Re: 's motd Saturday March 27, 2010

[Guest guest]

Raising my hand in protest!

I have to disagree with today. While I know he is talking about idea that comfort foods are usually eaten in excess, I think it is dangerous territory to categorize foods into good and bad. I eat the foods he mentions and I eat them in the calorie allotment I can afford. I believe it is important to keep food in a neutral stance. It's there (it's always going to be there) and it is my decision whether to eat it or move on. I want that decision to be mine. Most of my dieting in the past has failed because I ate according to a plan designed by someone else's notion of a perfect diet!

There are foods, of course that I know I have trouble with. They are usually the hand to mouth snack foods, like chips. And I have a hard time stopping the combination of chips and dip. So those types of foods I eat when I feel I am in control and I am around other people (I am a notorious sneak eater). I also will NOT eat them unless I have a small plate that I can take the chips I know I can afford, put them on the little plate and add a tablespoon of dip to the side. I no longer eat directly from serving bowls or packages. But to say I will never eat these types of foods because they are not healthy only starts the desire and cravings which I think is far more unhealthy.

I have 3 bags of hard candy in the cubby over my bed. I allowed myself one when I laid down in the evening to play computer games or read. They have been there so long I often forget about them! They have no pull on me at all. In fact, I thought about throwing them away yesterday when I wanted to put a book there, but I stopped myself. If I throw them away, I will start to feel as though I have restricted myself and I will begin to think of them again.

So how does everyone else work around comfort or problem foods? Clear them out of your life completely? Incorporate portion control? Find substitutes?

Ann

From: Sue in NJ

Sent: Saturday, March 27, 2010 6:47 AM

~~TheFoodmovers ; ~~rsdeal ; ~~100-plus

Subject: 's motd Saturday March 27, 2010

COMFORT FOODS?

Saturday, 27 March 2010

Comfort foods are not the foods you eat when you're working to lose weight. Oh, no! Comfort foods are filled with fat, grease, sugar, cream and every cheese you can pronounce. And I don't even want to think about the number of calories they contain. Now fess up! Everybody reading this message today has gotten, well...comfortable, with comfort foods! Okay, let's talk about some of them, shall we?Love,

[Guest guest]

> So how does everyone else work around comfort or problem foods? Clear them

out of your life completely? Incorporate portion control? Find substitutes?

>

> Ann

I tend to do what you do. THIS time around I'm losing this weight for good and

intend to maintain this loss.

With that said, my approach is to eat everything that I choose to eat in

moderation. Meaning eating what a 'healthy' portion would be.

I have no foods that I'm not 'allowed' to eat. I do however pick and choose

each day, striving to eat the best foods for my body. That doesn't mean that I

don't endulge here and there. But when I do endulge I do it with foresight. I

decide on the portion, decide on what I might give up that day to allow for the

endulgence, OR what added exercise I'll work at to make up for the endulgence.

I also find that putting off the endulgence often works for me. I might really,

really want that Starbucks Venti Chai Latte, and I'll tell myself that 'yes I

CAN have it', but do I really want to have it today? Or would I rather save it

for later in the week? Often that is enough for me to put it off for a day or

two, and then about half the time I'll choose not to have it at all when the

time comes. The other half I'll have it and truly enjoy it.

Something else that I've found helps me feel like I'm eating something special

is purchasing a 'readymade' item. I have never been much of a

salad/vegetable/fruit eater, but I have come to recognize that eating a full

salad everyday really does make a difference in both how I feel physically and

how much I lose each week. 9 times out of 10 during the week on the nights I

work I make a salad and take it to work with me. However on the weekends I will

splurge and either order a takeout salad from a local restaurant or pickup a

readymade salad at the grocery. I've also been purchasing the single serving

fresh fruit packages. Things like cutup apples, oranges or pineapple spears. I

find it much easier to eat a piece of fruit that someone else has cleaned and

cutup for me than trying to eat a whole apple or banana.

I will admit there are some foods that I really cannot have in my house

(meringue cookies being the first thing that comes to mind, ziebach toast, and

any chocolate-mint cookie. With these, when I finally decide I really,

really want one, I'll go ahead and buy them and do one of two things. I'll

either take my serving and throw the rest away or head over to Mom and Dads pull

a serving and leave the rest at their house.

fireangel

[Guest guest]

I like your approach and your ideas. I do the "delay" thing too. This time around, I am strict about different things than before. I am strict about staying on plan, yet I am more yielding to allow fluctuations in calories than I use to be. I can remember when going over my target would set off a binge. How crazy that was!

Ann HStarted 09/01/09307/254/157 poundsMy Weightloss Journal:http://threeherring.wordpress.com/

From: fireangel

Sent: Saturday, March 27, 2010 6:03 PM

100-plus

Subject: Re: 's motd Saturday March 27, 2010

> So how does everyone else work around comfort or problem foods? Clear them out of your life completely? Incorporate portion control? Find substitutes? > > AnnI tend to do what you do. THIS time around I'm losing this weight for good and intend to maintain this loss.With that said, my approach is to eat everything that I choose to eat in moderation. Meaning eating what a 'healthy' portion would be. I have no foods that I'm not 'allowed' to eat. I do however pick and choose each day, striving to eat the best foods for my body. That doesn't mean that I don't endulge here and there. But when I do endulge I do it with foresight. I decide on the portion, decide on what I might give up that day to allow for the endulgence, OR what added exercise I'll work at to make up for the endulgence.I also find that putting off the endulgence often works for me. I might really, really want that Starbucks Venti Chai Latte, and I'll tell myself that 'yes I CAN have it', but do I really want to have it today? Or would I rather save it for later in the week? Often that is enough for me to put it off for a day or two, and then about half the time I'll choose not to have it at all when the time comes. The other half I'll have it and truly enjoy it. Something else that I've found helps me feel like I'm eating something special is purchasing a 'readymade' item. I have never been much of a salad/vegetable/fruit eater, but I have come to recognize that eating a full salad everyday really does make a difference in both how I feel physically and how much I lose each week. 9 times out of 10 during the week on the nights I work I make a salad and take it to work with me. However on the weekends I will splurge and either order a takeout salad from a local restaurant or pickup a readymade salad at the grocery. I've also been purchasing the single serving fresh fruit packages. Things like cutup apples, oranges or pineapple spears. I find it much easier to eat a piece of fruit that someone else has cleaned and cutup for me than trying to eat a whole apple or banana. :)I will admit there are some foods that I really cannot have in my house (meringue cookies being the first thing that comes to mind, ziebach toast, and any chocolate-mint cookie. With these, when I finally decide I really, really want one, I'll go ahead and buy them and do one of two things. I'll either take my serving and throw the rest away or head over to Mom and Dads pull a serving and leave the rest at their house. fireangel