Eating Real Food

[Gioia33]

Though fat since the age of 18, I've always had this "quiet knowing", as I call it, that my weight was a reflection of my inability to balance my physical body, emotions and spirit. Now, almost 2 decades later, I'm coming to terms with my reasons for having gained so much weight, primarily my unwillingness to feel my emotions, which I chose to "stuff" down with food. Needless to say, this "awakening" has been an incredible evolution! While I know it's trendy and convenient -- and very American, I might add -- to consume a lot of prepackaged foods, I have always been drawn to the nourishment & comfort of, what I call, "real food". Even though I've overindulged in many sugary foods and eaten a lot of processed carbs over the years, I have also eaten healthy foods - lean meats -- and higher fat cuts of meat, organic dairy, and loads of veggies, which I love! I think the restructuring of points on the current Weight Watchers Plus program is awesome, and I plan to use those points by consuming a higher protein, fat and reduced carb diet, and mostly "real food". I'm curious, are there any other WWs out there doing the same? If so, what are your favorite meals and snacks? And how is your weight loss coming along?

[Super Bowl XLI]

Gioia33 - congrats for figuring it out! It took me almost 44 years to figure it out!

Related to your post, you might enjoy How to Eat - Diet secrets from Michael Pollan

Rule #19 is one that's right in line with what you're saying

[slenderella]

After 35 years of binge eating, like you I am noticing that I am eating far less processed food since I started doing WW nine weeks ago. What is most interesting to me is that my old habits are rather easily being replaced by healthier ones. Even this morning during my weekly trip to the grocery store, I realized that I used to spend most of my time choosing cookies and candy, and now I spend that time choosing yummy fruit. I miss my old favorites, but they were a pseudo pleasure and have held me back from dealing with my emotions since I was a 13 year old.
Now at 51, finally put on my big girl panties and am nobody's victim and am doing GREAT!

regards, Sue 173/158/148

[Quinny]

I am not sure if any of you have seen the documentary "Fat Head" but this basically supports the exact way that you are eating. (It is an amusing knock on the documentary Supersize Me.) If you want to watch the documenatry you can watch it for free on hulu.com. Netflix also has it if you have a subscritption. I watched it in March and have adjusted my diet similarly since them. I have lost 8lbs this way. It is not coming off by leaps and bounds but is coming off in a nice manner and I am not hungry all the time like I was when I ate a much higher carb/prepackaged food diet with Lena Cuisines, etc. I also have found that I am able to distinguish between emotional and true hunger by eating this way since I am not walking around hungry all the time and cant tell which is which. Yes, I think the new points program focuses more on the macronutrients in food which leans us this way. I do however think fruit consumption cant be unlimited. I limit my fruits to 1-2 per day.

[slenderella]

Quinny I couldn't agree with you more about the fruit consumption. Sure, it's better to eat a banana than a banana cream pie, but
fruits have calories and a ton of sugar in them.
I like the points plus system in general, but I found that from the very first week I was making various adjustments, like I don't eat my extra weekly points, ever. I realize that not everyone needs this restriction but for me it is helping. The 29 points I get each day provide more than enough for me to be satisfied each day. As a recovering binge eater of 35 years, it's hard for me to maintain a philosophy of
a food being "unlimited", especially when I'm trying to lose weight.

regards, Sue 173/158/148