Yes. You CAN eat 'normal' food! (my rant.)

AdenaJ

Well said. After years of trying –and failing – to lose weight, I have finally been successful because I'm not denying myself the foods I enjoy. Of course I eat much less of them and aim to get most of my calories from nutritious foods, but nothing is off limits. In the past, I would try to avoid a "bad" food, eat it, and then throw in the towel. Moderation works much better.

rubygarcia86

awesome post! i agree that if you just start eating better portions you will end up losing weight

MericoX

Dear sir, I think I love you.
LOL

leeshults

Lost 47 pounds eating NORMAL food in less than 6 months......I have an ice cream bar almost daily and still hit only 1200 calories... It can be done!!

beckyskeens

I agree! Since I still have to cook for my very slender daughter and string bean husband, I can't afford to make two different meals every time we eat! Moderation, portion control and consistent exercise - it's been working for me and I've lost 42lbs since
Nov '11. Thanks for the logical "rant" - keep doing what works for you!

_VoV

I guess I need to clarify what you mean by 'normal.' It's really such a vague term.

Is shopping the perimeter of the grocery store 'normal'?

silversong24

the organic rainbow lettuce brigade.

I almost killed my keyboard! This made me laugh so hard I damn near spewed forth a fountain of water.....

I do have to agree with you, eating "normal" food is... well normal in my house. There is no way I can instantly change the ways that my 3 children, my spouse, and my grandmother eat completely over night. What I have done is add in many more vegetables, made fruit easily accessible, and use healthier ingredients to make a lot of the same stuff that we already enjoy. No it's not perfect, but it sure is better than it was! Good post man, good post!

dodd319

Well said!

cloud2011

The late Jack LaLanne (sp) said it best: "Exercise is king. Nutrition is queen."

For me, though, I have had to work on the food first. I feel better when I eat better, but there are days when I'm not a member of the Organic Lettuce Rainbow something or other.

I lost 10 lbs a few years ago, kept it off. Joined MFP a year ago and have lost 20 lbs since then for a total of 30. I changed a thing or two at a time. Nothing earth shattering.

But I noticed one thing...I did not start off the New Year with plans to lose 80 lbs in two months with 7 days a week of "Biggest Loser" type exercise and extreme dieting. (In fact, I surfed tv tonight and saw some Biggest Loser contestants getting weighed, and lamenting that they'd only lost 2 lbs last week. I now think of 2 lbs as a good week!)

This year, I recommitted to MFP, and felt very calm.

With each pound I lose, I roll back the clock. My current weight is where I was in 2006. My next goal is to reach 1998) and that would be 43 lbs from now.

Nana_Booboo

they must stock their fridge with organic lettuce grown under the sunshine reflected off a tropical rainbow.

That cracks me up a bit.


Well said.:drinker:


Eat, exercise and lose.

It works.

annaeboli

Word! I still eat pizza and pasta but instead of 4 pieces pf pizza I have two and a salad. I say if you can't figure out how to incorporate your favorite "real" foods into your weight loss plan , you will never be able to keep it off!

jhyan

"Normal" appears to be processed, calorie-dense food according to the examples listed here. If your goal is to simply lose weight with no regard to performance, overall health, and body composition then by all means, keep eating "normally"

If your goal is visible abs, athletic performance-related, or a fitness competition you'll need to abide by that annoying saying because good abs truly are made in the kitchen. Unless you're genetically gifted you won't get ripped eating pizza for dinner (and if you can do that, I'm jealous). You get out of your body what you put in to it.

I'm not trying to rain on anyone's parade, but there are many different ways of eating and many reasons for doing so. if you honestly, truly can't live without this magical food in your diet I'd take a good look and figure out why. Food is nourishment, oftentimes delicious, and it shouldn't be a source of struggle.

Obviously, our modern society has a huge problem seeing that what is considered ''normal'' by most is processed crap food.
Too many people base their happiness on food. They say ''omg, I would never give up junk because I'd feel so deprived''.
It's just food.
If you really feel like you can't enjoy life without junk food, I'd try to find the reason why.
There is a misconception about the ''organic rainbow lettuce brigade''. I've read comments stating that people who don't eat junk must be so unhappy. Is it so hard to believe that some of us enjoy kale, lean turkey and avocado without feeling deprived?
Don't let food take over your emotions. Don't let it be the reason why your happy or unhappy.

-Proud member of the organic rainbow lettuce brigade!

Very true.

We should eat to live, not live to eat.

Food is merely fuel for my body.

This makes me sad.

breeanreyes

i love this post! i am a big advocate on eating "whole" foods instead of processed ones, but I love me a quarter pounder with fries on occasion and believe that every now and again is not going to hurt me and in fact it helps me get right back on the healthy train the next day. This site is supposed to be about support, not putting people down for trying their best and figuring out a way to make healthy choices work for them... moderation is key in EVERY aspect of life, the goal here is to help people, not make everyone see things your way.

tataliciousd89

I do agree about this, but I'm super stubborn and don't want to start rewarding myself with "normal food" until I'm down another 10 lbs. You definitely can lose weight that way, but my self control only goes so far. There is a fine line between a handfull of flaming hot cheetos and the whole bag. Until I can get that binging behavior under control I'm sticking to the rabbit food.

We should never reward with food.........

Reward with a new shirt, lipstick, massage, pedicure, etc.......

Not what I meant at all. My reward will be new clothes because none of my old ones fit anymore, but I'm not going to start eating normal food again until I can prove to myself that I can handle it. And yes, that will be a reward in itself.

thatkatt

I, too, have lost weight eating NORMAL food. I LOVE FOOD. I love french fries. I love chocolate. I love cookies. I love candy. I dream about these things. That's one of the reasons I hesitated to diet before... I didn't want to give these things up. With MFP, I see that I don't have to!!! Today I ate hash browns, a slice of Papa John's pizza, had 5 Hershey Miniatures, 3 Reese's Miniature Cups, and I was STILL under my calorie goal. I had to make better choices for dinner, but I still got to eat the food that I love! No, it wasn't a "healthy eating day", but if I ate everything healthy all the time I would NOT be successful because I would be crabby and hungry for the food I love! I used to eat french fries 3 times a week. Now I eat them maybe once a week. Now instead of bringing the bag of cookies into bed and eating them until I feel like I'm going to pop, I take the number of cookies that equals 1 serving out of the bag, and eat them, then stop. Do I want more? Yes, usually. But after seeing the weight I lost just by watching what I ate, it really seemed to help motivate me to stop overeating just because it felt good. It feels good to eat what I want, in moderation, and still lose weight.

jhyan

I do agree about this, but I'm super stubborn and don't want to start rewarding myself with "normal food" until I'm down another 10 lbs. You definitely can lose weight that way, but my self control only goes so far. There is a fine line between a handfull of flaming hot cheetos and the whole bag. Until I can get that binging behavior under control I'm sticking to the rabbit food.

We should never reward with food.........

Reward with a new shirt, lipstick, massage, pedicure, etc.......

Again, your outlook on food makes me sad.

This is why so many people have a tough time getting healthy, they think they have to either think like you, or not do anything... and since your viewpoint is so narrow and rigid, they just don't do anything at all. How about we celebrate anyone's willingness to make positive choices of any kind with regards to food and health?

For me personally, my life is food (well, actually it's my third place priority). I am excited about losing weight that I have carried for over 20 years, but there is no way I'm going to deny one of the basic pleasures of life to do it. And luckily I don't have to... I just have to enjoy in moderation.

hollyeverhart

Some of us like healthy food. It annoys me when people call it rabbit food or that its 'weird'. I love salad I eat 2-3 a day huge ones with tons of veggies, I don't eat meat, I don't drink dairy, I love soy/almond milk, it is delicious, If you haven't had chocolate soy/almond milk you are missing out. I grew up eating tons of veggies so to me that is 'normal' to me 'normal' is NOT a mcdonalds cheeseburger. But I do have a sweet tooth, I love dark chocolate/cookies/non dairy ice cream, so no I don't always eat super healthy at all times if I want something I eat it in moderation. But in general I prefer healthy food over all greasy fatty food, I'll take a garlic hummus vegetable sandwich on wheat bread over a crappy fast food meal or processed crap anyday. It freaks me out when food has a million ingredients and I can't pronounce half of them, thats not food to me.

songbyrdsweet

I eat chocolate regularly.

What's normal?

visiri

Hear!!! Hear!!!

I haven't changed my diet one iota - except I eat a lot less. I drink wine every.single.day!!! I exercise enough to ensure I can drink my wine and still be at or under my calories.

I'm in this for the long haul. How am I supposed to be successful once I've lost all the extra weight if I still don't know how to eat once I'm done?

Thank you so much for spreading the message.

_VoV

Some of us like healthy food. It annoys me when people call it rabbit food or that its 'weird'. I love salad I eat 2-3 a day huge ones with tons of veggies, I don't eat meat, I don't drink dairy, I love soy/almond milk, it is delicious, If you haven't had chocolate soy/almond milk you are missing out. I grew up eating tons of veggies so to me that is 'normal' to me 'normal' is NOT a mcdonalds cheeseburger. But I do have a sweet tooth, I love dark chocolate/cookies/non dairy ice cream, so no I don't always eat super healthy at all times if I want something I eat it in moderation. But in general I prefer healthy food over all greasy fatty food, I'll take a garlic hummus vegetable sandwich on wheat bread over a crappy fast food meal or processed crap anyday. It freaks me out when food has a million ingredients and I can't pronounce half of them, thats not food to me.

I used to eat a lot of 'normal' foods, if 'normal' means cheese, meat, pizza, soda, French fries, ice cream, chocolate, cakes and cookies.

But, honestly, those foods don't have the same effect on me they once had. I have gradually learned about new plant foods and ways of cooking that I ENJOY. It's not deprivation. If someone told me ten years ago that I would be eating this way and LIKING IT, I would have told them that would be impossible.

I'm not saying anyone should do what I did. If you are happy and healthy eating a standard American diet, continue. Just don't think that people who are eating so-called 'rabbit food' are suffering. Tastes can change, and frequently do.

repoman150

i think you are my weight loss soul mate!!!!!!

hahaha also this study just came out supporting all your points:

http://www.healthzone.ca/health/dietfitness/article/1123698--calories-count-but-not-where-they-come-from-study

i'm a health researcher, i'm all for eating our recommended servings of fruit, veg and lean protein-so many health benefits from these foods, but that doesn't mean we can't enjoy CARBS and some junk food and still lose weight. so thank you. I feel like anyone joining MFP needs to read this post!

Excellent article. Thanks for sharing

CharlotteTheCoffeeLover

:bigsmile: I love this post! So true.

jennifershoo

WHERE IS THE ORLB?! I was so looking forward to a food fight. It would have provided some much needed entertainment as I lay here trying to get well.

Food fight! Nope, I'm not going to throw you my organic lettuce, it's too expensive!

jennifershoo

totally agree!! You have to reward yourself here or there or else you will fall of the bus and be right back where you were at.

But why is junk food a reward? Why do you let your happiness be guided by food? Why not reward you with a massage, a night at the movies or going on vacation in Hawaii?

Personally, all the joy would go out of my life if I couldn't go our for a non-organic pizza on a white non-whole wheat crust with friends every now and then.

All the joy would go out of your life? Really? It's very sad to think that a pizza is the answer to happiness. I'm quoting you, but it's a society problem. We've been brainwashed for several years by the fast food companies. They have awesome marketing teams who, day and night, work on making people associate a big mac with joy. Ronald McDonald is a fun clown, isn't he? Hell, the even call the kids meals ''happy meals''.
I have a toddler and of course when he sees those fun ads on TV, he wants to drink ''magic slushy'' because it makes little kids laugh (that's what he told me!). To those who think I'm preaching and I'm perfect, um no, I never said that I'm perfect, of course not. But having a young kid, I want him to learn about good nutrition to be able to make good decisions when he's older. And most of all, I want him to enjoy life without having the thoughts that he ''needs'' junk food to be happy and that if he never eats it, he'll be a weirdo and miserable.

Nikki582

I've lost 31lbs (14.5kg) over the last 4 months - and I ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS have dessert at night )

xyril

This needs a love button!!

Natihilator

Some of us like healthy food. It annoys me when people call it rabbit food or that its 'weird'. I love salad I eat 2-3 a day huge ones with tons of veggies, I don't eat meat, I don't drink dairy, I love soy/almond milk, it is delicious, If you haven't had chocolate soy/almond milk you are missing out. I grew up eating tons of veggies so to me that is 'normal' to me 'normal' is NOT a mcdonalds cheeseburger. But I do have a sweet tooth, I love dark chocolate/cookies/non dairy ice cream, so no I don't always eat super healthy at all times if I want something I eat it in moderation. But in general I prefer healthy food over all greasy fatty food, I'll take a garlic hummus vegetable sandwich on wheat bread over a crappy fast food meal or processed crap anyday. It freaks me out when food has a million ingredients and I can't pronounce half of them, thats not food to me.

I'm with you.

I love good food, and a lot of good food IS healthy food. I didn't get overweight by eating burgers and fried chicken 4 times a week and I would hate if anyone would assume that about me. And I also have a sweet tooth, I'm powerless against gummy candy or a fresh french pastry. But now I enjoy eating how I eat, which includes lots of veggies and almond milk and tofu, ALONG with stuff like turkey pepperoni, dark chocolate, and the occasional ice cream sandwich or "normal" pizza slice. A lot of processed and greasy foods make me bloated and gross feeling and taste bland, and I feel like I wasted calories if I consume them.

Smarternow

for a while, I was seeing an abundance of "what's gonna happen to my boobs" threads. new batches daily, it seemed. but, lately, I'm seeing new folks coming in and asking if they can eat so-called 'normal' food. and, of course, soon thereafter they are informed by various members that, no, all of that food is terrible and they must stock their fridge with organic lettuce grown under the sunshine reflected off a tropical rainbow.

that really bothers me. people join this site, often, after years of failed attempts. many are frustrated ... discouraged. so much so that it probably wouldn't take much for them to just throw it in and give up. and you know what just might be that push? the organic rainbow lettuce brigade.

you know what, that food is certainly nutritious. no one is really going to argue that point. and is nutritious food better for your body than not-so-nutritious food? well, yeah. but here's the thing, ORLBs. that's an extreme change many -- if not most -- people can't make. and, yes, I said can't -- not won't. it isn't always as simple as just throwing away all the food you've got and restocking with fresh produce and tofu burgers. the first obstacle is cost. the second is ease/feasibility. and that's not even figuring in the fact that many -- if not most, again -- don't like to eat that food!

I get the concept that food is fuel. sometimes you have to eat things you may not like. but I'm not going to make it long by making that kind of food my only kind of food. that's no way to live, dreading your next meal. and most people won't. that's why diets fail. and that's why MFP works. because a calorie is a calorie.

Yes. You CAN eat 'normal' food. I'll eat pizza. I'll eat chocolate. I eat pasta and bread and even, now and then, a cookie or some candy. I lost 3.5 pounds this past week. I've lost more than 17 pounds in less than two months. and it's because I'm learning to keep my food portions under control. I keep under my calorie limit. I plan ahead if I know I'm going to have a larger meal or a higher-calorie treat that day. and if it just happens without planning and I decide to take that treat? that means a longer stint at the gym to burn those extra calories off.

the ORLBs will now start sputtering, 'but that's not healthy!' and to that, I'd like to ask if being obese is healthy. I think ... no. so. let's move to basic food math:

eating less of most the food I like, keeping calories under my limit = weight loss;
weight loss = a healthier me;
therefore, eating less of most the food I like, keeping calories under my limit = a healthier me.

shedding that extra weight automatically makes you healthier, no matter what it is you are eating. there's simply no way around that fact. now, that isn't to say that you shouldn't make smart decisions. that isn't to say that you shouldn't work to find 'healthy' foods that you like, working them into your daily life. but, like weight loss, that's a process. it doesn't need to happen overnight.

focus on what works. turn yourself into a better you. and do it in a way that will allow it to be a life change. and if, for you, that means 'normal' food? do it, and do it without any of the guilt you've been programmed or pressured to feel.

I totally agree with this, I need to look forward to my next meal, so I don't eat junk/snacks beforehand.
If I am enjoying what I eat, I don't eat inbetween except a small snack that is normal food but OK to eat.

luvmybaby333

I love this!!!

beautyreaps

To me, junk food isn't "normal". I was raised on organic vegetables, lean meats/healthy proteins and homemade/non-processed breads and such. Normal food for me has ingredients that aren't mostly "corn glucose" and "animal by-products"; that's not "normal" (to me, anyways). So, it's kind of upsetting hearing people refer to actual food as "rabbit" or "abnormal" food

I'm not against moderation and eating calorie dense food either. I do enjoy eating sweets, chocolate and some other things and I do encourage others to eat what they enjoy and not to deprive themselves. However, I think perspective is important when it comes to lifestyle changes and if you think of vegetables and other holistic food choices as "abnormal", then it'll be a losing battle and you'll never enjoy the benefits that the lesser favorable, vitamin and mineral packed, organic and healthy foods have to offer.