The truth about "I still eat the foods I love"

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  • ILiftHeavyAcrylics
    ILiftHeavyAcrylics Posts: 27,732 Member
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    MrM27 wrote: »
    MrM27 wrote: »
    Now why would I ever throw away perfectly good skittles?

    I threw away green gummy bears the other day.

    I could understand the white ones, but green? Monster.
    Green is the color of boogers.

    If your boogers are that color green you should see a doctor.
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
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    Mr_Knight wrote: »
    Mr_Knight wrote: »
    ndj1979 wrote: »
    Mr_Knight wrote: »
    Mr_Knight wrote: »
    ndj1979 wrote: »
    I restrict calories, but I have not given anything up. I just eat less of what I like.

    "Eat less" IS giving things up.

    If you ate 1000 Skittles a day before and only 20 Skittles a day now, you've given up 980 Skittles.

    Yes, but you haven't given up Skittles completely, which is what saying you've given something up implies.

    I see you're here to play word games.

    Why not just stick to the one about how we all moderate EVERYTHING?
    What does eating 0 skittles instead 20 skittles (rather than the 1000 you want) imply?

    and I'm laughing that we're talking about skittles! :smiley:

    You can't eat 0 of anything.

    :neutral: ok let's play mess with gricean pragmatics!

    Hey, you left yourself open for that one :wink:

    Zero consumption of skittles means just that. Zero consumption. You gave them up.

    980 Skittles passed by me. I didn't eat a single one. Zero consumption of them. I gave up eating every Skittle that I said "No" to.

    For not giving up anything, that's an awful lot of giving up.

    but if you ate the other 20 then you did not give them up...

    I've given up eating the first 980 no matter what I choose do with the last 20.

    For not giving anything up, that's an awful lot of giving up...
    totally agree
    And when it comes to the hyper palatable foods, sometimes eating NONE is preferable. TO ME.
    It's all a matter of personal preference. And should always be respected as such. As should the exploration.

    What I find really ironic is that holding such a narrow, binary view of what constitutes "giving up food" is a pretty solid indication of disordered thinking about food...

    Obladi oblada...
    :drinker:
    Indeed, but
    Life goes on, BRAH. Cheers
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
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    gia07 wrote: »
    This thread also took a turn in no mans land. But I love to see the arguments!

    Are we or aren't we eating the foods we love and still loosing weight? If not, then I need to change my dinner plans..

    I know it won't but I hope this thread ends well and those that need a hug gets one or perhaps it may be nap time..

    How this thread goes affects your dinner? :wink:
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
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    lemurcat12 wrote: »
    I did not give up Skittles, because I never ate Skittles.

    Anyway, I really don't think "I still eat the foods I love" implies that you eat them in an unlimited amount. Obviously not, or you wouldn't lose weight (after having gained too much, anyway).

    The main reason I started gaining weight wasn't related to changing how I ate (from how I'd been maintaining at about 125) at all. Instead, I went from training for endurance sports (triathlon) to being basically sedentary (giving me a maintenance of 1600 or less) and yet didn't change my eating. To deal with that problem I've gotten active again.

    I also gained a bunch of weight being careless with portion size. Related to that, things I changed were: being more careful with portion size and not wasting calories on things (like pasta) where I was perfectly satisfied with a normal portion or less but would always misjudge and then just finish what was on my plate because. Also, making myself eat reasonable portions in restaurants and not just keep eating so long as the food tasted good.

    Another thing I changed is that I go to nice/interesting restaurants quite frequently (1-2 times per week), and yet was acting as if it was a rare special occasion worthy of an appetizer shared with the table, salad, main course, and dessert. I stopped that. Now I order a reasonable amount of food, eat a reasonable portion of it, and have restaurant desserts on rare special occasions only.

    After I had gained a bunch of weight I started doing some other silly things and my diet got worse, in part because I was depressed and stressed about other things, in part because I figured I was already fat so one perk was it didn't matter what I ate. Around this time I started eating a bagel for breakfast (I now eat as many calories, but in much more healthy and filling form). This probably contributed to me not having much will power to resist whatever random food appeared in my office, which I considered a sign that I was willed by God to eat it (joking, mostly). So I ate that stuff. Now I only eat it if it's really special and worth it and I make sure to fit it into my day by eating less of something else.

    I also started using being tired and stressed as an excuse to order Indian food about 2 nights a week (I would often have leftovers for breakfast or dinner the next night or both). Now I go out for Indian once every month or two and split things with friends so I don't have leftovers.

    I also would quite often buy lunch and decide "it's been a bad day, I'll buy a cookie," without really paying attention to the fact that the cookie had as many calories as my usual lunch. I wouldn't be hungry, but I'd eat the cookie anyway, because I deserved it. I still eat cookies (or other sweets) from time to time, but way less often.

    On the other hand, I rarely ate ice cream before I started losing weight. I really loved it, but would mostly just buy a pint once in a while and when I did eat it in two sittings (I also might get it at a restaurant). Now I have at least 2 pints in my freezer and typically eat a half cup multiple nights a week. For whatever reason ice cream works for me as a pleasant post-dinner sweet that isn't all that high in calories, never creates an excuse (like I might go bad!) to overeat like homemade baked goods do, and which I prefer to almost any other store-bought sweet. (I've never criticized anyone who prefers to eat it less often in larger quantities, though. That's how I usually feel about pizza.)

    Great post. It adds a fresh perspective and reminds us there are MANY perspectives on this conversation.
  • WinoGelato
    WinoGelato Posts: 13,454 Member
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    snikkins wrote: »
    BFDeal wrote: »
    P3100726.jpg
    Here we go. A regular size pint next time a "serving" of Ben & Jerry's. Sad small container is sad.

    Has anyone pointed out yet that the ice cream on the left is a quart and not, in fact, a pint?

    That could also have something to do with how "sad" the single serving looks.

    ibsfBBvHzCoYpa.gif
  • PeachyCarol
    PeachyCarol Posts: 8,029 Member
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    MrM27 wrote: »
    Now why would I ever throw away perfectly good skittles?

    I threw away green gummy bears the other day.

    I heard green Skittles were worth throwing away. Something about the flavor being changed?

  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
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    wizzybeth wrote: »
    I don't think anyone is saying "eat what you want, in the quantities you want and still lose weight" (or if they are I am sure sarcasm plays a major role). Maybe you are taking what people say to literally.

    Besides the fact that if anyone believes that they can eat what they want, in mass quantity and still lose weight, they need more help than these message boards provide.


    I think it's more of a mindset than anything. I'm not DEPRIVING myself, I'm asking myself "Is this worth the calories?" and if I decide yes it is, I have it and make room for it. If I don't, then I don't feel sad or mad that I can't have it.

    This is all anyone starting out needs to know about how we eat things in moderation. The only question is whether it's worth the calories to you today. Your answer may change tomorrow, and that's ok. We all make decisions every day about what we would like to eat and whether it is going to fit into our day. If it fits, wonderful! Enjoy! If it doesn't fit well, is it worth rearranging the rest of your snacks/meals to make it fit? If it's worth it, then go ahead and have it. If not, then you've made that decision and shouldn't feel deprived at all. This is why I don't feel I've given up anything. I've just prioritized and budgeted out my calories to include those things I feel are most important to my own health and mental state.
    Which is what most people do...
  • girlviernes
    girlviernes Posts: 2,402 Member
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    lemurcat12 wrote: »
    I did not give up Skittles, because I never ate Skittles.

    Anyway, I really don't think "I still eat the foods I love" implies that you eat them in an unlimited amount. Obviously not, or you wouldn't lose weight (after having gained too much, anyway).

    The main reason I started gaining weight wasn't related to changing how I ate (from how I'd been maintaining at about 125) at all. Instead, I went from training for endurance sports (triathlon) to being basically sedentary (giving me a maintenance of 1600 or less) and yet didn't change my eating. To deal with that problem I've gotten active again.

    I also gained a bunch of weight being careless with portion size. Related to that, things I changed were: being more careful with portion size and not wasting calories on things (like pasta) where I was perfectly satisfied with a normal portion or less but would always misjudge and then just finish what was on my plate because. Also, making myself eat reasonable portions in restaurants and not just keep eating so long as the food tasted good.

    Another thing I changed is that I go to nice/interesting restaurants quite frequently (1-2 times per week), and yet was acting as if it was a rare special occasion worthy of an appetizer shared with the table, salad, main course, and dessert. I stopped that. Now I order a reasonable amount of food, eat a reasonable portion of it, and have restaurant desserts on rare special occasions only.

    After I had gained a bunch of weight I started doing some other silly things and my diet got worse, in part because I was depressed and stressed about other things, in part because I figured I was already fat so one perk was it didn't matter what I ate. Around this time I started eating a bagel for breakfast (I now eat as many calories, but in much more healthy and filling form). This probably contributed to me not having much will power to resist whatever random food appeared in my office, which I considered a sign that I was willed by God to eat it (joking, mostly). So I ate that stuff. Now I only eat it if it's really special and worth it and I make sure to fit it into my day by eating less of something else.

    I also started using being tired and stressed as an excuse to order Indian food about 2 nights a week (I would often have leftovers for breakfast or dinner the next night or both). Now I go out for Indian once every month or two and split things with friends so I don't have leftovers.

    I also would quite often buy lunch and decide "it's been a bad day, I'll buy a cookie," without really paying attention to the fact that the cookie had as many calories as my usual lunch. I wouldn't be hungry, but I'd eat the cookie anyway, because I deserved it. I still eat cookies (or other sweets) from time to time, but way less often.

    On the other hand, I rarely ate ice cream before I started losing weight. I really loved it, but would mostly just buy a pint once in a while and when I did eat it in two sittings (I also might get it at a restaurant). Now I have at least 2 pints in my freezer and typically eat a half cup multiple nights a week. For whatever reason ice cream works for me as a pleasant post-dinner sweet that isn't all that high in calories, never creates an excuse (like I might go bad!) to overeat like homemade baked goods do, and which I prefer to almost any other store-bought sweet. (I've never criticized anyone who prefers to eat it less often in larger quantities, though. That's how I usually feel about pizza.)

    Woo, I really got a lot out of this post. Especially about treating every time out like a special occasion, even though it is weekly!! That is something I really needed to read.

    As always, you are super!

  • _Justinian_
    _Justinian_ Posts: 232 Member
    edited April 2015
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    I like Ben and Jerry's Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream. It's incredibly calorie dense. I'll treat myself to a pint of it only on weekends when I go social dancing for 8+ hours in a day. If I decide to eat it on any other day, I'll eat significantly less that day or I'll exercise significantly more to stay within my calorie limits.

    I'll drink a single can of RC Cola about once a week, too.

    Ever since I started drinking only water and eating relatively healthy foods, I've pretty much lost my cravings for "junk food".
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,139 Member
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    I think I've heard this before, but why are some people in picture jail again?

    0hwnyyn8odjq.jpg

    MFP and I were having issues…but they have paroled me :)
  • _Terrapin_
    _Terrapin_ Posts: 4,302 Member
    edited April 2015
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    MSeel1984 wrote: »
    1.) I run a lot...days I run longer I allow myself to eat more (date night, for example-we go out for dinner so usually that's more calorie-dense)
    2.) I am obsessed with peanut butter cups. So instead I buy 70-80% cacao and all natural peanut butter. Satisfies the craving for fewer calories (and it doesn't take as much either)
    3.) Coffee (I downgraded from heavy cream to half and half to whole milk to 2% most of the time)
    4.) Bread (I don't eat bread or bread products nearly as often as I used to. Used to do cereal or toast for breakfast almost every day-now I do eggs, fruit, nuts, nut butter...occasionally toast...but I don't eat it as often as I used to)

    !, I also run more then I did 3 years ago. I may or may not eat more the same day I run. (date night, we don't do them, neither my wife nor myself enjoy dates(too sweet))
    2. I an obsessed with toilet paper and paper towel rolls for right handed folks. So I change out the rolls in this case. It satisfies my obsessiveness
    3. Coffee( I upgraded from 2% to half and half 90 % of the time the other 25% I use soy milk but only on the third blue moon during the year of the Goat)
    4. Bread, mula, cash, cabbage, greenbacks, quan, gold, currency, I like it. I use it and as for reducing it, maybe when I retire

    Oh and the foods, lest we forget.....4 pieces of Dominos tonight. . . .with the debil's blood(Coca Cola). Why? Exactly.
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,139 Member
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    so we have learned that reducing calories really means restricting them completely even if you still eat some of those very same foods….

    another productive day in MFP land...
  • hgycta
    hgycta Posts: 3,013 Member
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    I no longer sit down and eat peanut butter by the spoonfuls when I'm bored or watching tv :x
  • ILiftHeavyAcrylics
    ILiftHeavyAcrylics Posts: 27,732 Member
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    MrM27 wrote: »
    MrM27 wrote: »
    MrM27 wrote: »
    Now why would I ever throw away perfectly good skittles?

    I threw away green gummy bears the other day.

    I could understand the white ones, but green? Monster.
    Green is the color of boogers.

    If your boogers are that color green you should see a doctor.

    If your boogers aren't green you should see a doctor.

    Mine generally aren't neon. Am I dying?
  • chrisdavey
    chrisdavey Posts: 9,835 Member
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    My main changes I guess would be:
    switching from sugar soft drink to diet (same quantities)
    reduced meal frequency (still have large volume and typically fairly high cal meals)
    I don't really have too many "junk" foods in the house. If I want some, I'll buy it when I actually want it.

    Does that make me a clean eater? LOL
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,139 Member
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    chrisdavey wrote: »
    My main changes I guess would be:
    switching from sugar soft drink to diet (same quantities)
    reduced meal frequency (still have large volume and typically fairly high cal meals)
    I don't really have too many "junk" foods in the house. If I want some, I'll buy it when I actually want it.

    Does that make me a clean eater? LOL

    no bro, you are a dirty, dirty, eater...
  • ana3067
    ana3067 Posts: 5,624 Member
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    ndj1979 wrote: »
    Mr_Knight wrote: »
    ndj1979 wrote: »
    I restrict calories, but I have not given anything up. I just eat less of what I like.

    "Eat less" IS giving things up.

    If you ate 1000 Skittles a day before and only 20 Skittles a day now, you've given up 980 Skittles.

    yea, but that is not giving up skittles. That is just reducing your intake.

    if you give them up that means that you don't eat them anymore.

    I'm going to guess that this has been argued with despite the fact that it 100% accurate.
  • HeySwoleSister
    HeySwoleSister Posts: 1,938 Member
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    ana3067 wrote: »
    ndj1979 wrote: »
    Mr_Knight wrote: »
    ndj1979 wrote: »
    I restrict calories, but I have not given anything up. I just eat less of what I like.

    "Eat less" IS giving things up.

    If you ate 1000 Skittles a day before and only 20 Skittles a day now, you've given up 980 Skittles.

    yea, but that is not giving up skittles. That is just reducing your intake.

    if you give them up that means that you don't eat them anymore.

    I'm going to guess that this has been argued with despite the fact that it 100% accurate.

    You have guessed correctly, to the tune of 3 pages of NEENER NEENER YOU SMELL.

    Absurdist theater. Poor OP was just looking for some tips on how to work in "treat" foods. Free Oscar, indeed.