Hey all,
I had a very good day.
The best day I have had in a long time.
In regards to food.
Why?
I have embraced discipline over instinct in regards to food.
I have been following the intuitive eating idea for a while now..
And I understand that there are adherents to this idea that read my blog.
I want to give you my reasons WHY I don't follow that flow.
I believe it's 'intuitive' for a human being to eat more than they need.
Why?
Because of generations of feast and famine ingrained in our psyche.
It is human nature to stock up in times of plenty to prepare for times of famine.
It is not intuitive to leave yourself slightly hungry.
Which you HAVE TO DO to lose weight.
The amount of food consumed will not support your current weight, which is the whole point.
You are trying to lower your body fat, your body weight..
Therefore you have to eat less to sustain less.
That is the antithesis of intuitive.
And
Science has shown, when you reach your goal weight.
Your body will attempt to betray you.
Your grehlin (hunger hormones)levels go through the roof.
It is your body's attempt to regain the fat you lost.
For no other reason than it thinks your prior weight was better at sustaining survivability.
The same goes for fighting.
In class today, we discussed instinct.
We use instinct as a jump off point...but only a jump off point.
Because in a street fight..instinct can get you killed.
For instance.
If someone attacks you...and you manage to shake them loose.
What is your instinct?
Well, RUN! Right?
Wrong.
Just because you have managed to temporarily shake that person off..doesn't mean they are going to stay shook..
You have to ensure they cannot follow and attack again.
It means going towards the danger...
Re engaging when you would rather run away.
It is remembering the proper pattern when attacking...not just flailing wildly..
but direct strikes.
High low high....left right left.
vision
balance
breathing.
Remembering all this is not instinctual.
It is learned through discipline.
Eating less...exercising daily.
These are not the path of least Resistance.
It is not instinctual.
Instinctual is sleeping as long as you can..
eating high fat foods because our palates crave them..
eating a bit more than we need to satisfy our survival instinct.
That's my take on instinct vs. discipline.
What do you all think?
11 comments:
As for the food, I certainly cannot rely completely on intuitive eating. I personally keep a running tally that I have kind of adapted to a 'regular' day with 'regular' meals and then adapt only occasionally for days that don't fit the norm. Under that framework, if I get towards the end of the day and I haven't had all my allotted calories and I'm not hungry- well that is when I trust my intuition. ;) If I eat all the calories and I feel hungry I will really question it and try to eat something healthy like a piece of fruit if I really must.
I can't really speak to the fighting. Haven't done enough of it, I suppose... ;) I can say there have been a very, very few times that I felt I must defend myself and I really could not hold back- my instinct was so very strong. What is the saying?... even a mouse, when cornered, will fight back. I do like the idea of learning how to defend myself with more intelligence. Probably a lot like the way I have been trained with guns- yes, I learned with that there are times that natural instinct is not what you really want to do. Practice in scary or off setting situations is important.
I like your thought process here. It's deeper than justifying how we humans behave and just living with it. You are smart to challenge things without just accepting.
Oh good call on the intuitive eating! I think that, perhaps, over time it can work for some people but I'm not one of them... at least not at this point :)
I also feel very conflicted about intuitive eating. I won't knock anyone who says it's working, but for me, I'd like to see and maintain goal weight before I even try that.
Good post! I think it's my mind that stops me from being able to really be an intuitive eater I think my instinct knows what I should do and I can't say it's to overeat that's my old learned behaviors and thought process that does that to me. I think if I can find the inner peace and wholeheartedness for myself I can eventually treat my body with the care it should have not the self abuse I inflict on it far to often out of my addictive personality. As for the "flight" response I agree it's instinct and in some cases (wild animal coming at you maybe) it might be the correct response but I agree when it involves someone out to harm you sometimes you do have to stand and fight. I'm not sure how I would do if put in that situation but I am sure now I will remember your words.
i cannot, will not comment on this except to say almost all food is posion to the body
what i meant that all food handled by human processors before we get it in the store is poison
I truly believe some of us have seriously skewed food issues that have no bearing on true hunger. I know that, in the past, I ate though there was no possible way I could be hungry. Boredom, stress, entertainment... those were the cues that I took, and everything centered around the food. I remember getting my mind blown once when a coworker ate half a bag of chips (and not the Big Grab sized but the teeny-tiny vending machine ones) then rolled them up and stashed them away. I couldn't even conceive of the idea of ripping open a big of chips and not downing them all in one sitting.
Success, for me, comes when I am diligent about meals and snacks and then repeat my good behavior for long enough for it to become habit.
Instinct? My instinct is to eat all the food.
Hi Chris---I have followed your blog for a few years and did your summer challenge. I'd like to send you something by email if that's OK. I'm at meredith_atkins@rocketmail.com
THANKS
I agree and disagree.
INITIALLY all my bod did was attempt to betray me.
when I finally grew still and calm it no longer did.
xo
Miz.
For me I need guidelines. Right now, I cannot trust anything this body wants. Feeling a little out of control right now!
Keep working your plan and stay focused!!
Honestly, this post is honey to my soul. Thank you Chris. As per usual, lovin it :)
Post a Comment