Is it okay to love food?

I hope this is the right forum for this topic. I was wondering what you all think.

I really do love food. I like cooking it, baking it, serving it. I do live to eat, (that's not the only reason I live, of course, but it's one of them.) I view it as something more than just fuel for my body. 

Is that "okay?" What outlook do you have about this?

Some people find that thinking of food as fuel and fuel only lets them get into a headspace where they can control what they eat.  This will not work for everyone. 

 I have no problem loving food.  Well, I also love food.  I love tastes and sensations in my mouth.  The trick is to savor the food and not wolf it down, so the yummy wonderful things about food that make you love it so much are highlighted, and have smaller portions. 

I think it can work, and you are not a horrible person for loving food. 

Yes. yes it is. The thing which nourishes us should be a source of love and appreciation. Food helps keep us alive. We should love it and be thankful.

I feel the same way, but I see it as a double edged sword for people like myself with little or no self-control.  That's why I'm in the boat that I'm in  :-(  I will go one step further, even if it sounds awful, I love the actual act of eating.  The taste, textures, smells, the chewing/swallowing etc.  *shrug*  It's so hard to get over those things.  That's why I need to work so much harder.

  So I think what I'm saying is, if you have self control, yes it is ok to love food.

That's great! You're much better off loving food because you have to eat more to lose more. I love food too, and I love cooking and planning and all of that. What I've been learning is that really healthy food can be as good if not wayyy better than unhealthy food. The more I learn about nutrition, the more excited I get about eating the right stuff and trying new healthy recipies. I love food now more than ever and I've lost 11 pounds in the last 6 weeks. Now I hardly ever crave greasy crappy food and when I do eat it, it's never as good as I want it to be, which keeps me from eating it again. Food is so good, especially when it makes you feel good!

I also love food!  I actually love it more since changing my lifestyle.  I love looking for healthier choices and trying new recipes.  There are so many foods out there, the possibilities are endless.  Just because you're counting calories does not mean you have to eat boring, tasteless food everyday.  

Yes!

I'm a huuuuge foodie! I love food so very much. Picking out produce, trying new recipes, different kinds of cuisine.

Eating healthy doesn't have to be bland. You just have to adjust your thinking. For example, fresh herbs and ground spices add so much more flavor to a dish than lard or fat ever could. Some super foods, like sundried tomatos, or red onions, or peppers add so much flavor I don't miss the old alternatives -- cheese sauces, fried foods, white starches.

I like the challenge of making over a dish to make it healthy. And when making something not-so-healthy, I find alternatives. For example, instead of bacon, I'll have turkey bacon. Or if turkey bacon won't cut it, priscutto.

And something I've found is that when I go out and order something healthy with lots and lots of vegetables, people are jealous! But think about it, my salad might come and be full of colorful veggies, but their meal is brown or beige because it's just fried whatever.

So keep on loving your food!!! Foodie Pride!

Yes it's OK to love food!

I second the comment about learning to savour it and eat more slowly. It really helps me be aware of what I'm eating and get more enjoyment out of it, not to mention giving my body time to register that I've eaten enough.

Original Post by hgielrehtaeh:

And something I've found is that when I go out and order something healthy with lots and lots of vegetables, people are jealous! But think about it, my salad might come and be full of colorful veggies, but their meal is brown or beige because it's just fried whatever.

They are not jealous, they feel guilty. You make them feel fat. My gf hates when I order healthy. She gets mad at me for making her feel fat by being healthy. She has accused me of ruining her meal.

What do I want more… the 5 seconds of enjoyment that I will have while I chew this food, or the enjoyment of the fact that 24 hours of everyday, 7 days of every week, I will have the body that I want to have. That is what it comes down to really, and let me tell you... no food tastes as good as that feeling feels.

You can love food and still have a body you can be proud of. The key is moderation and not living in excess. 

That's where I find I have the most problems.  Not living in excess.  I'm really really trying to change that however.  I do notice that I get fuller faster now!  I would really like to do the five little meals over the course of the day but I never have the time.  It's just something that I MUST do.  I just wish it were easier  But everyone is absolutely correct.  Having been thin at one time, that feeling of putting on pretty clothes and so forth really is worth more than that extra bite.  Just try telling me that when I have somethig scrumptious in front of me. LOL it's like a little switch has been turned off.

I love food and I love to cook.  The trick is to modify the way you cook. to make healtheir choices, and to learn portion control.  I think of it as exchanging bad habits for good ones.  It takes about 3 months to make a new, better habit permanant.  For instance, I began weighing my pasta portions before cooking.  The old habit was to take second helpings.  The new habit is to enjoy 2 ounces, dry weight, of pasta and not eat more than that.  You know what?  Now I can't eat more than that!  So it's a habit for life and I didn't have to give up pasta.

Many wonderful tastes have no calories to speak of - fresh herbs, spices, fresh, green, leafy vegetables, to name just a few.

Enjoy every healthy bite!!!

I love food too.  Cooking and baking are hobbies for me, and I especially love the challenge of making previously unhealthy things more healthy.  You can totally love food and still enjoy it in moderation. 

Original Post by tommy21pmp:

Original Post by hgielrehtaeh:

And something I've found is that when I go out and order something healthy with lots and lots of vegetables, people are jealous! But think about it, my salad might come and be full of colorful veggies, but their meal is brown or beige because it's just fried whatever.

They are not jealous, they feel guilty. You make them feel fat. My gf hates when I order healthy. She gets mad at me for making her feel fat by being healthy. She has accused me of ruining her meal.

Nah, most of the time, when I order something healthy out with friends or build my own salad at my work's salad bar, I can bet that I'll get at least one person tell me "That look so good!"

And also, I think your outlook on food is healthier than people who view food as if it's a bad thing.  We all need food to live, so we might as well enjoy it.

It's time to break up with your food!

"Food has a special place in my heart but we had to end our relationship. I let it get to close and it hurt me. Food and I are friends now, not lovers. We know our limits and our boundaries. It was hard! We spent so much time together and got to the point where we didn't even think about the mess we caused with the rest of our friends; Body, Heart, etc. We were really bad too! We would did fried, sugar coated, chocolate, butter, you name it we did it. Food and I are no longer lovers, we are just friends now. We get together from time to time and we'll do chicken, salad, low fat; nothing crazy like before. Even when Food is feeling fried or sugar coated, I don't give in and I don't let it come to my house. I don't love Food like I did before and I won't let myself love Food again. We still have a great time when we're together but it's different."

Many of you say how much you love food. Your argument is that it's ok to love your rice cakes, fat free yogurt, low fat homemade meals; in other words healthy food. If you think about it, what you really love is tasting. You love the sensation of favors on your tongue. This sensation is why people overeat. Your body doesn't need anymore food but you keep eating out of love for it. By loving it you are encouraging it. In order to control it you need to concentrate on not letting it get the best of you by suppressing your love for it.

All in all the relationship for food should not be love or hate but somewhere in between. Think of a doctor. They have to view patients as a machine as well as a person. Food should be enjoyable but also viewed as just fuel. So don't love it, just be friends with it.

In order to control it you need to concentrate on not letting it get the best of you by suppressing your love for it.

I can love my food and still be in control.

I think you're off the mark here, buddy....

Original Post by hgielrehtaeh:

In order to control it you need to concentrate on not letting it get the best of you by suppressing your love for it.

I can love my food and still be in control.

I think you're off the mark here, buddy....

There is more to this statement than that. You pulled it out of context. However we are all diffrent and what I do works for me and what you do works for you. I'm just offering my opinion which is what forums are for. Keep your goals in sight and stay healthy.

of course that's okay!!!

i love food too!  i think the key is jsut to keep it in moderation... food unfortunately some of them have drawbacks- like obesety, diabetes, heart disease, etc.  i think you should certainly enjoy your life and your food, but you won't be enjoying it much if 20 years (or however many) down the line your suffereing health ailments.  i think moderation is key. healthy cooking.  healthy snacks. etc. 

I also LOVE food but I find I appreciate it even more when it's healthy or I've prepared it myself.