Early results of my self-imposed eating experiment

There is so much inspiration in this post and in the replies. It helps so much to see people who have been where I am, able to do what I need to be able to do. Thank you all...

 Hi Elina,

Wonderful post, thank you much for sharing!  I am so impressed with your dedication to yourself and your well being both physically and mentally.  

Best Regards!

 
Elina.....

This looks like a very "Sound Approach" (I would expect nothing less from you!)

We are in a part of this process where we are really "On our own" Dr.C got us to weight.....but it really is all us from here on out.

Sure, support groups are helpful and OH is great and having Dr.C available to us is great...... But the bottom line is that it becomes very individual. We have to take what we have learned and implement into our lives for the best results.

If you think about it.....the pressure is really on now.....weight loss was great and it worked out....but that's really not the the success....keeping the weight off is where we all have failed before.

The difference this time (hopefully) is that this time we have a the education, the motivation and a tool to use for long term success.

What I have been trying to establish and preach.....is creating a "New Relationship" with food/eating. As brownblonde put it in one of her posts recently is a "Non abusive relationship with food".

A lot of which overlaps on what your doing.... being happy, making mindful choices to a enjoyable relationship with food and eating.

frisco

You've done it again! Thanks from the bottom of my heart!!!

This is very cool, Elina!!

I too have become a big food snob.

I do find myself reverting to more mindless eating and grazing occasionally and so I love your ideas on "mindful eating."

Eating has become a form of meditation.  When I am having a family meal or eating with friends, I still create this space for myself between bites.  I put my fork or spoon down and take a deep breath between bites and reconnect. I allow myself to really smell and see the food before it goes in my mouth and then I take the time to taste each bite fully. This also speaks to me. I have always had a tendence to eat way too fast, and it didn't change with the VSG. We've been vacationing this last week, eating out at every meal, and I am forced to eat more slowly--it's been a very good thing...

Thanks!

Lizanne

Great post Elina. You have really articulated the truths that it takes many of us years to learn or some of us never learn. This reminds me of what I learned in counseling for overeating years ago that one should never eat anything you don't like and never eat anything if you are not genuinely hungry. after each bite we should ask ourselves "does this still taste good and am I still hungry?"

I find the meditative element of your comments particularly interesting as it is a new concept to me in connection with eating. Its another approach to eating slowly and appreciatively and a good one.

I am so thrilled that you are suceeding in this intuitive approach as it sounds like something that could work for life. Brave of you to venture there since the safest thing is to stay with the program and track all food and follow a maintenance program much like the weight loss program only with more calories. I know you can make this work.

Not sure I will ever get to this point as I am afraid to stop tracking and depart from my program. Yet I too eat only what I consider good things that I like and that are good for me and feel I have formed good habits. Maybe at two years I will try what you are doing. Am going to add the meditative element as it sounds like a good mindset for all of us.    Diane

I hear you Diane about the not wanting to rock the boat and doing this until one is really ready and even then, keeping a real close eye on how things are going.  I was really a bit worried when the weight initially went up, but I wanted to see if maybe this is my real set point and I could live with it.  Over the month the weight came right back down to the 103-105 range.  I think this is really my natural weight and I can keep it somewhat easily for now.  I am thinking you are on the right track to try to incorporate some of these ideas but keep what is already working for you for now.  With time you might find that you don't need to track as much, maybe only write down what you are eating one week a month at first, to make sure everything is still on track.  Plus, I always weigh myself and keep track that way.  I waited a long time to try this, so I am happy it is working for me now.