Working out and finding a program that works.

[Guest guest]

I am struggling with the numbers obsession. The number on the scale can make or break your day. Do not be a slave to the scale. See how your clothes fit and use that as a means to measure. I have alot of muscle and when work out I weigh more because fat is like feathers and muscle is like brick. I had a trainer who did not believe I could build muscle so fast. I worked with her for 12 weeks. I lost 30 pounds of fat, but gained 13 pounds of muscle. She had never seen any female gain that much muscle. I was not happy. I have had 5 trainers and none have been successful in creating a program that works for me. Cardio works best for me, and I have to work out hard to get results. Most of my fat in on my tummy. That is the hardest place to lose.I am taking a different approach and feel that I will be successful because I have the support of this

group.Thank you for listening. Subject: Re: New member introTo: IntuitiveEating_Support Date: Thursday, May 21, 2009, 3:29 PM

I've done WW too. Sometimes I was successful, other times not. Each time, I regained all the weight I lost, plus more. I didn't mind the tracking or counting points, though sometimes I became obsessed with what I was going to eat and when, even after I just finished eating. What really got to me over time was the weekly weigh ins and the competition of who had lost the most weight that week. It became my sole focus, even to the point I would wear light weight clothing to the weigh ins. The number on the scale set the tone for the next week or even the next month. If I lost, I felt great. If I gained, I felt like a failure. I also didn't like how everyone referred to themselves as "bad" or "good". If you ate a DQ Blizzard, it was bad. If you ate an apple, it was good.

Trying to unlearn "Diet" thinking is not easy for me. It's hard to look at all food and say "I can eat that if I want" when my brain still divides up all food as "good" or "bad". The good I should eat. The bad I can't, but want to eat. I'm still working on getting in touch with my body and knowing when enough is enoough. I've never done it before. I've been overweight since I was a kid, so food and hunger do not compute in my brain. My parents were always on or off a diet. I always knew when they were or weren't dieting by the food that was in the house.

Being new to all of this, my question is..as I learn to get back in touch with my body, will my weight adjust to a healthy weight? Has this happened to any of you? What have you experienced? Did you find it scary to let go of dieting?

Abby

> > >

> > > Hi everyone. The following is a copy of an intro email that was sent to the moderators. I wanted to post it and welcome Lora, as well as letting it serve to remind myself and others of how so many of us begin IE. Diet mentality has gotten so deeply entrenched that its hard to even think of what 'other' way to be. I have found that IE offers that other way and I am glad to be sharing experiences and learning with all of you working along this way too.

> > >

> > > So welcome Lora and if you or any others haven't read about non-dieting, I strongly suggest that you look at the Book List in the Files section at this site (left/pink column). Many of these books have been found at libraries too.

> > >

> > > BEST to all - Katcha

> > > IEing since March 2007

> > >

> > > (Lora's introduction)

> > >

> > > I am Lora Belle and I have a love of fast food, Hershey bars and Pepsi. I am 70 pounds overweight and 'Pre-Diabetic. ' I need some advice on how to deal with sugar and carb cravings. I am slowly changing my unhealthy ways, but I could use some support. I have used Weight Watchers with success, but I am unemployed at this time and I do get stressed and eat.

> > >

> > > My weight gains have been tied into traumatic events like my father's stroke, my divorce, my father's death, my mother 's cancer and dying 8 months later and then a major breakup with an ex-boyfriend. These events happened within a period of 4-6 years. I gained weight and never lost it. Now is the time for me to focus on my health, and with your support we can get through this together.

> > >

> > > Thank you for taking the time to read my post.

> > >

> > > L.B.

> > >

> >

>

[Guest guest]

Hi Lora Belle, I'd like to comment on the what you said about your numbers obsession. We've all been there! In the book, Breaking Free From Compulsive Eating (the first IE book I read), Geneen Roth suggests giving up the scale totally. So--being the all or nothing person that I am--I committed myself to No dieting and No weighing for at least a year. The last time I weighed myself was April 2nd, the day I started IE. It hasn't been easy. You wouldn't believe the number of times I've been tempted to get on that scale! (It's still in our bathroom because my husband weighs everyday.) I would never have guessed that weighing had become an obsession with me. Eating, yes, but weighing? Slowly but surely, I have begun to accept "not knowing" how much I weigh. It is sooooo freeing! No longer is a number on a scale the basis for how I feel about my looks on a given day. And oddly enough, I don't care anymore how much I weigh, but rather how my clothes fit and if my hair is cooperating. ha

I think Geneen is right about giving up the scale.

Try it -- you might like it. GracieIE-ing since 4/2/09

To: IntuitiveEating_Support From: bizeewm@...Date: Fri, 22 May 2009 21:59:08 -0700Subject: Working out and finding a program that works.

I am struggling with the numbers obsession. The number on the scale can make or break your day. Do not be a slave to the scale. See how your clothes fit and use that as a means to measure. I have alot of muscle and when work out I weigh more because fat is like feathers and muscle is like brick. I had a trainer who did not believe I could build muscle so fast. I worked with her for 12 weeks. I lost 30 pounds of fat, but gained 13 pounds of muscle. She had never seen any female gain that much muscle. I was not happy. I have had 5 trainers and none have been successful in creating a program that works for me. Cardio works best for me, and I have to work out hard to get results. Most of my fat in on my tummy. That is the hardest place to lose.I am taking a different approach and feel that I will be successful because I have the support of this group.Thank you for listening.