The journey

[Guest guest]

Greetings everyone,

I've been on the i.e. journey for about six months now. I have struggled with

food issues since I was a young child. One of my earliest memories is sneaking a

stick of butter and some sugar under the kitchen table so that my mother could

not see.

I have been on just about every diet and was in O.A. for several years,

culminating in joining the " H.O.W. " faction of O.A., where they give you a

specific list of foods and you must call in your food to your sponsor each

night/morning. I have always exercised(compulsively as bulimia at times), and so

fluctuate about 30-40 lbs above what the government says is a " healthy " weight

for me. I am now 36 years old and am done dieting forever.

It's funny, because when I first picked up Geneen Roth's books, I thought I was

doing so to supplement my next stint in Weight Watchers. I thought she just

helped you to follow your diet. Was I ever wrong!

I attended one of Geneen's workshops this year, and since have discovered the

miriad of books and websites devoted to intuitive eating.

A few things that have resonated with me in the last few months:

- Nurturing myself. I am learning to do this and it is AMAZING. It's been the

big key for me. I am treating myself with kindness on the inside and outside,

and developing that mothering voice that tells me my feelings are okay etc.

- The journey is the destination. I will never be done. I will always have more

to learn about myself and the world around me. And I think that is wonderful.

- Every time I focus on losing weight, things become cloudy for me. My body will

settle at its natural weight in time (perhaps a loooong time!), and I'm now okay

with it. Why? Because this nurturing myself thing has made me happier than being

thin ever did! I am in shock about that.

Anyway, thank you all for your stories and sharing your struggles and insights.

Christa

[Guest guest]

Hi Christa,

Thanks for sharing about your journey. I always find it so interesting to hear about how other people arrived in the place where they are now. I have had disordered thinking around food since childhood as well.

I really enjoyed reading the top things you've learned and especially found the reminder about nuturing yourself very helpful. That's something that I often feel guilty about doing, which later backfires. It's great to get a reminder of how important that is.

-Joy