Josie Ann's Journal, 28 April 2014

This sounds really interesting! I could def. use something to learn more. I feel so lost most of the time. I just go with it. However, I've been doing this low carb diet. Yeah I think I've lost like 2lbs since I've started. Most people by now have lost over 15. So, apparently it does not work for me at all. Would you be so kind and share the website? :) 

@riyankee, the site is: amihungry.com. Take a look around and read some of her blog, newsletter articles and personal stories. This puts you in charge rather than a diet!  

If the philosophy works for you in the book, you are lucky and go with it! I know for a fact, not every diet or book works for everyone, I have been on them all and owned every dang book on the subject you can imagine…….what is great about being engaged in a book you find inspiring is you tend to really stick with the plan you are settling on. I did a version of letting my body find the diet, explained below, but I NEEDED to track, weigh and log- as it turns out, that was the problem. As well as too many healthy fats, aka Olive Oil and or Canola (I stir-fry a lot), way too much cheese, is is gone off my menu now. Not that I would not have it, I would. I just measured and entered it when I ate it. Gradually I just eliminated. When I would look at the diary from the previous day, it inspired me to tighten up the high calorie spots, such as cheese. As "Riyankee" is not losing weight on the Low-Carb for example, clearly, this is not a good path for her metabolism….you will do better tracking everything and count calories for 30 days. Low carb eating, for me, is too boring- but more than that, I have a medical problem that makes it no longer possible for me to do. So, for the first 30 days, I set the meter to lose 1 pound a week. I decided logging and tracking was the goal, not anything else. (Trying to develop the habit- unlike our friend Josie Ann who finds it counterproductive..as I said, nothing works for everyone!) Each week, I naturally tightened and let the calories drop gradually. I insisted that I did not punish myself and on a few "hollow leg days". I ate until full…even if it was a lot, and logged every crumb. Well, it was like a miracle for me. NO punishments, no recriminations. Just awareness. And my body started asking for less and less food. By the time I hit week 3, I was under consistently on the calorie goal, week one, I was constantly over other than one day, week 2 oscillated between on and over. Week three, I hit every day. Now week four, I am eating under the goal each day- but I am FULL. No starving, no horror, no feeling like I am on a leash. I am in charge! Maybe I misread…but I guess I have a similar version to the book, except I must do the weighing and measuring, I did have a food addiction. I am eating well-balanced, whole foods, and everything is delicious. (I am a cook and whole food eater- so that part is easy for me) In essence, I had more "holes" in my diet than I perceived. I just tightened each week. I just started week 4- I am 6 pounds down of real weight for the month, not hungry and food intake dramatically reduced. I hope what either of you do, you keep posting so we can hear how the story ends! If the book helps you- that is GREAT! I posted how I did my calorie control for Riyankee as a suggestion of how to find her diet. Let your body find it. Log and track one month and see where the wind takes you! I can hardly believe how much I am eating and how delicious everything is. This is the first time in my life I felt a diet was not a special hell! Best Wishes on the journey- please let us know how it goes!  

Hi MrsRatfire, I think we do indeed have similar books where mindful eating is the objective. Thanks for your input - appreciated. However, I do find tracking food to be quite helpful; which I have done for awhile, but it's not something I want to be doing for the rest of my life. Especially, with learning how to eat more instinctively. So, I will continue to track for the next few days only to see how much more or less I eat by listening to my body as opposed to listening to diet rules. I agree with you that what I have found most astonishing so far in this is how much LESS I eat! I'm actually not as hungry as I would have thought. I also totally hear you when you say this way of eating is indeed the first time I feel in charge around food. Food is losing it's power over me. Have a wonderful day! Josie 

So happy to read this, kiddo. I really think this will set you free on a lot of things and am here for you any time you want to discuss it. Angel (Ruhu) and I have a little book club going on in one of the group forums and I'll send you an invite. She went thru a seminar last year and now shares the lessons by chapter and we discuss our experiences with getting the topics and tools in place.  

Hey Bells, please do send me the invite I would definitely be interested! And, yes, I really do feel set free after living my entire life being obsessed with my weight and following so many different diets. Who knew you could manage and even lose weight by just listening to your own body. I'm not looking back...I never thought it was possible to trust myself with food, but this is the key, so thank you so much for sharing and leading me to this great book!  

And I am for the most part done with buying diet books and trying fads. Everyone things the Paleo Diet is new, it was popular in the mid 1970's. It all rolls around, re-invents, and rolls around again. The weight problem is so bad that they can sell ANYTHING by just claiming is is PERFECT FOR EVERY ONE! (Nothing is) I did not buy any book, I cam e to this realization myself.,,,,if I knocked off my weight, it was going to be my idea for my own best seller! Alas, I will have to setting for health, energy and fabulous good looks! :) I subscribe to the weekly Woman's Word- I get a kick out of reading the weekly Miracle Weight Loss Cure. Now some of the stuff, I have implemented. But much of it….well, I have tried it all! If I took all the supplements I have noted in Woman's World to lose fat, flatten the belly….blan, blah, blah, I would have 10 clothes baskets full to take a day! And YES, I take some specific ones for things I need.,.,,,but ONE magic cure to obesity? Only if I find a Genie in a Bottle.  

But- not ditching knowledge….clearly I am a recovering junkie on diet books, supplements etc. I have sold many of my books on Amazon, but the newer fads are what sold. There are millions of Suzanne Sommers Summercize books- those I cannot sell but will donate. Now I love Suzanne Sommers- I am a fan, and her books were interesting and plenty to learn there too. But there is another example of a miracle cure that is not as IN STYLE as it was- hence the million copies for sale for a penny. I even have an autographed one! As I said, recovering diet book junkie.