Re: esdel55 ... Hello!

[Guest guest]

Hello Jenn, ladies,

Thanks for the nice welcome. Yup, I'm a guy I had no idea I had

stumbled into a nest of women until it was too late, LOL. Now that

I've been outed, might as well say something about myself. I'm 50

years old and over 200 pounds overweight. How did I get this way?

Well, I've been dieting ever since I was 12, that's how. I have

probably lost hundreds of pounds on one diet or another, only to gain

them all back and then some. A few years back, I lost 135 pounds on

the Zone Diet. It took me several years, but I did it. Then a funny

thing happened: I stopped losing weight, even though I was eating tiny

portions of rabbit food. I went off the Zone and started looking

around for other diets, but none of them worked, so I fell back into

my old eating habits and all the weight came back on. I'm sure that's

a familiar story for everyone around here.

Recently I read a book about intuitive eating called " The Overfed

Head " and it just made so much sense to me, it was like a light bulb

went on in my head. I've been trying this approach for about a month

now. Unfortunately, it doesn't seem to be working. I'm pretty sure

I've actually gained weight. I started looking around for Yahoo

groups about IE and joined this one and a couple of others. One of

the other groups is for people who have been trying IE for years and

have been unable to lose weight. Now they're all talking about

dieting again. I gotta tell ya, I'm pretty darned discouraged at this

point. I don't mean to be a downer, but that's my story. I'm

convinced nothing can help me. I hope you ladies can prove me wrong

Steve

>

> Just wanted to personally welcome one of our newest

> members, " esdel55 " .... Your profile says you're " Steve " ... Welcome!

> I'm thinking (and I could be wrong, as not all have introduced

> themselves) that you might just be our first male member! Glad

you've

> joined us!

>

> Feel free to lurk, but we'd love if you joined in and shared! )

>

> Jenn

> <><

> Group Owner

> http://intuitive-eating.blogspot.com

>

[Guest guest]

Hey Steve! We're glad you're here! We needed some maleness around here haha! I'm sad that IE hasn't worked for you. How discouraging that must be. If nothing else, does it at least make you feel at peace with food? Do you let yourself get hungry before you eat again, and only eat until a little full? Gosh, I hope we can help because we want you to succeed!Steve D wrote: Hello Jenn, ladies,Thanks for the nice welcome. Yup, I'm a guy I had no idea I

had stumbled into a nest of women until it was too late, LOL. Now that I've been outed, might as well say something about myself. I'm 50 years old and over 200 pounds overweight. How did I get this way? Well, I've been dieting ever since I was 12, that's how. I have probably lost hundreds of pounds on one diet or another, only to gain them all back and then some. A few years back, I lost 135 pounds on the Zone Diet. It took me several years, but I did it. Then a funny thing happened: I stopped losing weight, even though I was eating tiny portions of rabbit food. I went off the Zone and started looking around for other diets, but none of them worked, so I fell back into my old eating habits and all the weight came back on. I'm sure that's a familiar story for everyone around here.Recently I read a book about intuitive eating called "The Overfed Head" and it just made so much sense to me, it was like a light bulb

went on in my head. I've been trying this approach for about a month now. Unfortunately, it doesn't seem to be working. I'm pretty sure I've actually gained weight. I started looking around for Yahoo groups about IE and joined this one and a couple of others. One of the other groups is for people who have been trying IE for years and have been unable to lose weight. Now they're all talking about dieting again. I gotta tell ya, I'm pretty darned discouraged at this point. I don't mean to be a downer, but that's my story. I'm convinced nothing can help me. I hope you ladies can prove me wrong :)Steve>> Just wanted to personally welcome one of our newest > members, "esdel55" .... Your profile says you're "Steve"... Welcome! > I'm

thinking (and I could be wrong, as not all have introduced > themselves) that you might just be our first male member! Glad you've > joined us!> > Feel free to lurk, but we'd love if you joined in and shared! )> > Jenn> <><> Group Owner> http://intuitive-eating.blogspot.com>

Groups are talking. We´re listening. Check out the handy changes to Yahoo! Groups.

[Guest guest]

Welcome Steve!

I am a newbie here, too. I don't know how to respond to the other

group other than to say that it makes me sad to hear that people are

frustrated with IE. For me, I am embarking on a new goal, one that

I am trying very hard not to connect with my weight. What I want

more than anything else is to be freed from my obsession with food.

My goal in doing IE is not to lose weight, although that would be

wonderful, but to become a " normal " (whatever that means) eater. I

want to eat what I want, when I am hungry, until I am full. I put

away my scale and I do not intend to weigh myself for a long time.

I am not using IE as yet another diet, another way to control my

food intake. I think that might be the purpose in allowing myself

to eat whatever foods I want. I am trying to get to the point where

a cookie is equivalent in my mind to an apple. I want desperately

to release the hold that food has over my life. I feel like my mind

has been held hostage to diet and food issues. I am 38. I have

been on a series of diets since I was 11. I think 27 years is

enough. Enough already! All I have gotten from dieting is fatter

and more unhappy and more obsessed. I want to put that aside: I am

more than my body size. Honestly, I don't think I will ever be able

to achieve peace until I let this thing go. I want to be happy no

matter what size I am. I want to be free from this prison.

I have no idea if this is the difference between people who

are " successful " using IE and those who are " unsuccessful. " This,

to me, is not a way to lose weight. This is a way to get free from

diets forever and learn to accept myself at any size. I went to the

grocery store yesterday. I bought everything I wanted.

EVERYTHING! I had Pepperidge Farm coconut cake for dinner You

know what? It tasted great. Know what else? I ate my 1/4 of the

cake happily and I never went back for seconds. Always before I

would have been skimming the cake for extras, overeating until I

felt bad physically and mentally. I would have been sneaking on

that cake whenever I could until it was gone. I would have eaten it

for breakfast this morning before anyone could see me. Newsflash: I

don't even want any this morning. I am not even ready to eat yet.

Know what sounds good? An egg burrito.

This post is way long, but I hope there is some encouragement in it

for you.

~Kami

[Guest guest]

Welcome Steve! It's great to have a guy here with us to give a different perspective!

I second everything that Kami said. Well put!

Rhonda

Welcome Steve!I am a newbie here, too. I don't know how to respond to the other group other than to say that it makes me sad to hear that people are frustrated with IE. For me, I am embarking on a new goal, one that I am trying very hard not to connect with my weight. What I want more than anything else is to be freed from my obsession with food. My goal in doing IE is not to lose weight, although that would be wonderful, but to become a " normal " (whatever that means) eater. I want to eat what I want, when I am hungry, until I am full. I put away my scale and I do not intend to weigh myself for a long time. I am not using IE as yet another diet, another way to control my food intake. I think that might be the purpose in allowing myself to eat whatever foods I want. I am trying to get to the point where a cookie is equivalent in my mind to an apple. I want desperately to release the hold that food has over my life. I feel like my mind has been held hostage to diet and food issues. I am 38. I have been on a series of diets since I was 11. I think 27 years is enough. Enough already! All I have gotten from dieting is fatter and more unhappy and more obsessed. I want to put that aside: I am more than my body size. Honestly, I don't think I will ever be able to achieve peace until I let this thing go. I want to be happy no matter what size I am. I want to be free from this prison.I have no idea if this is the difference between people who are " successful " using IE and those who are " unsuccessful. " This, to me, is not a way to lose weight. This is a way to get free from diets forever and learn to accept myself at any size. I went to the grocery store yesterday. I bought everything I wanted. EVERYTHING! I had Pepperidge Farm coconut cake for dinner You know what? It tasted great. Know what else? I ate my 1/4 of the cake happily and I never went back for seconds. Always before I would have been skimming the cake for extras, overeating until I felt bad physically and mentally. I would have been sneaking on that cake whenever I could until it was gone. I would have eaten it for breakfast this morning before anyone could see me. Newsflash: I don't even want any this morning. I am not even ready to eat yet. Know what sounds good? An egg burrito.

This post is way long, but I hope there is some encouragement in it for you.~Kami -- Rhonda DuellAssistant County LibrarianPotter-Tioga Library System502 Park Ave.Coudersport, PA 16915phone: (814)274-7422

fax: (814)274-9137email: rduell@...www.pottertiogalibrary.org

[Guest guest]

> I have no idea if this is the difference between people who

> are " successful " using IE and those who are " unsuccessful. " This,

> to me, is not a way to lose weight. This is a way to get free

from

> diets forever and learn to accept myself at any size.

Kami-

I loved your post. I was getting ready to post my " success " story

which has nothing to do with loosing weight. I have gained about 5

pounds since ditching Weight Watchers but I have lost about 100

pounds of irrational thoughts. I have stopped bingeing almost

completely. I have stopped exercising compulsively for weight loss

(or damage control from my binges) and move because it feels

good....and you know I am still doing the same exercises but dont'

feel like I " have " to. I have days where I don't think about food

except when I am hungry. I feel that if I can continue to clear out

my head of all the junk that has accumulated over the years I will

eventually stop overeating and lose weight....if that is what my

body wants.

I started doing non-dieting/intuitive eating in March with Geneen

Roth's books(highly reccommend them....she really focuses on the

emtoinal reasons why we overeat) and did loose 5 pounds in the

beginning(honeymoon phase....like starting a new diet) but got

scared and then gained. I uncovered those fears through journaling

and I hope I will be able to lose again but that isn't my focus at

the moment....maybe it will never again be?

THe main reason I have been successful is because of the cognitive

therapy I have done(lots and lots of journaling and exercises to

work through my irrational thoughts). I learned about this at the

diet survivors yahoo group. You might want to check out that

group. You can read the messages without joining.

THis(the journaling and cognitive therapy) was the only way for me

to end the obsession with food. It has been really hard to uncover

all the emotional stuff but so freeing at the same

time....especially when you can enjoy a piece of cocnut cake for

dinner and not feel guilty! Right Kami? I started feeling emotions

I had NEVER felt before....because in the past I would eat those

emotions away! It still is hard to sit with these emotions but they

don't last long! If I can just pull myself from the kitchen in

these moments I can make it through the emotions without food.

IN the beginning each day was a struggle(but not a struggle of which

foods to eat but a struggle of eating when hungry, not overeating,

not eating when emotional, etc.....)but these days I have more good

days than bad. I have lots and lots of successes and my old habits

are fading away. I also thought I would have to struggle with this

each day of my life but now I can see an end in sight. I feel I

will always be a little " on guard " just like a recovering addict but

it will not consume me like it did when I started.

Anyway....there is my success. I still get uptight about the weight

gain when some of my pants are a little tight but I believe that if

I can learn to trust my body I will find the right balance and the

right weight....and not what some chart says!!

I hope that all made sense!

Kate in Ga

I went to the

> grocery store yesterday. I bought everything I wanted.

> EVERYTHING! I had Pepperidge Farm coconut cake for dinner You

> know what? It tasted great. Know what else? I ate my 1/4 of the

> cake happily and I never went back for seconds. Always before I

> would have been skimming the cake for extras, overeating until I

> felt bad physically and mentally. I would have been sneaking on

> that cake whenever I could until it was gone. I would have eaten

it

> for breakfast this morning before anyone could see me. Newsflash:

I

> don't even want any this morning. I am not even ready to eat

yet.

> Know what sounds good? An egg burrito.

>

> This post is way long, but I hope there is some encouragement in

it

> for you.

>

> ~Kami

>

[Guest guest]

Hey Steve,

Welcome! Is it possible that your metabolism is still messed up from

all the dieting? I think it is pretty common to gain a little bit

when we legalize foods again. Have to get back in touch with eating

for the right reason - hunger.

Can you explain exactly what your approach has been to us so we can

try to figure out why it isn't working? Describe a typical day.

What do you feel like when you start eating? What about when you

stop? Have you tried journaling? Writing down what level you were

at when you started, what level when you stopped? How do you know

you are at those levels? Do you find yourself eating for reasons of

appetite instead of just hunger?

I would love to try to help you solve your problem, it might help me

solve my own. I was doing great at first and then I started eating

to a 6 or 7 again. I think I need to get a bit more " strict " with

myself in that the default should be not taking that extra bite. Not

eating that ice cream before bed. Unless there is compelling hunger,

then that's fine. I've been so hot and uncomfortable the past few

days that it's been tough to figure out what the heck my body is

saying. Probably " give me some water! "

> >

> > Just wanted to personally welcome one of our newest

> > members, " esdel55 " .... Your profile says you're " Steve " ...

Welcome!

> > I'm thinking (and I could be wrong, as not all have introduced

> > themselves) that you might just be our first male member! Glad

> you've

> > joined us!

> >

> > Feel free to lurk, but we'd love if you joined in and shared! )

> >

> > Jenn

> > <><

> > Group Owner

> > http://intuitive-eating.blogspot.com

> >

>

[Guest guest]

Congrats, Kami! That's great! :-D

Jenn

<><

-----Original Message-----

I had Pepperidge Farm coconut cake for dinner You

>know what? It tasted great. Know what else? I ate my 1/4 of the

>cake happily and I never went back for seconds.

http://mizbooksreads.blogspot.com

http://intuitive-eating.blogspot.com

http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/IntuitiveEating_Support

* NEVER DIET AGAIN! *

[Guest guest]

Kate -- congrats on your progress toward being an IE! )

I second both of your recommendations ... Geneen Roth's books (I just finished

" Why Weight? " ), and the DietSurvivors group

....http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DietSurvivors

Both were very helpful to me, as well!

The cognitive therapy that DietSurvivors talks of can be found on Dr.

Edelstein's website, here:

http://threeminutetherapy.com/chapter1.html

Although I've not worked extensively with that method, yet, I've tried it, and

it's really good!

Jenn

<><

-----Original Message-----

>I started doing non-dieting/intuitive eating in March with Geneen

>Roth's books (highly reccommend them....she really focuses on the

>emtoinal reasons why we overeat)

because of the cognitive therapy I have done(lots and lots of journaling and

exercises to

>work through my irrational thoughts). I learned about this at the diet

survivors yahoo group.

http://mizbooksreads.blogspot.com

http://intuitive-eating.blogspot.com

http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/IntuitiveEating_Support

* NEVER DIET AGAIN! *

[Guest guest]

Thanks, -- this is something I was gonna suggest, too. )

(Not just for Steve, either... for anyone who's struggling and wants to

brainstorm on it!) )

Jenn

<><

-----Original Message-----

>Can you explain exactly what your approach has been to us so we can

>try to figure out why it isn't working? Describe a typical day.

http://mizbooksreads.blogspot.com

http://intuitive-eating.blogspot.com

http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/IntuitiveEating_Support

* NEVER DIET AGAIN! *

[Guest guest]

> I loved your post.

Thank you!!!

I have days where I don't think about food except when I am hungry.

I can't wait for that day .

> I started doing non-dieting/intuitive eating in March with Geneen

> Roth's books(highly reccommend them....she really focuses on the

> emtoinal reasons why we overeat)

I LOVE her. Her approach has yet to resonate with me the way

Intuitive Eating has, but I am forever in her debt for her

pioneering approach to food issues.

> It has been really hard to uncover all the emotional stuff but so

freeing at the same time....especially when you can enjoy a piece of

cocnut cake for dinner and not feel guilty! Right Kami?

Totally! You know what? In the past I felt like I had to " earn "

that piece of cake with a " healthy " dinner. I would eat dinner,

then the cake, then a shave off the side of the cake, then shave the

inside so it was " even " . . . I ate way more food than if I had just

said " Screw it, I'm having cake for dinner. "

> It still is hard to sit with these emotions but they don't last

long! If I can just pull myself from the kitchen in these moments I

can make it through the emotions without food.

This is the work I am going to be doing.

You are an inspiration, Kate. Thanks for your post!

~Kami

[Guest guest]

>

>

> I LOVE her. Her approach has yet to resonate with me the way

> Intuitive Eating has, but I am forever in her debt for her

> pioneering approach to food issues.

Intuitive Eating is one of the next books I want to read! I just

checked out " Diets Don't Work " from the library today....they didnt'

have IE. I will find a used copy on the internet this week.

I think it is great that we all have different books that

have " spoke " to us. When I was reading ROth's book " Breaking Free "

I had so many moments where I was shocked to hear someone else was

doing the same things I was. No one knew I had the problem that I

did so it was so wonderful to hear that I wasn't alone!

>

>

> > It has been really hard to uncover all the emotional stuff but

so

> freeing at the same time....especially when you can enjoy a piece

of

> cocnut cake for dinner and not feel guilty! Right Kami?

>

> Totally! You know what? In the past I felt like I had to " earn "

> that piece of cake with a " healthy " dinner. I would eat dinner,

> then the cake, then a shave off the side of the cake, then shave

the

> inside so it was " even " . . . I ate way more food than if I had

just

> said " Screw it, I'm having cake for dinner. "

I KNOW!! There were so many times when I would pass on ice cream

thinking I was being " good " and then I would have a binge that would

equal 2x the calories of an ice cream and I would think " I could

have enjoyed that ice cream " ....but you know I wouldn't have allowed

myself to enjoy it because it would have taken 2 days worth of

points!! ha!! Oh...and I am now not eating so many darn

veggies! I love them but now I am not filling up on them just

because they are 0 points! No more! I am not eating as much food

either so some days it makes me wonder why I am not loosing and

gaining a little.....but I keep reminding myself that it is not my

focus! old habits die hard!!

> This is the work I am going to be doing.

>

You are on your way Kami!

Kate

[Guest guest]

I hope the book does for you what it did for me. Everything in it

makes complete sense, and I love that it was written by two

nutritionists who had worked with weight loss patients for years.

When I ordered it from Amazon, it took at least two weeks to get

here. There are a lot of people ordering it right now. I am so

relieved to find people here who are doing the same thing as I am. It

makes this so much easier.

~Kami

> Intuitive Eating is one of the next books I want to read! I just

> checked out " Diets Don't Work " from the library today....they didnt'

> have IE. I will find a used copy on the internet this week.

[Guest guest]

A high five for you too, Kate. Awww

the sweet smell of success!

Vicki

From: IntuitiveEating_Support [mailto:IntuitiveEating_Support ] On Behalf Of georgiafamilyof4

Sent: Tuesday, July 25, 2006 12:22

PM

To: IntuitiveEating_Support

Subject: IntuitiveEating_Support]

Re: esdel55 ... Hello!

[Guest guest]

Steve, I'm new to this myself and am learning. I don't think I've gained,

but I've not lost either, but these women are a great source of help in

figuring out where you might be misinterpreting your body signals and such.

For example, I was thinking that I was doing ok if I ate at less than a 5

even if it wasn't 0 (according to Thin Within that Jenn already mentioned).

In other words, I wasn't waiting until I was at a 0. I might eat at a 3,

but wouldn't eat past 5 (satisfied). What they told me was that this can

cause you to overeat later and have a harder time finding your satisfied

level. They were completely right and this helped me tremendously to

understand what I was doing wrong. I don't know if that made sense, but

mostly I'm just saying don't get too discouraged and ask lots of questions.

Someone around here might just have the answer for you. Welcome to the

group!

Leisa

Re: esdel55 ... Hello!

> Hello Jenn, ladies,

>

> Thanks for the nice welcome. Yup, I'm a guy I had no idea I had

> stumbled into a nest of women until it was too late, LOL. Now that

> I've been outed, might as well say something about myself. I'm 50

> years old and over 200 pounds overweight. How did I get this way?

> Well, I've been dieting ever since I was 12, that's how. I have

> probably lost hundreds of pounds on one diet or another, only to gain

> them all back and then some. A few years back, I lost 135 pounds on

> the Zone Diet. It took me several years, but I did it. Then a funny

> thing happened: I stopped losing weight, even though I was eating tiny

> portions of rabbit food. I went off the Zone and started looking

> around for other diets, but none of them worked, so I fell back into

> my old eating habits and all the weight came back on. I'm sure that's

> a familiar story for everyone around here.

>

> Recently I read a book about intuitive eating called " The Overfed

> Head " and it just made so much sense to me, it was like a light bulb

> went on in my head. I've been trying this approach for about a month

> now. Unfortunately, it doesn't seem to be working. I'm pretty sure

> I've actually gained weight. I started looking around for Yahoo

> groups about IE and joined this one and a couple of others. One of

> the other groups is for people who have been trying IE for years and

> have been unable to lose weight. Now they're all talking about

> dieting again. I gotta tell ya, I'm pretty darned discouraged at this

> point. I don't mean to be a downer, but that's my story. I'm

> convinced nothing can help me. I hope you ladies can prove me wrong

>

> Steve

>

>

>

>

>

> >

> > Just wanted to personally welcome one of our newest

> > members, " esdel55 " .... Your profile says you're " Steve " ... Welcome!

> > I'm thinking (and I could be wrong, as not all have introduced

> > themselves) that you might just be our first male member! Glad

> you've

> > joined us!

> >

> > Feel free to lurk, but we'd love if you joined in and shared! )

> >

> > Jenn

> > <><

> > Group Owner

> > http://intuitive-eating.blogspot.com

> >

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Wow, so many kind, supportive, welcoming messages from so many

wonderful ladies; thank you all so much! I'm sorry my previous post

was so gloomy. I do tend to get desperate sometimes because I'm

getting to where I can't even function. I can't begin to tell you

all how severely my life has been impacted by my weight. It was

even a major factor in the breakup of my marriage. That was 7 years

ago, but I'm still not over that one. However, there IS a bright

side: I am 100% CONVINCED that this is the way to go! Even if I

don't lose a single pound, I'd much rather be fat and free from

obsessing about food than fat and obsessing. The main thing is how

GOOD I feel from eating this way. It's a feeling that I can only

describe as COMPOSURE, or BALANCE. I'm not a Buddhist, but I know

that the Buddha taught " the Middle Way " ; not too much or too little

of anything. It's a feeling of inner calm that comes from finding

that perfect balance.

You know, I have always believed that I was a major sugar addict. I

seemed to be able to eat an unlimited amount of sweets. Then,

reading " The Overfed Head, " it hit me like a ton of bricks: I stuff

myself with sweets half the time because the other half of the time,

I'm denying myself the pleasure of eating sweets! And not just

sweets, but any kind of food that I have seen as " forbidden "

practically all my life. Forbidden as a kid (when I was thin) by my

mom, then by any number of diet gurus, until I internalized this

attitude and began forbidding myself. So, anytime I had the

opportunity to eat these forbidden foods, I would stuff myself,

SUBCONSCIOUSLY hoarding up because I knew the deprivation would soon

be back in force. Now I have ice cream in the freezer and it lasts

me a whole week, as opposed to 2 days. I had a big bag of potato

chips that took me about 2 weeks to consume. This is major

progress.

Another thing is, I've forced myself to have some kind of

breakfast for years because I'd always heard that's something

you " should do " in order to lose weight. However, I am rarely

hungry in the morning. Now I might have a few gulps of a Zone Drink

(I'm always in a hurry in the morning, and they taste good

Usually, though, I have nothing at all because I DON'T WANT IT. My

lunch usually consists of a PBJ sandwich. Unfortunately, I have a

set hour for lunch at work. One thing I hate is that they're always

changing it around, so just when I get used to eating at a certain

time, it changes. So, I can't be totally intuitive during the day.

However, I find that a PBJ is satisfying, delicious, and it keeps me

from buying an expensive sweet for dessert. I live alone and I hate

to cook, and I'm pretty exhausted when I get home from work, so I've

been having things like deli macaroni salad and deli meats for

dinner. I do love vegetables and I feel somewhat guilty for not

eating more, but it's just too time consuming. I would possibly

lose some weight if I made some more intelligent food choices, but

my dinner has to be quick and easy as well as delicious. Am I being

a bad boy doing this? It seems like there's a fine line between

trying to eat more healthfully and slipping back into the diet

mentality.

I am so SICK of that diet mentality, the feeling that I am not in

control of my eating, of letting other people dictate what I should

and shouldn't eat. As a man, I have been resentful that I have been

saddled with a " woman's issue. " Not that there aren't plenty of fat

guys, but the whole diet thing does have a definite feminine spin to

it. By the way, I would also like to say that I think the obsession

with being bony and gaunt is an ideal imposed by women on women.

Don't be fooled by all the advertising hype; a lot of men like women

with some meat on their bones! As for me, I'm not expecting to ever

be thin, nor do I care one whit. I just want to be able to function

normally in life.

Steve

[Guest guest]

Hey, Steve... Have you seen the Chunk to Hunk website?

http://www.chunktohunk.com Fred's story is truly inspiring! It got me back on

track after several months of floundering in my old habits, thinking I'd never

get back to where I was. )

I agree that weight-loss seems like a " women's issue " , but I also think that men

aren't given enough attention for it, either. People DO care about the men,

too... My Dad, for instance. I really care that he's quite overweight and that

it's caused him to develop Type 2 Diabetes, and other issues. I wish he'd try

IE, but he's not there, yet. I've sent him links to my blog

(http://intuitive-eating.blogspot.com ) and the Chunk to Hunk site. He'll read

them, but he won't try it. I think he sees it as a " hopeless " thing ...

something that " works for others " but not for him. My mom & sister, too. They've

seen the results in me (25 lbs in 6 months), and yet they refuse to try it, even

though they bemoan their weight problems constantly. :-?

Ah well. Maybe some day.

Jenn

<><

-----Original Message-----

As a man, I have been resentful that I have been

>saddled with a " woman's issue. " Not that there aren't plenty of fat

>guys, but the whole diet thing does have a definite feminine spin to

>it.

http://mizbooksreads.blogspot.com

http://intuitive-eating.blogspot.com

http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/IntuitiveEating_Support

* NEVER DIET AGAIN! *

[Guest guest]

Steve,

You are in the beginning of

intuitive eating. In the beginning everyone always eats more of the food

that they have subconsciously or consciously outlawed. Once you have been

practicing the IE way of life (I do mean life) for a while, you will then be

drawn back to the veggies and more healthful food. That is because your

body will feel better consuming nutritious food and you will be listening more

to your body. Make sure you have a few of your favorite vegetables available to

offer yourself. Buy a vegetable tray at the supermarket and when you go

looking for dinner offer yourself a few vegetables along with your usual.

If they get old throw them out and get another tray. You can’t eat

what you don’t have already there.

Dieting seems to be more of a woman’s

way of life. Men don’t usually care if they have a little extra

weight. But it is so good that you want to get your health and your life

back on track. I am root’in for you and I bet the others are too.

Peace,

Vicki

[Guest guest]

That chunk to hunk website is pretty inspiring!

V

[Guest guest]

That is a great idea about " make sure you have the healthy food on

hand " . I'm allowed to buy ice cream and cookies now, so why not

grapes and broccoli as well? Same thing goes when I bring lunch and

snacks to work...I don't know what will sound good to me when I'm

hungry in the afternoon in the morning, but if I don't bring any

healthy options I am shutting myself off from those if that turns out

to be what I want. I know my body tends to feel better if I eat

grapes instead of chocolate, but if I _really_ want the chocolate

from the vending machine, I'll go get it. I think when we are

learning to do IE we need to try all kinds of different foods again,

now that nothing is taboo. Then hopefully our body can tell us what

we really want.

Have you tried frozen dinners at all, Steve? That might provide you

some variety and easy access to vegetables (if you don't want the

veggies at the time, just don't eat them). I find them convenient

because the portions are small, or you could even buy the skillet bag

that is for multiple people...eat what you're hungry for, and save

the rest. Prep is really easy - you just stick it in a skillet and

wait 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Directions on the bag.

The Overfed Head does allow just focusing on weight loss and worrying

about nutrition later. You can certainly do that. The reason I

choose to add some healthy foods back in is because my body does like

them. Also, the problem with deli foods is that it is easy to eat

them quickly...so you might eat beyond a 5 and not realize it at

first. If you can manage to take 20 minutes to eat the portions you

are eating, that could help.

Moran's book gives a good explanation of why she chooses to eat

healthy foods even though it isn't necessary. The thing I love most

about her approach is she tells you to take what works and leave the

rest. We can tell you what works for us, but if it isn't working for

you, don't do it. No more rules!

>

> Steve,

>

> You are in the beginning of intuitive eating. In the beginning

everyone

> always eats more of the food that they have subconsciously or

consciously

> outlawed. Once you have been practicing the IE way of life (I do

mean life)

> for a while, you will then be drawn back to the veggies and more

healthful

> food. That is because your body will feel better consuming

nutritious food

> and you will be listening more to your body. Make sure you have a

few of

> your favorite vegetables available to offer yourself. Buy a

vegetable tray

> at the supermarket and when you go looking for dinner offer

yourself a few

> vegetables along with your usual. If they get old throw them out

and get

> another tray. You can't eat what you don't have already there.

>

> Dieting seems to be more of a woman's way of life. Men don't

usually care

> if they have a little extra weight. But it is so good that you

want to get

> your health and your life back on track. I am root'in for you and

I bet the

> others are too.

>

> Peace,

>

> Vicki

>

[Guest guest]

Hi Steve and LJ!!! Good to have you!!

Jodi

[Guest guest]

Kami wrote

What I want more than anything else is to be freed from my obsession with food.

Yes, Kami. Your message was so good! That is when I have had success before-just concentrating on changing my mind and not on the weight. I was thinking the other day, If I have to stay at this same weight forever , it would be worth it not to have this food obsession!!

-Jodi