Eat When You're Hungry, Duh!

It's no secret, most people gain weight as they get older, myself included. Typically, women invest the most into weight loss products and plans than men. I have no stats to back this up besides common sense because every LA Weight Loss or Weight Watchers commercial has some lady that's lost 100+ lbs on such and such diet plan. When I started out this blog I briefly talked about my weight and eating habits and mentioned a book called "The Thin Woman's Brain: Re-wiring the Brain for Permanent Weight Loss." I also mentioned that I was going to try that and that I'd get back to you about it later.

Well needless to say I didn't try it. I instead put myself on a rollercoaster, buckled up and hit GO! I tried paleo, I did paleo Monday to Friday, then I did paleo whenever I could and then I just tried to eat healthy meals. In the end all I really did was obsess about the foods I couldn't have, deprive myself of them, obsess some more, then out right binge. BINGE on chips, chocolate, beer, ice cream, all that good stuff.

Then something changed. I realized nothing was working. I remembered as well in the Thin Woman's Brain that they had mentioned these so called "naturally thin women." When I read the book I was like "oh whatever, these people do not exist! Everyone I know that is thin is a calorie counting nazi that does 5 hours of cardio every day. Hrmph." But I have this work mate that I've known for some time and always envied her thinness but told myself that I can't be a calorie counting nazi. But then I talked to her about my weight and she said, and she could have been quoting the book, "I only eat when I'm hungry." She also suggested I talk to someone about my eating habits.

Being the cheapskate I am I instantly started reading and searching and found an app called "Before I Eat" (Android - Iphone). I saw several different apps but I figured I would take the plunge and download this app using my google survey funds. It was like 1.11$ I think? At first I just looked at the app and thought "meh," and basically disregarded it for a couple weeks. Then one day I was feeling fat and unhappy and figured I had nothing to lose and listened to the intro.

I need to take a pause here because as much as I agreed with the book The Thin Woman's Brain I feel like she took me by the hand and walked me up to the edge of the cliff and said "FLY!" but I felt like I knew there was the potential to fly but couldn't rationalize the how. She said "identify if it's real hunger and if it's not address what the real issue is." This is easy when it's thirsty but what do I do when I'm at work and sleepy and going for a casual stroll around the cube kingdom doesn't work? I was frustrated and felt lost so that's part of why I gave up. But this is where this app picks up. It has audio tracks to talk you THROUGH these urges. If you're bored it gives you ideas of things to do instead of eat, stuff like that.

So basically where I'm going with all this is that I'm going to try mindful eating and so far my toolbox contains the book "The Thin Womans Brain" and the app "Before I Eat." What I need now is a plan.

Do you feel like you're riding the diet rollercoaster?