The "diet mentality" Just stop :)

newheavensearth

So how does one stop seeing logging and measuring food as a "diet" behavior and just something that needs to be done? Sometimes I feel like eating to a number is an artificial external control, but left to my own devices is how I got to where I am.

vingogly

newheavensearth wrote: »

So how does one stop seeing logging and measuring food as a "diet" behavior and just something that needs to be done? Sometimes I feel like eating to a number is an artificial external control, but left to my own devices is how I got to where I am.

Because I believe some people have portion control and awareness of hunger cues baked into their nervous systems. Some don't. It doesn't matter how much of it is genetic and how much is upbringing, for someone like myself, I know I need to monitor what I'm doing if I want to maintain my weight. If I'm not mindful about my eating, I'll get fat again -- and I have 50 years of experience behind that realization. That means eating what I like, enjoying it when I eat it, attending to my hunger cues, eating when I'm hungry and stopping when I'm satisfied, monitoring my caloric input and my weight.

A diet is something you do to correct a condition, with the implication that when the "diet" is over you'll return to your previous mode of operation. Unfortunately, it's that previous mode of operation that got most of us into trouble in the first place, so returning to it means we'll pack the fat back on again.

Further, the language we use to describe what we're doing influences how we think about ourselves. If we say things like "I'm dieting", "I'm having a cheat day", "I'm addicted to sugar/carbs/whatever", or "I fell off the wagon", we're reflecting attitudes and beliefs we've internalized about losing weight, our bodies, and the morality of eating/not eating certain things. That's why the language we choose can subvert our plans to lose weight and keep it off -- and why I will no longer say I'm "dieting". Diets don't work because you're artificially separating your life into "Dieting" and "Not Dieting" segments.

I do think we can learn to internalize the monitoring of hunger cues and portion control -- but I know I'm not there yet and if I never am, that's the price of staying at my maintenance weight.

Momepro

Ironandwine69 wrote: »

So what would you like me to call it when I'm trying to lose weight?

I just call it eating better. As in, I am paying attention to how I feel, eating smaller prortions first and then going for "seconds" only after I've waited and am still hungry after severam minutes. Picking foods that taste good AND affected my body positively, not leaving me bloated and queasy.

Momepro

stanmann571 wrote: »

merzback wrote: »

Ironandwine69 wrote: »

So what would you like me to call it when I'm trying to lose weight?

Why don't you read about listening to your body and trusting it instead of going on and off diets. Just eat foods like a person who doesn't obsess about food and dieting.

Because that's how I got to 260 lbs.

Exactly. I can pay attention to how well I feel after eating certain foods now, but it has taken a lot of retraining, and some rather severe IBS issues. And I still have a tendency towards overeating because the reward section of my brain is MUCH stronger than the healthy maintenance section. When your body is screaming " TRUST ME MORE PIE IS BETTER PIE!" And "NO SERIOUSLY! STALE CHIPS DIPPED IN FAKE CHEESE IS HEALTHY! THE CHEESE MAKES IT GOOD FOR YOU" you have to start relying on outside limitors. Sure with hard work and a lot of time and reinforcements, you can teach your smart, healthy brain to ignore crazy reward brain, but if you are 100+ overweight, obviously your body is not the best judge of food character.

stanmann571

Momepro wrote: »

stanmann571 wrote: »

merzback wrote: »

Ironandwine69 wrote: »

So what would you like me to call it when I'm trying to lose weight?

Why don't you read about listening to your body and trusting it instead of going on and off diets. Just eat foods like a person who doesn't obsess about food and dieting.

Because that's how I got to 260 lbs.

Exactly. I can pay attention to how well I feel after eating certain foods now, but it has taken a lot of retraining, and some rather severe IBS issues. And I still have a tendency towards overeating because the reward section of my brain is MUCH stronger than the healthy maintenance section. When your body is screaming " TRUST ME MORE PIE IS BETTER PIE!" And "NO SERIOUSLY! STALE CHIPS DIPPED IN FAKE CHEESE IS HEALTHY! THE CHEESE MAKES IT GOOD FOR YOU" you have to start relying on outside limitors. Sure with hard work and a lot of time and reinforcements, you can teach your smart, healthy brain to ignore crazy reward brain, but if you are 100+ overweight, obviously your body is not the best judge of food character.

I'll be logging forever, and I'm ok with that.

I've set a very generous goal, which will allow me to be very flexible in my eating and logging, but I'll be logging for the rest of my life.

tuolon

My brain is set to eat at maintaining 165 lbs for the last 20 years, which is 1,660 calories. I am trying to train it to eat at maintenance for 120 lbs, which is 1,410 calories. It is really difficult. I will be logging for a long time until I get used to eating at 1,410 calories. But, at least this is a "diet" that seems to work. I have been through some crazy diets. This seems to make sense. I can't wait until i can stop logging and just eat at maintenance. Good luck to everyone.

bisky

Saltine24 wrote: »

Ironandwine69 wrote: »

So what would you like me to call it when I'm trying to lose weight?

...A lifestyle change!

Yes!

lemurcat12

Momepro wrote: »

Ironandwine69 wrote: »

So what would you like me to call it when I'm trying to lose weight?

I just call it eating better. As in, I am paying attention to how I feel, eating smaller prortions first and then going for "seconds" only after I've waited and am still hungry after severam minutes. Picking foods that taste good AND affected my body positively, not leaving me bloated and queasy.

But what if you see eating well as something that you do no matter what, and are at a stable weight, but want to lose a bit more fat. You aren't needing to "eat better" or have a "lifestyle change" (a term I don't care for, although it beats journey!). You need to cut calories some (assuming you are happy with your activity levels). One can call that a diet without falling into the specific language or behaviors that OP seems to be talking about.

theabsentmindednurse

Totally agree with the sentiments posted.
I am 51 years old.
Have battled being overweight since childhood.

I have always been on a DIET!
My life changed the day I joined MFP.
I realised that this was forever!
A permanent lifelong commitment.

A new way of living, eating and thinking.
NO BAD FOOD OR GOOD FOOD!
Just food.

This Ethos works!
At 95 pounds down......(And more than 500 days on MFP);
I am living proof!

sardelsa

lemurcat12 wrote: »

Momepro wrote: »

Ironandwine69 wrote: »

So what would you like me to call it when I'm trying to lose weight?

I just call it eating better. As in, I am paying attention to how I feel, eating smaller prortions first and then going for "seconds" only after I've waited and am still hungry after severam minutes. Picking foods that taste good AND affected my body positively, not leaving me bloated and queasy.

But what if you see eating well as something that you do no matter what, and are at a stable weight, but want to lose a bit more fat. You aren't needing to "eat better" or have a "lifestyle change" (a term I don't care for, although it beats journey!). You need to cut calories some (assuming you are happy with your activity levels). One can call that a diet without falling into the specific language or behaviors that OP seems to be talking about.

Yea exactly. And I do eat a bit differently when I am cutting/leaning vs maintaining or bulking/gaining. I eat more high volume low cal options. Many things I typically don't eat otherwise.