Sarah1950's Journal, 07 December 2019

First, I have to say some people can have a bit of “bad” or sugar food and by counting calories can still maintain their weight.... Most people want to lose ........some want to gain ......and how we reach the end is a personal journey ....lots of different ways to achieve the goal....And we are on this site to share our story and add support to each other I think people that join this site are serious about losing weight. we all have a different path........sometimes it’s just impossible on stay on track for whatever reason....... but we are here to help each other..... I don’t see how looking at food whether it’s a piece of cake, pie, or chocolate send you out to get some. it’s life, it’s out there We have to have the control to just say no......... and every once in a while it’s ok to have the forbidden ..... 

You don’t have to be in maintenance to enjoy those foods. Mindfulness, moderation, active lifestyle is what most of us are going for. If your sole purpose is dieting by forbidding foods (even in the early stages) then there is a high probability you will drop then be right back where you are in months. Most of us know because most of us have been there. I’ve learned that I can enjoy what I want by being much more active and keeping calories in check based on that activity level. Facts really are that those food posts are by people in every stage of weight loss and they feel zero guilt and that is what matters. Food is not some sort enemy needing to be defeated or hidden away as some sort of dirty secret. It’s just food. Plain and simple. It has no feelings, no ulterior motive to make one gain weight. The posters are simply sharing the knowledge that you can indulge (without overindulging) while still being mindful and successful. I did give up chips (at one point) but that was a personal choice and I wouldn’t be bothered by pictures of chips. I have realized I’m not triggered by a food. 

And the only unhealthy food are the ones where you overdo or feel ashamed about eating. 🤷🏻‍♀️ And those are mental health issues not food issues. Sorry, I’m short and needed my soapbox. Lol. Nah, it’s all just my honest opinion. 😊 

I haven't posted my "bad" food pics but I JUST started my journey. It was my curiosity to see how many empty calories I was digesting and drinking. 💁 Knowing it was extremely unhealthy I turned on my awareness in what I am now eating. I still have Dr Pepper n sugary drinks in the fridge but I have a family. I have to adjust my mindset. I'm a work in progress 💁 best luck on how to adjust to seeing things and being able to have self control. as far as seeing pizza, several of my calorie deficit friends use cauliflower or egg plants as the pizza crust. use homemade heathy sauce and low sodium turkey pepperoni... others use alternative baking tools/ methods to have healthier peanut butter cookies etc flax seeds instead of eggs or almond flour due to other health issues. Low fodmap conscious or celiac disease 💁 

It is a very legitimate question that I respect. I just posted a picture of homemade pizza my family had last night. This year I lost 45 pounds by calorie counting and working out. I knew if I wanted to maintain my loss I would need to lose weight the same way I would intend to eat the rest of my life. I plan to eat pizza for the rest of my life and cookies and cake... But I must do it with control and balance. We post yummy special food because yummy special food is part of life. I don't want to post the cabagge and broiled chicken in my life. Perhaps we should, but if we can't learn to eat in moderation the delightful food all around us, most of us will be back up 20, 30, 50... 100 pounds after we stop "dieting."  

I agree with you one hundred percent, Sarah. 

the problem with dieting is you confuse food choice with weight loss. and it really has nothing to do with weight loss. You can gain a hundred pounds on "diet food" and lose a hundred and fifty (if you are big enough) on a diet of bacon and eggs for instance. if you can't eat one donut, that sounds like disordered eating.  

My response is same as Itsy and same as on other post. There was a time when I would say- I can't eat anything that tastes too good or was "bad" because I would lose control. I realized after 44 years- I didn't lose control and having it and/or knowing I can have it- helps me easily maintain a weight loss. No need to lose control when you can eat it again tomorrow- Guess what, fatty? It's still there. Take your time and enjoy it. Don't eat the whole bag of chips because you feel bad and shouldn't have and you have to "restart" tomorrow and you don't want to restart because it is so restrictive and not enjoyable food so you binge and binge to make the most out of it before you go back to skinless chicken breasts and broccoli. Now I eat the chips when I want and fit it in to my allotted calories for the day. Good luck to you!  

Sometimes I just snap a pic so I can remember every single bit that I ate to log it later, especially if I went out. You'll notice that most of my food pics are in my log, not my journal. That said, if something is beautiful, why not share, especially if there is a healthy component such as balance in all things? This site is about sharing experiences, not just logging your food. Some people want to lose, some want to maintain, some want to gain. I'm focusing on improving my overall fitness so I can do the things I want in life for a long time, not necessarily focused on the number on the scale, so that might not fit someone's else's definition of a "diet site" but it fits my use of the app just fine. 

Jsagen, no one is saying people can't eat one donut or as many as they want, for that matter but it's entirely unnecessary for them to post pictures of their crap, unhealthy foods to a health-eating based website. I agree with Sarah... there's no good reason for posting that garbage. 

Wow. Judgmental much?  

rokr6378, this is a calorie, weight, or macro measuring app. It is a place we encourage one another in growth and accomplishment. It is a beautiful place with people trying to be understanding of someone's journey even if it doesn't look just like yours.  

To those taking offense at pics of food that you consider "junk, unhealthy, and garbage" consider changing your feed settings to "me" or "following". It will allow you to narrow your views to only those you agree with and make this a much safer virtual world with only people who share your viewpoint. 

I agree with everyone’s comments below except for one. We are using the site as intended by posting what we eat. 🤷🏻‍♀️ 

Sarah, I also learned that if you set what you browse to following you end up seeing more of the people you follow... you can avoid seeing some of the “naughty foods”. Though I noticed some do get through the filter... 

What Princess said - yep. I over answered this question on Ema's post so I won't repeat except for ME, I've finally learned (and it has been a very hard lesson learned) it's not 'what' I eat, it's how much. Eating a salad as large as a kitchen sink is just as unhealthy as eating a pint of ice cream. And I often see several massive salads posted here that probably contain more calories than a slice of cake when the dressing, cheese, and croutons are added up. I love the photos of beautifully plated food because it has helped me think more about the food, the nutrition, satiation and yes, pleasure compared to just shoving my hand into a bag or bucket.  

I photograph my food, whether it is a salad or a brownie. Portion control is something to be proud of and it’s not easy for me to always do. 

I hear you. Definitely use the Settings to curate your feed for maximum inspiration. For me, I like seeing the "naughty foods" because part of my health journey is to try to cultivate a positive, upbeat relationship to food and that includes things I'm choosing not to eat but still celebrating. So, like I don't eat meat, but I still like people's meat-based pictures because they are excited about them. Same with desserts, etc. 

I'm pretty new to fatsecret but not to "dieting" I love seeing ALL the foods. It's a reminder to me that I get to choose what and how much I want to eat. Restricting my foods caused me to yoyo for way too many years. I strictly count calories so if I really want something I fit it in. I'm losing slowly but I'm never overly hungry and I'm satisfied with the foods I eat. There was a time that food pictures triggered me but it was when I was restricting groups of foods. Maybe if it bothers you it's more about how you eat.... in which case maybe just zip by he food pics.  

Kay, I like the accountability idea there ~ awesome!