Re: re: excited but scared

[Guest guest]

I too sit at the kitchen table and can see the tv from there. If I forget to turn it off, I find myself mindlessly eating too.  I have a very hard time with distractions.  My mind wanders and is always racing.  I have gone back to actually writing in a notebook what I am eating, the color, taste, texture, feel and if I like it or not. I also make a note of how hungry/satisfied I am when I start(see the IE chart on page 127), although I have been using a slightly different scale from a different source. I still have a hard time identifying these levels unless they are at the extreme ends of starving or stuffed.  I'm working on the emotional reasons I eat because I am mostly an emotional eater, especially boredom or stress or feeling lonely. I am going to re-read chapter 9 on Feeling your fullness.  I need to work on that too.  This new way of eating is a lot more work than I'm used to or even any " diet " plan where you just follow the rigid " rules " .  Oh yes, I will set the timer  to remind me to take a break.  I do so need to slow down.  I am amazed at how fast I eat. Whoa! Sandy

 

I still find myself mindlessly eatting. I always say that I am going to take a break in the meal then before I know it I am done eatting and didn't take my break. I have started making sure to sit at the kitchen table while I eat and that is helping alot. We have all just sat in the living room, in front of the TV while we eat. Didn't realize how I was like a eatting zombie when the TV is on...LOL.

 

Be blessed,

DawnC 

 

To: IntuitiveEating_Support

Sent: Sun, March 27, 2011 10:14:21 PMSubject: Re: re: excited but scared

 

One thing that helped me is " taking a break " in the middle of a meal.  Giving myself time to see if I am full knowing that I can choose to return to the meal if I am not full and satisfied.  That is very helpful when I am after a dessert or a second helping of something in the meal.  And yes I think that satisfaction is very important too.  Trying a variety of foods too, ones that I'm not used to or haven't had in a while(maybe because they were on a " forbidden " list OR I just got tired of eating them over and over, like salad).  Now that salad is not on my " diet " list of should haves or must have, I find I really like it again.  And I'm trying new salad combinations.  One of my favorites is baby spinach, strawberries, and almonds with a raspberry vinegrette.  I am so grateful for all of you who write in. I get a lot of good ideas and get to write about mine.  Sometimes I need to remind myself of things I

found that work and the progress I am making. I went to my grandson's graduation from preschool today and really enjoyed the snacks and cake.   No guilt.  Felt good and we all had fun. What a hoot! Only 8 five year olds in the class. And they tossed their hats at the end. Really cute. But my point was I enjoyed the food with no guilt, NO GUILT! YEA!

 

Hi All,Wow, my post about " excited but scared, " where I mentioned wanting the support of knowing how others learned to want to choose to feel lighter and free instead of choosing to keep eating when I'm no longer hungry, seemed to touch off a lot of thoughts and feelings for many people. I went away for a number of days right after posting, so didn't see it all til just now.

First, let me thank everyone for the honest and open sharing. Every share had some learning in it for me and as I see it, it's all about learning, both about IE and about learning how to find ways to respect both our own and others' needs, which can certainly be a challenge.

Fwiw, I guess I use the word " light " differently than some others. For instance, when I have a hard decision to make, having nothing to do with food, I often think of the alternative solutions in my mind and ask myself " which feels lighter? " I find that helpful. It's a long story as to

why...but it works for me.I don't think I'm obsessed about weight loss. I do know that I love hiking (one example among several) and I find it easier and more fun to do when not carrying too much excess weight, just as I prefer to do it not carrying a heavy backpack because I don't find that enjoyable. So although I'm certainly working on learning to be conscious of how my food choices feel in the present moment and how, from experience, I know they'll feel in an hour or two, I don't find it inconsistent with the IE books I've read, to hope also to learn to make choices in line with valuing wanting to be at a healthy weight to do things like hike. I lived many years feeling very out of touch with my body, and for me it feels like a good goal to want to really feel " in my body. " I of course can do that at the weight I am right now, too, and am working on that as well - but certain activities, like my hiking example, support me in that even

further.That doesn't feel like a diet to me, but it does feel about wanting to be truly alive and enjoying my life to the fullest - I guess that's what I meant by " free. " So when instead I find myself unable to stop eating certain foods even tho' I'm full, that's something I'd like to change, and was hoping for some tips from others on that. Some of you gave them, either to me or others, and I appreciate that -reminding this newbie to focus on savoring the food and checking in with myself on satisfaction and enjoyment.

Anyway, I could go on and on, as this is all very much on my mind right now...just thanks again to all, and I might be emailing a couple of you if you don't mind!Best,