no diet
 

Hi everyone,

I am new here and am looking for buddies. However, I am not looking for people who is on a diet purse, but others who are trying to change their thinking about food and eating and weight. I am preoccupied with weight and food and over the years the preoccupation has completely destroyed the way I should think about food and exercise. As soon as I feel deprived I binge to one degree or another. When I exercise because I have to I don't enjoy it as much. It shouldn't be that way. Food is good and exercise is fun. I have a lot of rewiring to do.

Right now I am trying to teach myself that no food is not bad and I can have what I want as long as I eat when I am hungry and stop when I am full. I am learning how to listen to a part of me that I have ignored for years, my natural appetite. I eat for just about any reason other than hunger, like emotional eating or boredom or because it's "time to eat" but I want to change that.

I am looking for people who are interested in exploring this stuff with me.
Does anyone out there feel this way?

Thanks for listening,
kona

Hi Kona and Welcom to 3FC

I can totally relate to what you are saying. I too hate the word DIET. To me its just another 4 lettered word.
I find that I do much better when I don't say that I'm on a diet.
I have chosen to count calories and exercise 6 times a week. So far that works for me. I am also one of those people that if you tell me that I can't have something, then that is the one thing that I crave. Instead I allow my self to eat most things, but in moteration.
As far as exercise, I think it is very important to find something that you enjoy doing. Try out different things to find out what you like.

Good luck on creating a healthier lifestyle.
You'll love it here a 3FC. Everyone is very supportive and motivating. I have learned a lot in the past 6 weeks.

Feel free to PM me anytime.

Leec

Kona~ I can totally relate to what your saying, I hate dieting and I don't like to feel restricted I wish i could just teach my body to crave the healthy foods other than the junk i usually reach for! I have had a really good start with working out daily and just cutting back foods but i wish i could just learn to love healthy food and incorprate that into my program a little more, If you'd like pm me sometime I would love to explore this topic with ya! ~ Kimberly

Thanks Leec,

Yes, it sure is a four letter word!
Here is my only "rule", eat when I'm hungry and stop when I'm full. Much easier said than done. However over the last few weeks I have started identifying the signals of being truly hungry (not bored or emotional) and of feeling full. Sometimes I feel full after a lotte and other times it takes a whole meal. My body knows what it needs. I will learn to listen to it better. I just know it will take a lot of time and patients.

kona

Yes Kimberly, it would be nice if we craved only healthy food. You know, I do believe that if we tell ourselves that everything is OK to eat then we start to crave the "bad" foods less and the "good" foods become less of a chore. Sometimes a craving for sweets is just a need for vitamins C and our bodies are craving fruit. Learning to listen to my body and what it wants when it wants it will take time. I'm not unrealistic but hopeful that the signals are there and I will learn to listen to them.

kona

Kona, I agree wholeheartedly with you and will be sending you a pm.

Diet to me is: The usual food and drink of a person or animal. Not something you do temporarily to lose weight. Because the moment you revert to the prior way of eating, you gain back your bad habits and thus the weight. Personally I prefer to make lifestyle changes which are more permanent. Right now I am trying to reassociate snack food as veggies, fruit or nuts all in moderation. Rather than chips or pretzels. Its rather difficut but I am not giving up.

I love your rule. I need to learn that simply because I dont have a firm grasp on portion control. Unfortunately I also suffer from the same need to go against the 'rules' should they be made. When I first started seriously wanting to control portion and lose weight (2 weeks ago) I sabotaged myself for the first week. Everytime I thought about it, I ate. And usually the 'forbidden' items like pretzels. :(

I would love to buddy up with you on this journey!

I dont diet either. Im tend to be very inventive when it comes to eatting the things that I like that are normally OMG in cals and fat, like lasagna for instance I use FF Ricotta cheese ( cant taste a difference to me), organic pasta sauce ( trying to cut back on my chemicals :lol:), whole wheat lasagna noodles, and a 93/7 lean turkey or chicken. Tastes the same to me, and I have cut cals and fat. I dont feel deprived, I have gotten to the point where I only eat turkey, chicken, and fish. Just prefer it to beef or pork. Im a BIG ice cream lover but the way I curb that craving is sherbert or frozen grapes. Ive done it for so long that I dont even think about it anymore, but even at first I liked it because it tasted good AND I didnt feel guilty about it. I have some good recipes on your typical "bad" foods, so if you ever want to talk about it, just give me a PM. I need someone to talk to also that doesnt do diets, I wont follow some laid out diet, so they dont work for me.

Wow, you've lost a lot of weight! Congratulations!

I agree with you, there are a lot of ways to reduce the unhealthy stuff without feeling deprived.

You'll hear me say that word, deprived, a lot. I believe it to be the key reason why I might binge or crave a food I should not be eating a lot of. As soon as I tell myself I can't have something because it's bad for me, I want it and I want it now. I essentially set that food up on a pedestal when I ban it from my life and quietly worship it day and night. So this is what I do now. If I want something, say pasta, I let myself have some (not a large portion that I would have if I binged) and while I eat it I make sure I am not feeling guilty. By giving myself permission to have it it become just another food and not a something I crave and worship from afar. The key is to not feel deprived or guilty and eat when you're hungry and stop when your full. Every meal, snack, nibble, everyday. Also, understanding that this is a life changing process.

I Agree
 

Hi kona,

I totally agree with you. I of course am trying to make healthier choices in general but I'm all about portion control. It is amazing what your body really needs to be nourished, not as much as we seem to think we need. But I have the things that I enjoy just not as much of it. A tip I learned once and that I think has really helped me is that sometimes when we think we are hungry it is actually that we are thirsty and/or dehydrated. So you should drink a glass of water first before doing some munching. Ususally that feeling of hunger will go away. If not than you should probably have some thine to eat.

Hi Kona! I agree if you can do it that way, it's probably best.

I eat too much for the wrong reasons, not because I'm truly hungry. I read about the idea of "eating what you want and stopping when you're full" a while back on the NEDA website. I tried to do it, but I just maintained my weight, with no effort, which isn't saying much at my weight, but I did stop gaining, which is a good thing.

I didn't stick with it long enough to improve my weight problem which is pretty severe, so I decided to try WW for the first time. The thing I've always hated about diets is the guilt factor, "oh I blew it, might as well have some ice cream and potato chips!" and it seems like I was on too restrictive a diet for it to really work long term. Another thing I hated was being obsessed about food all the time because you know you are restricted. It's just not realistic for the amount of weight I need to lose to think I can really only eat healthy foods and very little food for the next TWO YEARS!

I'm hoping the weightwatchers works. I'm going to try to avoid feeling guilty about using too many points, but it will take a lot to get over that hang-up. So far I'm eating what I want and if I work out, pretty much getting the amount I really want to, so maybe it's not too bad.

The thing with me and diets is, I'm either "on" or "off" and when I'm off, I can't seem to eat moderately. Habits need to change. I guess if you start with baby steps, habits really will change and you'll see results! Good luck to you!

I think all of you have some very interesting ideals. I don't diet any more either. A "diet" is something you go on intill you lose the weight and then you go back to eting "normal". I don't diet, I eat healthy. I eat for noruishment and enjoyment. Food is ment to be enjoyed. One thing I do now is, I take a small portion of something and if I don't really like it, I don't eat it! It's not worth the calories!

You ladies are so inspirational!

Two years ago, I went on a strict diet and went from 220 to 147. I worked so hard! In January, I found myself again at 220. Amazing that it suprised me!!:?: At any rate, I have made only a couple rules for myself:

1. Exercise 30 minutes a day at least 6 times a week, even if its a snails pace.
2. Leave food on my plate.
3. Focus for 21 days at a time.

Diet is a 4-letter-word to me as well. I feel more in control of myself because I am not focused on what the scale is telling me. I have to admit, however, that I am still weighing myself; it's a horribly hard habit to break!

Yeah I agree Diet is a four letter word that haunts me...I could use some help also

I have to say that I agree with you all. I did all the dieting I want to do when I was in high school. I just gave up after high school and didn't think about it again. I knew though that I didn' want to go into that cycle again, so I'm trying to change my lifestyle. The exercise I have done okay, I exercise everyday, do at least something. It's the food aspect I'm having more trouble with and I don't believe in following a diet, I want to eat what I want but know when to quit, know when I'm full. So I'd like to join you ladies.

This may sound silly, but I got new dinnerware. The bowls and plates are about half the size and I allow myself to fill it all the way up, but I have to leave some in the bottom. It gives me a better visual than when my big bowl is only half full. I realize that I am going to have to work on that as well, but I can only handle one thing at a time! :cool:

Good morning all, Attitude is everything. If you think "I can't eat normal" you're going to feel deprived. If you think "i'm going to make good choices and eat healthy" you can feel in controle. I've changed the way I make food. I use lots of vegetables and bake or broil instead of fry. This morning my husband had bacon and frnch toast for breakfast. I had a slice of bacon, a poached egg on toasted whole wheat english muffin. I didn't feel deprived and it's a healthy meal that will stick with me for awhile. Not that many calories. Learn to enjoy your meals, eat slowely. Do you know it takes your brain 20 min to register that you are full? So if you eat fast you're stuffed before your brain says "full".

Have a Blessed Sunday, Freda

On the right track
 

I am back after taking the winter off - and gaining weight! I agree with you all - even coming back signals to me that I am back "on" again, and makes me a little panicky to eat something! I am truly going to try just doing it from the health standpoint - I do love the way I feel when I am eating healthier. So much more energy and just a better attitude. I am with you all and will check back again. Here's to a healthier April!

I dont believe in 'dieting'. Ive lost 50lbs so far just making lifestyle changes with regards to healthier foods and increasing my daily exercise, Readytoshed, I can relate to what youre saying by being inventive with foods that would otherwise be classed as high fat etc. I cook all my own food for myself and the kids. At least this way you know whats going into it lol.

sassy that does not sound silly lol, I use the same size plate as I do for my toddler and this way I keep in control of my portions. Im quite creative when placing the food on the plate, I sort of pile it lol, so it looks like one of those gourmet meals.

Ready to shed, your weight loss is inspirational, and proves what can be acchieved with lifestyle changes rather than faddy diets. diets only lower your metabolism thats why majority of folk regain their weight after ceasing the diet. Diets dont teach about nutrition, and good eating habits cannot be learned by mimicking a diet sheet lol. Education is the key to permanent weight loss and I have seen alot of proof that this works from some of the posts on here.

No Diet
 

I'd hate to tell you how old i was before I got smart about kicking diets to the curb! Not allowing myself to get hungry...eating a small amt every 3 hrs is key.Eating healthy,watching portions & eating slower works for me.Those things have helped me to lose 20pds...slow but sure.I'm not good at exercise, but plan to walk, no matter how slow I am.
There's just me & DH....so I don't buy food I don't intend to eat. His snacks don't appeal ...so makes it easier.
Reading diet books from the library...or learning on line helps too.Pat

hi
 

Good morning evryone, I hope all of yu have a blessed Sunday and a good weekend. I agree with what everyone is saying. We're getting some good ideal. Now we just have to put them into practice. I think it's realy important to exercise. If you hate the very word, try to fit some kind of exercise into your daily life. This morning i'm walking to the library instead of driving. How about taking the kids to the park and playing with them instead of setting on the bench? Tag is one great exercise. And have a race. Those quick bursts of energy pay off. And remember, you can't eat what you don't bring in. And don't tell me "it's for the family". Been there, done that. Does your family really need it either? You're teaching them how to eat also. I'm not saying never have a treat. But that's what it should be, a treat!

Thank you so much, that really makes me feel good :hug: Ive been "dieting" since I was 11 and I know that they just dont work. Diet = :crazy:

I agree with the above post about your family eatting right too. As a general rule, nothing without nutritional value comes in my door. For instance, my kids love poptarts, I buy organic poptarts, just to steer clear of all the crap thats in them. If they never had a poptart they would never know what they were like, but unfortunately thats not the case. They have organic cereals. Instead of fruit roll ups they have fruit leather with is 100% fruit. My kids love fruit and veggies for the most part, especailly my oldest, Im still working on my baby. My fiancee, he LOVES potato chips, well he keeps these Kettle Chips that are made in a high monosaturated oil. The carbs are still simple ( like he cares) but there is hardley any saturated fat in them. For the rest of what he eats, he eats what I eat because I dont diet, I just eat good ol nutritonal foods. I shop at 3 different stores so that I can get the best stuff for the best price. Not easy work, but it works for me. This is STRICTLY my personal opinion, but I think that if you are baking, broiling, grilling your food, you should do that for your family too. They're health is important too. I know some husbands arent supportive of a healthy lifestyle, but maybe you girls can do well at selling it.

I couldn't agree more with what everyone has said. I hate the phrase 'Going on a diet'! Immediately that I tell myself I'm 'going on a diet' I want to eat everything in sight ... whether or not I'm hungry! And when I'm eating something, I'm already thinking about what I can eat next!! I become totally obsessed with food, calories, whether or not I should be eating it, and the more obsessed I become the more I eat! I'm sick and tired of my whole life being taken over by counting calories, or points, or whatever diet I happen to be 'on' at the time ... none of them work for me ... I simply become miserable and obsessed and a nightmare to live with ... and end up gaining even more weight!

I know I need to change my eating habits for life, not just for a few weeks or months. I do generally have a fairly healthy diet, but I have a big problem with portion control, and whatever I put on my plate I have to eat it all regardless of how full I feel. I don't want my whole life to revolve around having to count every calorie that I eat. I want to lead a 'normal' life.

So, after reading this thread, I've decided that I'm never 'going on a diet' again! I'm simply going to eat healthily, more fruit and veggies and prepare my family meals by adapting recipes to be more healthy. I'm not going to obsess about what I can or can't have, I'm simply going to be sensible about it.

I do agree with what someone has already said about not having unhealthy snacks/foods in the cupboard for the rest of the family ... I've already started to do this and after the initial complaints from the kids they don't bother anymore as long as they've got lots of nice fruits or yogurt to snack on instead. If I'm truthful, I was the one who ate most of them anyway!!:o

So, no more counting calories or whatever for me. Just lots of nice healthy meals/snacks. The one thing that I do want to try to cut down on though is pasta/rice. Although I love it, I end up eating far too much and this leaves me feeling dreadfully bloated for a day or two afterwards, but apart from that nothing is going to be 'forbidden' because I will simply end up bingeing on it!!

Looking forward to 'chatting' with you all regularly, and good luck to everyone!

Nichola

Good morning all, How is everyone doing on our quest for health and good nutrition? I think we're bound to have slip ups for awhile intill we really get the hang of changing. Making healthy substitutes. And get past the guilt for making a "bad" choice occasionally. Did you ever watch a thin person eat? They eat a lot at times. But they don't eat when they're full, they don'teat to calm them selves down. They enjoy food. They just don't abuse food. BUT, we want to be thin and healthy too. And just because you're think doesn't mean you're healthy. We can take a few cues from them but add in the healthy interest too. We have to learn to substitute the food we love. Instead of rice, how about brown rice. actually I like it better anyway. Love the nutty taste! Instead of eating a lot of chocolate (we're women, after all) how about one really great piece of dark chocolate?

Think about nutrition. If you put cheap gas in a car it might run, but it will sputter along and eventually stall out. The same is true about putting cheap fuel into your body. It might run for awhile, but it's going to give you problems. Think about the "fuel" you're putting into your engin

Go make it a good day, Freda

I recommend reading the book " French Women Don't Get Fat" it's not a diet and it talks about changing your attitude and your relationship with food. Basic principles are - don't eat fast food, don't eat until you are stuffed, slow down, enjoy good food ( i.e. fresh food - no processed or pre-fab food), enjoy life and get normal exercise like walking and taking stairs instead of going to the gym. It didn't cause an epiphany for me but I could relate to a lot of what the author was saying and I guess it helped me let go of a lot of negative things that I was doing food wise.

If you can check it out at your local library it is a good read. :)

WOW, I'm thrilled that all of you feel a lot like I do. I figured I'd post this and no one would respond because it's a "diet" website. In fact, I was afraid I'd be asked to leave because this site is "3 Fat Chicks on a Diet".

Well this chick isn't.

OK, assuming all of you will revisit this thread, let's talk about ways to lose weight without "dieting".

I am reading books and articles on the idea of intuitive eating. There are experts out there who believe that because, as children, we were told to finish eating all the food on our plates we never really learned how to stop eating based on the full signals our bodies give us. We also ignore other signals like true hunger and what kinds of foods our bodies really want. We aren't kids anymore so we can chose when we want to eat and what we can eat. I believe that if I started paying attention to all those subtle signals things will get easier. Stopping with food still on my plate will be because I listened to my body and not because a diet told me to eat half what I normally would eat. It feels more in control, more empowering.

This is what I'm doing, feel free to join me. When I sit down to eat (every time I eat anything) I bring a little notebook with me and jot down a few words about how I feel before I start eating, maybe during, and after. It is sort of based on the study technique of rewriting your notes after a lecture. It forces me to pay closer attention to how I feel thus bringing me closer to relearning all those subtle signals. I am placing no restrictions on what I eat, how fast I eat it, or how much. In fact, I need to recognize everything, like how bad it feels to be really full or after eating too fast or even after eating a lot of something that really isn't good for me.

I hope that by honoring MY true needs I will want to eat less, or slower or more of the foods I need to eat. I believe that I will feel worse if I dishonor my bodies' needs than if I were to "fall off the wagon" of some diet. My choice, my body, my way.

kona

Eating well and staying fit isn't doesn't necessarily mean you are on a "diet" - for me it is more about taking care of myself and leading a healthy life style.

I don't buy "fat-free" food items other than 2% milk and low-fat yogurt. I eat a ton of fresh foods, whole grains and stay away from fast food, processed foods and junk food. I don't use artificial sweetners or egg substitute - just can't stand the taste :p

The key for me is that I have learned I can live without certain things that now taste horrible to me or bother my stomach. Some things I refuse to give up such as real peanut butter, dark chocolate and coffee with real cream and sugar which I have in moderation i.e. I have 1 really good coffee per day then water or herbal tea for the rest of the day.

Eating fresh food and cooking my own meals was a challenge at first but now I find I find can't do it any other way :)

Some tips - use smaller plates for portion control and do things like set the table for dinner and present the meal (I.E. arrange it nicely on the plate add a garnish etc.) - I find this makes the meal more of an special event rather than just sitting down to chow down (even if you are just eating mac and cheese ;) ) It also makes you more mindful of what you are eating.

I recommend reading the books by Jean Antonello. "How to Become Thin by Eating More", and "Breaking Out of Food Jail". They explain why our bodies react the way they do whenever we go on a "diet". It really does make sense what she says. She also wrote a book for kids called, "Naturally Thin Kids". There is also another book I would recommend by Rob Stevens, The Overfed Head.
Ali

Well, I know it's very early days, this is only the second day for me not being 'on a diet', but I'm already feeling so much happier. I no longer feel under pressure to stick within my calories ... only to find I've gone over my daily allowance, which makes me want to give up because I've 'broken my diet', so I end up having a binge! I've eaten normal portions of healthy food, I haven't felt hungry, and I don't feel that I've deprived myself of anything ... and the strange thing is that I've actually eaten less than I normally would if I was 'on a diet':)

Hope everyone else is having a great day!

Nichola

Yes! I found it very liberating when I first decided to stop buying "fat free" items and just eat well. You're right about the pressure being lifted off too :yes:

I am really happy to have found this thread. Like many of you, I am sick of "being on a diet", I even find I resent the phrase and what it means to me. I read someplace that when you are eating, if you listen to your body, you will sigh when you are full. It's wierd and it takes some practice to catch it, but it seems to work for me. If anything it's practice in listening to your internal cues.

When I was trying to quit smoking and someone would offer me a cigarette, I'd say "no thanks, I'm trying to quit". I am taking the same approach to crappy foods. I do allow myself some, like today I'm having a small slice of birthday cake for a coworker's birthday, but otherwise, when I see the candy dishes at work, I tell them I'm trying to cut down or I'm trying to quit. It helps me to keep myself in check but it also lets others know that I appreciate that they are trying to include me, but I'm okay.

It's easier for me to just concentrate on eating right. I still keep calories in mind because it's a hard habit to break, but it does help me to talk myself out of emotionally driven, bad choices.

I do buy low cal items along with the healthy produce. BUT I don't eat anything I don't like just because it's served or offored. The diet products I buy are low calorie cool whip, jello, jello pudding, whipped peter pan peanut butter, and I use splenda. I use these products because I find them just as good as the higher calorie. And, calories do count! I like to eat well, and I love greens and most vegetables. As for listening to your body, it takes the stomach 20 minutes to signal the brain that it's full. If you don't eat slowely and listen, you're going to over eat. There is no such thing as "good" or "bad" food. There is just wise and unwise chocies.

Go make good chocies today, Freda

Yeah!
 

I am glad to see the people who started this thread hanging around! I really appreciate there being a forum to talk about starting to get back to the basics, and not, "How much can I lose in April". I have two very healthy, very tiny children - who raised them?? I do know that I never made food an issue with them - they were allowed to leave food if they weren't hungry, and to make their own choices. Now I can learn a lot from watching them. My son loves to cook and likes a wide variety of tastes. BUT - he wouldn't eat his most favorite food in the world if he wasn't hungry. They both also eat small portions and don't belong to the "clean plate" club. Let's keep this group going for people who want to be "naturally thin".
Marsha

My philosophy is this " What did we do before there were all the fastfood places and the instant frozen dinners?" "How did we, as a society get so busy that we came to rely on these things?" "When did I start to hate cooking?".

My answers were this - we sat down as families at the table and ate a dinners that mom cooked from using "whole foods". Hey, I need to drop some of my activities during the week and slow down. And lastly, I need to start enjoying my food and start to love cooking and trying new things out.

I purged my bookshelf of any cookbooks that were too complicated, did not show the nutritional values, had no pictures (:lol: ) or were things I would never get around to making.

I kept 5 of my Weight Watchers cookbooks and my Suzanne Sommers cookbooks and donated the rest to the local library. I'm now actually using my cookbooks on a weekly basis and enjoying experimenting with new recipes! :carrot: My husband now takes 2 nights a week to cook and is enjoying it too.

Mauvaisroux, I totally agree with what you said ... what did we do before convenience food etc?

And Marsha, I agree that we need to get back to good basic food.

Freda, I realise that calories do count ... I seem to have spent half my life counting the darn things ... and eating way too many of them!! Now that I'm not 'on a diet', and not obsessing about counting them, I seem to be consuming less of them ... but they are always in the back of my mind, which I guess is a good thing, as whenever I choose say, breakfast cereal, I'll go for the lower calorie option rather than something that's high in sugar and cals. And because I'm not 'on a diet', and this is MY choice rather than following some diet plan, I feel a lot more in control.

My problems began when I got married and left home, then along came the kids and life was oh so busy! Mom used to do all the cooking and it was always basic but good wholesome food ... meat/chicken/fish with lots of veggies or salad. Nowadays, due to our busy lives it's all too easy to rely on fast food takeaways or convenience meals, instead of taking the time to cook a proper dinner from scratch. I'm not saying that the occasional induldgence isn't ok, but really, cooking a healthy dinner from scratch doesn't have to take hours to prepare. I think people have just become lazy and too often take the easy option.

I've also been giving my cooking skills a good workout over the past couple of weeks. I used to really enjoy cooking, hubby and I used to cook great dinners together years ago before the family came along, after that we never seemed to have the time or energy to bother! So, my cookery books have been dusted off, and I have a few new additions full of great healthy recipes which I'm really looking forward to trying out.

Hope everyone has a great weekend!:)

Nichola

Hello... I agree with you about dieting, and I don't do it but prefer to just have my own healthful eating plan. However, we are not quite on the same wavelength because I don't go with the "eat anything you want but stop when full" thinking... IMO that may make me thin but it won't make me healthy. But you need to find what works for you so if this is helping, I don't mean to sound discouraging! Go for it! :banana:

I eat a LOT... but I eat healthful things such as lots of fruit and veggies; but I also eat chicken and even beef in small portions. I feel sooooooo much better than when I fill myself up with processed foods and chemicals, etc. And most of all, I find that when I get into the healthful things and get the rest out of my system, the cravings stop; so much of that junk is addictive and just makes us want more, whereas more healthful foods satisfy our bodies' needs.

And I don't spend a lot of time cooking! Mostly I find good crockpot recipes and make up sometimes two potsful on a weekend and have great freezer meals. All I do is fix up a few fresh veggies (Foreman grill or bake in oven often) and have a fantastic, healthful dinner... and also make up stuff for work lunches... yum! Even if I do get tempted during the day I can say "no" and remind myself what a yummy lunch and/or dinner I have coming!

I too agree with getting back to basic foods... my general rule is "if God created it, it's probably okay to eat it; if mankind messed around with it and added a bunch of junk and chemicals, use caution." It works!!! I am eating FAR more than most people on "diets" (at my doctor's advice... she said if I did this I'd lose just as much weight as if I ate a lot less and mess up my metabolism.... and she is RIGHT). People can't believe some of the stuff I am eating while trying to lose weight... but it's working! And I am not deprived but eating the best ever!

Congratulations on your determination! Stick around; there is lots of support and encouragement here, as well as great tips and practical advice!

Happy Sunday!
 

I agree with you Misti. I think when people say "eat anything you want" they just mean that by taking away the "I'm on a diet, I can't have that" thinking, it frees them to think about what, and how much, they really want to eat. I do like to have some chocolate now and again, but when I really think about what my body craves the most, it is about 90% healthy food! Also, when I am not thinking about depriving myself, I don't feel the need to overeat it in shame, but to just have a few bites, and then know I can have it again when I need to!
The same thing kind of works for exercise for me - can really put it off when it is part of some plan, but today, it is beautiful here in Minnesota, and I FEEL like going for a walk. Maybe we should take some time this week to tell a little bit more about ourselves for the group who wants to hang around here in the NO DIET zone. Have a great Palm Sunday people - what an uplifting time of the year.
Marsha

Hi Everyone, hope you all had a great weekend!:)

Marsha, as I'm the first to visit the thread since your post, I'll kick off with telling you all about myself. Here goes ......

I'm 43, married for 19 years, with two teenagers ... son aged 17, and daughter aged 13 (14 at the end of this month). I'm originally from the UK but have been living in Hong Kong for the past 5 years due to hubby's job.

I was a chubby child for about 3 years, from the age of about 9-11, but then lost the weight naturally. I was fairly slim (never skinny) throughout my teens and early twenties, but was always trying out various fad diets in the hope of being slimmer. Gained a few extra pounds after being married for a couple of years ... then along came the kids and I gained even more!! I feel like I've spent half my life yo-yoing, trying out one diet after another in the hope of finding 'the right one', but I've never been able to the lose the weight and keep it off successfully. I've managed to get within a few pounds of my goal on a couple of occassions (years ago!) ... only to regain it all when I've gone back to my old eating habits.

I now KNOW that 'going on a diet' simply doesn't work for me ... It puts me under too much pressure and I end up obsessing about food, which leads to me binging on anything and everything in sight ... only to begin the vicious cycle of yo-yoing again and again.

So, in a nutshell, that's me:) I feel so much happier and more in control of my life now that I've decided to give up 'dieting' ... I HATE that word!

Good luck to everyone here who's decided to take the same course of action. I look forward to hearing all about you and getting to know you all.

Nichola

hi everyone, Let me introduce myself too. My name is Freda, i'm 58, married and have 1 son and 2 grandchildren. I work part time as an RN at a local hospital.

I was so thin when I was growing up! I look at pictures of myself now and know I was too thin! But I was very active and ate anything I wanted! A lot of junk! And my mom ( a great southern cook) made everything fried and loaded with grease! So' i've really had to revamp my cooking. I bake, broil, poach eveythign now. It takes a little planning to eat healthy. I make a menu every week and buy the food so I know what's for meals and don't have to think about it. I keep snacks in the car so ifI'm out and starving I don't have to stop at some fast food place and make a bad decision! Planning is the key for me! Of course calories count! But I want to be healthy too! So I choose healthy food. It's not a big sacrafice. I love sweetpotatoes, corn, greens......

I agree with Misty, cutting the calories back too far just leaves you too hungry and lowers your matabalism.

Everyone. make this a great day, Freda

Great idea about the intros and keeping this thread going. I'm up early to get ready for work but will come back later and share more!! And thanks to those who have already shared a little about themselves!