Eat to live VS. Live to eat

ABrideToBE
ABrideToBE Posts: 94 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Having met people who only eat to live, I am amazed on how they can do it. I love food too much. I have come to terms with my love for food by restraining myself, enjoying every bite and accepting this as a life style change. Few of the things I have learned here just by reading posts:

1. Weight loss and maintenance is truly a lifestyle. You cannot lose all that weight and expect is to not come back without exercising and eating right.
2. Making exercise your priority. Many, many times, I tell myself I'll exercise later but then I get lazy. It's better to get it out of the way, or better yet make time for it. Because if you don't you probably won't.
3. Eating breakfast is not necessarily the answer to weight loss. I always read about eating breakfast to lose weight but what I realize is that a lot of people are skipping it too, just like me. And that's OK. Too each is own.


... and many many more lessons on this site that are generously shared by people who truly had been there, done that.

I love MFP. Eat to live VS Live to eat. Ponder on this. Where do you stand? Where do you want to be?

Replies

  • WendyTerry420
    WendyTerry420 Posts: 13,274 Member
    Personally, I think both are extemes. I am in the middle. Yes, I make sure that my food give my body the nutrients it needs, but I also enjoy my food.
  • linz1125
    linz1125 Posts: 441 Member
    I feel like I was programmed in order to live to eat. But recently I have been reprogrammed to eat to live....with some of that living being enjoyment in eating. If you follow that I'm impressed lol. I mostly eat for fuel, but I do still enjoy a cookie, ice cream, or other indulgence. I cut back significantly, and truly don't miss it. I probably eat sweets once every two weeks or so, instead of every day like it used to be.
  • michellekicks
    michellekicks Posts: 3,624 Member
    I like to try and keep this in check by thinking about how I feel when I'm going out to a favorite restaurant with a bunch of friends or family... am I more excited about what I'm going to eat or am I more excited about the people I'm going to see?
  • LoraF83
    LoraF83 Posts: 15,694 Member
    Personally, I think both are extemes. I am in the middle. Yes, I make sure that my food give my body the nutrients it needs, but I also enjoy my food.

    This. True success for weight loss is usually found in the middle.
  • LMPMOM4
    LMPMOM4 Posts: 75
    Personally, I think both are extemes. I am in the middle. Yes, I make sure that my food give my body the nutrients it needs, but I also enjoy my food.

    This. True success for weight loss is usually found in the middle.
    I agree!
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,427 MFP Moderator
    I am definitely live to eat. I eat close to 3000 calories a day, but it's 3000 healthy calories and I exercise a lot. And if I had time to exercise more, so I could eat more, I would.


    More importantly, I believe in moderate deficits, heavy weight training and keeping my muscle.... weight is completely meaningless to me.
  • bpotts44
    bpotts44 Posts: 1,066 Member
    Food is has two purposes. Provide nutrients for your body and enjoyment for your soul.
  • Sweet_Potato
    Sweet_Potato Posts: 1,119 Member
    I'm obsessed with food and have never been overweight. I've always hated the expression "Never trust a skinny cook" because I'm skinny and my cooking is pretty damn good!

    True food lovers will be discriminating and not eat something of poor quality just because it's there. And we are more likely to crave the pungent and bitter flavors found in healthy fare like kale, mushrooms, and yogurt. Picky eaters usually find these flavors off-putting and are more likely to crave simple carbs and fats, which lead to weight gain.
  • kbuelo
    kbuelo Posts: 44 Member
    I'm obsessed with food and have never been overweight. I've always hated the expression "Never trust a skinny cook" because I'm skinny and my cooking is pretty damn good!

    True food lovers will be discriminating and not eat something of poor quality just because it's there. And we are more likely to crave the pungent and bitter flavors found in healthy fare like kale, mushrooms, and yogurt. Picky eaters usually find these flavors off-putting and are more likely to crave simple carbs and fats, which lead to weight gain.

    Seriously. How hard is it to make something taste good with a ton of butter and creme and salt? I trust the skinny chef. :)
  • natachan
    natachan Posts: 149
    I love food, but in my mind, food is just there to keep me from starving or going silly (I forgot to eat for like three days and I got a bit loopy). I hate cooking so if I can get away with not eating I will. But if I'm GOING to cook, I'm going to cook something I will enjoy eating.

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