Feelings of guilt from high volume foods

bloomblythe5

Hey all, for the past few weeks I’ve been trying a new approach for a healthier lifestyle and I’m eating at about 1650 cals a day but I’m making sure it’s all basically: low cal, high protein, high fiber, high volume, because at the end of the day I really just want to fuel my body and be full so I don’t just constantly eat during the day and fill up on empty high calories, ya know?

Here’s where I’m struggling though, I’m coming from a reallyy long background of eating disorder and just obsessive eating thoughts. For as long as I can remember it’s all I’ve thought about and I’ve gone back and forth with over eating and restricting. So now that I’m eating high volume and stuff, I’m finding it really hard to not feel guilty about it. Because in my eating disorder years it was all about eating less, and so when I’m eating no more than like 600 calories for dinner but it’s all really healthy high protein, low cal, but also high volume, I get stuck at this wall a lot where I just look at alllll the food and feel really hesitant to eat all of it even though I rarely go over my 1650 just because I eat so much healthy stuff that I’m usually really satiated.

I’m just making this post because I’m wondering if anyone has gone through something similar or understands where I’m coming from and can just give some advice or words of encouragement.

KittyPryde2

I admit, I don't know exactly what you're going through because I'm more of a binger than anything else, but I've had to develop a new relationship with food too so, I maybe my experience can help a little?

I've always just stuffed my face with as much food I could easily get my hands on. Food already made and ready to eat (chips, cookies, or anything microwaveable). I'm probably eating the same amount of food but healthier, lower calories, and better for me.

I cook now, which takes longer so I really think about the food. I take my time cooking so it's perfect, and think about how it's better for my body. I'm eating food that fills me up and doesn't make me hungry half an hour later.

I'm from the South, so food is a way we show people we care about them, so I treat food like that for myself. Cooking good food is how I'm showing myself that I love me. And loving me is more important that losing weight. Stuffing my face with chips isn't loving me as much as stuffing my face with something I've spent at least 30 minutes working on and a week planning that's good for my body.

Diatonic12

@bloomblythe5 I don't suffer guilt from high volume foods. I care. That is all.

You're doing everything you can to get off this merry-go-round with food and that's going to help you build a good relationship with food. We can learn to moderate ourselves with all foods. After years of practice, I believe that's the secret to not find ourselves between totally overreaching and completely underachieving. The All or Nothing or Shock and Awe Approach to food is the road to nowhere. You're on the right track.

springlering62

EasternEuropa wrote: »

...feel sneaky like a ninja for getting to eat such high volumes of low-calorie foods that won't blow your calorie budget.

❤️❤️❤️

Wow! What’s happened to MFP? Everyone’s coming out with these awesome, inspiring, thoughtful little gems lately.

I’m gonna have to start pasting these into a diary somewhere!

sardelsa

You have to remember that food should not equal guilt. Fueling your body is a good thing. That being said if you have a history of disordered eating certain things can be tricky to navigate. I do sort of understand where you are coming from though. For me I don't feel guilt but I really dislike feeling too full. It really bothers me to the point where I will not eat as much as I should or I will try to work out to stop the feeling. How do I solve this? I don't go too crazy on the high volume, high fibre or filling foods. I make sure I add some calorie dense foods to balance things out. For example... adding nuts or oils to my salads, choosing higher fat cuts of meat or fish, having a protein shake vs a high fibre protein bar. I also will cook down some veggies to make them smaller and easier to eat for some of my meals. Of course I also have my fair share of treats to fill in the gaps.

NovusDies

EasternEuropa wrote: »

Check this out. Salad. An entire pot of it. Probably weighs 4 or 5 pounds. 1,038 calories for the entire thing. Could've been a good bit less if I didn't use so much honey in the homemade honey mustard sauce and a little bit less turkey. But this thing will feed me multiple times throughout the day. Makes me feel absolutely stuffed, guilt-free because I haven't blown my calories for the day

That would almost be enough food for my lunch. The last time I calculated the total weight it was just under 7 pounds of food.

OP, I eat an ENORMOUS volume of food and I have lost an ENORMOUS amount of weight doing it. I have thoroughly changed my life for the better. I do not feel guilty. I feel blessed.

psychod787

NovusDies wrote: »

EasternEuropa wrote: »

Check this out. Salad. An entire pot of it. Probably weighs 4 or 5 pounds. 1,038 calories for the entire thing. Could've been a good bit less if I didn't use so much honey in the homemade honey mustard sauce and a little bit less turkey. But this thing will feed me multiple times throughout the day. Makes me feel absolutely stuffed, guilt-free because I haven't blown my calories for the day

That would almost be enough food for my lunch. The last time I calculated the total weight it was just under 7 pounds of food.

OP, I eat an ENORMOUS volume of food and I have lost an ENORMOUS amount of weight doing it. I have thoroughly changed my life for the better. I do not feel guilty. I feel blessed.

Amen sir, People look at my work lunch bag and say WTF! It must weight 8lbs! Fruits, veggies, sweet potatoes, lean meats....ect... no shame, just sweet fullness!

A lower energy dense diet can be one way of helping to maintain a weight loss. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3225890/ Evidence is showing there is a hyper energy compensation effect post weight loss. The Drive has been estimated at 50 cals a pound. Here is a good article breaking down the Kevin Hall study. https://www.stephanguyenet.com/the-impact-of-weight-loss-on-the-drive-to-eat/ . The last little nugget of information on a more voluminous dieting helping to aid weight loss has not even been published. Its a diet study at the NIH of a animal based keto diet vs a plant based low fat diet. Both groups lost weight, but the plant based diet folks spontaneously reduced there calorie intake my almost 700 calories a day vs the animal based 300 cals a day. https://osf.io/preprints/nutrixiv/rdjfb/ Look at the differences in the energy density of the 2 diets. So, enjoy this way of eating if you like it. It works for some, but not for everyone. I am going to sit here and enjoy an entire pound of sweet florida strawberries!

Mithridites

EasternEuropa wrote: »

Check this out. Salad. An entire pot of it. Probably weighs 4 or 5 pounds. 1,038 calories for the entire thing. Could've been a good bit less if I didn't use so much honey in the homemade honey mustard sauce and a little bit less turkey. But this thing will feed me multiple times throughout the day. Makes me feel absolutely stuffed, guilt-free because I haven't blown my calories

Recipe please! That looks AWESOME

cupcakesandproteinshakes

OP I think you also need to speak to your treatment team if you are having these thoughts. All the advice here is sound for the general weighloss population but specifically for you, we don’t know. Eg is it part of your treatment plan to count calories? Is the plan fir you to be losing weight at this point? Who gave you the1650 calorie allowance and is it appropriate? We don’t know the answers to any of these questions and I think you need advice tailored to your ED history.