(This piece was from many years ago . Now as a senior the experience has led me to acceptance . The journey was worthwhile.)
Eat When Hungry,
Stop When Full,
The Weight Will Come Off,
And That’s No Bull!
The verse is a bit hokey but the statement expressed isn’t. Like any truth it lodges in consciousness and becomes a tool toward getting what we want in life.
Having been exposed to this catchy phrase – eat when you’re hungry, stop when you’re full – you’re moving along the path to your natural weight. Likely you’ve already encountered the notion and this is a reminder, an encouragement, a motivation.
EWHSWF (I know, I know, it’s an awful appelation and doesn’t even make a nifty pronouncable word – can you come up with something nicer) is simple and it works because it relies on natural laws and common sense. The body is designed to maintain itself, heal itself, (excess weight is dis-ease) and given the proper ingredients and conditions it will do an admirable job. It is our birthright to be healthy.
We can live in conditions of poor air, bad light, unsuitable food, immobility. Been there, done that, right?! Now we want to improve, to reclaim happiness. Another birthright.
You know diets don’t work. They’re unnatural and complicated. EWHSWF works. It’s simple.
(Actually EWHSWF does pronounce Ooohswif and it is typable all with the left hand.)
Now would be the time to dazzle and delight you with spectacular promises (Lose 10 pounds in 10 seconds: guaranteed!), emotional testimonials (“I fit into my dying grandmother’s wedding dress after only 1006 sessions at Lottie Gone’s Fitness Institute using this method.”), professional endorsements (thousands of doctors are behind this) – but –with a bit of tongue in cheek (and some reverse psychology) – I’ve done just that!
For some serious networking browse the feedback * from others. There’s also a question and answer section**. Like any adventure the participants have things to talk about!
Now, to take these wings of a concept and fly…
First – awareness. EWHSWF is simple and easy to do but to compare it to a hammer and nail – you’ve got to remember to hit the nail. And to feel that hitting the nail is going to accomplish something.
Why do we eat when we are not hungry? Habit.
But, you may respond, what about eating out of guilt, loneliness, anger, etc. Won’t I have to go through years of analysis to correct all this before I can begin to eat for the right reason, the only reason – hunger.
Well – how about starting from the simplest point – habit. If you eat when you’re lonely, that’s a habit. You could work on overcoming loneliness. You could work on the habit of eating when lonely. Overcoming loneliness has many facets. Breaking a habit is multi-faceted but it’s initially a one-step procedure that you can get a handle upon. The decision – I will only eat when I am hungry. I will stop when I am full. Simple. Easy? No, I don’t think so. But definitely worthwhile. And this doesn’t mean it is unpleasant – it is fun because you are taking charge, taking control. The fact that fear is merely excitement but with breath held and that when we remember to consciously breathe into a scary situation we can bring out the challenge of it and turn it into an adventure applies here. Awareness is the ‘breath’ with which we give life to the situation.
Do what you must to become aware of when you eat and if you are hungry. A EWHSWF note on frig and cupboard and in your wallet (snacks and food purchased outside the home count too!)? A notebook to record when you ate and what and why? Look under the hints *** and see if anything seems as if it would work and try it.
Don’t judge yourself. Actually, you will judge yourself so maybe the advice is more to be gentle with yourself in the judgment and accept you will and are judging yourself. That’s awareness on awareness (see what I mean about multi-facets but with control).
Don’t try to “be good” and eat what you think you should. Just become aware of when you eat and why. Do this until you feel you’ve learned something and move along to the next stage which is waiting on hunger.
Seldom in our culture do we let ourselves get hungry. We eat because it’s the time for lunch. Or because food is suddenly before us. Or because we always buy a donut on the way to work. Habit. See why awareness is the key to changing the habit. We’ve got to know where we’re at before we know where we’re going.
WHEN WE EAT WHEN WE ARE NOT HUNGRY FOOD IS AN ADDICTION. That’s emphasized because it is a very important statement. Digest it mentally and learn from it.
Let yourself get hungry. Try it. Nicely hungry. See the hints **** for suggestions on how to get in touch with hunger, how to tell if you are hungry or not. You’re not trying to restrict hunger, not at all. You want your body to get to the point of needing to be fueled and to experience that feeling. You may not have been hungry for years. And don’t imagine the deprivation of dieting is hunger.
When you are hungry let your wonderful body suggest what it needs to eat. Pause and feel what you want to eat. You’ll know. And gradually, as you do this more and more, you’ll begin to trust the body. The extra pounds slowly but surely disappearing is a great motivator for listening to the body and accepting its wisdom.
How to know when to stop eating, when you have had the amount of food the body needs? Again, experiment. Stop when you feel you have had enough. In spite of food left on your plate (you no longer have to eat to please your mother). In spite of what the waitress or your mother-in-law might think or say. In spite of the spectre of waste (is the solution to waste to load it into your body – that’s abuse!). In spite of your own mental discomfort. Let the body speak and let the mind take the back seat for awhile and see what happens when the body sits in the driver’s seat.
YOU NO LONGER HAVE TO OVEREAT.
This is a huge and powerful revelation. You can stop eating when you feel full because if you feel hungry ten minutes from now you can eat. There is nothing to stop you, no restriction of counted calories, no meal plan.
Okay, okay, there are all sorts of REASONS or WHAT IF’S that come to mind. Of course. Deal with them. If you only eat half your lunch because you are nicely full but know you are going to be in a meeting for the next three hours and may get hungry then – yes… So – can you cope with that. See what comes to mind and recall that major statement about food being an addiction. The fear isn’t, oh my goodness here I am in a meeting and I am starving and I am going to faint if I don’t eat – if this happened you’d excuse yourself and go and eat. The fear is, oh my goodness what if I get hungry. That’s addiction. So take a deep breath and accept the challenge of it. Would it be less scary to have a snack in purse or pocket? Again, treat yourself gently. Be aware of how your body is feeling, what your mind is thinking. Gaze with love or amused tolerance at this incredible tapestry that is you.
EWHSWF is exciting. You eat what you want when you want and lose weight until you reach your natural weight. Then you maintain it in exactly the same way. Eating what you want when you want.
Something subtle yet powerful happens when you decide to let yourself get hungry and then allow yourself to satisfy that hunger with a meal. The time until that meal is a pleasant waiting. Quite different from the deprivation of dieting. Or the just a bit here and there so I won’t have to bother thinking about eating mentality that results in a constant hunger.
EWHSWF is a grand freedom. Enjoy the adventure! And all the best in exploring your own unique journey.