Naturally Thin Forum

Still eating ice crem

 
Jun 15, 2010 07:52pm
gratefull
Total Posts: 13

Hi Everyone,

I’m still on board, reading “Food Jail” right now.  i’m doing a lot better, eating most of my food before 4-5 p.m.  Hubby wanted to go for ice cream a couple of times in the last few days.  I went and got a single scoop of frozen custard, then ate some of his turtle sunday, that he left.  However, I didn’t binge.  I was tempted to eat when I got home but was able to resist, using a little “resistance” and prayer.

I have put on a little weight, maybe 5 lb. but am still not overweight.  I am feeling much better about myself and my eating patterns.  I have never read anyone who has written about “undereating” being the source of binge eating.  I have been a feast/famine eater since high school, in the 60’s and never understood it until now, at age 62.  The description and definition of an undereater fit me to a tee.  I see how over the years I was always trying to cut back, miss meals, hold out until I was really hungry (which for me meant ravenous), then write everything down, daily, weigh it and report it by phone daily to a sponsor.  That was food H—l.

I can see that for me, as with so many others, there is only one way out of disordered eating and that is to eat enough regularly, in order to allow your body to heal on a cellular level (or biochemically).  I am so grateful to have learned that problems of disordered eating are mostly biochemical and not psychological in nature.  Oh, I’m sure there are some whose eating is disturbed due to psychological reasons.  But when those have been resolved and the problem remains, it’s not by going back and rehashing things again but rather to begin to eat healthily, often and early in the day, leaning more toward low fat foods, as time goes on.  Initially, I’m not thinking too much about fat but I noticed I was eating way too many nuts, so I decided to make them pleasure foods for now.

I’m still eating some ice cream, but I go to the dairy to buy one scoop instead of buying it and having it home, being tempted to eat more.  For now, I’m giving myself permission.  If it becomes a problem or if my weight continues to creep up, I’ll try to leave it alone and eat that wonderful thick fat-free Greek yogurt that I discovered recently.  It’s as good as ice cream! Yum.

Thank you again Jean.  I am so blessed to have your books and this website for support.  I’m going to begin leading a group for women having eating disturbances.  I plan to require them to read your book(s).

God bless, 

Grate-full

     
Jun 23, 2010 12:48pm
naturally thin
Total Posts: 381

Passing up ice cream and other pleasure foods is not about restricting your diet because they are “bad foods.” Passing up pleasure foods is about food quality.  There are two kinds of famine—quantity and quality.  Pleasure foods are not quality foods because the nutrient/calorie/fat ratio is poor.  Pleasure foods squeeze out other higher nutrient foods in your diet and send the “store up for winter” message.  Anyone who wants to lose weight needs to consider this issue.  It’s up to each individual, but remember, quality counts. 

Jean

     
Jun 24, 2010 10:33am
kelcy
Total Posts: 109

Dear Jean,

I showed your post to my husband about how Pleasure foods squeeze out other higher nutrient foods in your diet and send the “store up for winter” message. He doesn’t see how this could possibly be true, since it’s mainly about calories in verses calories out, especially if one is eating every time they are hungry, and as soon as one feels hunger. He agrees with most of your message, but has a real problem with the pleasure foods verses quality foods. Funny things is, he hardly ever eats pleasure or border line foods, and he’s a lean guy. I’m not doing a very good job explainning things and I’m hoping you could help me with this :)

Thanks so much,
Kelcy

     
Jun 24, 2010 10:42am
naturally thin
Total Posts: 381

Dear Kelcy,

I wrote the books for people like your husband.  Remember, it isn’t your job to educate other people about a concept and approach that you are trying to understand for yourself. If your husband sincerely wants to appreciate what you are doing for your body and your life, he will want to read either or both of the books that you have read.  Then, if he has questions or objections to the Naturally Thin principles, I will be happy to address them on the forum.

Sincerely,
Jean

     
Jun 24, 2010 11:04am
kelcy
Total Posts: 109

Jean,


I did read the books, both of them and am very supportive of the NT lifestyle. I just disagree with the pleausre foods causing a store up for winter message. I also read this forum and am waiting for a reply and an explanation.

Thank you,

Michael (Kelcy’s husband)

     
Jun 25, 2010 11:11am
naturally thin
Total Posts: 381

Dear Michael,

I am not against anyone eating pleasure foods.  When people question me about eating them when they are trying to recover by the NT principles, I remind them that I don’t tell anyone what they can or can’t eat.  The encouragement I give to those who actually want to lose weight is to avoid low-nutrient, high sugar and/or fat foods because many overweight bodies need the consistent signal that the food supply is optimal rather than just pretty good in order to be provoked to fat loss. 

This is my opinion based on my experience.  Perhaps you have had a different experience and I respect that.  And perhaps Kelcy can enjoy a more relaxed level of quality in her diet and still lose weight.  I put the principles out there but it is up to each individual to decide how well he/she must eat in order to lose weight naturally.

Sincerely,
Jean

     
Jun 25, 2010 02:48pm
gratefull
Total Posts: 13

Dear Jean,

I fully agree with your assessment, which I believe is based on many years of experience.  Being 62, I have been around the block a “few times” and know by experience and failure what you are saying is true.  I believe my body is going through a transition and I hadn’t been eating optimal foods very long when I wrote about eating ice cream.  I have been craving desserts less and less every day, and not feeling any need to binge as I’m filling up on low fat nutrient rich foods, each day.  It’s funny that I never learned this before or understood it.  Last program I tried had you restricting portions, which made me crazy and focused on 0-5 eating too much.  It can be good for some but for me I found it just made me continue to obsess about food (hunger and fullness this time).  Now I’m just allowing my body to dictate when to stop, rather than my mind, scale, cups or spoons.  It’s so nice to not be obsessing about my body or food.  However, I don’t really need to lose any weight right now.  I did put my scale away and haven’t looked at it for a couple of weeks.  I’m not going to be weighing anymore. 

As far as the body needing to have a constant supply of healthy, real, lower fat food, to begin to make bio-chemical changes towards releasing fat.  It just makes sense.  I am already experiencing it, though early in the process.  I’m just eating when hungry, good food, lower fat, if possible and staying satisfied.  It is so great to not even be tempted to binge!!!!!!!!!  Yeah!

The gentleman who wrote to you perhaps has not struggled with his body wanting to hold onto fat so maybe he has not had to deal with that.  I know my metabolism has slowed down due to restricting and famining my body over the years.  I am sensing that is changing, very slowly.

I have recommended your book to many people and am starting a support group next week, where I plan to have everyone read it.  I’m sure they will be surprised to learn that their eating problems are mostly bio-chemical in nature and due to undereating!


Thank you,

Grate-full