Update on my mindful eating experiment

I have a few observations I wanted to share and get input on.  I have been eating less on program and more intuitively lately as an experiment.  What this means is that I still eat mindfully but I am not nearly as strict about protein first as I was before.  I am not measuring my food and I am not keeping a journal.  What I am doing is weighing myself everyday and staying aware of my food choices.  I am totally willing to go back to journaling, eating protein first and all the other rules if the weight starts to creep up.

This is what I am noticing: 

I am hungry more often than when I ate protein first which means  I snack more.  This would have been a deal breaker for me during the losing phase, but now I seem to be able to control it most of the time by choosing healthy snacks packed with protein. 
My weight fluctuates more.  I used to stay in the 103-105 range, and now I am more in the 104-107 range.  This is not a huge change, but it is worth being aware that the numbers have moved up overall just a bit.  They seem to have stabilized here however.
The way I am eating now feels very natural to me and I think I could maintain this for life.  What do you guys think? 
I find that I am not thinking about food and food choices nearly as much as I used to do.  This could be that I have found the elusive middle ground on eating or it could be self delusional.  I am going to let my scale tell the story over the next year or so.  I am committed to making changes in my behavior and my diet if I hit 110 lbs. even for a moment.  In the back of my head I remember something that Lizanne said to us once, she said something to the effect that it is much harder to go back to early habits when you moved away from them.  I hear her words of warning in my head whenever I go to far astray and dial it back down again.  So far so good but still keeping my eye on scale and will probably always do that.

I think that if anybody can make this work, you can. You already are. How nice to have developed a more natural way of eating where one doesn't obsess about every calorie and gram  of protein. This is how I think normal people eat - mindfully but not fixated on all the tracking etc. So keep it up. Seems to work for you.

Well we are off to our cute little county fair today. I think I am going to eat a corn dog or maybe half of one. Yeah I know its a toally off program food and will put a big dent in today's calorie budget but I eat one per year at the fair so I think I can afford it. But I will journal it. Somehow my food journal is sort of my confessional.

Anyway, keep reporting on your experiment.  We love hearing about it.  Diane

Diana, I really don't know yet if this is the gate of heaven or the mouth of hell.  It seems to be working so far and my weight today was back down to 104.6.  I thought about my post today, and I realized that I DO eat protein first still most of the time, but it is more because of habit then anything else.  I still eat two eggs for breakfast most mornings, or two breakfast sausages at about 140 cals and 12 g. of protein.  I still avoid most carbs, most of the time.  The difference is that this has become second nature and I don't really think about it, it is just the way I eat now.  I also do not avoid having a great dessert or a piece of amazing bread with butter at a restaurant, I just eat a small amount of it and I don't have it in the house.  My snacks are all pretty healthy, mostly berries or almonds or an artichoke with garlic dip.  I think that as long as I am OK with the slightly higher weight fluctuations, this might just work without much effort.  Only time will tell. I am going to see Dr. Cirangle on Wednesday for my two year appointment.  I am really curious to see what my labs are like. 

How was your corn dog?  Was it as good as you remember it to be?

Well it sounds like your intuitive eating has a solid basis in good habits you have formed to thats the main thing.Establishing those habits in the early phases is so critical in long term success. Thats why I get after people who want to eat carbs or sweets early on. Its not about that small indulgence - its about the habit. And you have good ones.

So yeah I got a corn dog. Could only eat half of it and then needed a gasX. It was great though. Won't want another one for another year. too greasy and almost no protein.  Its nice to go and enjoy the fair and all the displays and animals and not be focussed on all the junk food like cotton candy and funnel cakes and fried candy bars and such. I really don't miss that junk.

Well I am sure Dr. C will be thrilled with you at your two year. I just had a 21 month one and he thinks I am fine.   Diane

Sounds like you are on track with what you are doing an it's working for you.  I hope that I can some day do the same.  It will mean that I am more "normal" when it comes to food. 

As it is now, I still think about food all of the time.  I know it's an addiction because it's the first thing I think about in the morning and I can't wait until I get my first fix.  Then I think about my next fix while I'm eating the first.  *sigh*

The protein first rule is still what I follow 90% of the time.  I get full, but find that I still want to eat again an hour later.  I'm certain that's the addiction part, because I know I'm not hungry. 

So, I guess I'm still a work in progress.  I just hope I have the strength to keep it up as you have.  You have always been an inspriation to me in this journey!

You know in truth, I still eat protein first most of the time, it is just my habit now.  From what I am reading in your post, I think it would be a good idea to keep journaling and staying closer to program for you for now.  It might change over time, but for now, I would hold on to the structure.  It is not just you, we are all still a work in progress.  I still have to be alert and aware to not miss any changes in my eating or stress level that might lead to regain. 

 
I'm gonna need the full paper on this study..............

frisco

You know Frisco, so far so good.  I have been doing this for the past three to four months so it's not really new.  I did gain about 1-2 lbs. in the very beginning, but I think that was my body getting used to more carbs.  Now I stay around 104-107 without much effort.  I am going to see the guru on Wednesday and run all this by him and see what he tells me.  I suspect he will say to do what works at this point but I could be wrong.  I will report back.  I am also very curious to see what my labs look like.  Will know more on Wednesday.  Are you planning to be there Wednesday for group? 

I think it's a fabulous idea and I'd love to get to that point someday. It is getting so much easier now that my life isn't ruled by my hungry stomach and even hungrier "brain" - but I still spend way too much time thinking about what my next meal is going to be - I'd love if things could get a bit more natural....hopefully with time, it will.

I really didn't feel ready to try this even as an experiment until I was almost two years out.  I think the habits I have formed have become pretty ingrained and hopefully they will see me through but I am totally committed to going right back to basics if I see the slightest change in the wrong direction.  It was a bit scary in the beginning to trust myself to eat well, but it seems to be OK.  Only time will tell.