Lotus's Journal, 13 July 2008

Great for you!! You are making it work! 

thats amazing! so you stop when you are full?? hey what happen to... make sure you eat ever few hours to keep the metabolism going?  

too much diet/ nutrition information can actually hinder weight loss. Think about how many conflicting theories there are in dieting! If I can't trust my own body, what can I trust? Experts?? They haven't helped me so far in a lasting way. And I am to try to stop BEFORE full. Instead of counting calories I go by a hunger scale of one to 10, one being ravenous , 5 being satisfied and 10 being stuffed. For weight loss I am to eat at 5 or slightly below. It would be fine to eat more often, smaller amounts, as long as I am truly hungry. Today I ate an egg and biscuit for breakfast, tuna noodle cassarole and ice cream for lunch, peanut butter sandwich for dinner. I wasn't totally satisfied with dinner so I may have one more small snack before bed if I need it. The great thing about this is, it is easy to correct a slight miscalculation(as long as I don't binge!) If I et a little fuller than I want, say a 6, slightly full, well I just eat the next time I am truly hungry. It takes a little practice and patience to be able to really recognize TRUE hunger, but now that I see how much more satisfying it is to eat when I am really hungry, not because it's time to eat or the leading expert says to eat protein at such and such a time, or for an emotional reason, I want to wait for those clear signals. Because when you have CLEAR hunger signals, and eat mindfully with awareness, you can recognise the clear signals of satisfaction. I know I won't always be perfect, but I think it be easy not to give in to a binge, because I know no matter what, I can stay on track by only eating when I am hungry. So I eat a big meal at a restaurant. If I don't feel hungry again until 10 at night, thats fine. And it's fine to eat at 10 at night. I won't fear hunger any more. Hunger is a sign I am doing something right, not a scary thing or something to be avoided. It is the best tool for weight loss there is.  

Oh and the best thing? I am not thinking about food 24-7! I check in to see if I am hungry from time to time,think about what I really want(and what would feel best in my body) when I am hungry, theneat. Then FORGET about food and do something else! What great freedom! I can never go back to a diet. 

great job tuning in and really knowing your body. Prob I would have is convincing myself I would aways be a 4. really, unless if i just got up from a stuffing meal. then there are the ppl that can go hours, or all day w/ out hunger. i don't get them. i have not learned to go long w/ out a meal, unless i am very occupied! but really, i think this is the best thing out there, knowing your body, knowing your feelings.  

I am so proud of you!! I had a minor binge last night :( But I think I'm ok because my calories and things were so low this week. I'm totally pmsing. I've just noticed that THIS is when I binge!! Right around TOM!!