food and you

10manda86 · December 2013

It dawned on me that for this lifestyle change to be long lasting, I need to change my relationship with food!
Derrr I hear you say!
For me, food is enjoyable, comforting, used to celebrate, mourn, entertainment. it is a vast list of conflicting ideas and I'm trying to break to lifetime of bad habits, and thinking how any of them am I passing on to my son???
So what does food mean to you? Suggestions on how to change my relationship with food?

pittbullgirl · December 2013

Sorry, I have no suggestions. I just TRY to burn more than I eat so I stay at a deficit.

i just ate cheese doodle because I was bored and wanted something salty.:grumble:

Flowers4Julia · December 2013

I think for me food means several of the things you mentioned. :smooched:

For me the trick has been acknowledging that, and then making smarter decisions about it. I realized that just because I had feelings associated with foods, I could still control what I put in my mouth. Not a simple task, but not impossible either!

ilove2boogie · December 2013

Enjoyment, comfort, celebration, entertainment… Those all sound like very positive things, and no one should have to deny themselves any of those. Doing that all day every day would be (is) horrible and surely not a long term solution... So I guess the trick is getting those things elsewhere.

Thinking back over the last decade-ish, the two times I noticed that I'd lost weight without even thinking about it, I was really involved in a hobby and really enjoying my work. Suddenly having lots of fun things happening and occupying my attention all the time meant I forgot to snack, or, well, comfort eat out of boredom I guess. Food went back to being mere fuel, that I'd stuff down quickly without any fuss or anticipation, so I could get back to doing other more interesting things. So yes my relationship with food completely changed

To a healthy one I suppose!

Of course then work entered a rough patch and simultaneously I got injured and had to quit my hobbies and here I am. I know that rather than trying to ignore thoughts of food I need to get back to being so excited about something that there's no room for thoughts like "Bored. Ooh I know I'll go make a sandwich.". But then that's much easier said than done. The trick seems to be finding those happy distractions during times when things are out of your control... :S

Ejourneys · December 2013

I haven't consciously tried to apply mindfulness techniques when I eat, but they've been happening of their own accord.

For example, before I changed my eating habits I just dove into food without a second thought. This was especially true for processed foods, with their addictive mix of sweet, salt, and fat. Eating more and eating it faster provided more of a rush and intensity.

Turning away from processed foods and toward fresh produce made a huge difference. The richer foods are now too intense for me. I find I eat more slowly because I'm savoring more. When I'm hungry and I take the time to puzzle out which foods are the right foods to eat (because my body will tell me whether it wants more carbs, fats, or protein), what I eat really hits the spot and leaves me satisfied.

Taking the time to learn what my body really wants impacts my hunger. For example, if I need 100 calories worth of fats, eating 100 calories worth of fats satisfies me. If I instead eat 500 calories worth of carbs, I can still be hungry. If I don't know what I want, I picture different foods. I get a clear feeling of "Yes!" when I hit on the right one.

10manda86 · December 2013

I believe it is ok to use food for celebration, but I think I link the amount of food to the size of the party/emotion etc. Huge celebration=eat heaps, feeling a lot sad= eat a lot. And its the boredom one that I have to battle with as well.... interestingly enough there is an article on just this in my health magazine so I cannot wait to see what they have to say about it

Lizzy622 · December 2013

I have always been a bit of a foodie enjoying many different cuisines. I now have become a bit of a snob. I am picky about what I eat and how much. I still celebrate with food but now I pick and choose more carefully and consider if it is worth it.

Mdin1029 · December 2013

It is a challenge for me to. Kind of like you said, changing habits from so many years of just eating for taste is a big job.

I think the best thing you can do is try to make sure your whole day is filled with nutrient rich food that gives the body what it needs. This is what I am trying to do.
Try something like this maybe:

Breakfast:
lemon water
green smoothie (Mine is 1 cup water, 2 cups baby spinach and baby kale or other greens, 1/2 banana, 1/3 cup blueberries, I also add 1/3 cup fage yogurt or 1 tbl peanutbutter for protein-I don't like protein powders, a few mint leaves, cilantro leaves, a tiny bit of ginger)
2 boiled eggs with salt, pepper, paprika, and a little extra virgin olive oil

Snack:
1/4 cup raw unsalted almonds or other nuts

Lunch:
lean chicken or fish
lots of veggies (especially green)

Snack
1 gala apple or other fruits/veggies

Dinner
lean chicken of fish
lots of veggies (especially green)
sweet potato

LOTS of water, add lemon, cucumber, mint if you want

After dinner "tea":
1/4 lemon juice
few mint leaves
few cilantro leaves
tiny bit of fresh ginger
add boiling hot water, drink after a few minutes

Some form of activity as often as possible every day. (cardio 3x, strength 3x, walking whenever possible)

Medjool dates for any sweet cravings. Mix up the fruit and veggies and it can have tons of variety. A high quality multi-vitamin might be worth adding as well. The idea here is to work towards a healthier lifestyle that involves foods that nourishes the body with vitamins and minerals, not just empty calories. I really hope this helps.

_Giselle_ · December 2013

I try to just think that I eat to fuel my body, nothing else and the best way to spoil myself is not with unhealthy things but with food that will be the very best for me.

I still celebrate with food, and cheer myself up with it, but these days I try to do it in a different, indirect way. I always sit down at a table and eat. I always light candles and decorate my plate. If I make a salad I make sure it looks pretty. I put berries in my water and buy really pretty plates and glasses... I try to make it enjoyable in a more sound way. The moment and the feeling of treating myself the very best I can is comforting too and I find that it lasts longer, and isn't followed by the guilt and anxiety that usually comes creeping pretty soon after you've had that cake or pasta bake.

I was definitely eating a lot just because I was bored before. Now I do other things. I started knitting again, I started painting, I read more... I'm forcing myself to remove food as an option for entertainment when I'm bored and I try to have a thought behind everything I eat. I don't want to eat things just because it's there, or just because it's offered to me, or just because I have nothing else going on.

food and you

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