The IE Group - Intuitive Eating Support Group

[Harriet]

7 hours ago, Diadhuit said:

The rule is: If you are physically hungry you eat, you are not you stop.
Yet, we often confuse it with emotional hunger and there is a simple test: https://vitals.lifehacker.com/avoid-emotional-eating-with-the-broccoli-test-1692256729

 

This sounds like a really harsh diet  If I had to wait until I was willing to eat broccoli... I think I'd be very stressed and unhappy. I've found that a deficit of pleasure can lead to rebound eating just as surely as a deficit in amounts. Is that really what we're supposed to aim for? 

 

7 hours ago, Diadhuit said:

Two weeks of cookies won't give you an addiction

 

That is probably true  

 

6 hours ago, Tobbe said:

Maybe the body is actually doing what's best for you in that situation! Maybe the stress is worse for your body than the food.

 

Maybe! I think/hope I'm probably going to get sick of the cookies soon. I think it will be better when Mr Harriet gets back (he's away) because I cook for us both and am less likely to be negligent than when it's just me. 

[Diadhuit]

 
This sounds like a really harsh diet [emoji20] If I had to wait until I was willing to eat broccoli... I think I'd be very stressed and unhappy. I've found that a deficit of pleasure can lead to rebound eating just as surely as a deficit in amounts. Is that really what we're supposed to aim for? 

Sorry, re-reading what I wrote I sounded judgy and overall crappy.
It's more about knowing when you are hungry and when you are aiming to satisfy a craving for love (for me is when I realise my family is in another country and celebrations are separate, you mentioned Mr. Harriet being away).
We are not aiming to eat broccoli only!! not at all!! but I'm aiming to avoid filling the emotional pain with food, because it won't bring my parents close (well, it might if my health goes really downhill, still not my desire). That's why broccoli test works for me, because it makes me stop and understand why am I eating. It doesn't need to be broccoli, if you hate them. A generic food considered 'healthy' as any vegetable would work.
That might not be your objective, nor it could work for you. It was silly of me try to shove that to you!

[Elastigirl]

26 minutes ago, Diadhuit said:

 

 

Sorry, re-reading what I wrote I sounded judgy and overall crappy.
It's more about knowing when you are hungry and when you are aiming to satisfy a craving for love (for me is when I realise my family is in another country and celebrations are separate, you mentioned Mr. Harriet being away).
We are not aiming to eat broccoli only!! not at all!! but I'm aiming to avoid filling the emotional pain with food, because it won't bring my parents close (well, it might if my health goes really downhill, still not my desire). That's why broccoli test works for me, because it makes me stop and understand why am I eating. It doesn't need to be broccoli, if you hate them. A generic food considered 'healthy' as any vegetable would work.
That might not be your objective, nor it could work for you. It was silly of me try to shove that to you!

 

I see more what you mean now.  I think just being aware of why we are eating is good. I figured out I eat so that I have an excuse to take a break, in which case tea fills that need. But sometimes I give myself permission to emotional eat. For a while, I had that mentality that I could only eat  as fuel, but then I felt deprived and would end up overdoing it later when I finally " caved"  And sometimes I like to eat sweet stuff (like my non dairy ice cream) because it is good and my brain says "delicious" and I like it.

 

What has really helped me is slowing down my eating. Really savoring what I am eating, and if I'm with others, enjoying their company. If I'm eating for emotional reasons,  then actually slowing down and enjoying the moment actually does satisfy me, and I find I am happier with just having enough.

 

Another thing that I've been doing is when I want seconds on something, or have a craving for something,  is waiting 10 -30 minutes and seeing if the feeling is still there.  Disclaimer: I have not read the book, I'm just sort of doing my own version of Intuitive eating , so I don't know if this or any of my advice really fits in with the book. You may just want to politely nod your head, smile, and ignore everything I say

[porkkchop]

On 5/26/2019 at 6:16 AM, Harriet said:

I noticed I went for the cookies, and on another occasion, a cupcake, right after having a salad for lunch. The salad is one of the most high calorie meals I regularly eat, yet it leaves me craving carbs, at least sometimes. Or maybe I just had a couple of hungry days. Actually I seem to have developed a strong interest in carbs generally. Oats, farro, bread, wild rice, quinoa, and sugar, nom. 
 

Hey! Exploring some more stuff on intuitive eating, because I know regardless of what approach I take to food I would like a better understanding of what my physical cues are and being able to understand them more clearly. 

 

I’ve definitely built a habit of craving sweets (think cake, cookies, chocolate and all that deliciousness) after any meal. Basically I’m wanting dessert after breakfast lunch and dinner, even after know I’m physically full. 

 

I guess being aware is the first step, being able to recognise what you’re feeling and distinguishing physical from mental. Which at this point is probably pretty apparent. 

 

Having a read, I can definitely relate to a lot of the experiences, so if I can offer you anything, it’d just be some encouragement to keep it up! 

[Harriet]

3 hours ago, Diadhuit said:

Sorry, re-reading what I wrote I sounded judgy and overall crappy.
It's more about knowing when you are hungry and when you are aiming to satisfy a craving for love (for me is when I realise my family is in another country and celebrations are separate, you mentioned Mr. Harriet being away).
We are not aiming to eat broccoli only!! not at all!! but I'm aiming to avoid filling the emotional pain with food, because it won't bring my parents close (well, it might if my health goes really downhill, still not my desire). That's why broccoli test works for me, because it makes me stop and understand why am I eating. It doesn't need to be broccoli, if you hate them. A generic food considered 'healthy' as any vegetable would work.
That might not be your objective, nor it could work for you. It was silly of me try to shove that to you!

 

No, it didn't sound judgy and crappy. I like having different view points from everyone. I'm definitely not at a point where I can exclusively eat for hunger, or where I can choose only healthy foods, though. Maybe becoming more aware of non-hunger is the next step? I say non-hunger rather than emotional eating because I often don't feel very emotional even when I eat for reasons other than hunger.

 

2 hours ago, Elastigirl said:

Another thing that I've been doing is when I want seconds on something, or have a craving for something,  is waiting 10 -30 minutes and seeing if the feeling is still there.  Disclaimer: I have not read the book, I'm just sort of doing my own version of Intuitive eating , so I don't know if this or any of my advice really fits in with the book. You may just want to politely nod your head, smile, and ignore everything I say

No, I like hearing from different people about how they're doing it. The book is very interesting, though. 

 

 

2 hours ago, porkkchop said:

I’ve definitely built a habit of craving sweets (think cake, cookies, chocolate and all that deliciousness) after any meal. Basically I’m wanting dessert after breakfast lunch and dinner, even after know I’m physically full. 

Hey, welcome! Glad you're here! Yeah, the power of expectations based on habits can be intense. I'm not sure what the best way is to deal with them, though. Sometimes I've had success going cold turkey with specific habits, and other times the sense of deprivation leads to rebound eating. It's something to think about a bit more, I guess. 

[Harriet]

So, an update. I'm sick of cookies. I ate three packets of them over five days and they kind of crowded out other food. I don't like the way I reached for them because there was no cooking or preparation involved, even when a proper home cooked meal would have been nicer. Now I just want to get back to normal. 

[Diadhuit]

I see more what you mean now.  I think just being aware of why we are eating is good. I figured out I eat so that I have an excuse to take a break, in which case tea fills that need. But sometimes I give myself permission to emotional eat. For a while, I had that mentality that I could only eat  as fuel, but then I felt deprived and would end up overdoing it later when I finally " caved"  And sometimes I like to eat sweet stuff (like my non dairy ice cream) because it is good and my brain says "delicious" and I like it.
 
What has really helped me is slowing down my eating. Really savoring what I am eating, and if I'm with others, enjoying their company. If I'm eating for emotional reasons,  then actually slowing down and enjoying the moment actually does satisfy me, and I find I am happier with just having enough.
 
Another thing that I've been doing is when I want seconds on something, or have a craving for something,  is waiting 10 -30 minutes and seeing if the feeling is still there.  Disclaimer: I have not read the book, I'm just sort of doing my own version of Intuitive eating , so I don't know if this or any of my advice really fits in with the book. You may just want to politely nod your head, smile, and ignore everything I say:friendly_wink:

This, this all the way! I wish I were where you are right now!
Thank you for sharing

[Diadhuit]

So, an update. I'm sick of cookies. I ate three packets of them over five days and they kind of crowded out other food. I don't like the way I reached for them because there was no cooking or preparation involved, even when a proper home cooked meal would have been nicer. Now I just want to get back to normal. 

Interesting update! Yeah!!! sick of cookies!!
I know how difficult it is cooking for one.
My sister shared an interesting insight recently: she said how suddenly she thought she unlearned cooking because she screw up so often.
But then she realised that it's just too easy to salt too much when cooking for one instead than for many because portions are smaller!
I was: oooh! That's my issue too!

[Jett]

 

On 5/27/2019 at 10:05 PM, Harriet said:

Maybe I could give their way a go and eat as many cookies as I like for a couple of weeks (whee, I'm eating cookies for dinner), and just test whether I get sick of them and they lose their appeal as promised. The worst thing that can happen is two weeks of eating cookies. I could still give them up at the end of the two weeks if I decide they're just uncontrollable, right? I guess it's worth testing? I've restricted things in the name of health before, I could certainly do so again if I decided it were for the best. 

 

I had my wife do an experiment with this type of thinking. We bought a LOT of cookies (like, three packages, 60+ cookies) and I told her to go for it, the only rule is that she has to eat them mindfully. (In other words, focusing on the cookies' taste, texture, etc, and not doing anything else at all while eating them.) The end result of that experiment was, "This type of cookie isn't actually all that nice. It's got a weird aftertaste and the only thing I really like is the texture." We also discovered that a lot of the reason she was going for snack foods was because she was hungry and wanted something sweet, but didn't want to go to the effort of making something.

 

So, I think convenience is a factor. You can try giving yourself different snack options, not just cookies, and see if the Oreos continue to exert a siren song after a few weeks of unrestricted access.

 

Edit: Whoops, I'm a little late to the party. Sounds like you had a somewhat similar result.

[Harriet]

1 hour ago, Jett said:

 

 

I had my wife do an experiment with this type of thinking. We bought a LOT of cookies (like, three packages, 60+ cookies) and I told her to go for it, the only rule is that she has to eat them mindfully. (In other words, focusing on the cookies' taste, texture, etc, and not doing anything else at all while eating them.) The end result of that experiment was, "This type of cookie isn't actually all that nice. It's got a weird aftertaste and the only thing I really like is the texture." We also discovered that a lot of the reason she was going for snack foods was because she was hungry and wanted something sweet, but didn't want to go to the effort of making something.

 

So, I think convenience is a factor. You can try giving yourself different snack options, not just cookies, and see if the Oreos continue to exert a siren song after a few weeks of unrestricted access.

 

Edit: Whoops, I'm a little late to the party. Sounds like you had a somewhat similar result.

Yeah, convenience is a huge factor. I actually do like the cookies, but I reach for them because I want rapid tasty carbs. It would be good to have some other pre-made carby options available that are a bit more balanced, maybe. 

[Elastigirl]

3 hours ago, Diadhuit said:

This, this all the way! I wish I were where you are right now!
Thank you for sharing

Thanks. I don't want to sound like I have it all figured out. I'm still working on it

11 hours ago, Harriet said:

So, an update. I'm sick of cookies. I ate three packets of them over five days and they kind of crowded out other food. I don't like the way I reached for them because there was no cooking or preparation involved, even when a proper home cooked meal would have been nicer. Now I just want to get back to normal. 

That is cool that you did get sick of them, and figured out that what you wanted was fast carbs. 

[Harriet]

On 5/29/2019 at 3:21 PM, Diadhuit said:

My sister shared an interesting insight recently: she said how suddenly she thought she unlearned cooking because she screw up so often.
But then she realised that it's just too easy to salt too much when cooking for one instead than for many because portions are smaller!
I was: oooh! That's my issue too!

 

Interesting, I never thought about that. I find it easier to cook for two just because having someone else to take care of motivates me a bit more. 

Ugh, guys, I want cookies again. It's been a few days since I had any, and the memories of how gross I felt have faded, but the impression of sweetness and crunchiness and the taste have not. I guess I just need some alternatives to have around the house for afternoon sweet cravings. Ideas for something not ultra-processed? Doesn't have to be super healthy at this stage, just has to be something you can't eat the entire box of without noticing. 

[Defining]

32 minutes ago, Harriet said:

 I guess I just need some alternatives to have around the house for afternoon sweet cravings. Ideas for something not ultra-processed? Doesn't have to be super healthy at this stage, just has to be something you can't eat the entire box of without noticing. 

Dates. 

[Jett]

Dried fruit!

 

Alternatively, individually wrapped items can be harder to plow through if you make a rule about taking one out of the package at at time. So there's the buffer of "get up, go get another wrapped snack, unwrap it" between eating each one.

[Harriet]

5 hours ago, Defining said:

Dates. 

 

1 hour ago, Jett said:

Dried fruit!

 

Alternatively, individually wrapped items can be harder to plow through if you make a rule about taking one out of the package at at time. So there's the buffer of "get up, go get another wrapped snack, unwrap it" between eating each one.

Yes! You have given me ideas! I love dried apricots! And I could see what else is out there. I wonder if they dry berries? 

[Diadhuit]

 
Interesting, I never thought about that. I find it easier to cook for two just because having someone else to take care of motivates me a bit more. 

Ugh, guys, I want cookies again. It's been a few days since I had any, and the memories of how gross I felt have faded, but the impression of sweetness and crunchiness and the taste have not. I guess I just need some alternatives to have around the house for afternoon sweet cravings. Ideas for something not ultra-processed? Doesn't have to be super healthy at this stage, just has to be something you can't eat the entire box of without noticing. 

Bake your cookies! At least you have control of ingredients.
Then you can freeze the dough and you have to take it out of the freezer and cut it and cook it to have some.

[Harriet]

7 hours ago, Diadhuit said:

Bake your cookies! At least you have control of ingredients.
Then you can freeze the dough and you have to take it out of the freezer and cut it and cook it to have some.

 

That's not a bad idea. I wonder if I would still overeat them, though? Quite possibly. 

But maybe not if they're raw and frozen. Hmmm.

[Defining]

8 hours ago, Diadhuit said:

take it out of the freezer and cut it and cook it to have some.

Pro Tip: Use an ice cream scoop to freeze it in individual portions. Cutting frozen cookie dough is just asking for a knife accident.  

[Elastigirl]

2 hours ago, Harriet said:

 

That's not a bad idea. I wonder if I would still overeat them, though? Quite possibly. 

But maybe not if they're raw and frozen. Hmmm.

Freezing cookies and muffins is something I do. I have a microwave, so even if it is frozen I can thaw and eat it fairly quickly, but taking that step makes my brain slow down and stop and think about my choice. I also put in less sugar , or alternative sugar, so it doesn't override the intuition quite as strongly for me. I also sometimes buy cookies that come  portioned out, wrapped in small packages. Same thing, I can open another package, but usually my brain is happy knowing I had one package

[Diadhuit]

Pro Tip: Use an ice cream scoop to freeze it in individual portions. Cutting frozen cookie dough is just asking for a knife accident. [emoji6] 

I normally cut the log and freeze it. Yeah, don't try to cut a frozen log!!

[Diadhuit]

Freezing cookies and muffins is something I do. I have a microwave, so even if it is frozen I can thaw and eat it fairly quickly, but taking that step makes my brain slow down and stop and think about my choice. I also put in less sugar , or alternative sugar, so it doesn't override the intuition quite as strongly for me. I also sometimes buy cookies that come  portioned out, wrapped in small packages. Same thing, I can open another package, but usually my brain is happy knowing I had one package

Freezing muffins? How do you do that?
Do you have a combi microwave?
Have you ever tried cake in a mug?

[Tobbe]

1 hour ago, Diadhuit said:

Freezing muffins? How do you do that?

 

Eh? You take the muffin. Put it in a ziplock bag or tupperware container. Put the bag/container in the freezer. Done.   

 

When you want to eat it you take it out of the freezer and put it on your kitchen counter. Wait half an hour to an hour. Then you eat it.

If you're in a hurry you put in on "defrost" in the microwave for a minute or two. Then you eat it.

 

Preferably you eat it with whipped cream, creme anglaise, or vanilla ice cream (depending on the flavor of your muffin) 

 

 

[Tobbe]

1 hour ago, Diadhuit said:

Freezing muffins? How do you do that?
Do you have a combi microwave?

 

Ohh, and I'm pretty sure she talks about freezing already baked sweets  

[Elastigirl]

4 hours ago, Tobbe said:

 

Eh? You take the muffin. Put it in a ziplock bag or tupperware container. Put the bag/container in the freezer. Done.   

 

When you want to eat it you take it out of the freezer and put it on your kitchen counter. Wait half an hour to an hour. Then you eat it.

If you're in a hurry you put in on "defrost" in the microwave for a minute or two. Then you eat it.

 

Preferably you eat it with whipped cream, creme anglaise, or vanilla ice cream (depending on the flavor of your muffin) 

 

 

 

4 hours ago, Tobbe said:

 

Ohh, and I'm pretty sure she talks about freezing already baked sweets  

Yes this. After I bake them, I just put them in a ziplock baggie and throw them in the freezer.

 

I love cake in a mug. Nice single serving, or I can easily make two for hubby and I to share, but not have leftovers

[Mad Hatter]

For me freezing cookies doesn't help at all, not only do I get excited about cookies, I get even more excited because now they're freshly baked.