ya'd think, here I am a good 70+ lbs overweight that I love food. Well... not necessarily... I just ate too much of it and made poor choices!

but ever since I started back on a healthy eating plan (I don't want to call it a diet!) I LOVE everything I've made! I think maybe that is one key-- I don't really enjoy cooking that much -- it's "ok" but I have other hobbies I enjoy more.

But man oh man! my meals have been so good lately! that's a good thing, right? tomorrow is weigh in.... we'll see if my body agrees!

Lizzy - that is the single most important sentence to me in your post! Great job - changing your mindset and habits. Can't wait to hear how your weigh in goes. It's all about choices and you are making fantastic choices.

oh yes, enjoying your food is a good thing!

If you're enjoying your healthy choices, you're well on the way to success!

I know what you mean. The other day we had a crazy day and I hadn't planned well so I ate stuff I shouldn't have- junk food. I didn't eat A LOT of it but I also didn't eat the healthier fare I usually have. At the end of the day I couldn't believe how gross I felt. How icky my body felt. How much I REALLY didn't want to eat like that again. The stuff I used to enjoy so much just did not have the same appeal it used to.

In the past, I wouldn't have thought anything of eating like I did that day- it wouldn't even have been a 'bad food day'. Now, I enjoy the healthy eating so much more that I don't WANT to go back to eating that way again! Woah! I never would have believed I'd say that when I started all of this.

Good luck to you on the weigh in and I wish you continued success.

And that is indeed a very good thing to discover. No need to go off plan, when on plan is so good.

I knew one of the major keys to me sticking with this lifestyle was enjoying it. And of course that means ENJOYING my food. Not some tasteless, "diet" food that I would dread eating. I knew from the start that I would always need pleasure from my food. So that's why I've become a cook "extraordinaire". The food I'm eating now, is way, way, WAY better then that stuff I was settling for before.

And since you've mentioned hobbies - well, actually I HAVE made this lifestyle kinda like my hobby. I enjoy all aspects of it and have become passionate about it. Which I believe is another key factor for me in losing the weight and now keeping it off.

This hit home for me! That is exactly what I did, and I enjoy it thoroughly. Now, if I can just get "good" at the cooking aspect, I'd be golden.

You'll get there. You'll get there. Practice. Practice. Practice.


And believe me, when I say that I'm a cook "extraordinaire", it's not all THAT extraordinary. The things I make are not all that difficult. Yes, it takes some advanced preparation and having the right foods on hand - big deal. The hardest part, and I hate to even call it hard, is finding the new and yummy stuff to make. It does take some time to develop a whole new repertoire of good meals. But until you do, enjoy the discovery process and the creative aspect of it all. And by the way, I'm STILL finding new "food discoveries". There are tons and tons of yummy healthy foods to eat.

Definitely a foodie here! I love reading and learning about different ideas and finding ways to incorporate the very best into my nutrition. Goodbye Paula Dean HELLO Healthy Decadence!!! I feel so much better and my blood pressure and cholesterol and my BMI are all agreeing with my taste buds!