Guest guest Posted May 21, 2009 Report Share Posted May 21, 2009 Lora, I see by another of your posts that you will be reading the IE (or other non-dieting) book soon. I think this will help you most with understanding that in non-dieting the only 'tracking' you do (if you want to) is YOUR own reactions to food. I'll let the experts explain it best for you, but basically point counting, weight logs etc, are not part of IE. Hope this helps. Katcha IEing since March 2007 > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 21, 2009 Report Share Posted May 21, 2009 Yeah, I have a suggestion -- don't keep logs! I have also done WW, and i lost weight but the hunger and counting almost drove me crazy. I kept records of my weight, calories, food, etc for years and years. most of my life probably. it's great to stop. you'll understand more about the intuitive eating approach as you start reading, but basically, it is really not necessary to keep records if you are in touch with your body, eating what your body wants to eat and exercising when it wants activity. not that that's easy, or that I am so good at it, but as I'm learning, I think it is true. thea > > > > 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. > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 21, 2009 Report Share Posted May 21, 2009 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. > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 25, 2009 Report Share Posted May 25, 2009 , Thank you. That is an interesting way of looking at it. I like that. I will try it. Part of what I am struggling with is that I know dieting doesn't work, but IE scares me. I don't trust myself enough yet to completely let go of " diet " thinking. I have 100+ lbs to lose and I'm afraid that if I give myself permission to eat based on what my body wants and needs, I will gain weight and not be able to control my eating. It's a struggle between knowing I have to let go and being afraid to let go. I have to start trusting myself and listening to my body instead of running the numbers, points, calories, good/bad list through my head all the time. You're right. It's a learning process and it is going to take time to undo years of dieting which never worked anyway. Abby > > > > > > > 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 > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 26, 2009 Report Share Posted May 26, 2009 Love your thinking ! What a great attitude and 'starting' point. Thank you so much for sharing this Katcha IEing since March 2007 > > One thing I told myself, Abby, when I started IE was this, " I am thin on the > inside, but my body on the outside is just waiting to catch up! " . I told > myself this constantly. In the beginning it was hard, because the mirror > certainly didn't reflect what I was telling myself, but I kept telling > myself this over and over, and one day I realized my body had in fact > 'caught up'. Basically, what I decided was the day I decided to give up > dieting, was the day I also became 'naturally thin'. There was no future > date when I would be thin - it started *that day* - my body was just > catching up! I had already decided in my mind that I was there, if that > makes any sense. I did experience some 3-steps forward, 2-steps back, but I > just kept repeating my mantra...I am naturally thin on the inside, and my > body is just waiting to catch up on the outside....I had another one that > also helped me. " Everything I eat turns into healthy and beauty. " That > affirmation really resonated. I was only too happy to let go of dieting. I > thought it was the worst thing in the world to be punished while those > around me got to eat what they wanted. But it was definitely an adjustment > and learning process, and quite frankly, it still is. But to be free from > the diet-mentality is worth it! Hang in there - in fact, you are already > there! > > Hugs, > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 26, 2009 Report Share Posted May 26, 2009 Abby, its excellent that you are realizing where you are 'at' in your IE journey. There are many of us here who have been, and maybe still are, 'where' you are at now. All I can tell you is that if you gift yourself the time and are willing to be gentle with yourself too, IE will begin to work for you as you work on it. I've not lost weight as I wished for when I began my IE journey, but I have 'gained' so much MORE in happy living as well as ditching diet mentality and food concerns. Take what baby steps you can, post your successes and trials here, and enjoy your IE journey. We are happy and honored to share it with you. ehugs, Katcha IEing since March 2007 > > , > > Thank you. That is an interesting way of looking at it. I like that. I will try it. Part of what I am struggling with is that I know dieting doesn't work, but IE scares me. I don't trust myself enough yet to completely let go of " diet " thinking. I have 100+ lbs to lose and I'm afraid that if I give myself permission to eat based on what my body wants and needs, I will gain weight and not be able to control my eating. It's a struggle between knowing I have to let go and being afraid to let go. > > I have to start trusting myself and listening to my body instead of running the numbers, points, calories, good/bad list through my head all the time. You're right. It's a learning process and it is going to take time to undo years of dieting which never worked anyway. > > Abby Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 27, 2009 Report Share Posted May 27, 2009 > I do remember the scary part, but just remember " eat when I am hungry and > stop when I've had enough " and you will get there. Hello Abby, I find it scary at times as well. Sometimes I have a little panic attack over it, but I keep reminding myself of what said above, and eventually I calm down. I have 150lbs I would like to lose, so it is difficult to not diet. There is always a feeling of urgency when I think about losing weight, so taking it slowly is scary. Also, constantly having doctors telling me I'm going to have high blood pressure, diabetes and fatty liver makes me panic even more. However, I've dieted since I was a child and that's how I got to the weight I am now, so I have to keep calming myself down by reminding myself of this. I've already had some small success with my weight this first month of IE, and that really comforts me. We should really have success stories listed here. It would really help to calm people like me down when we panic. Aside from weight loss IE has given me my life back. I actually have days when I don't think about food and eating until I feel hungry. That's a miracle for me. Just don't give up on it. I promise you will find all kinds of benefits with it! Good luck, Kath Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 29, 2009 Report Share Posted May 29, 2009 As I said in a recent post, we need to think of this as that we DO have a choice. Even if those with health consequences have much more serious consequences, we STILL have that choice. Sure, it's maybe a possible coma, instead of tummy upset for someone else. But we still have the choice. ;-) Warrior > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > 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 > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > - > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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