Do you eat what you want?

[shrubgreen]

Just wondering how many of you eat what you want, when you want on a regular basis - or if you tend to view food in terms of what you can/can't, should/shouldn't indulge in?

Was just wondering as I know so many people who have been on some sort of diet for most of their lives and wondering if anyone is really immune from this? Or do some people really not think twice about what they eat - I mean in terms of "guilt" and feeling like there's a right or wrong way to eat.

Yes I do. I eat when I'm hungry and what I fancy having. Generally this works for me and I don't overeat. If I want a chocolate bar, I have one. If I want a bag of crisps, I have one. But I find my body just balances things out - some days I'm less hungry and might only eat a kiwi for breakfast for example. I haven't gained any weight for a couple of years so I think it works for me.

I basically eat what I want except tend not to double carbs in one meal so if I wanted a big plate of chips with my burger I would forgo the bun, or if I wanted a nice brioche bun I would swap chips for salad, and I don’t do garlic bread with pasta dishes. Also eating out would do starter or pudding but not both. Other than those general rules, eat everything I want.

I've never been on a diet for even one day of my life. I'm a size 10.

Yes, I eat "what I want", but I think I'm wired in a way that means "what I want" is typically quite nutritious, unprocessed food in sensible portion sizes. I also don't really snack as standard - it just doesn't cross my mind.

So I love a takeaway curry on a Friday night and a croissant on a Saturday morning, and a big bag of Wine Gums on the sofa, but the rest of the week is good home cooked food - because that's "what I want".

If I'm on holiday or something, I'll say to myself "right, go absolutely nuts - eat and drink to your heart's desire", but 36 hours in I can't stand it and switch back to lighter eating.

I always eat what I want. However, my lack of self control has led to borderline obesity. I have a BMI of 29.3.

I'm another one who always eats what I want... I think it's important to stop when you're full and not try to finish what's on your plate "don't waste it" - I'd rather waste food than waste my healthy body!

I'm also a big believer in dietary fibre and that's my theory of why I stay slim - my theory is that our modern diets don't have half enough fibre, literally under half what we should be consuming. Fibre keeps you feeling full better than anything, and it also keeps things moving faster so you don't digest as much calories out of your food. I love fibre

also a big believer in dietary fibre and that's my theory of why I stay slim - my theory is that our modern diets don't have half enough fibre, literally under half what we should be consuming. Fibre keeps you feeling full better than anything, and it also keeps things moving faster so you don't digest as much calories out of your food. I love fibre

Completely agree with this. There’s lots of research going on at the moment about the role of fibre in sustaining a healthy microbiome, which in turn supports everything from your immune system to mental health. Eat fibre!

Naturally slim people eat what they want, but what they want is a lot smaller in size (even if calorific) than people who struggle with their weight. No-one can eat 4,000 calories a day and stay small - well, I guess technically you could if you ran for miles and miles everyday!

I used to. Up to my early 30s when my metabolism tanked and I was diagnosed with PCOS and hypothyroidism.

Now I eat mostly what I want but not entirely. I don’t diet at all and I don’t overly restrict myself but I don’t have as much of some foods as I’d like if there were no health considerations at all. For example I could easily eat the best part of a loaf of bread with thick butter but I don’t allow myself. I don’t buy biscuits as I could eat half a pack with a cup of tea no trouble. That kind of thing.

A majority of posters on here saying they eat what they want ....but.

nutritious, unprocessed food in sensible portion sizes.

eat what I want except tend not to double carbs in one meal so if I wanted a big plate of chips with my burger I would forgo the bun

I take “what I want” to mean “what I decide” rather than “every passing fancy”.

I eat what I want but I try to have mindful balance overall. I'd never deprive myself of a slice of cake but it wouldn't be every day. The next day I'd up the veg.

I eat what I want, but I try to eat what my body needs, too. I love the taste of cake and chips, but I know if that’s all I eat I’ll feel sluggish and sick, so I don’t do that!

I eat whatever I want. But I run a lot which keeps the weight off.
It also helps that I don't drink, and I don't want to eat a lot of crap fatty food

Nothing wrong with this but it suggests that those who can and do genuinely have no dietary restrictions are rare. What most people are doing is to recognise if you have no rules then you would just get fat.

I'm the same. I'm 64, never been on a diet, normal weight unchange since I was 21. However I have a few lifelong habits or rules that mean I stay the same weight. I don't eat snacks between meals so I go to a meal properly hungry. Rarely eat more than one course and choose starter rather than pudding. Apart from that there are no foods I would never eat. I love chocolate, ice cream, wine and crisps.

Do you think you're satisfied because you're eating good food so have less desire to overeat on less nutritious foods? And because you eat so well, that's what your body is craving? I do think the better you eat, over a period of a few weeks, the more your body seems to know what it needs. Unfortunately, I don't practice what I preach and I eat well for a few weeks, then I'll forget my lunch at work, for example, buy micro chips and microwave pizza then it all goes to pot again 😂

Yes I eat what I want most of the time. I'm a healthy weight but always have the idea of losing half a stone which I never quite manage. I'm trying to eat a bit better nutritionally at the moment for various reasons, but unfortunately find that if I eat more than a small amount of fibre, it really doesn't agree with me. Some days I eat more moderately than others.

Yes, but I also need 120g protein a day and a lot of carbs because I do triathlons/ultra running/weightlifting. My meals are pretty balanced eoth a lot of veg and I snack a lot throughout the day on both fruit and chocolate.

Like a few other posters I often have weekends or holidays where I tell myself I'll go mad and eat loads of whatever I feel like but after a day or so feel sluggish and my sleep quality and energy levels are affected. I have buckets of energy and know it's from what I put in my body so I obviously want to maintain that.

Yes, I eat a mixture of fast, junk, easy and uber healthy food. I'm healthy and very slim and toned from the gym. It seems to work for me

No- I have a long long history of eating disorders. Mainly bulimia and binge eating disorder.

I am now trying to 'eat like a normal person' and so I pay attention to portion sizes and nutrients. Today for example I knew I was low on dairy and fruit so I had a babybell with apple slices and some almonds as a snack. I actively search out something I know I have missed.

Generally yes I eat what i want but i don’t have a big appetite so normally eat 3 meals a day which are not big , drink lots of water and a couple of coffees plus walk easy 12 miles a week. I do have a car but just don’t use it as I prefer to walk the kids to school etc. I am 42 and a size 10. I drink alcohol at the weekend and eat some chocolate then.

Yes, I eat what I want. Except biscuits. I never eat biscuits because if I do I can’t stop. But anything else, McDonald’s, sweets, chocolate, sure. I eat chocolate every single day which isn’t good for me, I know. But I have 3 healthy meals a day 80% of the time I’d say.

God no

I love food. I love cheese, carbs, pizza, pasta cake, bread. Big fat bacon butties with proper butter, thick white bread and brown sauce. Fish and chips. Curry. Kebab and chips. Wine. And beer.. love a good pint or 3

My life is continual deprivation and I hate it

Our meals are home cooked though with veg etc, home made soup, baked potatoes etc so pretty ok health wise

I eat what I want and am healthy and slim. I'm not that food motivated though in general. I eat when I'm hungry and that's about it. I don't tend to eat big meals either, something about a lot of food on a plate males me go off it, I'm much more of a snacker, will eat something small when I feel hungry then something small when I feel hungry again etc

I eat what I want. Never thought about any foods being restrictive or bad. It’s the luck of the draw, isn’t it? I’ve always been thin. My mum is naturally very skinny, so I i never saw her diet or restrict.

I’ve never dieted, eat what I want when I want, I’d say I have a relatively balanced diet, food is food nothing is healthy / unhealthy, it’s just food!

I have eaten what I want all my life, except for the time I was breast feeding my dc with multiple food allergies, that I had to give up dairy/egg/wheat for nearly 2 years. I found it it was kind of easy, and also hard. It's hard t explain.

I eat what I want, but I don't have snack, normally. It's not because I feel guilty, just because we don't have it at home. If I made a cake, I'd eat it. If I have chocolate at home, I'd eat it. But we don't normally have it, so I have no temptations. We have plenty of free from chocolate/cookies/ice cream/dessert for my dc, but not the regular stuff.

I once got into a habit of buying cake every time I went shopping. It lasted for months. And I thought It wasn't doing me any good, so I stopped. It was easy.
I just wanted to get back into my size 8 jeans. So, it's all about what you want?

I had bacon and egg sandwich with cheese this morning. But I didn't have anything during the day, until dinner, which was chicken curry. I don't limit myself, for what eat, but I just don't eat crap just for the sake of eating it.

I eat what I want. But my tastes have changed as I’ve grown older, and my appetite has shrunk. I also can’t eat fried food anymore without farting and burping, I NEED caffeine to feel normal and red meat doesn’t agree with me so well.

So, yes but what I want has changed.

I eat what I want but then I cycle everywhere. Happy size 12

I was going to say yes, but it wouldn't be entirely true. Firstly, because I'm not the bottomless pit I used to be when I was younger and have to factor in a smaller appetite and accept that I'm a two-courses rather than three-courses-plus-cheese person nowadays. I envy the amount my young adult children can pack away! And secondly, if I ate as much as I wanted of the foods I find highly palatable in preference to the foods my educated brain knows I should eat I'd go short of a lot of essential nutrients so I'm making conscious choices there. I don't count calories or avoid any particular food.