A lot of thinking goes into what I eat as well. I'll say I enjoy eating out on occasion for a variety of reasons. I don't have to cook it and there are certain things that I don't want to take the time to make. I cook a lot of food at home though. I eat a lot of vegetables and overall I'd describe my diet as a 'whole foods' diet but there are some things that fall out of the whole foods realm. It is something like the 85%/15% rule. Basically, most what I eat is legumes, whole grains, veggies, fruits, nuts, seeds, etc because that is what I like to eat and what makes me feel good. If I have ice cream, its no big deal because my diet isn't comprised of ice cream. Even if I wanted to eat only ice cream one day for whatever reason, I'd allow myself to do that but that desire hasn't popped up. As the question to the thread, I believe I can eat anything and lose weight because I've done it.

Now other people may think that it wouldn't work for them and that is fine. I've refined my diet a lot over the years and I'm happy with where I am and I have a good balance. I'm also recovering from an eating disorder which brings other things into play but that eating disorder also came from me trying to heavily restrict my foods so I can't go there any more.

Like I've said, I've had issues with food as well. If I'd count calories, I'd either end up giving up the second day or, if I actually found a way to make it work, I'd end up eating less than 400 kcal a day (!) while exercising for at least 200-300 kcal (I even went as far as exercising for over 500 kcal while being on such a low amount of calories).

If I restrict, I'll end up bingeing. I'd just be like.. "This and this and that are no's!" and after two days, I'd be so hung up with the no's and eat them and feel ashamed and hate myself.

Now I should perhaps fully explain how I eat. Every food I take into, I just check what it'll give me. Calories, carb, fibre, vitamins, minerals, fat, sugar,... I don't see all fat as bad, all sugar as bad. Fat is needed, sugar, well, maybe not so needed, but not like it'll kill me if I eat some.

But besides nutrients and calories, I also check why I want to eat. Because it's good for my health, because I crave it, because it's social, because it feels right, because it's what my body needs, because I think I want it,...

Now, a small piece of chocolate can be excused. It's a lot of calories, but I know I'd get frustrated if I don't put it in my mouth. It won't make me feel bloated, but it contains magnesium and if I don't, I'll end up bingeing on it. So, I'll stuff it in my mouth and feel satisfied that I did.

The cheeseburger, is a whole different story. It'll taste good for a short period in time, but it'll give me a whole load of calories. A whole load of fat I don't need. Very little minerals and vitamins. I'll feel bloated. I'll hate myself when I feel bloated. I'll be hungry real soon after I try to portion it and if I don't, I'll have so much calories in one serving and still feel hungry too soon!

So. I. Don't. Eat. The. Burger. IF I'd get such a craving for it, though, that I've been having for a few days even, I'd rather just shut up and get me the damned burger. Not giving in to one craving = munching other stuff till I get my craving. That's how my body rolls. I've accepted that part of my body.
BUT if I can satisfy my need for that burger, by making my own burger with lean chicken and wholegrain bread... Why not? Leaves more room for other stuff I'll like. Like broccoli. I am stuffing myself with broccoli because I LOVE IT.

I needed to be 27 to know that there is nothing as good and tasty and such a sweet, perfect texture as broccoli, especially steamed. It's like the softest, yummiest thing ever.

SO, although previously I believed cheeseburger was my favorite, I've to admit: I ADORE BROCCOLI. And chicken. And anything that I can do with those two.



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And even if I'd eat the cheeseburger, I'd still not say it's healthy. Because it's NOT. Ever. But if it could keep me from bingeing or would make me satisfied because of the social aspect, meh, I'd eat it. I wouldn't cry. I'd enjoy. (Though the bloated feeling afterwards, rather not. I'd stick with something else)

I hope that truly explains how I feel about food this time.

Again, I don't like to put judgement on food especially when people have their own issues to deal with. I don't eat cheeseburgers myself but I think they can be part of a healthy diet if someone wants to include them.

I agre with Pattience, mindful eating is a way of eating. I try to eat all my meals with mindfulness. I think you're confusing mindful eating with being mindful about what you are eating. I don't want to bore you with the details of it but I will I'd you're interested.

Ok... so we are different people. I think we all need to realize that we all have different strategies or things that work for us. Some of us can restrict our food in every way and NEVER touch a candy again. Some of us, need to know that we can have that candy once in a blue moon in order to not crave it every day then binge. It's ok to be different. I personally see food as a pleasure. It's like sex, or games. Sure, I can't eat whatever I want whenever I want (as that's how I've gotten so big), but I can enjoy it on occasion, other people... it's like cigarettes. You quit or you don't. That's fine (and kind of a cool analogy).

I also try so very hard not to judge someone, fat or thin, because of what they are eating. I've had far too many people talk about my diet in front of me to even silently judge someone. So what if a thin person munches on some pizza, I hope it's yummy. And so what if a fat person munches on some pizza, I hope it's yummy. Honestly, it's none of my business in BOTH instances. Unless that person is somehow planning on taking over the world with that pizza, I don't care. I get a little hot headed at judgement that gets passed around on these forums because it's suppose to be a safe place, and it makes me wonder, how many people are judging me for eating 3 chocolate almonds yesterday, and worse... will I see someone posting how awful I am somewhere else? That's un-motivational and if I did run into it, I fear I would run the risk of binging or just stop coming here. I get we are all people and "no place is safe." But come on, this is a support forum, how about some support and less negativity? We all want the same thing, to rock out in a new outfit and feel healthy and great! Offer advice, that's awesome, just consider how you type it first, please?

I've learned a lot from these forums, but most importantly, I've learned that my style isn't going to be perfect for someone else. There is nothing wrong with telling someone that I run and calorie count. If they know that simply calorie counting just isn't for them, that's fine. I won't be offended, but I will be offended if they attack my advice like I'm personally trying to derail them. Or mention that they judge me because I have a slice of pizza on occasion.

Maybe I'm reading all these comments wrong, but why so negative towards each other? I'm sorry if anyone thinks this post is attacking or hurtful. I think it's GREAT that Angry changed their perception about food and it's working for them. I think moving to a secluded area for your kids sake is extremely drastic and I wonder if you can even find a community where no sugar exists. I mean, I grew up in a town where girls were almost expelled for giving chocolates to boyfriends on valentines day. It was probably as close as you could get (small old mountain town) but kids sold those chocolates and pizzas like it was a black market to each other). I've seen parents completely enforce the "no bad/unhealthy food" tone and their kids are healthy and great. Some of my friends had this same upbringing and one of them just sobbed on facebook that she reached 350lbs this month. Yeah, sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. It's what works for YOU that matters. Some kids love school and learning and your methods of parenting are barely needed in that category. Some parents really have to work and try MANY things to get their kids to enjoy learning as their kid just doesn't like it. As long as you reach the point where your kid is happy and able to function in a healthy happy way, you succeeded! I don't care if you paid thousands for tutors, or simply started homeschooling. It worked, and be proud! The fact that Angry would move to seclusion is drastic, but at least there is this, you clearly want your kids to be happy and healthy. I think that in itself, is a commendable thing, a lot of parents... really don't care, so the ones that do, really deserve a pat on the back. I just hope that if your strategy of parenting works, you stick to it, but if it's failing or your kids aren't happy, you try something else. Everyone is different, some kids (my Fiance's nephews) were raised never having candy and soda and now don't like it at all. Their mom brings fruit and veggies to sleep overs and that's what their kids eat because that's what they want. Other kids, like myself, binged because it was NEVER there to eat. I was a fit kid, graduated and my pantry had nothing healthy, just cookies and candy.

I don't find your post to be attacking or hurtful, but I also don't see anyone else's post that way either. Almost everyone has worded their posts very carefully to stress that their experiences and opinions are their own (even when making a statement about the negative impression they may have of someone doing things differently).

Where you see negativity, I just see people acknowledging, explaining, and illustrating those very differences, so to me it seems that everyone (or nearly everyone) here very much does realize and recognize that we all have different strategies and needs.

It can seem like a debate when you hear a lot of people expressing their very different beliefs and experiences, especially when some admit that they cannot understand or relate to some of those experiences.

It's not only ok to have all these differences, it's even ok to believe that we all are, should be, or could be the same. It's ok for someone to believe everyone can and should learn to use and enjoy sugar and it's ok for someone to believe that noone can/should. (Personally, I disagree, but I wouldn't see anyone expressing those beliefs as being negative. Nor would it be negativity for me to post my disagreement in response).

Effective communication has to be about more than agreeing 100% with everything everyone else says.

Not to crash this thread, but in responding to the original question... "Do you think you can effectively lose weight with the mindset that you can eat "whatever you want" with proper portion control?"

In the early days of my weight loss I found I could eat whatever I wanted, within my calories, and still lose weight. However now that I am over a year in to this journey my body is way more particular. I started noticing around 6 months in that if I ate more carbs or sugar my weightloss stalled. Today if I eat sugar at all my weight loss screeches to a halt until I get back on track with veggies and lean protein. Frustrating at times, but it is what it is.

I realized a long time ago that this was a lifestyle for me. My diet will not be perfect every day. There are days when I plan on letting myself indulge a little and there are some days when I simply make bad choices and fall off plan. In the big picture a couple of days won't deter me from my overall goal of eating healthy and losing weight.

I believe that the average person can eat anything if utilizing portion control - AKA calorie counting.

Some folks have such massive emotional associations with food that they cannot effectively control their portions. That is a separate question from "can a person who DOES control portions over the long term lose weight including junk."

Yes. But your life could be miserable.

There are easy ways to lose weight and hard. You pays your monies and you takes your chances. I eat a lot of healthy stuff that I find yummy and that works well for me. Big portions.

I eat a lot of fish (more than 1.5lb a day), honey, oats, salad and dried fruit. Job done for me.

I could have a teeny weeny burger and small fries but all that salmon and all that salad works and feels better, for me at least.

Yes, I totally think it is doable. I even think I NEED a treat here and there.
Since my "eating window" is about 5 hours where I eat all my calories I even sometimes plan for some chocolate etc to meet my calorie goal

This should not be the main source of calories, but I want to get to a lifestyle that I can also keep after the diet, and forbidding myself stuff does not lead to that. I have to learn to include it and learn to measure how much is in it etc.

Plus, if I would forbid myself something totally the next thing that happens is me wanting exactly THAT desperately :P

THIS is me.
My mom forbid me candy, sweets, chips. So I spent my pocket money on it and ate it secretly. And the binged on it as I got older and finally went to a very unhealthy relationship with those foods.
I agree with Angry though, that sweets should not be a everyday thing. Kids can learn at a very young age already that these foods are, as someone in this thread already stated, "sometime" foods. If they know they will get some sometimes they dont have to buy them secretly or "in protest".

And the same thing is what I want to teach myself now.

At the moment I buy these "comfort foods" from asian stores (I love asian sweets) where they come prepackaged in portion sizes. And one, at the finish of a meal, is enough. Every few days. I have them where I dont see them at all unless I go to that cupboard and take one out, and I dont buy multiple flavours or kinds but ONE kind. I get to these stores every 2 months or so, so if I would eat all at once Id have none for 2 months.

I have started this even before starting the weight loss and it works very well.

Same goes with alcohol, or chips. Portion size packages work wonders with me

In practice it doesn't work for me. I have to completely cut some foods out or all the effort trying to cut back is for nothing. I've lost more eating as much as will fill me up of the right foods than eating a little of the bad foods.

All of my aunts cook full flavor, full fat, southern food
So my uncle went to the Dr., who said he was at risk for everything weight related and that he needed to shed at least 50 lbs. My uncle started eating every meal on one of those liner plates that you would put under a cereal or soup bowl. Then he would get one of the large spoons out of the drawer (tbsp sized) and would put two spoonfuls of whatever my aunt had made. Then he would eat it slowly taking his time. If he wanted seconds, or thirds, he would get them. He stopped when he felt full. He lost 60 lbs. this way!!!
So, yes I think portion control works and could work for everyone.

I try to stay at a certain calorie level and eating the right foods. But that does not always work.
When I go out of town and we eat out all of our meals, (cousin does not cook at all) I will eat breakfast with them meaning eggs, bacon, toast, hash browns since they do not substitute fruit for the potatoes then I just don't eat until we go for dinner and then I eat just a salad.

I have a real problem with not fitting in and bringing attention to myself when dieting so I eat with them and go without to make up for it.

"Do you think you can effectively lose weight with the mindset that you can eat "whatever you want" with proper portion control?"

I think its a great big YES from me because that is exactly how I lost over 60 lbs. I don't like being told on diet to eat this and not that, fat free this or low carb that, lists of this and none of that, etc etc so I did portion control. If I wanted a snickers for breakfast, I ate it... if I wanted chocolate cake for dinner.. I enjoyed it. But again, it was portion control so just a few bites of this or that and called it a meal. Was I perfect? Nope... I still have my food demons too and I'd eat more on the weekends or have a little too much to drink etc some nights which slowed me down but it was something I could stick to. And I think that is the key for every diet, find something that fits your tastes, needs and lifestyle so you can stick to it long term. It took me over a year to lose the weight but I did and now I use a intuitive eating approach to maintenance which again is being able to eat whatever I want but only to satisfaction. Am I perfect at that too? nope lol some days are better than others but its been the easiest maintenance so far. I've tried every diet under the sun the past 16 years but obviously when I hit goal I'd go off the diet and think I could eat like a normal person again and then gain all the weight back plus some buddies it picked up along the way. This is the first time I've sucessfully kept the weight off and I think its because I never felt deprived and did it my way for once, not a regulated, beat yourself up when you fall off the wagon kind of way. Is my way for everyone? Nope, again, all diets work, we just gotta find the one that works for us and we can stick to, that is the key Anyway, that's my experience and two cents lol