Guest guest Posted June 1, 2009 Report Share Posted June 1, 2009 Nat,Sometimes if I have that feeling, I ask myself (I got this from McKenna) -- Am I actually hungry, or do I just want to change the way I feel?I have found this to be really helpful. If I sit with the answer for a few minutes I usually can figure out what's bothering me. Maybe there is some emotional hunger that is happening with you that you are not addressing? Good luck.Abby I haven't posted on this site for a long time, but i really need some help. I've been trying out IE for around two months now after years of dieting, no self esteem, bulimia and so on, and i know i wont just suddenly be able to do this over night but i really feel stuck in a rut. I try so hard to listen to my body and only eat when i'm hungry, i don't deny myself any foods, and throughout the day, its all brilliant. The problem starts once ive eaten dinner in the evening. Im not at all hungry, but my mind is possessed with food. Its rediculous. I will eat what i seem to be craving (even though im not hungry), it will go away and then i just start thinking about food again. It sometimes helps if i really occupy myself doing something which requires concentration, but the thoughts just keep coming back until they are desperate. I just dont no what to do. Please can anyone help me? Any ideas, suggestions or anything? Has anyone else been through this and gotten over it? Its making me so down ( Nat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 1, 2009 Report Share Posted June 1, 2009 Nat, non-body hunger eating, especially in the evening times, continues to be a challenge to me too. What I've read that makes sense to me is the suggestion that if you can think back to what was happening to you just before the urge to (non-hunger) eat, then you can start to investigate into that being the source of your 'drive' to eat? Best wishes, Katcha IEing since March 2007 > > > I haven't posted on this site for a long time, but i really need some help. > > I've been trying out IE for around two months now after years of dieting, no self esteem, bulimia and so on, and i know i wont just suddenly be able to do this over night but i really feel stuck in a rut. > > I try so hard to listen to my body and only eat when i'm hungry, i don't deny myself any foods, and throughout the day, its all brilliant. > The problem starts once ive eaten dinner in the evening. Im not at all hungry, but my mind is possessed with food. Its rediculous. I will eat what i seem to be craving (even though im not hungry), it will go away and then i just start thinking about food again. It sometimes helps if i really occupy myself doing something which requires concentration, but the thoughts just keep coming back until they are desperate. I just dont no what to do. > > Please can anyone help me? Any ideas, suggestions or anything? Has anyone else been through this and gotten over it? > > Its making me so down ( > > Nat > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 1, 2009 Report Share Posted June 1, 2009 Nat, I've dealt with a similar issue in the past few months. You will shift out of the compulsive eating at night...do you know why? Because you have awareness about it, you're seeking information and resources, and you want to transform it. Feeling the sense of love, peace and accomplishment with eating intuitively throughout the day made my habit of using food at night much more clear. I've had difficulties eating at night since I was 4. I'm quite fine during the day, but in the evenings I feel tired, exhausted, bored, disconnected from myself after working all day and I just wanted to check out. When I check out, it's like the mouth monster goes loco. So, after really getting IE during the day, I feel like working with the night eating was my next challenge. Have you read When Women Stop Hating Their Bodies yet? I've been working with this book for the past few weeks. There's a passage in the " Mouth Hunger " chapter of this book that struck me like a lightening bolt. One woman wrote " I think of eating from mouth hunger as 'leaning on food.' I don't get angry with myself anymore for needing to lean on something, but I'd much rather figure out why I need to lean at all, so that someday, I'll be able to stand up on my own " p. 209. I too want to stand on my own more and more. Also, cultivating an internal self caretaker, which this book helps you give more attention to is so important! I need my internal caretaker even more at night. So at night now, when I eat, I eat as mindfully as I can and after I've been eating and start to feel physically satisfied, I ask myself can I come back to handling the state of my body and my life when I'm not eating. In the past, I haven't necessarily wanted to leave the distracted and pleasurable state of eating for the felt " nothingness " or eternity of the night before sleep. If I left eating, I would be stuck with experiencing my thoughts and feelings (tiredness, discomfort, boredom, sadness, whatever) until bedtime...unless I ate again! Food was helping me get through the night. I've discovered that I can be with myself, I can stand on my own because my internal caretaker is there for me and has helped me see that yes I can handle/tolerate my thoughts and feelings at night in other ways besides using food. Latoya > I try so hard to listen to my body and only eat when i'm hungry, i don't deny myself any foods, and throughout the day, its all brilliant. > The problem starts once ive eaten dinner in the evening. Im not at all hungry, but my mind is possessed with food. Its rediculous. I will eat what i seem to be craving (even though im not hungry), it will go away and then i just start thinking about food again. It sometimes helps if i really occupy myself doing something which requires concentration, but the thoughts just keep coming back until they are desperate. I just dont no what to do. > > Please can anyone help me? Any ideas, suggestions or anything? Has anyone else been through this and gotten over it? > > Its making me so down ( > > Nat > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 1, 2009 Report Share Posted June 1, 2009 Thank you all so much for replying with your thoughts and help. Its made me feel so much better just knowing i'm not the only one that struggles with this. I think i believed that once i truely followed IE in the day, the evening problem would disappear but its still not gong away and i really feel like im trying hard. I think i'm similar to you Latoya, in the sense that i have a hectic job in the day (Im a drama teacher in a secondary school) so i come home and have little energy and just want to chill out and relax, but whenever im alone (Which is most evenings-In a long distance relationship and too tired to meet with friends) i just seem to keep thinking about food. I am going to try the book you suggested and see if i can take something from that. I just feel so stuck and so lonely. Thank you all again for your time Nat > > Nat, > > I've dealt with a similar issue in the past few months. You will shift out of the compulsive eating at night...do you know why? Because you have awareness about it, you're seeking information and resources, and you want to transform it. > > Feeling the sense of love, peace and accomplishment with eating intuitively throughout the day made my habit of using food at night much more clear. I've had difficulties eating at night since I was 4. I'm quite fine during the day, but in the evenings I feel tired, exhausted, bored, disconnected from myself after working all day and I just wanted to check out. When I check out, it's like the mouth monster goes loco. So, after really getting IE during the day, I feel like working with the night eating was my next challenge. > > Have you read When Women Stop Hating Their Bodies yet? I've been working with this book for the past few weeks. There's a passage in the " Mouth Hunger " chapter of this book that struck me like a lightening bolt. One woman wrote " I think of eating from mouth hunger as 'leaning on food.' I don't get angry with myself anymore for needing to lean on something, but I'd much rather figure out why I need to lean at all, so that someday, I'll be able to stand up on my own " p. 209. I too want to stand on my own more and more. Also, cultivating an internal self caretaker, which this book helps you give more attention to is so important! I need my internal caretaker even more at night. > > So at night now, when I eat, I eat as mindfully as I can and after I've been eating and start to feel physically satisfied, I ask myself can I come back to handling the state of my body and my life when I'm not eating. In the past, I haven't necessarily wanted to leave the distracted and pleasurable state of eating for the felt " nothingness " or eternity of the night before sleep. If I left eating, I would be stuck with experiencing my thoughts and feelings (tiredness, discomfort, boredom, sadness, whatever) until bedtime...unless I ate again! Food was helping me get through the night. I've discovered that I can be with myself, I can stand on my own because my internal caretaker is there for me and has helped me see that yes I can handle/tolerate my thoughts and feelings at night in other ways besides using food. > > Latoya > > > I try so hard to listen to my body and only eat when i'm hungry, i don't deny myself any foods, and throughout the day, its all brilliant. > > The problem starts once ive eaten dinner in the evening. Im not at all hungry, but my mind is possessed with food. Its rediculous. I will eat what i seem to be craving (even though im not hungry), it will go away and then i just start thinking about food again. It sometimes helps if i really occupy myself doing something which requires concentration, but the thoughts just keep coming back until they are desperate. I just dont no what to do. > > > > Please can anyone help me? Any ideas, suggestions or anything? Has anyone else been through this and gotten over it? > > > > Its making me so down ( > > > > Nat > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 1, 2009 Report Share Posted June 1, 2009 Oooooh... I like that question a lot Abby-- thank you for that tidbit. My best, > > > > > > > > > I haven't posted on this site for a long time, but i really need some help. > > > > I've been trying out IE for around two months now after years of dieting, > > no self esteem, bulimia and so on, and i know i wont just suddenly be able > > to do this over night but i really feel stuck in a rut. > > > > I try so hard to listen to my body and only eat when i'm hungry, i don't > > deny myself any foods, and throughout the day, its all brilliant. > > The problem starts once ive eaten dinner in the evening. Im not at all > > hungry, but my mind is possessed with food. Its rediculous. I will eat what > > i seem to be craving (even though im not hungry), it will go away and then i > > just start thinking about food again. It sometimes helps if i really occupy > > myself doing something which requires concentration, but the thoughts just > > keep coming back until they are desperate. I just dont no what to do. > > > > Please can anyone help me? Any ideas, suggestions or anything? Has anyone > > else been through this and gotten over it? > > > > Its making me so down ( > > > > Nat > > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 2, 2009 Report Share Posted June 2, 2009 I agree with older postings and replys about loss ofncontrol when you didn't allow yourself to have satisfying food or when food police is on. When you allow yourself to have what your body wants and craves you will not lose control but you will be in control. I went through total loss of control with peanut butter for instance. I didnt allow myself to have it for almost all my life. Starting with november last year, I allowed myself to have it and it turn into almost binges.I felt as if I were under a total loss of control but after a period of allowing myself to have it, I don't even crave it anymore.It took a lot of work and a lot of mindful eating but it was a victory. One food at a time and one taste bud at a time. It s 2 am as I write this and I was almost about to engage in night eating after putting some boundaries firm w boyfriend and not allowing him to come over at this time.But I am here writing and reading instead of headed to the cereal box.I knew that there was no phyisical hunger..so it takes work to recognize it but it is doable good luck AdRiAnA > > > I haven't posted on this site for a long time, but i really need some help. > > I've been trying out IE for around two months now after years of dieting, no self esteem, bulimia and so on, and i know i wont just suddenly be able to do this over night but i really feel stuck in a rut. > > I try so hard to listen to my body and only eat when i'm hungry, i don't deny myself any foods, and throughout the day, its all brilliant. > The problem starts once ive eaten dinner in the evening. Im not at all hungry, but my mind is possessed with food. Its rediculous. I will eat what i seem to be craving (even though im not hungry), it will go away and then i just start thinking about food again. It sometimes helps if i really occupy myself doing something which requires concentration, but the thoughts just keep coming back until they are desperate. I just dont no what to do. > > Please can anyone help me? Any ideas, suggestions or anything? Has anyone else been through this and gotten over it? > > Its making me so down ( > > Nat > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 2, 2009 Report Share Posted June 2, 2009 I honestly think Shrink Yourself by roger gould (minus chapter 10) would be helpful. There is a chapter devoted to unfulfilling relationships. It also takes us back to infancy, childhood, and teen years to understand the evolution of our associations with food for comfort. KnoblochSent from my BlackBerry® wireless device from U.S. CellularFrom: "adriana13us" Date: Tue, 02 Jun 2009 09:07:05 -0000To: <IntuitiveEating_Support >Subject: Re: Loss of control! I agree with older postings and replys about loss ofncontrol when you didn't allow yourself to have satisfying food or when food police is on. When you allow yourself to have what your body wants and craves you will not lose control but you will be in control. I went through total loss of control with peanut butter for instance. I didnt allow myself to have it for almost all my life. Starting with november last year, I allowed myself to have it and it turn into almost binges.I felt as if I were under a total loss of control but after a period of allowing myself to have it, I don't even crave it anymore.It took a lot of work and a lot of mindful eating but it was a victory. One food at a time and one taste bud at a time. It s 2 am as I write this and I was almost about to engage in night eating after putting some boundaries firm w boyfriend and not allowing him to come over at this time.But I am here writing and reading instead of headed to the cereal box.I knew that there was no phyisical hunger..so it takes work to recognize it but it is doable good luck AdRiAnA > > > I haven't posted on this site for a long time, but i really need some help. > > I've been trying out IE for around two months now after years of dieting, no self esteem, bulimia and so on, and i know i wont just suddenly be able to do this over night but i really feel stuck in a rut. > > I try so hard to listen to my body and only eat when i'm hungry, i don't deny myself any foods, and throughout the day, its all brilliant. > The problem starts once ive eaten dinner in the evening. Im not at all hungry, but my mind is possessed with food. Its rediculous. I will eat what i seem to be craving (even though im not hungry), it will go away and then i just start thinking about food again. It sometimes helps if i really occupy myself doing something which requires concentration, but the thoughts just keep coming back until they are desperate. I just dont no what to do. > > Please can anyone help me? Any ideas, suggestions or anything? Has anyone else been through this and gotten over it? > > Its making me so down ( > > Nat > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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