i was so excited and then i feel let down

Alot of my best memories revolve around food! i know thats probably not the best thing but it seems like everything does..... Going out to eat with friends .....thanksgiving with my family ...... hanging out and just snacking and stuff.. what made it good was being with those people and laughing but the food we ate at the time brings back memorys and i miss that . and i was hoping when iam done losing weight and get to maintain  that i would be able to eat more of that kind of stuff.. Not bad by any means . But just have a bigger Calorie Alotment so that i could have room for the things i used to love. I wasnt a junk eater anyway i just ate ALOT and didnt realise it. But      is there any hope for this? or is this like a Life time thing that i wont ever be able to go back to?

Wow, I am having the same thoughts.  Its just that while dieting, I kind of lose my like for food.  I hate to say it, but food almost becomes an "enemy" of sorts.  So when people talk about cheat days and stuff, I can't even imagine doing that.  I won't be able to enjoy that food since I know that the next day I have to get up and get back to my diet.  I am hoping that when I do reach my goal, I get some of the joy of eating back.  We'll see how it goes.  I think we should just get there, and then experiment.  I think everything can be had in moderation - we just have to change the attitude.

However, I have also gained appreciation for good for you food.  Eating good food makes you feel good and I will continue doing that.  When you diet, you have to choose the most nutrient dense foods b/c you have a limited calorie intake.  This makes you realize how different food effects your energy and mood.  I limit my sugar, so when I have it these days, it doesn't make me feel that good.

So True. i love Food though. But i still think of it as an my worst nightmare yet i love it lol. I agree with the moderation thing. so maybe we can have our Lives back . For instance i was talking to my mom tonight about how much i Used to LOVE Spagetti .. Now i dont even want it near me because i will want it and get in a bad mood because i put it off limits. BUT when i get to maintaining i think i will go back to having it but with better choices.. like Wheat Noodles and stuff.. Which Wheat noodles to me taste the same but its just a minor Change that makes a HUGE difference.. you know?  But i appriciate Food alot more and i even think i want to be a chef of some sort or have a Cooking show. which would be AWESOME but . yeah  . i hope someone else responds =]

I eat spaghetti once a week, which I also did while I was losing weight.

I eat french fries once a week, which I also did while I was losing weight.

There are very few things that I gave up completely, like hershey bars and entemmans cake. Frankly I don't miss them. 

MMM entemmans, my family and I used to eat a whole raspberry strudel back in the day (4 of us), mmm, what did you have to bring that up LOL. 

In terms of eating for example french fries, I know that I can eat them and still lose weight by adjusting my calories for that day, however, with a limited calorie intake, I would rather have something else more substantial.  I just can't enjoy the french fries, b/c I know they are setting me back, not moving me forward.  If that makes sense...?

It makes sense.

Sometimes I'll go weeks or months without eating them just so I enjoy them more when I do eat them. But when school is in session, I just finding myself eating them once a week or so.

Try dreamfields pasta. It's very high in fiber and tastes just like the regular!

I really enjoy the eating light way of life now but a lot of the extra food I allow myself now is treat food.

To be able to do this confidently and not be worried about gaining weight I still count calories.

It works better for me than eating all healthy.

That happened to me too!
I reached my maintain weight but was afraid to get fat again, so I kept on eating 1200 cals! Finally my mom (bless her) stepped in and after a few(many) fights and tears, she started introducing foods, other then veggies and tuna, into my diet.
At first I didn't enjoy food, I would pout if she made me eat bread, but today, my b-day, I finally ate a piece of cake and actually ENJOYEd it! And I haven't gained a pound.
I eat everything I used to eat,.pizza, cake, spaghetti, just smaller portions.