How your eating has changed

nationalvillage3215 · February 2020

I have cut way back on wine, eat very little red meat, eat more fiber, basically live on simple meals that are easily weighed, no sauces (except marinara) and watch my fat intake. Eat at home a lot more.

fdlewenstein · February 2020

Things that I never did before...
1. I weigh/measure my portions.
2. I drink 100 ounces of water everyday.
3. I track calories and macros.
4. I try new recipes all the time!
5. I started building lean muscle.
6. I am more active.
7. I am happier!

AnnPT77 · February 2020

What foods I eat hasn't changed much because of weight loss, but the portion size, proportions, and frequency of certain foods has changed.

I had a decent-ish way of eating to start with (vegetarian for 45+ years; core of diet was mostly simple, nutritious foods; not a fast-food fan; don't care for soda; etc.) However, I was willing to keep eating whatever yummy-looking things presented themselves, to excess.

I think the main change I've made is to reduce the proportions of what I think of as "filler carbs", things like pasta, bread, rice, etc., because I personally don't really enjoy them that much, and they don't contribute enough to my nutritional goals to be worth their calories. Instead, I've up the fraction of veggies in a meal: Think veggie stew, rather than pasta with veggie sauce, for example. I still eat pasta, bread, rice, but less of them, and much less often.

I've also become less inclined to eat OK-ish, but not super-delicious, very calorie-dense foods. I still eat some desserts, for example, but less often, and you'd better believe they're not just "meh" ones. Boring grocery store baked goods are just not tasty enough, to me.

The big surprise is how much more I've been enjoying food and eating, when the focus is on finding the most worthwhile, delicious, nutritious foods, and preparing them in the ways I find most tasty (as opposed to just shovieling whatever was on hand into my mouth until full). It's really revitalized my interest in shopping and cooking, and I'm enjoying eating so very much more.

FWIW, I also didn't change my exercise routine appreciably to lose weight. I was already very active while obese, and just kept doing the stuff I find fun.

whmscll · February 2020

I don't eat a food just because it is available or no cost. For example, the dance club my husband and I belong to has treat nights periodically, where everyone brings cookies, cupcakes or something. Last time was Valentine's. I ignored the table completely; didn't even look at what was on there. Same with all those samples available at Costco or the grocery store. If it's something I'm truly interested in trying because I think I might want to buy it, I'll try a sample. Otherwise, no.

lightenup2016 · February 2020

My main change with food is just to eat less of it. Left to my own devices, I can put away some calories. MFP has helped keep me honest with the calories game. That’s not to say it’s always easy, though!

I guess one other thing I’ve changed is timing—I eat nothing before 1pm and only drink black coffee before that. That has really helped control my appetite throughout the rest of the day (PMS days are still more difficult but under better control this way).

rainbow198 · March 2020

I learned that I like volume with my meals. Small meals and snacking all day wasn't satisfying for me. Bigger meals throughout the day is a better fit.

If I go out to eat, I look at menus online prior to going so that I have a plan.

Before I would eat everything that was offered to me. Or if it was free - for example free food in the break room at work. Now I will eat it only if I want it and I'm okay saying no thank you.

I have a plan of what I am eating all week.

If there's something I don't enjoy eating I will stop eating it. I no longer feel bad about not cleaning my plate.

I don't keep snacky foods in my house. If I want something I have to go out and buy it or make it at home.

At times I think of the calories in foods and ask myself is it worth it and I think how much it would take to burn off. For example a 250 calorie glazed doughnut would take me about 2.5 miles of walking to burn off. Sometimes it's worth it, sometimes it's not.

I rarely drink calories. Mostly just water and unsweetened tea. No alcohol. Before almost all of my liquid calories were from sugary juice and soda.

Now I try to eat balanced meals and I know what fills me up and what doesn't.

I get about 75% of what I eat from the farmer's market each week. I love fruits and veggies! I haven't eaten any meat in a few years.

Now I start eating when I get hungry which is usually in the mid - late morning. I used to eat as soon as I woke up.

Also no more snacking at night. I get in my calories during the day and the kitchen is closed after dinner.

I no longer run to buy candy at 50% or 75% the day after a holiday. In fact I don't eat holiday candy much anymore.

Light meal prepping on Sundays helps me to save time during the week.

This is so different compared to the way I used to eat.

thenewkayla · March 2020

I use to be a big drinker. I'd drink at least 4 nights a week I'd go out to the bars. Not 1 or 2 beers I'd get *kitten* faced. I still get drunk but it's more like once a month.
I've learned portion control I use over eat so much its crazy.
I could drink at least 4 sodas a day now I'll have a soda once or twice a week . I replaced it with green tea and crystal light.
Snacks use to be a bunch of junk food tons of chocolate and chips I still eat that stuff sometimes but I like to eat protein packs with cheese and nuts tuna and crackers and protein bars.

Lillymoo01 · March 2020

What I eat more of:
Vegetables - much more variety too
Protein - chicken, turkey, eggs, seafood, greek yoghurt
Nuts
Dark Chocolate

What I eat less of:
Carbs & fats - Rice, pasta, pizza, bread, biscuits and other baked goods, fries and crisps
Milk chocolate (can't even stand the taste of it now)

Most importantly, I changed my mindset that there is no such thing and good or bad good to that of whether the calories within the food were worth it as far as satisfaction and enjoyment of flavour. If I decided the food was worth it I'd make sure I could fit it within my diet. It is all about balance rather than restriction.

amusedmonkey · March 2020

The only 3 real differences I can see in my diet are:
- Portion sizes of some, but not all, foods. Where portion size didn't change frequency/combination did if the food had a caloric impact I wasn't comfortable with.
- Way less olive oil than I used to have.
- Eating nuts way less often.

Everything else has stayed roughly the same. The actual changes to my diet were mostly focused on strategies and mental changes. For example, I still eat cake when it's around, but I don't eat both cake AND some other high calorie food on the same day because that makes jigsawing calories harder and my meals end up less satisfying. I still go out to restaurants as often as I did before (which isn't often) and eat the usual amount of whatever restaurant food I want, but I plan for that and save up calories for it.... and so on. As for mental changes, I don't eat foods just because they're available or sitting on the counter. If I want something I eat it, if it's not worth the calories I don't.

There is one thing that I didn't eat often before that I make an effort to eat now: protein. My protein intake was too low, even lower than the minimum recommended. I make an effort to get more protein where possible and wrap the rest of my food around that. Still not as much as I would like (that would be unsustainable), but much better than it used to be.

cherys · March 2020

I've cut out white flour and sugar. It's a relief. It really is. Like ridding your body of an addictive substance. I know not everyone reacts to refined carbs badly but I really do. I used to get uncontrollable cravings especially at about 4pm, and eat about 600 cals of refined carbs, then sometimes again at night another 300 cals of crackers or cereal.

Now I am eating far more veg, which I love anyway, and more protein which is an effort as I don't really crave protein much. Yesterday tuna and egg in a salad felt really indulgent - two protein sources, but it was the fewest calories I've had since I started because I just didn't feel hungry all day.

So mainly: more veg, more lean protein (fish, eggs, natural yoghurt and lower fat cheese)

lemurcat2 · March 2020

I guess I was weird in that I overate despite eating lots of protein (to be clear, I think the average American eats lots of protein, but I ate as much as I think I needed and as much as I needed during weight loss) and lots of vegetables (true, the average American eats a shockingly small amount of veg). I did a bad job of controlling fat (like added olive oil) and carbs (too large portions of starchy carbs) portions.

I guess one of my changes is I not only have a consistent before I go to work breakfast, but I make sure that meal, like my others, includes a good many veg.

Another change is that I consistently eat fruit and nuts/seeds daily (in the past I liked fruit but would go days without bothering with it, and I would not eat nuts/seeds most days and then overeat them when I did eat them).

Lanabanana42 · March 2020

What I find I do consistently now is eat a more varied and balanced diet. I now eat breakfast every day as before I was a huge meal skipper. Although I know many who people do very well with intermittent fasting, FOR ME, small eating windows led to uncontrollable binges. In the morning I now make sure to have a protein source ( eggs, greek yogurt, ham etc..) carbs in the form of fruit especially berries sometimes apples or bananas and a source of fat (avocados, fresh butter, nut butter etc.. ). I log everything and find that if I pre log my day, I can gage my meals better. Although I still eat lots of carbs, I try to avoid things like buns, baguettes and cakes because I still overeat those things when available. My lunches tend to be lighter than before because now my breakfasts keep me full a lot longer. Salads, fruit/veg and some protein every day. I usually stick to the same meals breakfast and lunch because it's just easier. At my house, dinner is the main event and we try to have something delicious and/or exciting a few times a week. Nothing is off limits at dinner time. I eat potatoes, pasta, steak, chicken, fish, rice, veg, takeout, you get the idea. But, it is portioned controlled and pre logged. That way I can adjust earlier meals to fit. I also save some calories during the week so I can let loose a bit at the weekends. I have also stopped snacking because I prefer
three larger meals than multiple small meals. I also close up the kitchen after dinner, no more midnight munchies. A nice cuppa tea usually hits the spot in the evening. This work for me, YMMV

How your eating has changed

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