Thoughts on my eating philosophy?

Nakeshia88 wrote: »

To give a little background I'm already on a highly restricted diet due to digestion and fatigue issues - a low FODMAP diet pretty much rules out gluten, legumes, most dairy, added sugars, artificial sweeteners and in my case alcohol - along with onions, garlic, apples and many berries. As I'm already so restricted I'm looking for ways to eat the most nutritious foods I can. 'Clean eating' or sticking to mostly natural and low processed (in my mind processing food is doing things like fermenting, grinding, brewing, roasting, drying etc etc.) foods seems to work the best for me at this point in time. Filling my already restricted meals with 'empty calorie' and convenience foods just seems like a waste.

Ah, see then the issue lies in your examples. Why use pizza, wine, beer etc as examples of things you could and would have under your philosophy if that was never your intention?

I am a scientist. I have access to a lab. I honestly think it would be easier for me to make a lot of things like preservatives, artificial colouring etc than hunt an animal, kill it and prepare it for eating.
So, while personally I try to eat as naturally as possible without going crazy about it (i.e. avoid unnecessary additives, use fresh, locally grown vegetables, prefer organic ingredients when I can afford them etc), I think the "eat whatever I can make" philosophy could be deeply flawed, depending on who "I" is.

You can totally make your own HFCS! http://www.bonappetit.com/trends/article/make-your-own-high-fructose-corn-syrup-with-artist-maya-weinstein

Jesting aside, if it helps you stick to the way you need to eat for your food issues, and you think it will be sustainable, go for it.

BTW, I have a friend who has to eat low FODMAP and she is really big on fermenting. Helps with gut flora I think. Which reminds me, I was meant to be at a kombucha workshop she's hosting this evening...oops.

Rayman79 wrote: »

I think its great.

Over the past few years I have seen MFP slowly trend from accepting others food choices to becoming more militant about 'macros and calorie counts at the expense of everything else'. In my humble opinion it has gone too far that way.

I am a flexible dieter, and keeping my macros in check is my main focus, but there is absolutely nothing wrong with wanting to eat more natural foods and less processed stuff. Instead of applying your own experience and biases, just applaud people for wanting to improve their eating habits. Again, there are very few restrictions mentioned in the OP's post, it is all sensible and not very restrictive at all!

If she cant make it work and needs a more flexible eating plan, then let her come back and ask for that advice when its needed.

^ This.

It's *roughly* how I eat regardless. It's not "hard" I actually did it originally more from a standpoint of wanting to support local farmers rather than a "this will make me lose weight!" stand point.

At the end of the day the majority of this forum concentrates massively on CICO and generally neglects the "wellbeing" and philosophical/belief side of things. The thing is, sometimes that extra little bit of morality behind a reasoning can sometimes make it easier for that "system" to become part of your life rather than something you are just going to try because you've tried everything else and have nothing left to lose...

I guess I still haven't quite gotten used to the immediate negative reactions any time someone makes a post like OP.

"Hey! I wish to make some changes to improve my life and help out others!"... followed by "OMG why, CICO noob, you're an idiot"

Why can't people accept that changes like the one that OP stated aren't a big deal, and if OP decides it isn't working out due to time restrictions or whatever then she's hardly about to hurl herself into a vat of Coca Cola and attempt to drink it all until she explodes...

At the end of the day, you've no idea what OP's original habits are... perhaps the only significant difference will be coke, not exactly a massive deal to be replacing coke with something else.

Go for it OP. I hope it works well for you.

*runs off to find a shakeology person to demean to make up for the support given* that's how this works, right?

*edited to add* looks like this philosophy is an extension of a restricted diet you are already on. re: digestion issues... It's a roll of the dice. You keep trying things and once you find something that works, you stick to it. You stick to it because if you don't then life becomes thoroughly miserable. I hope you find your holy grail. Try what you like and give yourself whatever 'ideals' you like to try and figure it out. Whatever helps.

Orphia wrote: »

Nakeshia88 wrote: »

lemonsnowdrop wrote: »

But...those things aren't bad for you.

Perhaps not, but to put it simply I'm trying to eat things that are as nature has provided them, or as close as possible to...

http://www.logicallyfallacious.com/index.php/logical-fallacies/37-appeal-to-nature

Cocaine, arsenic, strychnine and snake venom are all natural. Does that make them good for you?

It's good enough for chickens... why not?

And yes, I'm *fully* aware that the FDA finally decided to repeal their authorisation of some of the arsenic containing chicken feeds (after the companies that made them had already voluntarily withdrawn them).

Why does everyone go for the black and white all or nothing approach?

I can also see what you are saying, but with crops being grown and sold that have been covered in various pesticides and chemicals to help them grow, or foods which you tell yourself you could make yourself naturally but when you buy them are in fact still full of sugar and preservatives, I am not sure your logic is as sounds as you think. Unless you are actually growing your own fruit and veg or killing and preparing your own meat you won't be able to eat as 'naturally' as you clearly hope this diet will be.

But, each to their own so if it works for you then good luck!

I understand what you're saying OP, totally.
But it's easier said than done (to just only eat Natural foods).
Convenience plays a big part.....as sometimes you just want something quick.
That's where fast food or convenience foods (packaged/Canned etc) come in.

Nakeshia88 wrote: »

scottacular wrote: »

Nakeshia88 wrote: »

My new philosophy for food is that if you can't grow it, catch it, kill it or make it yourself then don't eat it. For example: I can grow fruits/vegetables/legumes/grains and nuts so these are OK; I can fish and shoot so meat is OK; and I can/could easily learn to do things like grow/grind my own flour, salt and coffee, I can brew beer, make bread and pasta so these are OK - however, I couldn't make something like Coca Cola or anything containing artificial ingredients/additives so I won't eat these things.

So lately when I'm picking up food that's in a tin, bag or box I'll read the ingredients and ask myself, could I grow or kill these ingredients, process and mix them together myself to make this? If so, then I'll buy it, if not, back it goes! What do you think of this philosophy?

Can you hunt, catch and grow your own food? Go on, try it - go hunting, go fishing, try growing some stuff.

I would if I had space for a garden and lived near a clean ocean :-) in fact I did this for much of my life, my family had a farm and land by the sea. We had vegetable gardens and fruit trees, cows, sheep, pigs, chickens, goats, deer, our own forest plot and a while ocean full of seafood and seaweed. Now I live in a townhouse in Melbourne, quite the opposite!

That sounds ideal. Apparently in the event of a complete breakdown of society humanity would starve because not many people really know how to source food unless it's via a shop. Society has basically un-taught itself how to hunt, catch, kill and prepare.