Do you have a healthy relationship with food?

WhitneyAnnabelle

Thank you, Femme. It's taking a lot of strength to not calculate everything up! Haha. I don't know if I'll be successful the whole way through, but I know my husband is happy about it. When I told him, he told me it was starting to worry him but he didn't want to upset me. I'm glad he DIDN'T say anything, but I'm also glad he feels the way he feels about it. I needed to come to the conclusion myself.

jadedone

I think yes and no.
1. I have definitely belonged to the clean my plate club -- and still belong there. This can be hard for me. Even now, if I start feeling full as I am eating. I just wait to see if I can finish. Especially when my meal is only 400-500 calories. (solution: smaller plates and different ratio of foods on the plate. Less rice, more veggies)
2. Other than desserts, I don't really like heavy foods. I don't like cream sauce, mayo, too much cheese, most gravies. All of these things feel way too heavy for me and I can either only have a few bites or feel sick immediately.
3. I have never really been able to eat until I am absolutely stuffed. Obviously this happens occasionally. I stop when I am full. I am working on stopping when I am 80% full.
4. I like trying new foods, but for me there isn't a relationship between "exciting" and "good" food and the relative healthiness of that dish. Trying a veggie prepared in a new way is 80% as exciting as a unique pastry. Trying a new fruit is definitely as exciting as the pastry.
5. My number one problem is portion control of empty calories. These foods don't make me full so I can eat tons of them and not feel like I am eating much. I try to eat these things only after having real food, so at least I'll be pretty full from the real food. I have been trying to save room for these occasional indulgences, just not every day. Some days are harder than others, but I am generally within my calorie goals, even if I make a bad choice along the way. I compensate in a future meal.

Italianyc84

I always hear people say they are emotional eaters--I never related to that. I've never been one to sit down and eat a whole bag of chips or a box of cookies. I've had weight issues because I love food--good food. I love to cook and am very interested in foods from all over the world, exploring markets, trying new preparations, etc. My problem isn't mindless snacking, it's second and third portions! I don't get "comfort" from it, it simply tastes good :-)

PercivalHackworth

I've given up logging my calories for Lent because I feel like my relationship with food is getting really messed up by counting every little thing. I'm not giving up portion control and things like that, but I am going to try to relax a bit so I can reclaim my power over food instead of it having power over me, so to speak. Sounds kind of stupid, but I feel like I'm a little too obsessed with food, and it's not helping my weight loss/health in any way.

Wow! That's awesome for you to recognize what food is doing to you! I really admire your strength...now I'm thinking about giving up counting too...

If you can, do it now, before it goes further, trust me you'll thank me for that ahah
Those "resolutions" are a thing I should/ many should tend to - it's a way of quitting that obsession, but acting that way needs time and "strenght". I'm no fool - I know what I should do - doesn't mean I'm able to do it - addiction/ obsession are what they are.

I think there are for some things in Life an "escape window" which doesn't last - prevention is one of them. I missed it - guess what ?
Now Food to me is a total abstraction, I mean it has been mentally personified. I can't eat without seeing the nutrient repartition everywhere, the calories, and any weird stuff that would make everybody run from me :laugh:

UponThisRock

I always hear people say they are emotional eaters--I never related to that. I've never been one to sit down and eat a whole bag of chips or a box of cookies. I've had weight issues because I love food--good food. I love to cook and am very interested in foods from all over the world, exploring markets, trying new preparations, etc. My problem isn't mindless snacking, it's second and third portions! I don't get "comfort" from it, it simply tastes good :-)

Same here, unless it's a very large meal, I always want MOAR!! Drinking a lot of water with a meal helps a little.

yoovie

strangely enough- though Im fine with food, its WATER that I have a messed up relationship with. I will drown or drought myself to ridiculous extremes based on my hormones and moods and emotional wellbeing. Its ridiculous. Pain in the butt.

Ruthaw1961

Great artical on eating

http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-241-285--14203-0,00.html?cm_mmc=NL-Nutrition82444202232012-_-Disordered+Eating

fteale

It depends what you mean by healthy. I think we all think everyone else just sees food as fuel and we are the only person who sometimes gets cravings or feels they need to control what they eat.

I think compared to most people I do have a healthy relationship with food. Most women, anyway. I am maybe a little too controlling about what I eat, but I have a small frame, and really can't get away with eating excess calories, so I feel that having self control in my case is the healthiest option. I am vegetarian, and have a couple of allergies, so I have to be aware of what I eat, probably more aware than most.

I don't comfort eat, or have issues with emotional eating. I don't really get cravings often, even when pregnant, at least not ones I can't ignore, and I have no interest at all in chocolate, cakes, biscuits or coffee, the things other people seem to fall down on so often. I just don't like those things, which probably helps matters.

Sidesteal

I believe I have a very healthy relationship with food, but I've been thinking about it and I agree very much with the below.

I guess it's a a double-edged sword, the obsessive tendencies are actually the key to success, but it's still an obsession.

Do you regularly take diet breaks where you stop tracking?

fteale

I always hear people say they are emotional eaters--I never related to that. I've never been one to sit down and eat a whole bag of chips or a box of cookies. I've had weight issues because I love food--good food. I love to cook and am very interested in foods from all over the world, exploring markets, trying new preparations, etc. My problem isn't mindless snacking, it's second and third portions! I don't get "comfort" from it, it simply tastes good :-)

Me too. I don't and never have eaten junk food. I just love good food, and I am someone who feels hungry most of the time, I always have. I only ever eat things I love, I have never seen the appeal of eating for eating's sake. My food has to taste good.

UponThisRock

I believe I have a very healthy relationship with food, but I've been thinking about it and I agree very much with the below.

I guess it's a a double-edged sword, the obsessive tendencies are actually the key to success, but it's still an obsession.

Do you regularly take diet breaks where you stop tracking?

Yeah, I take 2 vacations per year that are a week long, and a 2-3 more "long weekends" where I don't track anything. Crucial for my sanity, but also a good reminder of what my diet would be like if I was left to my own devices, lol.

ShifuYaku

Probably not. Most of the time, I am eating things that are in packages. That stuff is what we are supposed to stay away from, and that is the truth. Doesn't matter if you "can have a little bit." Processed foods are bad for humans. Anyway, I try to eat more vegetables and fruits and meat, but it's hard when you are a college student, living in an apartment, and not getting paid much to buy good food. Most of the time I don't have a proper meal. I'm still trying to lose weight, going to the gym and all... but trust me, this is hard. For me, anyway. I'll bet there are people who have it worse... and I hope that they will have a better time soon.

NoAdditives

I love food, it loves me back by nourishing my body. I try not to eat too much junk but I do enjoy it once in a while. My main goal is to be healthy, I'm not so focused on losing weight or being a specific size. So I never deny myself food if I'm hungry. I fully enjoy good food and don't go in for that "diet food" crap. I also love coming up with new recipes and cooking delicious foods.

teagin2002

I do now, I my food so much!!!

it took about 3 years for me to develop this wonderful relationship I have with my food, but it was worth it.
I used to be addicted to refined carbs and sugar but that was 112 lbs ago. Now I eat sugar snap peas, nuts and from time to time oatmeal raisin cookies and have had cheese cake too.
I eat now to love my body and make it stronger and healthier. I don't care for the refined carbs any more, they just don't satisfy. No matter how much I eat I never get full, and I like feeling full (not about to burst full, but my body is happy and will have what it needs till next meal).
I do notice that even though I am much smaller now I actually feel pudgy in my face and no not the I am so fat pudgy, but the I am healthy and beautiful pudgy (I have cheeks, nice breast and a cute *kitten* to boot!). I feel that although lifting weights does give my body more shape, my diet also helps give my body the healthy feminine shape it has.

I post this to my MFP friends a lot and I will here too.
I what healthy food and lifting heavy does to my body!!!

LoggingForLife

No...I can barely remember what I have to do for the day, but I can tell you exactly how many calories I have left and how much water I have had to drink. It effects my mood often.

Sidesteal

Yeah, I take 2 vacations per year that are a week long, and a 2-3 more "long weekends" where I don't track anything. Crucial for my sanity, but also a good reminder of what my diet would be like if I was left to my own devices, lol.

When cutting I was doing 1 day/week of not tracking. During my bulk I started out not taking a day off because I don't get any physiological benefit from it (Leptin is an arguable topic but I believe there's at least some evidence that a maintenance/small surplus day on a cut can be physiologically beneficial--- I can't see any physiological reason to do it while at a surplus).

Anyways, about 2 months into my bulk I finally caved and decided I still needed the occasional break just for mental reasons.

I'm totally on board with this topic and I think it's bordering nutty behavior to meticulously track everything.

PercivalHackworth

The other weird effect I'm noticing is the more I track... and the more I track.
In the end tracking everything drives me even more crazy. Just right now I had a mini crave - I was eating - logging - eating - logging - cheking the calories - eating- logging.
How sane is that ?

kittenmitton

Trigger warning, just fyi.

Absolutely not. I have an awful relationship with food. Repeated binges when I'm depressed with no purging, then when I'm in a normal state I refuse to eat or binge with purging (usually over-exercising). Having an ED is the most horrible life-consuming, anxiety-inducing state anyone could ever be in. It doesn't matter what anyone tells me, the way I see myself doesn't change. I think I look exactly the same now around 110 as I did 80-90 pounds ago. Food sucks. Maybe. Or maybe ED sucks. I want to be able to enjoy food, but I can't because it has this hold over me and how I view myself.

UponThisRock

Yeah, I take 2 vacations per year that are a week long, and a 2-3 more "long weekends" where I don't track anything. Crucial for my sanity, but also a good reminder of what my diet would be like if I was left to my own devices, lol.

When cutting I was doing 1 day/week of not tracking. During my bulk I started out not taking a day off because I don't get any physiological benefit from it (Leptin is an arguable topic but I believe there's at least some evidence that a maintenance/small surplus day on a cut can be physiologically beneficial--- I can't see any physiological reason to do it while at a surplus).

Anyways, about 2 months into my bulk I finally caved and decided I still needed the occasional break just for mental reasons.

I'm totally on board with this topic and I think it's bordering nutty behavior to meticulously track everything.

I'm a lot better than I used to be. I track most things, but I also hesitate to estimate and move on when necessary. Maybe I can progress to the point where I'm estimating most things (If MFP would ever allow me to quick add in macros)

PercivalHackworth

Trigger warning, just fyi.

Absolutely not. I have an awful relationship with food. Repeated binges when I'm depressed with no purging, then when I'm in a normal state I refuse to eat or binge with purging (usually over-exercising). Having an ED is the most horrible life-consuming, anxiety-inducing state anyone could ever be in. It doesn't matter what anyone tells me, the way I see myself doesn't change. I think I look exactly the same now around 110 as I did 80-90 pounds ago. Food sucks. Maybe. Or maybe ED sucks. I want to be able to enjoy food, but I can't because it has this hold over me and how I view myself.

I agree on many parts. The direct effect I notice from ED to my life - if how much zombie-time-drainning it is. Looks like everything's starting to slowly evolves around it :laugh:

swood0114

I absolutely love food and exercise, I'm a great cook (if I do say so myself,) and I'm even a little bit of a foodie. But no, I know I don't have a healthy relationship with food. As much as a "love" it, its still a battle every day and I get so obsessed thinking about it and counting calories and planning my next meal that it literally distracts me from getting things done. Sometimes I feel like its all I think about! I envy my friends who can say "wow I totally forgot to eat all day until now!" (And they don't say that out of any restrictive behavior, they literally just plain were not thinking about it!

I love this site, but it doesn't help. Logging calories only encourages obsessive behavior, but for people like me its a much healthier way to gain control rather than turning to other strategies to lose weight.

alexandria412

Thank you for posting this.

DL121004

I guess it's a a double-edged sword, the obsessive tendencies are actually the key to success, but it's still an obsession.

Here's a perspective.

Maybe a stupid one, but still a perspective.

I track all of my money, but that doesn't mean I'm obsessive about it. I just care about it, want to know where it goes, and help ensure I'm on a financial path in line with my objectives.

lmalaschak

I always hear people say they are emotional eaters--I never related to that. I've never been one to sit down and eat a whole bag of chips or a box of cookies. I've had weight issues because I love food--good food. I love to cook and am very interested in foods from all over the world, exploring markets, trying new preparations, etc. My problem isn't mindless snacking, it's second and third portions! I don't get "comfort" from it, it simply tastes good :-)

This is me, too. While thinking about this question I realized that I'm not sure I really know how to just be "normal" about food. I think (since I got to the age where weight could start to become an issue for me) that I'm almost always either being really careful about what I eat or I'm eating way too much junk food. Not binging, but just enjoying six brownies for an evening snack instead of one. (To me that isn't binging, I guess, since there's no emotion involved and I'm not doing what I'd call stuffing myself.) The thought of eating one brownie doesn't really appeal to me, so if I know I need to be careful right now I will just stop making brownies entirely until I'm back where I want to be again. Then I feel like I can go and have the six that I really wanted instead. I'm not sure this is so great.

Icedancer94

Nope, I know I don't...