Each of these eating styles will ultimately fail you and leave you frustrated, looking for the ultimate diet to fix all the eating problems.

The goal is the Intuitive Eater:
-in tune with inner hunger signals
-do not experience ethical guilt regarding food choices
-enjoys the pleasure of eating
-the way we innately tend to eat (think of the eating habits of a toddler)

Ok I see! Very interesting! Liking this info a lot!

I'm a mix of all 3 also

Although I plan my meals daily, and I'm always thinking about what or when I'm going to eat next, I don't consider myself a "Careful Eater." I should work at being a bit more careful.

And while I don't identify with the "Professional Dieter," or subscribe to diets in general, I DO often find myself engaged in "Last Supper Eating." If I fall off the wagon at any point during the day, I tend to throw in the towel and eat mindlessly for as long as I'm up. That lack of control, discipline, willpower, or whatever it may be quickly turns to guilt and the cycle begins. However, I'm always glad that I can look forward to a new fresh start tomorrow... There's always tomorrow!

The "Unconscious Eater" is where I find myself. I don't go long periods without eating, but I'm guilty of not eating enough satisfying, nutritional food for a particular meal/snack, which later leads to increased hunger and emotional overeating. If it's around, I'll eat it. If it's not around, I'll go get it. I find it difficult to fill that space, regardless of how much I eat (unless it's high carbs and sweets).

I would really like to get a handle on this eating thing and STOP giving in to my cravings. I have to STOP listening to that voice in my head, grow up and STOP seeking satisfaction through food.

If not now, when?

Okay, so I bought the book, and the more I read, the more I realize how very CAREFUL an eater I am and how disordered that really is. I mean. I know I'm in recovery and still have issues. But I've been telling myself for years now that I'm just eating healthfully. Yet...

* I set certain times to eat and go crazy when something happens, and I can't eat. The weekends are a bit different, and my schedule tends to be a lot later. But during the week, I have allotted times for every meal and every snack and do not deviate (unless it's absolutely impossible).
* I always ask for no butter and light oil when at a restaurant.
* I eat nothing fried.
* I don't eat red meat or pork.
* I don't eat rice, pasta or bread - HOWEVER - I do believe I have a gluten sensitivity because once I stopped eating these things, the horrible, horrible cramps I was getting (winding up in the ER, had many tests run, no one could figure it out) stopped. I haven't had those cramps in years.
* I do eat oatmeal...occasionally.
* I don't eat desserts. Maybe a tiny bite from someone else's. I WILL eat maybe half if it's a "healthy" (read: splenda, egg whites, low fat ingredients etc) dessert I made myself.
* I measure/weigh everything.
* I refuse to drink juices or milk b/c I'd rather spend my calories elsewhere.

I've been eating more, but I still eat by these rules. I'm not sure I want to change them. All of them anyway. But...I'm very curious to keep reading this book and see what I learn.

They all just about sum up my life.

I currently have a an eating disorder and I am going to work on properly responding to body signals

Okay, so I bought the book, and the more I read, the more I realize how very CAREFUL an eater I am and how disordered that really is. I mean. I know I'm in recovery and still have issues. But I've been telling myself for years now that I'm just eating healthfully. Yet...

* I set certain times to eat and go crazy when something happens, and I can't eat. The weekends are a bit different, and my schedule tends to be a lot later. But during the week, I have allotted times for every meal and every snack and do not deviate (unless it's absolutely impossible).
* I always ask for no butter and light oil when at a restaurant.
* I eat nothing fried.
* I don't eat red meat or pork.
* I don't eat rice, pasta or bread - HOWEVER - I do believe I have a gluten sensitivity because once I stopped eating these things, the horrible, horrible cramps I was getting (winding up in the ER, had many tests run, no one could figure it out) stopped. I haven't had those cramps in years.
* I do eat oatmeal...occasionally.
* I don't eat desserts. Maybe a tiny bite from someone else's. I WILL eat maybe half if it's a "healthy" (read: splenda, egg whites, low fat ingredients etc) dessert I made myself.
* I measure/weigh everything.
* I refuse to drink juices or milk b/c I'd rather spend my calories elsewhere.

I've been eating more, but I still eat by these rules. I'm not sure I want to change them. All of them anyway. But...I'm very curious to keep reading this book and see what I learn.

April, I am so glad to see you here! And I know that you can change these rules one by one! I believe in you girl. Im speaking as someone who has run the full gamut of eating disorders, from anorexia (I think I had every single one of those rules) to bulimia and then compulsive overeating as well. I still struggle, to be completely honest, but Im glad we can encourage one another to just keep moving forward. Can you think about what rule would be the least scary to let go of? And maybe challenge yourself to break that rule once a week or something, maybe in a restaurant opr something so that you know it wont turn into a binge? Keep reading, there is some really great stuff in there.

Scariest rule to let go of. That's easy. Forgetting the rice/pasta/bread thing since I do think that caused my stomach cramps, I'd say the very scariest is fried foods.

I just can't see myself letting go of that and eating fried foods. I can't. Other than maybe the occasional bite or two.

I'm reading more, though.

And - amonkey - the book won't solve our problems. But it may help is figure out where to start to solve them.