So What Exactly Is "normal Eating?"

[Butterthebean 8,146]

I also want to add.....normal to me is being able to walk up a flight of stairs without seeing the faces of dead relatives. Not eating pizza whenever I want.

[Fiddleman 4,376]

Not sure what normal eating is. Typically, I eat when hungry which is more often than I care to admit. Or maybe I will admit it - every 2-3 hours. I do not think this is normal, but it is what my body wants. When I do get hungry. I go for 3-4 ounces of lean Protein. chicken teriyaki meat balls are good, but maybe it will be some turkey from the deli. I eat most veggies and some kind of protein 7-8 times a day. Protein in the morning is typically a whey shake and protein at bedtime is typically a very thick casein shake (60 g). Sometimes my snack will be 500 calories if it involves oatmeal mixed with a protein matrix of 50 g. I also eat Fiber where I can and good carbs (steel cut oats mixed with protein). This eating feels normal to me, but to some of you, it may seem like excess. Perhaps it is, but I am able to keep in my range of 5-10 lbs below mid range bmi eating like this. I don't eat salty where possible, fried, sugary (no desserts) or high glycemic (mostly no fruit, on occasion might have a few grapes). I only do dairy if it is part of my Protein Powder. It does not bother me I am not eating some types of food as a rule. My body seems content and pleased with protein and veggies. There are exceptions, but I try not to do it very often. For example, I ate Mexican out with my family a few nights ago and they were pushing tortilla chips my way. I decided to have 1 and 1 turned into too many. A moment of weakness. At least they were baked and not fried. I think it was the saltiness that got me. Point is, that was an exception. As a rule, I am pretty mindful about my food choices and am always making decisions about whether a certain food choice is going to help me or not. Over time, making these decisions gets pretty easy when your body craves healthy eating. I like the way I eat, it satisfies me and gives me energy to take on a work day, a family day or a hard workout.

[Jenny12 361]

I've lost nearly 110% of my "excess weight," and eating normally to me now means eating healthy foods that fuel my body. I may have treats sometimes (earlier I had a serving of dark chocolate covered prunes! The horror!) but for the most part I try to stick to healthy Protein and vegetables. It feels much more normal to me now, and I find myself naturally going for foods that benefit me. I feel like I've kinda trained my body and mind to be much more mindful of the types of food I allow into my body. This is the most "normal" I've ever felt.

[gamergirl 4,610]

For those who are at goal or veterans and posting, one thing that might help the rest of us, is for you to share how often you have treats and what a typical treat quantity might look like.

I think it's easy for people to see that and not realize how frequently/infrequently you might have them, or what the size of a normal treat is. Case in point the person who has 10-12 tortilla chips with salsa, not half a bag.

[LouiseC 1,031]

I am not quite at goal, my own goal that is (I passed the surgeons goal a while ago) but I am just 3 kilos away and pretty much consider myself in maintenance mode for the most part. I am waiting until the two year point to have plastics for the excess skin and will also likely get my boobs somewhere back up near my chest at the same time :-D sorry for the TMI but they are shockers these days! I estimate about half the weight I want still to lose is in skin and I am really comfortable with carrying these three kilos for a few more months if need be.

So, what was I saying? Lol. Treats. I have them, usually a couple of times a week. When I do it is likely to be a sweet and I have a new found love of ice cream. I can easily eat half a cup and then I am happy. It is strawberry season here so lately it has been strawberries, though only about three or four, chopped up with half a cup of real vanilla. I buy good quality ice cream. I buy good quality food period. If there is an occasion at work then I will have a little bit of cake or cookie or whatever is on offer. Again, it is a single serve and I factor in the calories and know I need to burn them.

I rarely eat chips, if I want the savoury Snacks I will go for nuts these days or spicy roasted chick peas. I also enjoy tamari roasted sunflower and pumpkin seeds. I drink wine frequently. I don't consider it a treat but rather part of a 'normal' diet. We often have a glass with dinner and I just factor it in. Occasionally I will have more, drinks with friends or family occasions. Again, I factor it in and work it off.

I watch those I consider 'normal' healthy eaters very closely. I am consciously changing my behaviours, habits, and ultimately my relationship with food. I do not even for a moment consider the notion of eating anything I want to be 'normal'. This isn't normal. And it isn't healthy. It may be common, it may even be the usual for many. But it isn't normal to me not by a long shot.

[Fiddleman 4,376]

For those who are at goal or veterans and posting, one thing that might help the rest of us, is for you to share how often you have treats and what a typical treat quantity might look like.

I think it's easy for people to see that and not realize how frequently/infrequently you might have them, or what the size of a normal treat is. Case in point the person who has 10-12 tortilla chips with salsa, not half a bag.

I do not have treats because my body simply does not need them. It does much better on healthy food. However, I do consider my nightly chocolate Protein Shake a treat; others may not hold this same perspective. I also still enjoy the caramel calcium chews every day.

[gamergirl 4,610]

Bumping this thread. Would love to learn from others' experiences too.

[cathycnyrs 85]

My husband wears a size 29 pants, weighs 140 or less and eats more than any other human I've ever seen. He adds butter to everything! He eats either a plate of Peanut Butter Cookies, and a couple of glasses of milk or apple pie and ice cream almost every night. Not all skinny people diet. Some have an incredible metabolism. He always orders an appetizer, and rarely is there anything for a to go box.

My opinion is that I dieted myself fat, gaining 10-20 after every loss and rebound. I screwed up my metabolism so I have to eat really small potions and or gain. I would follow a diet for 3-6 months, sometimes longer and then go on a binge...I've dieted more of my life than not... Didn't make me skinny

I wanted to add my husband does and always has work a physical job (but so do I), and he is healthy... No issues except back and shoulder pain from working. He hardly ever gets a cold, and never takes time off work for being sick. He's 48 years old. He does not work out. He's foot good genes, everyone in his family is thin and both parents are still living.

[LouiseC 1,031]

My husband wears a size 29 pants, weighs 140 or less and eats more than any other human I've ever seen. He adds butter to everything! He eats either a plate of Peanut Butter Cookies, and a couple of glasses of milk or apple pie and ice cream almost every night. Not all skinny people diet. Some have an incredible metabolism. He always orders an appetizer, and rarely is there anything for a to go box. My opinion is that I dieted myself fat, gaining 10-20 after every loss and rebound. I screwed up my metabolism so I have to eat really small potions and or gain. I would follow a diet for 3-6 months, sometimes longer and then go on a binge...I've dieted more of my life than not... Didn't make me skinny I wanted to add my husband does and always has work a physical job (but so do I), and he is healthy... No issues except back and shoulder pain from working. He hardly ever gets a cold, and never takes time off work for being sick. He's 48 years old. He does not work out. He's foot good genes, everyone in his family is thin and both parents are still living.

Hi Cathy

I also think I dieted myself fat, so I understand you there. I am curious though, do you consider your husband's diet and metabolism to be 'normal'?

[Jenny12 361]

For those who are at goal or veterans and posting, one thing that might help the rest of us, is for you to share how often you have treats and what a typical treat quantity might look like. I think it's easy for people to see that and not realize how frequently/infrequently you might have them, or what the size of a normal treat is. Case in point the person who has 10-12 tortilla chips with salsa, not half a bag.

I average one treat, MAYBE two, a week. And it is a single serving of whatever it is. For example, yesterday I had 1/4 cup of dark chocolate covered prunes.

[7 Bites_Jen 479]

I love this topic.
Most people I know are actually "naturally" thin. It varies a lot on what they eat. Some of them eat more healthy than others, but they all have one thing in common and that's HOW MUCH they eat. NONE of them eat until they're sick. Rather, they eat a few bites of whatever it is they wanted, then are satisfied and go about their business. There are a select few that eat a lot of fried foods and junk, and honestly how they're not 1,000 lbs with heart disease I'll never know, LOL ...

When I say that I want to "eat normally" I personally mean that I want to eat a smaller portion of healthy foods like meats and veggies, and then occasionally have a junkie treat. I want a normal relationship with food - where food doesn't occupy my every thought. It's hard when you're doing a cooking show, but it's been better now than it's ever been in my life!

[cathycnyrs 85]

Hi Cathy

I also think I dieted myself fat, so I understand you there. I am curious though, do you consider your husband's diet and metabolism to be 'normal'?

I honestly believe if most people were as active and healthy as he is and had not dieted and screwed up their metabolisms over the years that they could eat what they wanted. I think we live in a sedentary society where everything is supersized... and it works against us in the long run.

[Indigo1991 1,612]

The biggest change for me towards being "normal" is having stopped using food as a reward or compensation and regarding it as fuel first and foremost.

I don't have treats any more - if it's Friday night, it's not chocolate night cos I had a bad week. It's not cake night on a Tues night because I worked a 12 hour shift. It's not ice cream sundae on a Sunday (with choc sauce, nuts etc) cos I deserve it with a shitty week ahead. Compensating for what was wrong with my life had to stop - and it has, for the most part.

Nowadays, I don't keep crap foods at home so if I want to eat something that isn't good quality Protein, veggies etc, I have to leave the house and buy it. Most of the time, I can't be arsed! But if I am out and want a scoop of ice cream, then I have it.

To me, being "normal" is about moderation. I know that denial has been as bad for me as a free-for-all when it comes to eating. Finding the balance and sticking with it is what I am striving for. That's my normal, where I can take or leave food, where I can eat a cookie not a packet and where food is in it's place, not occupying my every waking thought.

Normal is not being a secret eater any more, not having secret stashes of food everywhere and not eating until I can't move. Not having done any of this since my sleeve 7 months, I think I am on the way to being my version of normal. But my normal isn't necessarily your normal....

[Butterthebean 8,146]

For those who are at goal or veterans and posting, one thing that might help the rest of us, is for you to share how often you have treats and what a typical treat quantity might look like.

I think it's easy for people to see that and not realize how frequently/infrequently you might have them, or what the size of a normal treat is. Case in point the person who has 10-12 tortilla chips with salsa, not half a bag.

I still like sweet stuff....can't deny that. But I abstained while I was losing. Now that I'm done I will allow a treat every once in a while, but the deal I made with myself is it has to be a really good treat. Nothing I can buy in a convenience store. I'm talking homemade pecan pie....Authentic gelato....4 star cheesecake. And I will usually have 1 normal size serving when those rare opportunities present. I'm sure there will be a piece of pie on thanksgiving and there will not be another till Xmas. After that who knows when because I don't plan them or seek them out. But I won't let them become too frequent either because that leads to the road to ruin for me.

[NMJG 1,266]

Bump. I'd like to hear more, too.