[doIlookfat?]

My problem is similar. I start my day off the wrong way, not eating a lot (slim fast shake) and try to not eat very much as the day goes on, because that way I can legally eat more when I want it more. I know this is totally opposite of what we are "supposed" to do, but I can't help it. I know myself. I know I will eat more towards the evening hours, so if I ate very little during the day, I can eat more guilt free. Awful to be so obsessed, isn't it?

Heidi

[Kilketay]

I think it's only awful that you think it's awful! I think we should all embrace our time spent thinking about food. After all, not being "obsessed" sure hasn't done anything good for most Americans! I figure if most people (who are unhealthy, eat crap, and are overweight) think I'm doing something wrong then I MUST be doing something right! Personally, I don't want to have heart disease like my grandmother, or a stroke like my mother, or diabetes like my brother.

If fact, we need to make the "obsession" a normal daily part of our lives until it's a habit.

[lynnm39]

I think many of us who have struggled with weight have this problem. Indeed, the nature of a diet is restriction, and psychologically, it's quite common for someone to obsess about something that is off limits (the "forbidden fruit," if you will). Also, I genuinely believe that the biggest difference between those who struggle with their weight and those who don't is mindset. I remember seeing a segment on the Today show a year or so ago, and they were discussing some study that showed that people who struggle with their weight exhibit different brain activity than people who have never struggled with their weight (a.k.a., "naturally thin" people). In essence, those who struggle with their weight always want to eat, even when they're full. This is not the case with the naturally thin group. This study makes a lot of sense to me, especially in that I live with a naturally thin person (my husband). When my husband has eaten to his satisfaction, he stops and there's no way he'll eat even a smidgen more--not a lick, bite or taste, no matter how rare or delicious the dish. I, on the other hand, would eat that "last bite" even if I'm full.

So, you take that basic difference between those who struggle with their weight and those who don't and you take a diet, which restricts food intake, and the former group will definitely be obsessed with food. In fact, it seems that in many books I've read, one of the traits of longterm maintainers of weight loss is that they are somewhat obsessive about watching their weight.

The obsessiveness concerning food is one of the key reasons I hate dieting, and it's one of the key reasons I often cannot sustain calorie restriction for the longterm.

[Idealmuse]

It took me a long time to understand why I would eat after I'm full to the point when I'm uncomfortably full, but a lot of that had to do with my past choices both being empty nutritional wise, and too high sugar or empty carb which boosted/Droped my blood sugar and seems to turn of my "OFF" switch.

That is a lot easier to control with better food choices. I'm really psyched I've finally figured that out. In the past if I was on WW or whatever I'd fill up on half my "points" in crap (skinny cows, pudding cups, preztels) I thought I was making better choices and I would lose weight for awhile, but it was so hard to substain because I still had that "off button" issue and it would make me feel like a loser.

Not to say I don't have it now and then again still, since technically nothing is off limits, but much less often since I know to keep those items out of the house. Infact since May i think I "binged" once and it was only about 1000 calories over my "to lose 2 lbs" mark which means I ate to maintenance. Not so bad for a girl who could eat an entire package of cookies if you let her.

Okay, I feel better it's okay to like food. I will mess up now and then but they key is to keep going.