What IS food to you??

    I was thinkin'  about food today.......(no ****me ...really?)  My SIL asked me  "how many eggs do you eat every day?"  I said "two"  She said ..."you kinda eat the same stuff all the time!"  I said..... "yeah....I guess I do!"  I told her ....."food is just fuel/nutrition for my body....now"  I no longer look at food as entertainment, sport, medication, or my "naughty"  little mistress!
    I know/knew  several "naturally" thin people, who had similar behavior.  They don't "obsess" over food.....it is something they  "need" to survive! They ONLY eat when hungry! (what!) They don't care about the taste, smell, variety,  quantities etc. of food.....doesn't interest them.  They would never watch the "food network" or cooking shows....not interested.  Many of them DO NOT COOK!  not interested. They don't own dozens of cookbooks.  they don't sit around talking about food (during meals....no less!)  Speaking for myself......I was "into" ALL of this stuff........pre-op......  now..... not so much.   I still "obsess" over food but in a different way......I want to know the "stats",    I want to be "prepared" with "my" food for work and such.   Don't get me wrong.....I still enjoy food, cooking,  etc.  just not on my mind and lips (literally)  24/7 ! 
     I am slowly retraining my brain to think differently, (cognitive therapy....anyone?)  I really feel THIS is the key to lifelong success!  I feel it is 25% physiology and 75% psychology.  What about you......how important is food to you now?  are you "obsessed, or not so much!  What are the differences you have noticed pre/post op? (if any!)  Please share!  

on a side note: at some of my WLS support groups  many pre, and post-ops talk about food ALL....THE....TIME!   "how delish!  this new recipe is"  and "have you been to (blank) restaurant?"  blah,  blah,  blah!   I sometimes want to yell "PEOPLE WE ARE AT A WLS SUPPORT GROUP!  REMEMBER?  STFU!"   and change the subject!   Maybe I'm just becoming a "food Nazi"  I just get frustrated cause I feel it sometimes "derails" our purpose   Rant over.......! 

BTW:  Happy Valentine's Day!   If anyone starts talking about chocolate......I'm zipping up the jackboots and marching over there!   

I tend to eat the same stuff in my breathing in and out regular days for 90% of the days of the life, food is fuel. 

For me, there is still room for food to be a gift in the time of grief, or an excuse (because its not the *reason* its a socially acceptable excuse*) for folks to gather, joy eating is still a part of my life, special food for special times, but it really is special food for special times.  Not all the time, whatever I want, et cetera. I am a foodie.  I enjoy cooking, sharing, and eating.  Something about chopping and simmering is soothing to me.  I am a Southn'r. I enjoy cooking, sharing, and eating, of course, I am glad to cook, share, and eat nutritive meals just as much as the non, and tend to lean towards more nutritive now than before (where before pasta was/is just cheaper to make ****pots of, ya know?)

But those things are not the same as the person who ate massive amounts of non nutritive food, and had stashes of wrappers hidden places.  That is different from the person who could make fella a big batch of whippy taters for lunch and have a stress crazed day and before that day was over have to make him another batch of whippy taters, or replace foods that I had eaten.

I guess for so many of my "diets" food was such a hotpoint, I left myself out of a lot because I was always on some diet or another.  Now its not as big a deal for me.  The whole blocking stuff in and out from 10 Thin Commandments has helped me to see what my boundaries ought to be, and realize that for me there is room for special food at special times, not everything has to be super nutritive all the time, and I can still be a part of my foodly cultural heritage.

Just this time, I am the boss of my piehole!  Not the other way around!

I do understand your point thought, especially at the support group, you only have so much time to fit in so much information, and food you can talk about any time! 

Whippy taters, HAHAHAHAHA!!!  You crack me up, BW :-)
--Dorothy

well for me i still love food and cooking, but i have changed my outlook on food.

I gave up going to fast food restaurants altogether and if i go somewhere that serves fries i dont eat them.
I will have  fork full of mashed potatoes at some places but not all the time

I  will still enjoy special occassions like christmas and other functions because they are part of life but then i am well aware that if i gain i will need to get back ontrack and get the weight off again.

but in general im enjoying adding alot of berries and veges to my diet and dont eat pasta or rice, i will eat the occassional bread on a sandwhich if im out but i dont have bread at home.

so for me its been about changing alot of my habbits and the kind of foods i eat, but i think i will always be a food lover that part of me did not leave...

as for valentines day i got a huge bear and 2 boxes of no sugar added hot choc... 60 calories a cup LOL.
(he tried)

I was a foodie by every definition, and still I am, always will be. But, I have a different relationship with food. It is fuel and nutrition, and I have a deeper appreciation for food and how it makes my body feel.

I never really ate my emotions or stress. I just damn near loved food. I am intrigued by different prep methods, flavor profiles, and tweaking recipes to make them healthier for me.

I own 30 plus cookbooks, have nearly 400 recipes saved in my online recipe box, and have tried 90% of them. I believe I will always love food. I just have a different thought-process on eating, and what I put in my body.

I now look for the best option not only nutritionally, but what is going to make me feel good physically and mentally. When I eat good, I feel good. I have lost all desire to eat huge portions so it is very liberating to not scour the menu at a restaurant for the largest, most-filling meal that would give me the biggest portion. I get to eat whatever I am loving at the moment, and typically have leftovers for another meal or two. It's just not about the quantity anymore. Quality definitely has taken a priority in my little world.

I still talk about food. I still find pure joy in my family and friends loving, and complimenting me on whatever it is I have conjured up for that meal/event. I guess it's just different now. I'm pretty type A, and I need to feel that control, but I do not want to be obsessive. It's a real catch 22 for me. I was an "all or nothing" type during my losing phase. Now, I'm still following most of the rules, and I do see a bounce around on the scale. I really had to let it go because I can not obsess. It's not mentally healthy for me to obsess over weighing 130lbs. Really, I would freak if the scale hit 129.5lbs, and then go right back to basics and drop 4-5lbs in a week. That is NOT healthy, that is what I did pre-op so I had to let go, and really focus on nutrition, how I felt, and realize that I have certain triggers that do set me up for regain even if I follow the rules "most" of the time. There's a tiny little part of me that just doesn't care anymore, and then there is an even smaller part of me that falls into a tailspin of "oh **** I hit 130lbs". I now feel 100% in control. Food is in the backseat at this point, and I'm in the driver seat. Sometimes I hear the whispers from the backseat, and other times I can completely ignore it.

I'm still learning, and adjusting to this new life. But, for me, food is just important to me as breathing. I do not think it will ever be a "blah" thing for me. I just have to continue on the same path, and recognize behaviors, emotions, and my thought-process on each meal. In my head, it's just simple, and logical. It's a choice, and today I choose to still love food.

My "love" button seems to be missing Tiff.. so I just have to tell you I love your response. I was going to post a reply, but I actually think you covered it all. I heart you!

I heart you too ! ! ! I wish the military would magically put us closer together. It's difficult enough for just one branch of the military to cooperate, let alone 2 different branches, but a girl can dream, right? ? ?

Ha ha! Not so far off really.. everywhere we have been stationed so far has been associated with an air force base, lol.. My hubby is active reserve and works with the Marine Air Wing.. so it could happen someday! Here is to the power of powerful thinking!

Like i said...I still enjoy food ,cooking, etc.  It is just not on the top of my "to do"  list now on a daily basis.....like before!  I  think it is a gradual process to "reacquaint'  myself with food, but I'm learnin' MOST important I am doing it "willingly".......not kicking, and screaming!  BTW...... Brandi......I too,       employ the 90% rule as I often post......... it is normal to eat "off plan" on occasion!    All or nothing does NOT work!

I can tell why all of you are doing so well -- you have an intelligent well-thought-out plan and are able to verbalize it brilliantly!  I love this board :-)
--Dorothy