No one can live on foods of penitence

HeidiCooksSupper

An annual joint conference sponsored by the Harvard School of Public Health and the Culinary Institute of America came away with a bunch of findings and perceptions. One particularly struck me.

Taste must accompany nutritional science. “No one can live on foods of penitence.” (- Mollie Katzen)

Too often, we view our improved eating as a diet of penitence. Food should be an enjoyable factor of life not a punishment for past gluttony.

I am striving to think this way and to continue to improve my cooking to take into account flavor and enjoyment as much as I did in the past. I am trying to remember that the only things I am changing are amounts and calorie counts. I can continue to be a foodie while losing weight. At least, that is what I am choosing to believe and so far it's working.

OliveGirl128

And good tasting food will lead to better adherence, long term!

Jruzer

Well said. I have made similar points in the past. You shouldn't have to suffer to lose weight and get in shape.

There's nothing wrong with penitence, when it is called for. But penitence should be tied to higher purposes, whatever one's beliefs. Most of us aren't ascetics, living off of locusts and wild honey, with no regard to how we shall live and what we shall eat.

lemurcat12

Great points.

MsHarryWinston

Totally agree! I just had scrambled eggs with sausage and a giant lemon square for my pre workout meal. I don't "do" penitence. Breakfast was a fun way to get a protein/carb mix with some sugar for a bit of a workout buzz.

If I had to suffer or punish myself in order to lose weight I would never last. I would quit SO fast. So I'll just be over here with my pastries thanks, lol.

middlehaitch

Too true.

I wouldn't be a good penitent.

Reading that quote by Mollie Katzen made me go and find my copy of 'The Enchanted Broccoli Forest' (1982)

Never been a vegetarian, but used to love that book.

Cheers, h.

CSARdiver

Brilliant point.

Penitence is a reaction of doing something wrong. There is nothing inherently wrong with a specific food or group of food, but the behavior surrounding food.

Eat wonderful foods, live a wonderful life, just do so within your budget.

GottaBurnEmAll

To me it's always been a logical matter. If my calories are limited, why on earth would I squander them on anything that I didn't find perfectly delicious?

cwolfman13

Nutritious can also be very delicious...

Alatariel75

cwolfman13 wrote: »

Nutritious can also be very delicious...

Exactly, if you make it so. I'm a huge foodie - I didn't get fat from fast food and junk, I got fat from 4 course meals, duck fat potatoes, truffle oil on everything, hollandaise sauce, decadent desserts... So I just channel my love for food into delicious lower calorie meals now.

AnnPT77

Well said. Eating for nutrition can be - should be - enjoyable as well.

Having become overweight is not a sin requiring expiation through unpleasant exercise or unenjoyable food. Being miserable burns no extra calories.

Rebecca0224

AnnPT77 wrote: »

Well said. Eating for nutrition can be - should be - enjoyable as well.

Having become overweight is not a sin requiring expiation through unpleasant exercise or unenjoyable food. Being miserable burns no extra calories.

I say something similar to this, being overweight is not a sin or illegal and losing weight is not a punishment.

MichelleSilverleaf

My dietician spoke with me about this at my last appointment and he suggested essentially the same thing. Less breaded stuff, more seasonings. It got me cooking more dinners and trying new stuff and I love it

goldthistime

I actually like plain food. I don't dislike food with spices or sauces, but I'm equally happy to eat some thing like roasted chicken and three steamed veggies, (sans seasoning), day in and day out.

But I heartily agree with the idea that you're more likely to get to goal and stay there if you approach things with self love than punishment.

Jruzer

Rebecca0224 wrote: »

AnnPT77 wrote: »

Well said. Eating for nutrition can be - should be - enjoyable as well.

Having become overweight is not a sin requiring expiation through unpleasant exercise or unenjoyable food. Being miserable burns no extra calories.

I say something similar to this, being overweight is not a sin or illegal and losing weight is not a punishment.

I agree with both of you here.

From a Christian (RC) point of view, being overweight isn't a sin - gluttony is a sin. Obesity is the tangible effect of gluttony. Other sins, including more serious ones, don't leave such visible markings.

savithny

And the idea that losing weight or maintaining healthy weight requires massive changes and the adoption of an unpleasant diet - then gets passed on to kids.

I see so many posts that are variations on "but! what will my kids eat?" "How can I lose weight when I'm cooking for my family?" "I can't make my kids eat diet food!" They're all part of the mentality that only fat people need to think about nutritional choices, and that food for fat people needs to be unenjoyable.

What message does that send to our kids about balance, about nutrition, and about life?

MommaGem2017

I love this thread so much! This is genuinely inspiring. As a whole, I want to be able to enjoy life and eat delicious food. I have no intuitive sense of portion control for those delicious foods and drinks. It is nice to have the perspective of the weight loss journey still including all those delicious experiences, but just in a more manageable portion.

MFP is helping me to learn to moderate and still enjoy life

ladyhusker39

Love this! I wish every new person to this community would read this and really think about what it means. I get so sad when I read posts about people eating in ways that make them miserable because they believe that's the "right" way to do it.

zindroth

HeidiCooksSupper wrote: »

An annual joint conference sponsored by the Harvard School of Public Health and the Culinary Institute of America came away with a bunch of findings and perceptions. One particularly struck me.

Taste must accompany nutritional science. “No one can live on foods of penitence.” (- Mollie Katzen)

Too often, we view our improved eating as a diet of penitence. Food should be an enjoyable factor of life not a punishment for past gluttony.

I am striving to think this way and to continue to improve my cooking to take into account flavor and enjoyment as much as I did in the past. I am trying to remember that the only things I am changing are amounts and calorie counts. I can continue to be a foodie while losing weight. At least, that is what I am choosing to believe and so far it's working.

I agree! I find that adjusting how I eat is an adventure. So many flavors to try...my poor BF is being inundated with new pinterest recipes on an almost daily basis.

DX2JX2

16 years of catholic school and penitence is just something I'm used to. I wouldn't know what to do with myself if I didn't spend so much time self-loathing!

Need2Exerc1se

I agree with the OP wholeheartedly. I love food. I love to grow it, cook it and eat it. It makes me happy that I an do that and still be thin and fit.