Does anyone here eat normally? (Without rules applied to food)

[Falafellygood]

And by normally, I mean without any rules or restrictions. Just eat whatever you want, start when you're hungry, finish when you're full.
Nothing about low carb, too much fruit, not allowed bread or pasta, chocolate=bad and salad=good, no intermittent fasting, etc.

This isn't a criticism or to be goady, just genuinely curious, because so many people (on here and IRL) seem to have such extreme rules about eating.

So I'm just curious who here eats by following their own hunger/fullness cues and cravings? Not applying moral values to food and everything can be enjoyed.

@fulfina
Yes I totally agree with your comment on intuitive/ instinctive eating.....

with all the additives/chemicals put in processed foods,even humble foods such as bread etc....
Its hardly surprising so many people suffer from food allergies/vitamin/mineral deficiencies of some sort or other,
Plus the erosion of depleted soil through pesicides use etc.

Also western diet/eating lifestyle can bring on health disorders ect.

Its obviously a case of that ancient famous sage wisdom I have forgotten his name,i think he is connected to ancient medicine wisdom displines/philosophy.
.
."you are what you eat."

I have been pretty much eating what I want since lockdown, but I can't say it's doing me much good 😬

I eat well when it comes to meals, I cook dinner from scratch every day, have porridge for breakfast, sandwich for lunch etc, but I'm a sucker for a sweet treat. DD is a keen baker so it's lethal...

No rules. Eat whatever I like when I like. Always been a size 6/ 8. I do only eat breakfast at weekends (because on weekends we have pastries/ pancakes and I prefer it to the quicker weekday options) . Life is far too short for policing food.

I try not to obsess too much about food, I’m active and a healthy BMI.

I like healthy food and cook hearty, mostly vegetarian meals from scratch. I don’t focus on food groups, but I know what is good for me and I produce well balanced, filling meals with lots of flavour.

However, I could quite also happily gorge daily on ice cream, cake, nachos and takeaways, but I self impose limits on these foods because I’d end up overweight. I’m not miserable about it though and don’t spend my days obsessing about it. I still eat them, just not as often and I might were weight and health not a factor.

I did when I was younger. Now I'm middle-aged just the sight of a piece of toast makes me fat.

Me too 😩

No. I can't. If I eat normally, I end up morbidly obese.

I eat what I want, when I want. Sometimes I'll have 3 meals a day but a big evening meal is as close to scheduled as I get. I live near a supermarket so I tend to buy whatever I fancy cooking that day because meal prepping didn't really work for me. For those asking, I'm 5'9 and 9.5 stone.

I ate normally as in without thinking about what I ate til I was in my mid to late thirties. It was ace! Always slim, always relatively fit (as I danced, walked etc). Two children, medication that makes people heavier and an older (menopausal) metabolism have put paid to my care-free ways and I've had to accept that if I ate 'normally' without a thought, and just what I fancied, I would be overweight, at the upper end.

So, for me, being carefree was wonderful but it was predicated on youth and a high metabolism. Now it isn't, I do have to be more conscious. I still eat three meals a day, plus a snack, but I have to think about things like how many treats I eat in a week (so 2-3 fine, everyday not fine) and not eating huge carb portions (otherwise the scales just go up again).

It doesn't take up a huge amount of energy as one poster suggested, it takes up less energy than stressing about being overweight and getting upset when you pass a mirror and trying to find clothes to 'hide' the expanding waistline. I also feel better moving more, doing more steps and not overeating. I wouldn't say I am on a drastic diet, but it's not as carefree as when I was younger.

Sort of, but I do have a daily calorie limit so I eat what I want and if I go over my 1400 limit, I stop or exercise them off the next day, this sounds like a rule but it isn't restrictive in the way some diets are. I'm a size 14 so not great but I have gained in lockdown due to less activity. I'm mid 40s.

I did when I was younger. Now I'm middle-aged just the sight of a piece of toast makes me fat. so true!

I do. Never been on any sort of diet or restriction in my 55 years. DH and DD's also eat everything and anything. It means we have a varied and healthy diet!

DH and I are both 25 BMI, so upper end, but neither "fat". All my relations were the same, and they all lived until they were 90+ so I won't worry about that too much .

I am very much of the school of eat what you want, when you want, don't eat if you don't feel like it. Try everything and anything, but never made DD's eat everything up, or indeed eat anything they didn't like.

The result has been two very slim DD's, who eat everything, and always have, even really quite unusual things, and when they were tiny.

What I have noticed is that we don't eat huge volumes of stuff. We always leave food, and particularly in restaurants find the portions enormous. So little, varied and often, seems to be our mantra.

I do. Bread makes me bloat, so i try to avoid. But not massively.

I'm heading towards mid 40s so may have to be more careful.

Never been on a diet, but am surrounded by people who are always on one or another. I am slimmer than my friends.

I don’t obsess over what I eat, but I do try to balance things out. So on a Monday I might have less food than Sunday, as I eat bigger meals on Sunday generally.
I am overweight, size 14/16, but feel fit and well. No major illnesses, cycle and walk a couple of times a week for a couple of hours each time. I’m 61, could be 2 stone lighter, but am not prepared to deprive myself of good food for it.

Did when I was young and was a constant slim size.
56 now and if I did the same I’d be overweight very quickly. Strict in the week and eat/drink what I fancy at weekends seems to work for me now.

I eat/drink whatever I fancy, love cheese and biscuits, double carbs etc not really got a sweet tooth though. If I feel hungry between meals I'll have whatever snack I fancy. I'll keep eating til im stuffed if something is extra tasty, but stop when full with fat to day things. I love creamy sauces with everything. My only real rule is to never buy anything low fat or diet where there is a full fat version available so butter instead of marg, full fat yogurt, sugar instead of sweetners. I mostly cook from scratch as it's nicer but happy to use convenience food on busy days. I'm in my 40's 5'8'' size 8-10 same as I've been all my adult life. I couldn't be any smaller due to my hip/shoulder size. Dc have big appetites and eat all the same things as me and are super skinny. Dd11 can still fit in to many things with a waist size for 7 year olds. We're pretty active but have lazy days too. We do eat lots of fruit and veg

I did for years unti middle age spread appeared!!! I've had to start fasting 3 times a week so that I can eat normally the other days! I dont want to be obese, or even skinny, just how I normally look, size 10.

I eat what I want when I want. Yesterday was curry for breakfast. Full English for lunch. Curry again for supper. Also had a snickers bar, a packet of toffee popcorn and a cheese and ham toastie. I’m 5”4 and no idea on weight, probably around 8.5 stone, size 8/10 and 40 this year.

If I’m not hungry I don’t eat and I think my body regulates itself pretty well that way.

Yes, I’m 57, size 10 for most of my life. Love food,eat well and if I fancy something I eat it. Never had scales in the house, no idea what I weigh. I’ve always been very active, run, weights, walk a lot. Also use a stand up desk for work.

My mum is the same and so is my daughter.

Yes I do OP. I love food, all kinds and know-how to cook. I also really like vegetables, but I don't have any rules at all, just eat what I feel like. Yes sometimes that is cake for breakfast, but it balances out.

It's Interesting that a lot of people who say they can / do eat "normally" seem to have grown up this way and avoid low fat versions / diet versions. Eg eat butter rather than margerine etc. And also seem to be the ones who eat less processed food. Obviously this isn't a representative sample.

I do think the habits you learn as a child are important. My mum never dieted and we always ate home cooked food. Never diet stuff in the house etc.

Shows that early learning of good food habits is so important for kids.

Most of the time.
I can generally do that and maintain my weight. Unfortunately over the last year I have gained but that's only due to lack of activity and probably a bit of boredom snacking.
So I may have to diet a little bit now, but when things back to normal I guess I'll just go back to how I was before.

If only. That is the dream.

do think the habits you learn as a child are important. My mum never dieted and we always ate home cooked food. Never diet stuff in the house etc.

Same.

@cracracatlady

If only. That is the dream.

Same!

@MerlinsButler

It's Interesting that a lot of people who say they can / do eat "normally" seem to have grown up this way and avoid low fat versions / diet versions. Eg eat butter rather than margerine etc. And also seem to be the ones who eat less processed food. Obviously this isn't a representative sample.

I do think the habits you learn as a child are important. My mum never dieted and we always ate home cooked food. Never diet stuff in the house etc.

Shows that early learning of good food habits is so important for kids.

Back when I was a kid sahms were common. Now most households need both parents working so time has become tricky. Then habits change. That has to be a factor also. There are ways around it, Batch cooking can help but some people don't want to spend precious family time tied to the cooker either and freezing and not everyone likes slow cookers.