Intuitive Eating

LittleKatie13

For those who have been trying intuitive eating rather than counting calories or points (Raynes, Nebb, I'm sure there's more).  How did that work for you?  I'm thinking about giving it a shot.  I feel like I've been overeating because I get hungry, don't have points left, "cheat" on healthy food, feel like I've screwed myself over and then just eat whatever looks good and "bad" because I'm way over my points anyway.  I feel like focusing more on eating when hungry and eating healthfully and in a balanced way is more important right now.  Thoughts?

jenb1205

It's an everyday constant struggle for me but I feel infinitely better than I did when I was counting points or logging foods or on one of the calorie counting websites.

I'm not losing weight but I'm not gaining either and I'm enjoying what I'm eating for the first tme in a really long time.  I also think I'm pretty darn close to where I'm going to end up naturally with my weight. 

When I look at so many of my friends and family and/or some of the others on this board and their struggles with food guilt, I'm not feeling any of that.  My fridge is still stocked with the same types of foods (very little processed, lots of fruits and veggies) because I know what makes me feel good to eat.  But I don't agonize over restaurant menus anymore or freak out at the grocery store. 

Like I said at the beginning, it's so hard!  You have to actively change your mindset to not overeat (which I don't always do) but I figure it's ok to be a constant work in progress.

Marina007

I used WW points to lost about 30 lbs since January (I was very on and off counting - but when I was counting, I definitely lost weight consistently).

Since about March, I've been trying to focus more on intuitive eating as well. I find that the continuous counting makes me feel really restricted and I feel guilty very quickly - and at the same time, if I "mess up" on a day and go over my points by a lot, that entire weekend would end up being a write-off.

I agree with the PP, that you lose weight slower with IE. When counting points/calories (and actually staying within the allocated amounts), I consistently lost 1-2.5 lbs a week. Now, I'm losing a lot slower (maybe half a pound every other week), but I feel a lot better about myself, less neurotic, beat myself up less, etc. I'm also more self-aware, and have upped my exercise. 

I would definitely recommend IE for a more "long run" mindset - I know I could never count points for the rest of my life (I've done ww 4 times and every time given up after approx. 6 weeks). It's a good method, that works, just not in the long run for me personally.

ctappin

I have been trying intuitive eating for about a month now.Like PP said, I definitely lost more weight while calorie counting, but I feel less anxious and enjoy what I eat more now without the constant worry of how many calories will show up. I still keep a food journal to help keep me in check and after 8 months of calorie counting I have a good idea of what's good and bad for me. Try it for one week and see if you like it. I may go back to calorie counting until after my wedding (Sept 18th), but I definitely like intuitive eating and think you should give it a try. It's definitely a good long term way to stay healthy.

raynes

I completely agree with that jenb and Marina said.  My weight loss is a lot slower now, but it's still happening.  I know that if I made some smarter choices on the weekends it would be better, but I'm ok with it (for the most part) because I'm enjoying myself.

I still basically eat the same things I was when I was counting calories, and I still use my scale to portion out more calorie dense foods, but I don't feel bad about what I'm eating.

After a (small) gain last week I tried to start counting again, and I just couldn't.  It almost made me angry?  I don't think that's quite the right sentiment, but I much prefer leaving that alone.

I don't know if I transitioned to IE at the right time (I've still probably got a good 15 lbs to lose) but mentally, I think it was a good choice.  I tracked my calories for 2 years.

This is rambling.  I need more coffee.

Anyway, to sum it up, I like IE, but you need to be in a place where you won't get upset if you "slip".  Also, you need to be able to recognize which behaviours you need to correct if the scale starts moving in the wrong direction.