What's Your Food Philosophy: Abstain Forever Or Eat In Moderation?

[BLERDgirl 6,417]

I eat whatever I want. However when I started on my journey to better health nearly 4 years ago, I changed the way I eat. So while I eat whatever I want, my wants have changed. Friday I was at a family event and ate a mini crème brûlée. Is that an every day thing? No, not even close, but as an occasion treat I don't have a problem with it and it doesn't trigger me to overeat. There are foods I'll never have again like soda. I practice 'clean" eating so I eat pretty much whole foods, no artificial sweeteners or artificial dyes. For me it's about a lifestyle that I can live with with. I'm done dieting.

[Kindle 8,667]

I eat anything and everything in moderation....nothing is off limits. Lost 115% of my excess weight and maintaining easily. I did not have surgery to be on a diet the rest of my life.

[LipstickLady 25,682]

I'm only 6 months out and I've learned that there is no generally "right" answer. We are all on different journeys and everyone's path to success is going to look a little different as well.

You need to make your choices on what your body can physically handle and what you can mentally handle. Your choices may possibly determine how quickly you get to goal or if you even GET to goal.

I chose sleeve over bypass because I didn't want to be as restricted as I believed bypass to be. I wanted to be able to eat sweets in moderation, but sweets aren't a trigger for me. I didn't get fat eating cake and so a few bites don't make me crave more.

On the other hand, I cannot have open bags of chips in the house. I will eat them. All of them. And lick the bag. And then buy more. It's bad. Instead I buy individual serving sizes of chips for the kids because I am too cheap to touch them. I don't know what it is, but having an open bag is a siren call for me and I cannot tear my thoughts away from them until they are gone. I am also staying away from nuts for awhile. Yes, they are healthy and a great snack and I fooled myself into believing I could measure out a portion and eat just that, but I can't. I dip into the can before and after measuring and when I am done with my allotment, I get "just one more" multiple times. I can, on the other hand, stop at the grocery store and buy a small baggie or an individual serving from the bulk aisle and be fine with just those. I am choosing not to for now, though.

My long winded answer to your question? There is no answer for all, there is an answer for YOU, you just have to find it. Don't be surprised if that answer changes on a regular basis. Mine has many times and I am sure it will change again.

For me, moderation works until it stops working.

This was my original answer and here is my answer 20 months out.

Moderation is MY answer. I like being able to eat anything I want and my restriction keeps me from eating too much of anything. I have grown a sweet tooth since surgery which is weird, but a few bites is enough. More than a few and I will have poop Soup the next day, for sure.

I no longer crave chips and I can eat just a portion of nuts if I buy a whole can. When I do have a few chips, a few is more than enough. I don't love them any more. I get full quickly from almonds or peanuts.

I can't eat bread, rice or Pasta. A bite or two is OK but then I have zero room for anything else and I feel like crap. I

can eat 1/4 of a panini if it's very crispy/toasted but more than that makes me foam/vomit.

I let my restriction be my guide and I make great choices 80% of the time. I make good choices 10% of the time and the rest is utter crap. Fortunately 10% of 1/2 cup doesn't hurt me much.

[MichiganChic 3,262]

@@Folly since you asked, I did answer this a year ago, and I went back and read my answer, and all of it is still true today. I don't do the same thing everyday, it just depends on what's going on.