How do you 'feel' about food?

[Lucylu79]

This will be quite a personal question (and reply) from me but I have the sudden urge to ask it.

The reason why is due to how i'm feeling after eating my tea tonight. I 'think' about food a lot, I mean I think about what i'm going to be eating for tea before i've even finished lunch and its usually like this.

A couple of weeks ago I tried to eat slower and give my stomach a chance to tell me that is was full, I found it hard, real hard to be fair and sometimes I wasn't sure if I was just leaving food on my plate for the sake of it. Then I stopped leaving food and now, two weeks on I doubt i've accomplished anything.

So now today, and tonight's meal particular i've tried to start again and whilst trying to remind myself to eat slower I thought i'd ask you guys what your relationship with food is like, are you, like me, kind of obsessed with it and ultimately searching for that peace with it...

 

[blonde8]

I'm exactly like you, I could of written that post myself.x

 

[Lucylu79]

Any idea why we do it??

If I love food so much and care so much about making it, why do I A. Showel it in like i've not eaten in a week, and B. Not appreciate it and savour the flavour, it doesn't make sense does it!

 

[Roziee]

I noticed today when eating breakfast.. I pile my fork with food before I've even eaten the one in my mouth! So I made a conscious effort to eat each mouthful, put my cutlery down and then lift it back up.. Took forever to eat lol

 

[vickililly]

I had a stomach operation last summer and it forced me to think about how I eat. I also just shovel it down, but now have to take my time or it gets stuck and I have real pain.

I love good food, so do tend to go a bit overboard.

 

[Lucylu79]

I hear you on the fork thing and my eating habits are totally to blame too.

We eat our meals on trays on our knees in front of the tv as we never used to have a table. Baby came along and I made hubby get one and I could probably count the times weve eaten at it on one hand!

We are hopefully moving into a new home within the next month with a dining room and i've already told Hubby I want things to change, he's not impressed but I think its important to teach our little one good eating habits.

 

[clairex]

I have a very unhealthy relationship with food. I find it incredibly difficult to say 'no', even if i'm absolutley stuffed to the point of feeling sick! I use it as a source of comfort, yet a way to celebrate. Food is constantly in my mind; planning my next meal, what I might eat next. I feel like my life is controlled by food. Hence why I have got so big! It scares me i'll never be able to control it. It certainly feels out of control.

That was scary to write and even scarier to think people are going to read it!

 

[vickililly]

I have a very unhealthy relationship with food. I find it incredibly difficult to say 'no', even if i'm absolutley stuffed to the point of feeling sick! I use it as a source of comfort, yet a way to celebrate. Food is constantly in my mind; planning my next meal, what I might eat next. I feel like my life is controlled by food. Hence why I have got so big! It scares me i'll never be able to control it. It certainly feels out of control.

That was scary to write and even scarier to think people are going to read it!

I feel like that too, you are not alone on that one. Xx

 

[Wegle]

I think about food all day long. I love food, I use it as a comfort, I use it as entertainment, it is my favourite thing in the world.

From a very young age all social occasions in my family revolved around food, and even today if I'm meeting up with a friend I will suggest we structure that meeting around food, be it a meal out or meeting in Costa.

I don't think I will ever not be obssessed with food, the good thing with SW is it encourages us to use our obsession but in a healthier fashion. So before where I was obsessed with indulgent, high calorie foods I'm now obsessed with how I can make recipes slimming world friendly, what new products I can try and what indulgent treats I can have and really enjoy them.

I don't think I will ever change the way I think and feel about food, in fact I don't want to. I like that I love food, I like that I get such pleasure and enjoyment from food, I just need to retrain my brain and tummy about what foods to get excited about.

I find myself shovelling my food down if I'm feeling guilty about it, kind of if I get rid of it quickly then it won't have happened. What I try and do now is carefully portion my meals telling myself that it is ok to eat all this food. I then eat the different foods in order e.g eat the veg first, then the bread, then the main dish, between each section I take a little break, have a drink and then continue. My OH says I shouldn't eat like this as it makes eating into a ritual and I'm sure some people would agree but it helps me not to scarf it all down in 30 seconds and I feel in control.

 

[AnnaFaraday]

I hear you on the fork thing and my eating habits are totally to blame too.

We eat our meals on trays on our knees in front of the tv as we never used to have a table. Baby came along and I made hubby get one and I could probably count the times weve eaten at it on one hand!

We are hopefully moving into a new home within the next month with a dining room and i've already told Hubby I want things to change, he's not impressed but I think its important to teach our little one good eating habits.

A friend of mine works with children and says that it is quite normal for them never to have eaten sitting at a table unless they have been to a cafe or something. It is no wonder so many of them don't know how to behave when eating out. Sitting round a table eating together with family and/or friends is one of life's great pleasures and it is sad that so many people don't experience that.

My friend's children are expected to sit at the table for their evening meal, with no distractions such as phones or television, etc., and discuss the events of the day. They are allowed to leave the table when they have finished their meal, but only if they ask politely. It sounds so old-fashioned these days, but those children are a delight to have around!

 

[Jenna88]

This question came on a 'bad' day for me, at this very minute I genuinely feel like I hate food. The idea of having to eat it is really annoying me, I know I need it and I obviously eat but I feel like I don't want to yet can't stop myself. My head is all over the place today.
I just don't understand when something as seemingly simple as eating got so complicated for me. It's constantly on my mind and I really wish it wasn't.

 

[Rochelle1]

I'm the same as most of you. I think about food all the time. I've already planned what I'm having for breakfast in the morning and my tea, although I suppose that's ok when following a eating plan. Just ordered food shopping from asda and get more excited than if shopping for clothes or anything!!

I too pile my fork up while finishing the last mouthful. I am going to make a conscious effort not to do that too

 

[abkb]

I think about food all day long. I love food, I use it as a comfort, I use it as entertainment, it is my favourite thing in the world.

From a very young age all social occasions in my family revolved around food, and even today if I'm meeting up with a friend I will suggest we structure that meeting around food, be it a meal out or meeting in Costa.

I don't think I will ever not be obssessed with food, the good thing with SW is it encourages us to use our obsession but in a healthier fashion. So before where I was obsessed with indulgent, high calorie foods I'm now obsessed with how I can make recipes slimming world friendly, what new products I can try and what indulgent treats I can have and really enjoy them.

I don't think I will ever change the way I think and feel about food, in fact I don't want to. I like that I love food, I like that I get such pleasure and enjoyment from food, I just need to retrain my brain and tummy about what foods to get excited about.

I find myself shovelling my food down if I'm feeling guilty about it, kind of if I get rid of it quickly then it won't have happened. What I try and do now is carefully portion my meals telling myself that it is ok to eat all this food. I then eat the different foods in order e.g eat the veg first, then the bread, then the main dish, between each section I take a little break, have a drink and then continue. My OH says I shouldn't eat like this as it makes eating into a ritual and I'm sure some people would agree but it helps me not to scarf it all down in 30 seconds and I feel in control.

You hit the nail on the head with me here. I was just talking to OH this morning about how I use food as my entertainment source. I've had a really bad weekend (to be fair, the only time I've properly fallen off the wagon since I started SW 2 months ago) and it really made me realise that I use food as the way to enjoy myself. For example, we went to the cinema on Saturday...I decided that the only way to 'enjoy' myself properly would be to have a mcdonald's beforehand, followed by chocolate in the cinema, and another takeaway to finish off. Sunday we went to a country park...our visit was structured by 'going to the cafe halfway round for an icecream'. It's a major issue of mine which I really need to address!

 

[mrsthunderbolt]

I'm obsessed with food, that's how I got to almost 22 stone!

I've just had a wobbly morning & stuffed down chocolate, crisps & a krispy kreme after managing to resist them for 2 days!

 

[LisaC]

I used to be obssessed with different diets, the best/quickest way to lose weight etc & therefore rubbish or diet food was often on mind. Since starting SW in April 2009 I think & talk about food all the time! I talk about SW a lot at work which means I then talk about meal plans etc. I would say I have a slightly unhealthy relationship with food as sometimes I just can't stick to plan & when I fall off I fall hard, even if it's for a day I'll eat & eat, feel awful, but do it again at a later date. SW has changed my attitude to food a lot, but some old habits are always in the back of my mind.

Years ago I read Paul McKenna's I Can Make You Think & it REALLY helped! It encouraged to concentrate on your food when you're eating it, not chew it "so many times" - I can't be doing with all that! But if you focus on your food you enjoy it more & notice what & how much you've eaten. It also suggests to put your fork down between mouthfuls, I do this which means I eat much slower. It really lets your body concentrate on taking the food in. I hate the thought of spending 45 minutes cooking a meal & eating it in 10 minutes. I love SW meals & like to enjoy them so taking my time is now important to me. I don't leave food on my plate, to me that doesn't help or make me "think" I've eaten less, SW isn't about that. I just stop if I'm full, but usually I cook the right amount.

 

[lardylady]

I'm completely obsessed by food. My OH cooked a lovely syn free mushroom stroganoff for dinner last night, and while we were eating it, I asked him what he was cooking for dinner tonight! I like nothing more than to read a Pizza Hut menu like a book, imagining I could have anything I wanted. It's bonkers. I've just got accept that I've been like this for 45 years, so it ain't going to change!

 

[Bernadette and mum]

I used to be obssessed with different diets, the best/quickest way to lose weight etc & therefore rubbish or diet food was often on mind. Since starting SW in April 2009 I think & talk about food all the time! I talk about SW a lot at work which means I then talk about meal plans etc. I would say I have a slightly unhealthy relationship with food as sometimes I just can't stick to plan & when I fall off I fall hard, even if it's for a day I'll eat & eat, feel awful, but do it again at a later date. SW has changed my attitude to food a lot, but some old habits are always in the back of my mind.

Years ago I read Paul McKenna's I Can Make You Think & it REALLY helped! It encouraged to concentrate on your food when you're eating it, not chew it "so many times" - I can't be doing with all that! But if you focus on your food you enjoy it more & notice what & how much you've eaten. It also suggests to put your fork down between mouthfuls, I do this which means I eat much slower. It really lets your body concentrate on taking the food in. I hate the thought of spending 45 minutes cooking a meal & eating it in 10 minutes. I love SW meals & like to enjoy them so taking my time is now important to me. I don't leave food on my plate, to me that doesn't help or make me "think" I've eaten less, SW isn't about that. I just stop if I'm full, but usually I cook the right amount.

I tried Paul McKenna's but unfortunately it didn't have any affect on me at all. I can relate to almost every post here, feels good to know I'm not alone!

 

[LisaC]

I tried Paul McKenna's but unfortunately it didn't have any affect on me at all. I can relate to almost every post here, feels good to know I'm not alone!

It didn't help me lose any weight (he never made me thin!!) but it definitely helped me concentrate on eating & eat slower. If you do that you realise how much you've eaten, when you're full etc so you're less inclined to eat more/dessert straight after. It's all in the mind I think

 

[Mirrakel]

I wake up and think what to have for breakfast and start planning my tea.

I eat for comfort, celebration, commiseration, sadness, you name the emotion I can eat for it. Theres never a time I go off my food except if I'm ill! And I HATE leaving any of it on my plate! What a waste!

I love food but I also hate it, it carries a lot of guilt for me. Its not like you can stop eating altogether so its a very hard thing to control.

 

[LisaC]

I wake up and think what to have for breakfast and start planning my tea.

I eat for comfort, celebration, commiseration, sadness, you name the emotion I can eat for it. Theres never a time I go off my food except if I'm ill! And I HATE leaving any of it on my plate! What a waste!

I love food but I also hate it, it carries a lot of guilt for me. Its not like you can stop eating altogether so its a very hard thing to control.

I can relate to everything you said!