[Coondocks]

not like i used to anyway. I still love my apples and peanut butter but lately I just don't enjoy food.
It's not that I'm eating food that doesn't taste good, just the opposite really, its all plenty delicious.

It just seems to have gotten so teadious to eat lately, I don't sit down and eat a meal because I'm hungry or because I can't wait to taste it . . . I'm eating because I have to.

I don't know if I'm alone on this one or what the deal is . . . just find it so odd the last week or so that my thoughts have changed on the whole idea of food in general.
It's there to be eaten to keep me going and to be truthful if I didn't know I had to eat to be able to function, i'm not even sure I would anymore.

Weird.

[DaughterOfVenus]

I've had days lately where I feel like this. It's almost like my body/brain is saying, "Fine. If I can't have Doritos and Ben and Jerry's, I don't want anything at all!" I have to force down even a thousand calories.

But I'm typing this in a pair of shorts I couldn't button or zip last week. So oh well. (the jeans are still tight, but it's no problem to button and zip them!)

[Coondocks]

Originally Posted by DaughterOfVenus

I've had days lately where I feel like this. It's almost like my body/brain is saying, "Fine. If I can't have Doritos and Ben and Jerry's, I don't want anything at all!" I have to force down even a thousand calories.

But I'm typing this in a pair of shorts I couldn't button or zip last week. So oh well. (the jeans are still tight, but it's no problem to button and zip them!)

maybe my brain has just flipped the switch, Im not craving for anything either. It's almost like "ok I have to eat to function so I might as well eat the best thing for me" and I do.
Not that I'm complaining at all, its a whole lot easier to stay on plan when I don't want the things that aren't healthy . . . it's just so strange to not really want anything for no other reason than eating is borring

[DaughterOfVenus]

Well, it's not necessarily a great thing, but I started making some new and different recipes I found on Spark Recipe app, and I bought some fudgesicles, and I found myself getting hungry again.

But that said, now that I've been off junk for a few weeks, I find myself eating because I'm hungry, and rarely craving crap just for the sake of it. Which is a total relief. I know it won't always be that way, but it's a relief to not struggle every minute not to break and stuff my face.

My cravings used to be these physical things. I could almost point to where I was "feeling" the craving, and it was in my jaws, like I HAD to chew something or I'd rip the top of my head off to let the craving go or something. It sounds so frigging twisted, but it's true.

I haven't had that feeling in a really long time, so whatever I was addicted to must have worked its way out of my system. Now when I get a "craving" it's like, man I'd love to eat that. Well I can't. Grrr. Okay fine, here's an apple. Moving on. LOL

[Eliana]

My first question was "Is this a good thing or a bad thing?" You've kind of answered it.

I have many moments like this and I love it!! I snarfed down a quick small bowl of oatmeal this morning before school because I had to. It didn't bother me at all that I couldn't sit and linger over it. Sometimes it's a bother to have to eat and I think that's so funny! The problem comes when the family doesn't feel the same way.

Lately dinner has been a problem. I'm making sure I get a snack in after school so I'm not ravenous when I get home. (afternoon to dinner is an old bad snacking time for me). The problem is, now I'm not hungry for dinner but I still have to plan something for everyone else. I just don't care about dinner.

But I don't care that I don't care. I think it's fantastic not to live my entire life around food.

[Coondocks]

I don't think it's a bad thing at all! And by no means am I complaining about it . . . . I don't know if it's because for as long as I can remember food has always been more than fule . .its been comfort, its been joy, it's been revenge in some ways . . . but now it's just fuel, it keeps me going.

I've never not had cravings, and it took me a week to realize that I haven't had any, I haven't 'really wanted' to eat anythign in particular . . . . . it's so bizarre to me.

I guess that's all just a part of making a life change and not a diet change though, maybe? lol

[Eliana]

The best part about this has been when I've been out and about. I no longer worry about when my next meal's going to be. I can go to an amusement park and not think about food! I can be so absorbed in something fun that I don't need to eat!

The flip is true too though. I have plummeting blood sugar issues and when I need to eat I NEED TO EAT. But a handful of almonds does the trick and I find that amazing!! And they're portable.

[Vladadog]

I used to eat lots of crap without even thinking about it. Now that I've eliminated junk food from the list of options I often have trouble figuring out how to fill the day's allotment of calories. I have yummy options in my fridge but food's not a motivator for me. I eat lots of small meals so I'm never really hungry and I'm doing a good job meeting my nutrient needs so I don't have cravings. So yeah, sometimes I wouldn't eat except I know I should.

And yeah, that seems totally weird.

[kaplods]

I can't relate at all, and I wonder if it's because I'm not there yet, or because I never will get there.

In most ways, I enjoy eating now, more than ever. Most of my life (since age 5) I've been dieting (or bingeing because I'm off a diet). I've always been "afraid of food," and spending most of my life "trying not to eat that (that being whatever food was forbidden at the time)" or feeling guilty for "having eaten that."

I loved occasions when I had "permission" to eat, like holidays and parties - and the rest of the time, food was always the source of as much pain as pleasure.

Often I would eat quickly, so I didn't have time to think about whether I should or shoudn't be eating or whether or not I wanted what I was eating. Half the time, I'm not sure I even tasted the food. I surely would have tasted and it more, and probably would have been satisfied with less, if I'd eaten more slowly.


I don't do food guilt anymore. And boy was that a hard habit it kick. Trying to lose weight without food guilt, has in some ways been harder than my "old" habit of looking at all food (especially food that tasted good) as the enemy - every meal a battle against the calorie. I calculated the acceptable casualties at each meal - how little could I eat, without it backfiring into a bigger battle later.

I do best on the days that I can take the time to carefully choose, prepare, and enjoy what I eat. The more effort I put into food, the better my results. It doesn't help that many "grab and go" foods are the worst possible food choices for me.

I do have to say that the lower-carb food plan I follow, the less often I think about food. I've never in my life been able to "forget to eat" before. That's AMAZING! I also love that when I'm on plan, I enjoy my meals, but when they're over I don't usually feel like I still want more - which is what happens if I'm eating too many carbs.

Maybe I would be more successful if I could see food as "just food" and could be bored by food and eating. I don't think I'm wired that way. If I eat food that I find boring, I find myself somewhat disappointed, often disappointed enough to still think and feel as though I'm still hungry.

I love food shopping. I always have, but it's now more of an adventure and a challenge, so it's more fun than ever. I visit ethnic groceries and farmers markets looking for new plan-appropriate foods. I'm always on the look-out for fruits and vegetables I haven't tried, which reminds me, I have some purple snake beans in the fridge I need to cook today or tomorrow. I bought them in the oriental grocerie closest to my house. They'e almost two feet long, and very skinny. I've had other purple string beans, but I've never used the snake beans before. I'll probably roast them.

I love roasted green beans, as much or more than I ever did french fries.

When I try some of my old favorites, some still taste good (cheesecake) and some now taste horrible (sweetened breakfast cereal).

I do think I've lost food "euphoria." In another thread we were talking about the "drugged feeling" that carbs can provide. I ate restaurant pad thai a few days ago, and it was a small portion, but a lot more carbs in one setting that I've eaten in a long while, and the "drugged" feeling I had afterward was drastic enough to be frightening. I can't believe that I thought that sensation was "normal" at one time.

[ubergirl]

I totally relate to this.

This exact same thing happened to me.... at some point, maybe eight or so months after I overhauled my way of eating, I just got kind of sick of food.

Sometimes, I'll be eating and I'll look down at my plate and realize how much is left and the idea of finishing it seems like a chore.

In fact, just this morning, I only ate half of my slice of bread with peanut butter-- I was sort of trying to wolf it down because I was in a hurry and suddenly it just seemed like too much trouble to finish it. I stuck the other half in the fridge and I just realized now that I totally forgot about it.

This would NEVER have happened to me before NEVER. The only time I got sick of eating was when I was eating something like plain carrot sticks when I wasn't that hungry because I had already eaten an entire bag of chips.

I do enjoy what I eat, but not TOO much-- not so much that I feel out of control and like it will be really hard to stop eating.

Also, like Eliana, now, if I do have a true hunger pang, I can quell it with something small, like an apple or a cheese stick, whereas before, I could eat a hamburger and fries with ice cream and still feel "hungry."

[starbrite]

Gosh, exactly how I feel! I force myself to eat because I need to. I really think for me it is about processed carbs, without them I have no cravings or hunger.

[runningfromfat]

Yes! Same here. Once I cut out sugar my hunger just took a dramatic dip. I know I have to eat and DH gets on me because I just don't care about it any more. His birthday is coming up and I just have no clue what to do for it because nothing sounds good.

It's nice not to be thinking about food all the time but then again I wish I could still enjoy my meals more rather than struggle through them.

[tryhardforlife]

These threads crack me up.

[Coondocks]

Well now I don't feel so weird about it Thanks all!!

[KatMarie]

And this is why I come here...I can relate to you guys! Nothing tastes good to me anymore...I'm bored with food. Not to say I'm not tempted when I see sweets or fast food, but I can control it now and know I won't eat those kinds of things. Sometimes I think, if I eat one more salad or piece of grilled chicken, I'm going to vomit. Lol