Thinking Beyond Taste, Part 2

Since posting my "Thinking Beyond Taste" blog, I've continued to give this concept a lot of thought. In fact, I think of it every day - especially when I am going to eat. I question why I am eating - am I eating because I am actually hungry or because I want the *taste* of something? This thought process and awareness has been life changing for me.

What I have finally realized in the last few years is that losing weight is about so much more than just weighing less. I've completely reframed the entire process, and changed how I think about what I am doing. I realized that I had to stop focusing on trying to control my weight. Instead, I needed to focus on controlling my food and behaviors. By getting the food and behaviors under control - the things I truly have control over - then the weight will be under control as a result.

It's a point I try to make often because I want it to click for everyone reading this - you have no control over what that scale does on any given day - so don't let it bother you. Focus on what you CAN control - your food and behaviors.

Another way I've changed my thought process is that think about what I am doing, and think about when and why I choose the foods that I choose. I think that in order to be successful longterm, this self awareness is paramount. One of those specific thoughts was what helped me to eliminate most packaged food from my diet - I mentioned a while ago that when I decided to eliminate artificial foods and artificial ingredients, I did it by just changing how I viewed those foods. I began to look at those things for what they truly are: chemicals. They are NOT food, and therefore, I am not putting them into my body. That simple awareness and thought process has made it automatic and easy for me to resist those foods. I'm not even tempted by foods that haunted me for years! All because I've become repulsed by them. I don't even view them as food - they're *not* food. I finally see them for what they are - garbage that tastes good but has zero nutritional value. Because of that awareness, they have no power over me any longer.

I want to tell you about my good friend Meirav, who I have known for 10 years. She and I were always the "big, pretty girls" and our weight has fluctuated a lot since we've known each other, but we were always plus-sized (for lack of a better term). However, I am beyond proud of her because she has now lost close to 100 pounds!! I finally got to see the new her for the first time recently, and we were chatting about our revelations and how much better it feels to be healthy and in control of ourselves and our food, she said something to me that I thought summed it up so nicely: "Ice cream is good. But it's not THAT good."

I knew exactly what she meant. Yes, food is good. It tastes good. We enjoy the taste of food. But that doesn't mean we need to eat excessively. Just because food tastes good is no reason to let it rule our lives, or affect our lives negatively. I have given food far too much power over me for far too long. Why? Because I was eating for the wrong reasons. I was eating for taste. Not any more.

Since most of you do not know Meirav, here I am with her in 2007 -

And here she is today -


An absolutely amazing transformation (and seriously adorable photoshoot!). I'm so happy for her!

As for thinking beyond taste, I also use other strategies for how I think about food before I consume it - If I acknowledge to myself that I am not hungry and am going to eat something that I merely *want*, I know I am eating for taste. I remind myself that "If I eat it now, I will feel good for the brief time the item is in my mouth. If I do NOT eat it now, I will feel good for the rest of the day." That relatively simple concept and thought process works more often than not. I like to think that what I have done is switch the reward from the instant gratification of a taste to the instant and prolonged gratification of making the right choice.

I am not saying this is necessarily easy, but awareness is the first step, and it does get easier over time. If you think this is high level stuff, it kind of is. When I first started three years ago, I did not think this way and I would have told you that "I'm going to eat my Snickers and Lemonheads because I love them, and you can't stop me!" If that's where you are right now, I understand, I was there too for most of my life. And I'm not telling anyone not to eat something - you get to choose what you put in your body. I'm just asking you to think about *why* you're eating. If you are eating for taste, remind yourself that food's real purpose is to nourish your body. If you are eating for taste, and not because of hunger, consider what you are really looking for when you eat those things - it's more than likely emotional. Be aware of those moments and consider other (non food) responses. But think about it. Think beyond taste.



*and just tonight I found an envelope of photos titled "My Really Fat Pictures". The title does not lie. It was during my depressed/goth phase where I had long black hair and had not yet figured out how to groom my eyebrows *shudder* They are awful and I look horrendous. But I scanned them for an upcoming blog so I can embarrass myself publicly. I seriously can't even believe it's me!!!