Relationship with food.................

[StepEdith]

I offer this website, the author of the books on it and the forums as a great place to start. It's helped me sooo much.

http://www.radiantrecovery.com

give it a try

[SteppingFool]

I don't have anything to add... just that I am going to admit to it that I do have problem with food. I don't use it as comfort food. I just eat and eat till I am stuffed or eat when I am not even hungry. I don't really remember the last time I ever feel hunger. I know I am not overweight, but I think my relationship with food is not a healthy one. I know working out with Cathe keeps my calorie in = calorie out. But I REALLY need to have a better relationship with food. I need portion control.

I used to be good that I would have 1 cheat day and 1 cheat meal. Usually eat sensibly with portion control (stop before I am stuffed). I eat 'forbidden' food regularly, but I pick and choose only food that I REALLY love. Something that worth indulging into. But now it seems anything goes (I even ate my Snickers today... NOT my favorite candy!).

This thread has made me started thinking about me and my food. I am going to eat sensibly with portion control from now on. And I always allow myself 'forbidden' food, as long as they are my favorite!

Haslina

[starbuck]

[font size="1" color="#FF0000"]LAST EDITED ON Nov-05-02 AT 07:52AM (Est)[/font][p]Donna

I agree with alot of what has been said here.

My problem is not my relationship with food but my relationship with me. Having gotten most of my issues out of the way my weightloss is not so scary for me.

I don't have "forbidden" foods as such I am fortunate I don't like a lot of junk food can't understand the attraction of ice cream and have just started eating a bar of chocolate that has been in my bag for days. On a shelf in my bookcase in my bedroom are some sweets I bought 2 years ago but never finished.

But I love eating food the taste textures, the smells yumm I just love it so I try to eat things that I like and ration them (sensible rationing).

I try to eat regularly thoroughout the day and try to be active so that when I am bored I don't reach of whatever and just eat the day away.

This is a relationship that I will have to keep working on but one lesson I have learned is not give food emotions and feelings it does not have i.e. food will not make me look feel better and will not make me more attractive to myself or others. It will not replace the love and affection I think is missing from my life, and by denying myself food I will not be a better or more wonderful person.

Just my 2 cents

Babs

[PatriciaP]

Hi Donna:

I feel for ya, baby!

Having been on maintenance for the last 8 years -- my 8-year anniversary of being a Life-Timer and staying at goal weight at WW is coming up next week -- I can only say that you take it hour by hour, day by day. Some days (and nights) are easy, some are hard. To me, it's like being an alcoholic.

Here are my personal rules:

1. My default is "No". If it's not on the list, I don't buy it.

2. Delete these words from my vocabulary "Why not?" ("Why not?" have an order of french fries. Everybody else is! "Why not" have a couple of chocolate chip cookies, I deserve it!). Insert word "Why?". I've just eaten, so "why" do I want that chocolate chip cookie? I'm not even hungry!

3. If somebody brings treats into the office, I don't eat it. I only eat what I bring. (I do, however, have a "Waterloo" and that's muffins. Oh yes, we're talking eating frenzy!)

4. Calories are money. If I can't afford it, I don't buy it. 500 calories for say a small order of fries? Not worth the money.

5. Food is a trip. Why take a trip to Cleveland, OH, when you really want to go to Paris, France? (Cleveland = fries Paris = muffin)

6. Delayed gratification. Not gonna have that ice cream now. Gonna save it for my planned "treat night" and really savour and enjoy it, guiltfree. For now, I'll just have a yoghurt. (I saw a study on this on "60 Minutes". People who do the "delayed gratification" thang are usually more successful in their careers, life, etc. (Ya, I know, they weren't lookin' at me!)

7. A sense of control. I have power over food, it doesn't have power over me (except for muffins).


Now, I still have issues with food -- I think most people do! Food has been translated into "love". Have you seen that commercial where the adorable, tussle-haired little kid asks his mother "Mommie -- I can't sleep. Can I have a sundae?". And there's blonde-haired, white-bread "Leave It to Beaver" mom with this big smile gazing back ever-so-lovingly at her kid. Yes, I'm a good Mom, implies the commercial, I love my child and I want what's best for him. Of course, honey, have a nice big bowl of icecream drowned in hot chocolate sauce. And I'm saying to the TV, "Ya, ya, good Mom, how's your kid ever gonna get to sleep now with all that sugar and caffeine in him?"

Oops! I've gotten off topic. It's just that that commercial really burns me!

Food is largely associated with special occasions: Valentine's Day (chocolate and sex), Easter (chocolate and fertility (Easter Bunny!), Thanksgiving (turkey, stuffing, pumpkin pie!) and Christmas (turkey, stuffing, CHOCOLATE!!!!) Food is a national pasttime, food is a way to "dull the pain" (first thing I did on Sept 11 was go out and get a bag of Doritos and a muffin), food is a rest from and a reward for traipsing over that busy mall all afternoon.

I have equipped myself with an arsenal for protection -- Cathe's tape, this website, and a Nutrition Newsletter that I subscribe to. The newsletter is like a food consumers' report. One month it will focus on cereals (it gave thumbs up to Fibre 1 and Kashi Go Lean), marking the list with a "best bites" checkmarks. Another month, it will concentrate on frozen entrees, yoghurts, etc, etc. On the back page it features a "Food Porno" article on the scary foods out there. In this month's, it had a Burger King shake that had 60+ grams of fat (as much as a 20 oz. steak!) Well, all I gotta do is read that, and I know I'm not gonna be drinking that time-bomb (not that I would anyways; afterall, it ain't "muffin-worthy").

So much of it comes down to DETERMINATION. I remember having finally reaching my goal weight while sitting alone watching a TV show on how 95 percent of people who have lost weight gain it back and more over the next year. I said out loud and forcefully, "I'm (insert swear word) if that's gonna happen to me!"

Are you scared of getting down to your goal weight? For some reason, the closer I got the more scared I became. What was I afraid of?! I even did the Richard Simmons "teary-eye" when I told my hairdresser about the first 17 lbs I lost. Why the heck was I crying? Nobody died, for heaven's sake! Well, maybe a few hair follicles.

You'll do just fine, Donna. Just think of that little red train "I think I can! I think I can! I KNOW I can!"

Hope I've been of some help! Sorry I went on so long. I always mean to put in 10 quick words and end up writing a dictionary!

Patricia