Intuitive eating has ruined my diet mojo!

[ariescat]

Has anyone else had this problem? For the past year or so I've been tinkering with the idea of intuitive eating, you know, rejecting the diet mentality, making peace with my body, following hunger and satiety cues etc, but the only thing that has happened is I've ended up heavier and unhappy!

So, now I want to come back to the Slimming World fold, but my head is full of intuitive eating propaganda and it's sabotaging my weight loss. I start each day and there's a niggling voice in the back of my head whispering, 'Diets don't work. You'll see. You'll be binging by five o'clock'. And it becomes a self fulfilling prophecy. I've lost all faith in my ability to stick to Slimming World.

Does anyone have any advice/suggestions? I feel stuck - I don't want to eat 'intuitively' because it doesn't work for me, but apparently I've poisoned my mindset. Help!

 

[krupskaya]

I would try to adopt a middle ground between binging on junk food and following a strict diet. So eat loads of SW chips, SW quiche, fat free yoghurts, fruit, fat free fromage frais, low syn hot choc sachets mixed with quark etc etc - fill your boots so it diminishes the urge to binge without you feeling deprived. It's early days for you yet, so treat yourself with the patience and kindness you would show a friend who found themselves with a similar problem. You'll get there - have faith in the plan - it works if you work it!

 

[green eyed monster]

I would try to adopt a middle ground between binging on junk food and following a strict diet. So eat loads of SW chips, SW quiche, fat free yoghurts, fruit, fat free fromage frais, low syn hot choc sachets mixed with quark etc etc - fill your boots so it diminishes the urge to binge without you feeling deprived. It's early days for you yet, so treat yourself with the patience and kindness you would show a friend who found themselves with a similar problem. You'll get there - have faith in the plan - it works if you work it!

what she said. xx

'intuitive eating' sounds to me like an excuse to eat rubbish. i hope you can kick it soon mate xx

 

[sweetierufus]

I tried it last year but didn't work for me. I just craved sugary foods. Not all the principles have been useless! Eat when you're hungry, eat a bit slower,stop when full. I think they can be embraced in sw as well. I try not just to eat for the sake of it.

 

[abisaurus]

Are you doing SW through a group or just at home. Maybe a new member talk might help you and being able to talk to a lot of people who are so pro-SW. Must admit I couldnt do intuitive eating, I know I would use it as an excuse to binge. But as has been said this is the plan where you CAN eat and eat and eat if you want, its just a matter of WHAT you choose to eat.

Hope you get through this soon, sounds like an awful predicament.x.x.

 

[sweetierufus]

I thought IE would work but I needed more planning and structure.
I think it's best not to think as slimming world as a diet but as a lifestyle change. Nothing is off limits you can have chocolate cake or whatever your favourite is. Yeah you can't eat a full cake but no one would expect to be able to gorge on calorific foods and loose weight. The key as a previous poster said is not to deprive yourself. As deprivation leads to binging.

 

[lardylady]

I had treatment for Binge Eating Disorder some years ago and when the course of therapy had finished (during which time I was advised to try intuitive eating and abandon all diets), my weight rocketed higher and I ended up weighing more than 20 stone. In an ideal world, the slimming industry wouldn't need to exist and we would all eat as nature intended. However, I honestly believe that I am just greedy by nature and my intuitive eating would mean shoving everything that wasn't nailed down into my mouth! As a child, I always wanted second helpings and I never seemed to feel full. I can't see that I had learned that behaviour, as my parents and two siblings (all slim) ate more moderately.
I have found with SW that I can still pander to my desire to eat a lot, but this time I can feast on free food and eat good meals (and snacks) while maintaining a healthy weight. I have accepted that at 46, I won't be able to change my attitude to food but with SW I feel that I have it under control.

 

[Mummyshelleycat]

Well said lady! I feel the same!

 

[liquoricet]

Yes, I've been working on IE for the last 7 years and here I am back at SW. BUT, I also agree about some of the ideas being very transferable. I think the biggest one is about choice.

If you're choosing to change what you're eating then it feels a lot better. I am. Sometimes I choose to eat more than the plan suggests but I'm OK with that. It's my choice.

Also I've 'legalised' chocolate, ice cream etc. I don't have to avoid them I have just chosen to eat smaller amounts. It's rarely what my body wants.

I try to eat real home made food rather than reduced fat high sugar stuff. I like liberte yogurts though and skimmed milk.

As beyond chocolate would say I'm being my own guru.

If I get a craving I am working on tuning in and noticing if I'm hungry, or tired, annoyed, sad etc. If I really want the food I have it but usually it's a reaction and now I let the feeling go.

Personally, I think the danger with sw is you can still binge on healthy foods. That's why last time I put the weight back on, I had a ridiculous view of a portion of pasta. This time, I'm working on not doing that. I really think IE is where you need to get to maintain your weight.

 

[ariescat]

Thanks everyone for your input - I didn't think of the fact that some of the tenets of intuitive eating are transferable! I'm going to try and keep noticing when I'm eating when I'm not hungry, and try to deal with what's really bothering me instead of eating. Also, to try and eat when hungry, stop when full. I'm feeling a bit panicky by how much I seem to be eating on SW - all free foods, mind - but sometimes it's when I'm not that hungry. Hope it doesn't affect the scales too adversely!

 

[liquoricet]

I don't think it will but if you can practice with the eating when hungry etc now it should be easier later.

Having said that I got weighed today and have done the typical eating food I've restricted. I also know it's slightly resentment as hubby is out with work drinking and I'm stuck at home.