are you enjoying food MORE now you're being healthier?

I respectfully disagree with the poster who said: "taste buds don't change, only mentalities do." My taste buds have definitely changed.

Back when I ate so many processed foods, with their fat and salt and sugar and "flavor enhancers", I was kind of immune to simple flavors and subtlety. So, for example, in a piece of dark chocolate, the bitterness was more prominent than the sweetness, because the sweetness paled in comparison to what I was getting everywhere else. And I thought people who said things like "when you want something sweet, just have a piece of fruit" were idiots. I believed strawberries and watermelon could not compete with Snickers.

Now, that I consume far less salt and fat and sugar, my taste buds are so much more sensitive. I LOVE the sweetness of a blueberry, or the medley of flavors in a salad mix. The other day I had a little bite of a Three Musketeers, and honestly, it was gross how sweet it was.

And I know this is not strictly taste-bud related, but I notice the juicy tenderness in a pork tenderloin in a way I never ever could have with processed chicken nuggets.

My experience with food is entirely different, because my taste-buds are sensitive and aware, and because I think more about the preparation of food, and because take the time to savor every bite.

I am looking at food as fuel now. Big difference from when I was eating just because it tastes good! I appreciate it so much more and really enjoy preparing good healthy food for my husband and I. It is not always low cal or low fat, but it is healthier.

I don't eat substantially different than I did before...save for I make sure I'm gettin my fruits and veg, but I've never been a "crap" eater...I was just an over-eater. I've always enjoyed nutritious and healthy foods and cooking from scratch, etc. My issue has never really been quality...it was always quantity. I've always been a, "well that was delicious...going back for 2nds" kinda guy. Also...a "wolfman" portion tends to not be an actual portion...so going back for seconds was really like going back for 4ths back in the day...but I've gotten that under control now.

THIS describes me to a T -- except the "under control now" has been a bit shaky in August.

With access to the web, anyone can become a good cook -- and a frugal one, too.

Throw in "take the lift to my flat," "going to the loo," "beastly weather," and "bollocks," and you've got a deal!

People suddenly "enjoy" plain microwaved chicken or whatever because they are now eating guilt-free and making progress towards their goals.

It's great that you suddenly love this stuff, but it won't last. Plain microwaved chicken is bland, and when you get over the joy of guilt-free eating and strength gains you will crave something that *actually* tastes good.

Start learning to cook and feed yourself in a healthy, but still guilt-free, way now. Do it before you get tired of what you're already eating or you may look to your old standbys.

Microwaves are for popcorn, not for chicken.

I do enjoy my food more now -- partly because there's less of it (scarcity love), I'm sure, but also because I'm so much more in control now. I started these habits in major part because I felt wildly out of control of my eating, my body, my health, and by extension my life. Now I plan, buy, prepare, store, eat, and log every single bite. Six months ago I would never have believed I could do this for a single day, much less three months; I thought I was completely at the mercy of my whims and cravings.

Also, I've always loved and been good at cooking, and doing this gives me a chance to get really creative. I'm constantly coming up with new recipes to suit my nutritional goals/budget/time constraints and it's much more pleasant to be enjoying a wide variety of healthy things than mindlessly stuffing myself with the same six mass-quantity junk items over and over.

And treats are actually treats now.

^^This

i love it would not go back at all

I am, mainly because I am trying to cook many more things from scratch. Not that I ate a lot of take-out, or even pre-packaged food before I started getting fit, but I am really trying to cook more like my grandmother, who was raised on a farm.

Some of the things I make completely from scratch now that I used to buy the convenience foods are:

Macaroni and Cheese
Pancakes
Pizza
Bread (just starting this - still buy loaves at the store too)
Pumpkin Pie
Italian Tomato Sauce

Plus, I am constantly looking for new recipes/foods to try out that I may not have tried before. I think that is more due to my watching Food Network with my wife lately though.

just something i noticed as i made my packed lunch last night of smoked salmon & avocado pasta. i actually seem to be eating tastier, more satisfying and flavoursome food than i did when i was filling myself up with crap.

i may not have lost much weight yet, but i feel better just for taking more care over my food choices and knowing it's doing better things for me than a meal made up of crisps, cheese and chocolate!

has anyone else made a new favourite food since starting? mine has got to be cous cous!

I definitely enjoy food more now. Partly because I eat more mindfully, and partly because with a limited number of calories to eat, I make sure it's something good. It's got to be something really worth it. Cheese and chocolate still make the cut for me, but it's the good stuff, and I don't get to eat as much of it now, so I savour it more.

One of my favourite feel-good meals lately is pan fried salmon, vegetables and quinoa or couscous.