How have you changed?

Lovee_Dove7

How do you feel about your control over food? Or do you think you've improved your relationship with food (can I say "relationship" lol)? I haven't decided on these things yet, what's your input? I am 30lbs lighter, and have more knowledge and experience. I can say that.

Francl27

The main difference is that I don't eat things just because they are there anymore. And I don't eat mediocre food anymore.

But I stopped eating a lot of high calorie foods I used to eat (fried food, juice, soda, chips etc) because they don't appeal to me anymore. I'd rather use my extra calories on sweets, which I still love, but I'm pickier than I was about those too (I'll only eat things I really like).

Otherwise I still love food and think about food all the time, just often I realize that it's just not worth the calories. I do need a day once in a while when I don't care about calories and just eat what I want though, but I try to make it happen during PMS when my appetite is insane anyway.

Honestly though I don't think my relationship with food will ever be great... For example we were given homemade biscotti today for example and they were so delicious that I wiped out my deficit (considering that yesterday I ate way too much because it was my 'I don't care about calories' day, it was not a great decision). I guess in the end I'd rather be a bit more chubby than I'd like but still get to enjoy eating a bit too much of the foods that I love (pretty much always sweets) when I have the occasion to have something special... The whole 'nothing tastes a good as skinny feels' thing? Definitely NOT me.

So yeah... I love food. I still look up restaurants and bakeries every time I go somewhere. Always have, always will. I'm just pickier about what's worth the calories to me.

Lovee_Dove7

Those are great changes! I can relate to all of that, except i'm not sure if I'll always have a sense of struggle with it. I know people who don't have a struggle at all. I want to be like that.
I am currently at peace with food. But because of my past struggles I don't know if this is just a calm before a storm so to speak.
I'm also shifting gears in my approach to eating. When I lost weight last Spring, I took an approach that worked perfectly. It's not working the same now. The old approach makes me struggle. My circumstances are completely different than last year.

vespiquenn

I don't demonize food groups anymore. I can eat whatever I want in moderation, which is awesome. The idea of having to give up French fries gives me anxiety. Haha.

hsmith0930

I think the biggest change that I've made is to realize that I am the only one who really cares. Like, of course my family wants me to be healthy and all that, but me losing weight doesn't matter to anyone but myself. Realizing that has reduced the pressure and improved the accountability. If I want to lose, it's all on me. In realizing that, it's lead to other changes in attitude. Realizing that I CAN lose weight without cutting out food groups, but that my body definitely has preferences for avoiding some stuff. Knowing that I don't have to be an all or nothing kind of person and that weight loss and health is not something you do for a moment in time and then stop. My new philosophy for making regrettable decisions in regards to food is to log it and let it go, not stress out and eat the entire kitchen because I made one decision.

nvmomketo

Total control over food. I feel healthy and look healhy. Food is just food and I am happy to eat this way because I feel so good now. I eat foods that make me feel great and I don't feel deprived in the least.

zoeysasha37

Now that I understand how things really work I was able to let go of all the bad info that gets spread around.
I once believed carbs make people fat , now I know better. I have no medical conditions so there's no reason for me to worry about carbs. I've lost all my weight and kept it off so far for 2+ years so far. So I believe my relationship with food has improved greatly !
Before I would restrict " bad foods " and then just end up over eating them weeks later. Now I have learned portion control and moderation so if I want something, I can have it . I just have to stay within my calories and macros.
Now that I don't deprive myself of anything, I no longer feel intense urges or cravings to over eat.
I have been able to maintain my weight using the same method I did to lose it. Cico always applies !

AnguishLanguish

My relationship with food improves every day. Food is meant to nourish and sustain me, not just keep me from being bored, or help me manage my emotions. I still love food and enjoy making and eating new and different foods, but I'm not eating chocolate every day to meet my sweet tooth, I'm not eating a meat pie because it's easier than making a salad. I'm being an active participant in what I eat, not just a passive recipient (not that I was ever passive, it was a choice to eat crap, but my thinking was just so passive). CICO is king and although I eat LCHF, I don't demonise carbs, I just find it easier for ME to keep them low.

klwells444

I think that I am no longer as emotionally attached to food as I once was and feel more in control and conscious of the fact that whatever I put in my body will affect my progress/overall goals.

victoria_1024

I think I will always be a person who wants to emotionally eat. I enjoy food and I always wish I could eat more of it. However, MFP has taught me how to feel in control of food. The math has made it all easy for me. Yes I would love to eat several pieces of pizza but the math doesn't add up if I want to maintain my weight. I also stopped my all or nothing thinking. In the past, one bad day basically gave me permission to just give up and eat like crap again. Now if I have a bad food day, it's much easier for me to just eat better the next day.