bikingbill

One more

Kelly I

YES - I'm not the only one who no longer enjoys food. Now food feels like the enemy. I am constantly calculating the potential weight gain for eating different foods.

Many, many people have told me I should eat in moderation. Some people can do that. I can't. I would rather skip cookies than eat one. That's my personality. I've tried eating in moderation many times over my life and have finally figured out that there are certain foods I just can't eat.

I've lost from 250 down to 180 and kept it off for five years. I'm getting older now and feel as if this might be my last good chance to keep it off. So far, so good. But no cookies for me and food is no longer fun . . . that's just the way it is.

Milton Keynes

Moderation works as long as you truly moderate what you eat. One cookie after dinner once a week or so is moderation. Three cookies after every meal is not. The trouble with moderation is that few people truly eat in moderation and tend to underestimate the amount they're eating.

I've found that to lose weight I just have to avoid sugar in just about any form until I get down to my goal weight, and after that we'll see. I'll have to keep a close eye on how much sweets I'm putting in my mouth, as well as everything else.

I do agree that it feels sometimes like food is the enemy, but I don't let it become not fun. I just cut way down on how much I eat and track it very closely. To me, food is still enjoyable, even when I'm in a hurry and have to scarf something down real quick. But a huge part of my weight loss is not mindless snacking and not "treating" myself all the time because I see what kind of adverse reaction it has on the numbers on the scales.

KraneXL

Correction: that's the way you've made it. And in the long run, it is an unhealthy condition to be in. If you think that way you'll end up like the above. Instead, try thinking, "too many empty calories are unhealthy instead."

RubeRad

That's a bit patronizing. Surely Kelly understands her nature better than you do, you don't need to sh1t on what is working for her.

I empathize. "Too many empty calories are unhealthy" does nothing to strengthen my resolve to eat in moderation; and I also often find it's way better to abstain completely than try to eat just a little.

One of the mottos I've developed is "If I can resist eating it, I don't eat it." For me that includes peanut butter cookies and pumpkin pie. It's not that I actively dislike them, but they don't excite me like, say, chocolate chip cookies or strawberry-rhubarb pie. Since I can resist them, I do. And spend my limited treat budget on things that give me a lot more pleasure.

Milton Keynes

I don't see food as the enemy, I just said that sometimes it feels that way. But yes, I know that it's too many empty calories that is the culprit, which is why I avoid them as much as possible. And it's been working for me, since today I'm down to my lowest weight in like 20 years. And I love food too much to ever think of it as not enjoyable.

KraneXL

That's one way of looking at it. Here's another: take it as an exert from the behavioral science books -- with much less personal interpretation -- and with the positive encouragement it was intended. Abstaining may work for a few selected individuals, but is not something that's expandable to the masses. Food is naturally meant to be enjoyed.

It might also surprise you to know that not everyone you meet or that post here is thinking in those negative terms you mentioned above. Good to know.

raria

You nailed it. The constant calculating and guilt just do you in and you can't enjoy anythinanything. But as you say it works.

I think I got this way due to the way I lost weight. I would constantly weigh myself and I could literally see if I did not eat the calories I would lose weight.

,,

slorollin

Been a while since I have posted, but this thread spoke to me extra loudly. I had gastric bypass surgery in 2012. Was 385 the day of the surgery and am 205 today. I am 6'1". Diabetes gone, snoring gone, sleep apnea gone, high blood pressure gone. I am almost never the heaviest guy in the room. Women like to talk to me now. My car seat is no longer deformed. And I enjoy eating more than ever. I was and am mindful of over stretching my new stomach. As a previous poster said I can get 2-5 meals from one restaurant serving. If I want to eat a whole bag of potato chips, I do, but that is a meal, not an addendum. Eating is completely guilt free now. Portion control is the key and my mini stomach is the enforcer. If I eat a forkful too much I either get sick or am very miserable for hours. Those that relapse have to overcome this many, many times to re-stretch their stomachs. To me, this is an indicator of problems more serious than simply overeating.
The op is going through what probably all of us have experienced through our years of yo-yo-ing. Food becomes that beautiful, seductive enemy that sneers at you before you are even close to being full.
I don't recommend wls to anyone. It's not fun and can be dangerous. However, I suggest the op fast a bit if conditions allow. Wls is sort of surgically mandated malnutrition with a bit of fasting early on. Then you get to have some really nasty liquid meals that are nothing like the delicious milkshakes they claim to be.
Fast to the point where just a little food will fill you up and then try to maintain that. After a period it becomes your new normal. You find out that protein and fat are the truly necessary nutrients. Eat your protein first, fat second, and (sorry Mom) your veggies last. Grains you can toss completely. Vegetables and fruits have lots of good stuff in them but, their bulk and sugars will just maintain your former appetite, which you need to change. Once you've done that any food can be re-introduced in small portions, because all you want are small portions. Instead of pigging out, piglet out.
BTW, according to NIH bmi calculation I'm still listed as overweight and just a few pounds from being obese. Screw them. They have created a rediculous standard. Doctors don't even pay attention to it anymore.
You can guiltlessly love your food again. One of the things I look for in a new restaurant is a good carrot cake, which I usually consume in 3 sittings. It's good for the eyes. Good luck to you.

Colnago Mixte

But what about teh USDA FOOD PYRAMID**********



Absolutely ridiculous and inexcusable to be teaching kids this "junk science" in school. Sorry, but massive carbs are NOT the foundation to a healthy diet.

Rock71

I grew up in a farming family. Every meal there was meat, potatoes, a veggie, bread and butter, milk and a desert. This was and still is a very hard habit to kick. Now i eat as much meat and green vegetables as I want, fruits early in the day, and no pastas or grains after lunch. For me its not about what I eat but when I eat it. So far by sticking to this regime I have lost 30lbs in three months and I have went from pushing myself to get 8 miles a day in to really breezing through 20 to 25, 4 or 5 days a week with a longer ride on the weekend. I hope to make it to 215 by winter.
I feel so good I have started stopping by a local adult beverage center that caters to cyclists 3 miles from home.

Pros:
More energy
Joints feel much better
I can see Duke again even if he's not alert
Feel better about my appearance
Cons:
My face has gotten thinner so a few more wrinkles have shown up.

RubeRad

I like that!

slorollin

I wholeheartedly agree. This chart is nothing more than a ranking of the lobbies they represent. It's also apparent in the grocery store. The good stuff is around the perimeter. Most of the middle aisles are grain/sugar derived carbs.
Though kettle cooked potato chips are the exception that proves the rule.

Colnago Mixte

And yet these nutritionists are still saying, "It's fat that makes you fat", while turning a blind eye to the endless sodas and chips and nutritionally-worthless "snack foods" people consume all day. I think sodas are probably the cause of at least half of all obesity you see out there, and beer most of the other half. Geez, just look at the crap food, that people standing in line at Rite Aid are buying. It's pretty shocking to me.

KraneXL

I have a mild cheat day once a week and have to sometimes force myself to take it. Typically its no more than an indulgent cup or two of fresh pressed coffee sweet. Hot beverages is the only place substituent sweetener don't work for me.This cannot be overstated. I've learned to apportion what I know I need, before consumption.Research indicates people eat for a variety of reasons far beyond nutritional requirements, not the least among them are stress, nervousness,and anxiety.Indeed they do. But the fiber contained in them will put a limit to the sugar amount and its absorption. There are only so many whole apples you are going to eat. The danger is in the juices (my weakness), where its far too easy to get too much sugar.
In that case, go for fat percentage. That's universal and can work for anyone irrespective of your weight. Great example for success. Thanks for sharing it.The most insidious thing is that they market to kids where its hard for parent to refuse. I've seen kid have temper tantrum in the supermarket because their parent would not buy them the cereal they wanted. I've been in store where the entire isle of both sides were fill with sugar-filled cereals. They are also very expensive, and the boxes have gotten skinnier.

RubeRad

That's a good strategy. Made me realize I never go into a meal with a plan, just start eating, and at some point I'll decide to stop.
Don't forget pleasure! I do often get stress or anxiety that trigger eating, but I could be on vacation in the most relaxing stress-free situation in the world, and I would want to complete my picture of happiness by enjoying wonderful foods all day long

livedarklions

I won't go into what I do to maintain my weight now because it involves 1000 miless of biking a month, but when I took off the 150 pounds (320-170), I found that experimenting with a lot of spices was a calorie neutral way of making food interesting--I had to shift from enjoying quantity to enjoying flavor.

The day I realized that I preferred my own cooking to about 90% of what I had been eating in restaurants was a pretty good one.

And if I really craved quantity, I ate big bowls of vegetables (non-starchy).

Rock71

I agree completely. Sodas have become a daily regime and free for the taking for most kids these days and have replaced milk, juice and water. As kids we were allowed a soda or two a week if it was even in the house. Im not even all that fond of all the different kinds of gatorade and energy drinks. I think energy drinks for the most part have replaced breakfast and lunch.

Rock71

I have found a dozen different ways to season green beans.....lol

livedarklions

Yup, and I ate so much chicken, I expected to start clucking.

I'm just glad I actually like cabbage, cauliflower and carrots.

livedarklions

I think all the evidence is really clear that calories in liquid form are less satsfying than solid--people way underestimate the calories in beverages. I was shocked when they started posting the calorie counts of the beverages at Starbucks--a lot of them have more calories than my entire lunch.

Rock71

Large McDonalds strawberry shake= 800 Calories

livedarklions

Dunkin Donuts has a "butter pecan swirl frozen coffee with cream", a large one has 1160 calories.

A venti white chocolate mocha frappucino at Starbucks has 460 calories, which is a lot to pack into 20 oz.

slorollin

[QUOTE=Colnago Mixte;20485665]But what about teh USDA FOOD PYRAMID**********





Fortunately, I like the chocolate better.

Milton Keynes

Yes, there are so many people who are still focused on "fat = bad" and refuse to see the new research which shows that carbs and sugar is what has been making everyone fat all along. I don't even pay attention to my fat intake, but pay close attention to sugar/carb intake and it's the only thing in 20 years that's helped me lose weight. Yes, in the past I tried low fat diets, but they just didn't work at all. Then the very day I went to low carb/sugar, the pounds started to melt off. You can't argue with success.