So I've noticed a huge difference in my appetite the past week or so. I'm hardly ever really hungry. You know the kind of hunger that you can never really satisfy? I haven't gotten that way in a while. And lately up to this point, I've had a lot of those. But lately, it's been different. I've even had a few "suppers" where I didn't actually make a specific meal simply because I wasn't hungry for a bigger type meal after work (nor did I feel like making it) and just felt like having a few smaller snacks throughout the evening. Before I'd never even check in with myself as to how I felt, it was just "planned" and it was just a given.
It sounds so ridiculously simple I almost feel foolish being this far into my weight loss actually realizing it, but when you truly decide to consistently honour your hunger and rid yourself of any guilt or judgment associated with what you're eating by allowing yourself to have whatever it is you want, while not forgetting to listen to your body, it is amazing what that does for the body and just as importantly, if not more importantly, the mind.
Eat.when.you.are.hungry----period. You can eat later if you feel hungry - imagine that! I'll admit, this was scary and I haven't always honoured my hunger while eating whatever I wanted, but it's all a part of the process in "experimenting" with doing so without allowing yourself to feel badly about it. IT'S JUST FOOD and there's MORE of it. Just LOOK in your fridge?! It's there and it's not going anywhere, right?! I really think that "last supper" mindset was always present with me up to this point - that feeling like "this was it" until the next time I was "allowed" to eat accordingly to "the plan." Know what I mean? I'm not even knocking needing to follow "a plan," it's just that over such a significant period of time, it created a feeling of deprivation without even realizing it and I was starting to rebel. I'm just glad I caught onto it.
I think part of my hunger satiety has to do with the increase in the amount of probiotic yogurt I've been having in which I think the little probiotics are having a party in my belly and part of it is me really giving the process in becoming an intuitive eater a serious attempt and it has really caught me off guard, but in a good way. Actually, in a way that continues to baffle me, given the length of time I've been on this weight loss road and the amount of weight that I have lost. It's so counter intuitive and it's really hard to wrap your head around because up to this point, I learned the importance of many strategies to weight loss success. Planning was such a huge part of that. It was paramount in getting on board with learning how to adopt a healthy eating lifestyle and when you're starting from "square 1" being extremely obese it was the first stepping stone. At that stage in my journey to a healthier lifestyle, it was what was needed for me to learn the ropes to healthy eating. Having a plan in place was so important to staying on track. That is why weight watchers is a great program for people learning how to eat healthy and to learn how much. If you follow the plan the way it is intended to be followed, it can provide you with a great step into adopting a healthy lifestyle.
Eventually I think I learned as much as I could from WW and was ready to take it to the next step. As much as the program helped me, I truly don't want to be a slave to counting POINTS or calories for the rest of my life, so in order to do that now I'm learning to chuck the "plan" out the window and just listen to what your body is telling you! Well frig! The past few weeks have been a mental struggle trying to sort through old "regular" thoughts about eating and food and trying to be aware of them to replace them with new ones. It doesn't happen overnight and I'm not there yet, but all I can say is I feel like I've been released from some ball and chain even though I am still struggling with it.
It sounds so ridiculously simple I almost feel foolish being this far into my weight loss actually realizing it, but when you truly decide to consistently honour your hunger and rid yourself of any guilt or judgment associated with what you're eating by allowing yourself to have whatever it is you want, while not forgetting to listen to your body, it is amazing what that does for the body and just as importantly, if not more importantly, the mind.
Eat.when.you.are.hungry----period. You can eat later if you feel hungry - imagine that! I'll admit, this was scary and I haven't always honoured my hunger while eating whatever I wanted, but it's all a part of the process in "experimenting" with doing so without allowing yourself to feel badly about it. IT'S JUST FOOD and there's MORE of it. Just LOOK in your fridge?! It's there and it's not going anywhere, right?! I really think that "last supper" mindset was always present with me up to this point - that feeling like "this was it" until the next time I was "allowed" to eat accordingly to "the plan." Know what I mean? I'm not even knocking needing to follow "a plan," it's just that over such a significant period of time, it created a feeling of deprivation without even realizing it and I was starting to rebel. I'm just glad I caught onto it.
I think part of my hunger satiety has to do with the increase in the amount of probiotic yogurt I've been having in which I think the little probiotics are having a party in my belly and part of it is me really giving the process in becoming an intuitive eater a serious attempt and it has really caught me off guard, but in a good way. Actually, in a way that continues to baffle me, given the length of time I've been on this weight loss road and the amount of weight that I have lost. It's so counter intuitive and it's really hard to wrap your head around because up to this point, I learned the importance of many strategies to weight loss success. Planning was such a huge part of that. It was paramount in getting on board with learning how to adopt a healthy eating lifestyle and when you're starting from "square 1" being extremely obese it was the first stepping stone. At that stage in my journey to a healthier lifestyle, it was what was needed for me to learn the ropes to healthy eating. Having a plan in place was so important to staying on track. That is why weight watchers is a great program for people learning how to eat healthy and to learn how much. If you follow the plan the way it is intended to be followed, it can provide you with a great step into adopting a healthy lifestyle.
Eventually I think I learned as much as I could from WW and was ready to take it to the next step. As much as the program helped me, I truly don't want to be a slave to counting POINTS or calories for the rest of my life, so in order to do that now I'm learning to chuck the "plan" out the window and just listen to what your body is telling you! Well frig! The past few weeks have been a mental struggle trying to sort through old "regular" thoughts about eating and food and trying to be aware of them to replace them with new ones. It doesn't happen overnight and I'm not there yet, but all I can say is I feel like I've been released from some ball and chain even though I am still struggling with it.
8 comments:
I think you've come leaps and bounds...it's super hard for someone, ANYONE who has ever had issues with food, and lost a lot of weight to trust themselves without counting calories or points....and it sounds like it's coming to you...who cares if it's coming slowly? You'll be free of counting forever once you've mastered this. I wish I was there, but I still have a LOT of counting before I think I could try that....maybe maintenance?
You're doing great Angie!!
I'm so glad you posted this. I've been trying to start intuitive eating. I had been thinking about it for a while and saw you blog about it.. that got me thinking more. Although I am heavier now than I would like to be, I am a classic example of someone who could really benefit from this type of living so I'm trying to give it a shot.
Seeing your post about it getting better is inspiring. I hope it does for me too because right now I"m at the point where I want all my "bad" foods. I don't think I really trust that I can have them if I want. I'm having a really hard time shaking that feeling that I won't be happy at this weight either and therefore will have to go on a diet. I am working on it, but I'm finding some moments are better than others.
Did you find you ate a lot of forbidden foods in the beginning? Did you stop weighing yourself? I think if I got on the scale I would be frustrated so right now I'm trying not to.
I'm so glad you are seeing such great changes! This will be a much nicer way to live.
Angie, I am so proud of you! You are doing the right thing in eating intuitively...I also need to master that. Right now I am very much in the grips of the "rebelliousness" that you mentioned. That is exactly how I feel! I know there is such a fine line between intuitive eating and a 'free for all' so to speak. I somehow drifted into the latter category...and am having a hard time getting out! I think I want to be you when I grow up.:)
How GREAT for you! It must feel so good to be in-tune with your body for once throughout this whole process.
I think what you're doing is really interesting, and I'm kind of in the same boat right now. You explained it so well though; I think I fought with Intuitve Eating for so long because counting points WORKED for me, so it was hard for me to let go and just trust my body, even after a 100 lb loss. I think I get it now though, in a way I haven't before.
Good for you, Angie! Keep up the amazing work and writing about it here so we can learn from you :)
Lots of love,
Angie #2
Angie, that is sooooo terrific! I am so thrilled for you; I can almost "feel" your relief in your post. Yes, I am living vicariously through you! Keep on keeping on - I think this is the track to freedom :)
i agree with you, it has something to do with the yogurt. people who get enough servings of dairy feel less hungry. lately i've been having a mid-morning snack of cottage cheese and berries, and sometimes don't get hungry to lunch until 3pm! so i just don't eat until then. works for me and it sounds like it's working for you.
you are doing amazingly and that phrase: HONOR YOUR HUNGER really resonated with me.
so simple and yet so powerful, Angie.
That is awesome! I'm so glad to hear it is working for you. Especially at the beginning it's hard, but I also have shockingly found that it gets easier and better. What a discovery it was too that I didn't have to eat everything now, that I could save it for later! Well done and keep posting about it!
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