Hey all,so I've done some yo-yo weight loss and gain a bit. I had gone on this diet of calorie counting and I lost weight easily but counting calories was driving me insane. Needless to say when I stopped I gained some weight back and now I just eat way too much. I've noticed that I don't just eat when my body physically tells me I'm hungry. I eat when I'm bored, upset, really I eat just to eat. I've had this problem for many years now and I've realized that no matter what kind of diet I go on this problem will persist. I also want to just enjoy life and eating and not worry about counting calories. It doesn't help that I also am dealing with some self-confidence/body issues. Plus all this over eating has wreaked havoc on my stomach which is usually bloated and gassy.
Has anyone else been where I am, or does anyone have some advice?  I had an idea to start a food journal and just record what I eat and how I feel when I'm eating. Hopefully that would maybe give me some insight too.
any words of wisdom are greatly appreciated :)

Hello Suzie,The food journal sounds like a great idea.  I have too have experienced the up and down weight shifts, eating for other reasons than just being hungry as well as the whole self confidence issue.There is a new book coming out soon by Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh and Nutritionist Dr. Lilian Cheung called Savor, Mindful Eating Mindful Life.Here is a link to their page and forum.http://community.savorthebook.com/Having studied some of Thich Nhat Hanh's teachings I can attest that you don't have to be a Buddhist to gain insight from this incredibly peaceful man.  He does a tremendous job of showing how to incorporate mindfulness in everyday life, no matter what your background.  

Hi Suzie,I love what Hugh said. And YES! I am a foodie so I eat eat eat and cook cook cook! I understand the bloaty gassy thing! It tends to go away. The food journal rocks! I agree with Hugh. My blog is helping me so much because I am conscious that I will be writing about what I am eating.I have a book to recommend as well. Intuitive Eating..would be happy to send it to you.How long have you been at this?Support helps!Hang in there!XO Lhttp://spiritoflivingwell.com/index.php?/blog/day-7-the-foodie-goes-vegan-project/

PS Here is a blog of the ebb and flows...http://spiritoflivingwell.com/index.php?/blog/day-9-the-foodie-goes-vegan-project/You are not alone! XO

Hugh, I checked out that sight and I really liked the resources that it has. I've just started the food journal today as I make breakfast which consists of Veggie baked beans, brown rice, eggplant and daikon. I'm hoping that by being more aware of what I'm putting into my body and how it is prepared will give me a shift in thinking and in how I go about eating. My downfall last night though was a batch of almond butter carob chocolate chip cookies. I've managed to save two for my parents but my boyfriend and I devoured the rest. Needless to say that left my stomach very unhappy. Lauren, I checked out your blog and it has inspired me to maybe make my own. If I make that information public then I think I would be more aware of what I do. Also, I'm a fan of yoga, though I don't practice it enough, do either of you know any sort of yoga mindfulness approach to eating or the relationship with food? I want to kind of incorporate a whole feeling into my life where I feel that things are connected.
Thanks for the advice, much appreciated! :) I'll keep you updated on the food journal if you'd like.

Hi Suzie.  Sounds like you are on a great path!  I am sorry that I don't have any information on yoga/eating/mindfulness but if I come up with something, I will let you know.  Don't be too hard on yourself about the cookies (they sound great by the way).  When I feel that I have slipped, I try to learn from it.  Why did I do it, how did I feel afterwards and what I might be able to do in the future to keep it from happening again?  It took us years to form the patterns and connections that we have towards food.  I know I can't change that overnight but I can continue to try to do my best and keep learning as I go along this path.Lauren... I have been enjoying your blog and will look for Intuitive Eating.  Sounds like a great book.

Dearest Suzie,
I agree with Hugh, slipping is natural and don't beat yourself up...it's also enjoyable now and then:) I am also thrilled about the Blog! Go for it girl! It has helped me tremendously and intuitively you have picked up on the yoga thing. I have amped up my exercise and take yoga after a weight class 3 x's a week.I think it really helps! It also keeps me in check (well getting there) because if I eat poorly or enjoy too much wine class is a struggle.Hugh I love your attitude and I too am learning as a go. This forum is so helpful and inspiring.Just appreciate you all:)XO! Lhttp://tiny.cc/LDAbq 

Try soaking your grains for 24 hours before use to get the starch out. The starch causes gas and bloating. See if that might help out some. 

I also have the same problems, and have discovered (far too many) others do as well.  I highly recommend Intuitive Eating (the book) as well. Check out the principles of intuitive eating:  http://www.intuitiveeating.com/. Respecting your body and honouring your health are key. Hey, I'd be happy if I could just get the "eat when you're hungry and stop when you're full" part down!

And there are forums for this sort of thing: http://throughthickandthin.myfreeforum.org/

Sorry for the late reply. I wish I had a fix for you but I don't. I'm writing to tell you I am feeling EXACTLY what you are feeling. I have binge eating disorder. In this case, logic doesn't matter! We know all about the theories of why we're eating. We know what it probably means psychologically. However, we don't care! We just want food. I know what you mean about counting calories. For me, it actually makes things worse because I'll have a good day and be looking at that good number in my log and have to ruin it! It sounds crazy but it's the truth. Anyway, keep us posted on the diary idea. Best of luck!

 hi Susie,  , i want to tell you about a really good book and cd i ordered through  Amazon by a hypnotherapist in the UK called Susan Hepburn . Its called Hypnodiet .   Its really great cause on the cd she suggests to keep a food journal  as that is very very useful to gain insight  into patterns of emotional eating.

As it happens i ordered 2 by mistake so i have a spare on my bookshelf that i will be very happy to send you if you PM me your address. I would be thrilled to know its going to someone who could really benefit.

I must say hypnosis is a super powerful tool , i used hypnobirthing for having my son with no medication/pain relief !!

pamxx

I have this same problem. I find for most healthy people, the trick to weight loss is that simple equation of calories in vs. caolories out. You can use a food diary to track rather than straight calorie counting. When I am serious about losing weight, I look at what I eat, cut 500 calories out of it and then increase excersize so I am burning 200 - 500 calories a day.

To cut the 500 calories, I generally just try to eat smaller portions of everything but vegetables and go easy on sauces. Desserts become fruit instead of baked goods and sometimes I use a portion plate that I got so that  I can't fit more than a serving size on my plate.

All this being said, losing weight is hard. Over the past couple years, stress eating and travelling have got me 40 lbs heavier than what I want to be. Reading these posts help me keep going!

Hope this helps!

PS - I agree with the others, 140 lbs is pretty normal, even if you want to lose some more, remember you are not overweight

Hi,

Just checking back again and wanted to respond to the weight loss support and struggles with food.  I too want to really feel totally at peace with food.  Being vegan helps as I resist eating temptations easier because I think of where they come from (like ice cream).  But, I still struggle with food quite often and I haven't been able to lose the extra weight that I've carried because of this.  Just checking in with others sounds great. I want to live more like a "yogi" I guess you could say and really eat in that manner instead of sometimes overeating out of stress or anger which is my tendency.  There is this rescue farm near me that has a great saying, "Peace Begins on our Plate".  It is so true to not add the pained, suffering, and killed animals to one's plate and I want to create peace to my own eating no matter where my head is. 

I know it's been a while since anything has been posted in this thread. But I thought I would share a little update. Back when I first joined this community I was vegan for about 2 weeks. Some time passed and I found myself constantly wanting to go back to that lifestyle. Well I'm two days vegan and proud of it! I've also found that my body has gotten pickier about food and that it's a lot easier for me to "hear" my body yell at me for putting bad things into it. As in all things I have good and bad days, but I'm hoping that with my return to going vegan I'll be able to clear my body out and have a fuller connection with it. I think so many years of unhealthy eating has blocked the communication pathways and I wasn't able to fully hear my body. The messages were garbled. I've also come to find that when I eat unhealthily, be it binge eating or eating things that make my body feel sick, only hurts myself and I can't do that.

I look forward to being fully connected to my body. 

yay! Welcome back Suzie!