to give it up. Wanting to look at labels is waning, too, but for some reason I can't keep from checking sodium content. It's just

habit, but I'd like to stop doing it as I already know I'm not going to want really salty foods anyway. The voice that tells me I should eat A when I really want B will take more time, but that's really what IE is all about so I don't feel like I should expect too much too soon.I'm a pretty spiritual person, but haven't done much work connecting that and IE because, basically, I don't want to... Right now my life is so busy and so tiring that I just don't want IE to be more work, if that makes any sense. I really need it to be truly intuitive as much as I can, because I just can't take one more thing on my plate. I want to go with the flow, so to speak. Sounds a little loopy, doesn't it!Sohni Talisman wrote:

Dear Sohni, Thanks for responding. How long have you been doing IE? I notice already preoccupation about food, calorie count and calories burned are decreasing. Also reembracing my spirituality which I have gotten away from helps remind me of what really matters.The diet mentality narrows my focus and well-being. What I read today remined me to be connected to something larger than my small self. Would love to hear how others are working with their spirituality and IE. T.

From: jeanniet58 <jeanniet58gmail (DOT) com>To: IntuitiveEating_ Support@yahoogro ups.comSent: Thu, February 11, 2010 11:19:34 AMSubject: Re: [intuitiveEating_ Support] Some random stuff....

Hi ,Having been both a dieter and avid healthful eater (when I'm not binging on sugar, oof!) for many year, I not only have calorie counts, but I know the basic nutritional components of most foods. It takes practice and some fortitude for me to not peek at nutrition labels because it's been so much of a habit for me, and I have to work hard not to listen to the voice in my head that says, "Not enough fiber, too much sugar, you need more vitamin A..." I just try to keep reminding myself that if I'm going to be true to IE, I have to eat what I want. Sometimes that's healthier food and sometimes it isn't, but I also know that at some point along the way my choices will be more on the healthier side than not. I figure that mostly healthy with a little not-so-healthy thrown in has to be better than months of restrictive healthy eating followed by months of binging.I haven't really had any menopausal mood

swings of late--I got those more when my periods (sorry, guys!) were tapering off--and fewer hot flashes than last summer/fall, but I've had more disrupted sleep patterns and I know when I'm tired I tend to eat rather than just nap. I'm trying to pay attention and take a quick snooze if I realize I'm tired and not really hungry.Sohni Talisman wrote:

Hi, My name is . I am new to the site and wanted to thank everyone for sharing their insights and process. It offers comfort and clarity. I haven't gone cold turkey with the scale and thought I would wean myself off of it bit by bit. I have almost accepted the idea, some days are better than others, that I may not loose any weight but I haven't wrapped my head around gaining weight. I am more observant of when I eat from mouth hunger rather than biological hunger which it seems is most of the time. I don't know if it was in the book IE or OO about, people fearing if they listen to their bodies and eat when hungry, they may not eat much. I related to that...I can have a few bites of something and be satisfied. I also notice that approximate calorie count pops up in my head automatically, any suggestions of how to break that automatic habit.? Menopause and the mood swings have also been difficult for me. I notice triggers for

wanting to eat if I am tired, don't feel well or am blue and to " be off duty'. I loved in the one of the books imagining I am someone who has never had a weight problem which isn't really a weight problem but a mental problem.Are there live support groups? Finding North Star sounds like a good book.I'll check it out. Many blessings to all.