Your eating preferences

[Elro]

What are your meal choices like? (Poll to be added momentarily).

[strrrng]

Generally healthy. I won't refrain from the occasional coffee binge or junk snack, but I see no reason to eat unhealthy food consistently. It only hampers my mental and physical functioning. Plus that shit can lead to break outs and what not. Gotta stay pure

[Elro]

Poll is up. I'm sort of between option 2 and 3 (in case it isn't clear, option 2 means you eat healthy more often than not, and option 3 means it's about half and half). I'll vote 3 though, since it's probably more accurate overall.

[Wynch]

I don't eat complete garbage, but I don't really think about what I eat. I eat what I crave and sometimes that's good food and other times that's not so good food. That said, I don't just eat junk food all the time by any means.

[Kristiina]

I usually keep good track of what I eat. I definitely have my occasional binge, sometimes even on purpose, but I am one of the most healthy eaters that I know. I mean, I give my D&D group a hard time by not allowing them to order pizza every week. Once a month is totally okay though.

Yesterday I went to the store to buy doughnuts! I just had this one goal. Well, they didn't have any that I really wanted, so I didn't buy any. But I did get pop tarts (hadn't had those ever before) and I got a bag of Reese's Buttercup candy. I actually regret the last one. It's over a pound of sweets. It wasn't expensive, but even if I hold back and don't eat too much at a time, it will be enough to keep my daily calories out of balance for many days. Maybe I should tape up the rest of the bag and not eat it.

The point is that I don't feel bad about replacing a healthy meal for an unhealthy one every once in a while. I know I won't get my proteins and I won't get my usual micronutrients, but it's okay. I will get things I otherwise wouldn't. Chocolate has potassium and magnesium, pastries and beer have B-vitamins, etc. I don't believe in ADDING unhealthy food to othervise balanced eating. That means I just get extra calories and that's not good. I'll have that chocolate in stead of oranges and I'll have a burger in stead of a lunch meat salad and it's all okay.

[Lotus]

I don't eat much. But when I do, it's generally healthy. I grew up on skim milk and salads. Heh. And I don't have much of a sweet tooth at all.

[Satan]

I like cheese, butter, oil, chilli, spices.

I love really rich chocolate cake. Nice fudge.

I like really cheesy food, food with lots of butter/oil.

And I love having large amounts of chilli, really spicy food etc.

Maybe I should like bland food I can't taste. But it just doesn't turn me on.

[Warlord]

Lot of junk food isn't that unhealthy, mostly it's just the fries that are. Even the name "junk food", comes from the packing materials (paper wrappings etc), not from the quality of food or it's healthiness itself.

Then again lot of food that is generally considered to be "healthy", really aren't that healthy.

Lot of the "research" in this area just seems to bs. With research results that contradict eachother coming up all the time.

But anyway, I just eat what's cheapest of the foods that I'm willing to eat. And make sure I get all the necessary nutrients the body actually needs. And stuff with antioxidants etc.

[tereg]

This is what my entire diet typically consists of

• A sandwich (whole wheat bread, with variations of ingredients, but usually thin sliced honey turkey is the typical choice, unless I go to a sandwich shop at work)
• Spaghetti with no sauce (once in a long while I actually will prepare sauce)
• A breakfast taco
• A can of soup
• Eggs
• Biscuits (that would be buttermilk scones for you across the pond, not "biscuits")
• Shells & cheese
• Orange juice
• A can of Coke

Every once in a blue moon I mix in a muffin or a cereal bar or bake pumpkin bread.

And that's about it. Breakfast, lunch and dinner, all optional, all inconsistent.

Variety is the spice of life imo

[strrrng]

Variety is the spice of life imo

Yeah, except when that variety turns into 15 extra lbs. on your gut!

It's hard to find that balance. Which is why I just go on crusades.

[Creepy-]

During the week I have three meals a day, with occasional snacks if I'm feeling ravenous. I only eat when I'm truly hungry, which is why I generally eat just three meals; if I start getting into snacking it quickly turns into mindless indulgences that I don't need or really even want.

On the weekends I am a bit more haphazard w my eating, especially this time of year. Last night I went to two holiday parties, each of which was brimming w holiday goodies in which I indulged And I just got back from my parents' house, where there is always tons of tasty junk.

Nearly everything I eat is whole/natural/unprocessed [lots of oatmeal, apples, and chicken], but I'm not a food nazi by any means.

[jessica129]

I ate very unhealthy for years. I used to have 16 ounce steaks every-single-day sometimes twice a day and eggs....oh my, the eggs. Now Im almost completely vegetarian sticking with the all natural things...not really for the health aspect, I just cannot stomach meat anymore.

[Creepy-]

Oh, and as someone who studied to be a personal trainer and for a long time abided by hardcore fitness laws of nutrition, I think that the whole "you must eat every three to four hours or your metabolism will slow down and your body will catabolize its own muscle!!" hype is just that: hype. Unless you have a truly raging metabolism or are training for a hardcore sport/activity like bodybuilding, it's simply not necessary.

[Ritella]

I find "eating healthy" to be too difficult for me to constantly remember, and it takes the sensorial pleasure out of food. I typically eat healthier type food (natural, organic, whatever, and stay away from processed junk) just because I happen to like the way it tastes better and i have a pretty "refined palette," or so I've been told. I don't eat any "healthy stuff" that tastes like shit or city grass. That just feels medicinal.
That said, though I eat healthier foods, I don't tend to eat in a healthy manner. If I'm working and need to be productive, I will, because I definitely feel a difference in how my eating affects my energy levels. If I'm really stressed, anxious, or in a self-destructive mood, my eating habits will go to hell. I've definitely gone through bouts of really bad binge eating, followed by binge eating and induced vomitting when that became boring, followed by hurting myself in other manners when that became boring...
Currently I'm in a "chain smoker" phase.
I know none of this is good for me, but ugh...

[jessica129]

Oh, and as someone who studied to be a personal trainer and for a long time abided by hardcore fitness laws of nutrition, I think that the whole "you must eat every three to four hours or your metabolism will slow down and your body will catabolize its own muscle!!" hype is just that: hype. Unless you have a truly raging metabolism or are training for a hardcore sport/activity like bodybuilding, it's simply not necessary.

Really?? I've been trying to eat every 3 hours and I feel disgusting I got that three hour diet book and yeah...i just feel fat.

[munenori2]

Which is why I just go on crusades.

Poor muslims

[Elro]

Did I word the second option poorly? I meant for it to represent eating conscientiously most of the time - significantly more than half of the time. (An example might be generally going by the food groups or whatever, but occasionally splurging here or there.) Is that what those of you that voted for that option took it to mean?

[Creepy-]

Really?? I've been trying to eat every 3 hours and I feel disgusting I got that three hour diet book and yeah...i just feel fat.

Yeah, really. I saw a while back where you said you were trying that, but I didn't say anything bc I take a "to each his own" attitude towards it.

But, especially if the goal is to burn fat, I think a person is better off going longer between periods of eating. To oversimplify: your body burns fat when a] blood sugar is low [which means less insulin, a growth hormone, floating around for one thing] and/or b] your caloric intake is lower than necessary for homeostasis.

It's also easier eating just three meals a day, in terms of both time and satiety. For me, enjoying three meals of 600-900 calories each is infinitely better than rationing five mini-meals of a measely 300-500 [that's if you're counting calories, which I don't do anymore]. And if you get hungry in between, by all means have an apple and some almonds or something....

In the end, of course, it's your call. But if a book is telling you to eat every three hours and you're not hungry, I say go w your body's message and not the book author's.

[munenori2]

Did I word the second option poorly? I meant for it to represent eating conscientiously most of the time - significantly more than half of the time. (An example might be generally going by the food groups or whatever, but occasionally splurging here or there.) Is that what those of you that voted for that option took it to mean?

Yep, though I wonder how 'healthy' my diet is sometimes, in terms of maybe not eating quite enough or missing out on vitamins and stuff. I mostly eat cereal, sandwiches, and assorted fresh fruits and vegetables. Once a week though I hit the mongolian bbq place and eat the below. It's all I eat that day too, which is probably not good.

[Elro]

Yep, though I wonder how 'healthy' my diet is sometimes, in terms of maybe not eating quite enough or missing out on vitamins and stuff. I mostly eat cereal, sandwiches, and assorted fresh fruits and vegetables. Once a week though I hit the mongolian bbq place and eat the below. It's all I eat that day too, which is probably not good.

That's not that bad. Still quite a bit better than me. I was just wondering since there seems to be a strong bias towards the second option.

[tereg]

I have been inspired to eat a bowl of chicken soup now

[Khola aka Bee]

When I remember to eat it is somewhat varied. Here are my priorities when eating:

1. Healthy
2. What is readily available?
3. What is quick?
4. Mood
5. Am I entertaining friends?

[strrrng]

Oh, and as someone who studied to be a personal trainer and for a long time abided by hardcore fitness laws of nutrition, I think that the whole "you must eat every three to four hours or your metabolism will slow down and your body will catabolize its own muscle!!" hype is just that: hype. Unless you have a truly raging metabolism or are training for a hardcore sport/activity like bodybuilding, it's simply not necessary.

I was the same, and I generally agree with you. I still think it's technically better to keep the metabolism going and whatnot, but it definitely isn't imperative on the general level it's preached to be. Plus, now part of my training has to do with abstinence, which will "strengthen" the body (or mind) a lot more than eating what dante the fitness guru tells you at specific times

If I'm really stressed, anxious, or in a self-destructive mood, my eating habits will go to hell. I've definitely gone through bouts of really bad binge eating, followed by binge eating and induced vomitting when that became boring, followed by hurting myself in other manners when that became boring...
Currently I'm in a "chain smoker" phase.
I know none of this is good for me, but ugh...

Yeah, I'm the same way. Might start with some haphazard coffee binge and cookie indulgence, move onto shots and beers, then just some random painful shit lol. Hope your chain smoking phase doesn't end up with a 30 minute vomit session like mine did a few weeks back but damn, it was worth it...those blacks were crazy

and I like your usage of the word 'boring'—it's very encapsulating of the essential theme here. Some people may feel sad boohoo and take it out on their poor bodies, but it seems for you (and definitely is for me), that the 'boredom' is more or less a default, where such stimulations are sought to alleviate it ("ugh, why is shit so dumb" kind of thing). Anything to feel alive

[Creepy-]

I was the same, and I generally agree with you. I still think it's technically better to keep the metabolism going and whatnot, but it definitely isn't imperative on the general level it's preached to be. Plus, now part of my training has to do with abstinence, which will "strengthen" the body (or mind) a lot more than eating what dante the fitness guru tells you at specific times

Yeah, it has to do with your goals. If you're primarily trying to build muscle ["bulking"], eating every 3-4 hours is good because it means your body has near-constant access to carbs/sugars/proteins to build muscle... but this is the exact opposite of the situation that is best for burning fat ["cutting"].

What sort of abstinence, strrrng? Do you do fasts?

[strrrng]

Yeah, it has to do with your goals. If you're primarily trying to build muscle ["bulking"], eating every 3-4 hours is good because it means your body has near-constant access to carbs/sugars/proteins to build muscle... but this is the exact opposite of the situation that is best for burning fat ["cutting"].

hmm...I think people could cut while eating every 3-4 hours, if they were sticking to light foods. Like boxers will do that—the lower weights—to be able to constantly train and have quick access to substantial and efficient nutrients/energy. And as for bulking, I think that requires much higher amounts of proteins and carbs. I hate those people though, lol.

What sort of abstinence, strrrng? Do you do fasts?

Kind of. It's mostly related to sleep and the nature of the training. I never stay awake for less than a day anymore, and ideally try to get a few training sessions in throughout a 1.5-2 day span...so eventually it's like you're training just to stay awake. And as for food, I may abstain for extended periods...just sort of make sure I get the essentials and not freak out about it after that. water, sandwich here, whatever. It's all about the pain <3 ...otherwise it would be boring...you should see the people at my gym...

[Kim]

Originally Posted by Ritella
If I'm really stressed, anxious, or in a self-destructive mood, my eating habits will go to hell. I've definitely gone through bouts of really bad binge eating, followed by binge eating and induced vomitting when that became boring, followed by hurting myself in other manners when that became boring...
Currently I'm in a "chain smoker" phase.
I know none of this is good for me, but ugh...

Yeah, I'm the same way. Might start with some haphazard coffee binge and cookie indulgence, move onto shots and beers, then just some random painful shit lol. Hope your chain smoking phase doesn't end up with a 30 minute vomit session like mine did a few weeks back but damn, it was worth it...those blacks were crazy

and I like your usage of the word 'boring'—it's very encapsulating of the essential theme here. Some people may feel sad boohoo and take it out on their poor bodies, but it seems for you (and definitely is for me), that the 'boredom' is more or less a default, where such stimulations are sought to alleviate it ("ugh, why is shit so dumb" kind of thing). Anything to feel alive

I really need to ask this now: what exactly is the difference between a) skipping from binge eating to binging and purging to self-mutilation (or whatever) to chain smoking to coffee binges and b) sticking to one of the above?

In the end, the effect is self-harm and I don't see how a variety is any better than only binging or only self-mutilation. Ultimately, to be very frank, the motive for all of you is feeling sad boohoo, only you rationalize it as boredom. Using self-harm to "feel alive" is not to alleviate general teenager boredom no matter how you wish to romanticize it.

[Ritella]

In the end, the effect is self-harm and I don't see how a variety is any better than only binging or only self-mutilation. Ultimately, to be very frank, the motive for all of you is feeling sad boohoo, only you rationalize it as boredom. Using self-harm to "feel alive" is not to alleviate general teenager boredom no matter how you wish to romanticize it.

I'm not rationalizing or romanticizing anything; you say that because you're assuming that I, or someone else, would need to. And I don't. I don't need to put any kind of "positive spin" on or attempt to justify anything. I wrote what I wrote merely as a blunt description of my behaviour patterns. If you think it's a rationalization, that's you.
To be very frank, i'm not entirely sure what my motives are. It's probably a combo of boredom, anxiety, frustration with life, low grade OCD, and a shitty childhood. And I'm not a teenager; I'm 25. And I never said or implied that a "variety" is better than only binging or only self-mutilation. I'm just describing a behaviour here.

[Kim]

Ritella, I was referring to the reply to your post, which I consider a strange rationalization:

and I like your usage of the word 'boring'—it's very encapsulating of the essential theme here. Some people may feel sad boohoo and take it out on their poor bodies, but it seems for you (and definitely is for me), that the 'boredom' is more or less a default, where such stimulations are sought to alleviate it ("ugh, why is shit so dumb" kind of thing). Anything to feel alive

Sorry if my post was ambiguous.

[Minde]

Hi, Kim! *waves* How are you doing these days?


To answer the original question - When I do eat, it's generally relatively healthily, if only because too much unhealthy food makes me feel yucky. The people I live with are also health-conscious, so that way most of what I find in the fridge or cupboards is going to be good for me. That makes things easier.

I've never been particularly concerned about my weight, and I've never been on any diet for the sole purpose of getting thinner. I figure if I eat healthy and stay fairly active things will work themselves out. I'm sure it helps a bit that I'm naturally slim. For me it's more a matter of needing to stay fit and trim - the motivating myself to exercise is harder for me than eating right.

[Ritella]

Ritella, I was referring to the reply to your post, which I consider a strange rationalization:

Sorry if my post was ambiguous.

Okay, yeah I did think you were referring to my post as well. No offense taken.

[Simon Ssmall]

I can't live without meat, apart from that I also eat a lot sushi and some seafood from time to time.

Salads I also like but I don't consider that eating, more like something I eat when I'm not hungry.

[strrrng]

I really need to ask this now: what exactly is the difference between a) skipping from binge eating to binging and purging to self-mutilation (or whatever) to chain smoking to coffee binges and b) sticking to one of the above?

If by 'binge and purge' you're implying throwing up, you're mistaken. I've never done anything remotely bulimic; the puking was after a week of black n milds And why are you asking what the difference is? The difference is in the actions themselves and their effects; the motivation for them is the same—thrill, charge, whatever.

In the end, the effect is self-harm and I don't see how a variety is any better than only binging or only self-mutilation. Ultimately, to be very frank, the motive for all of you is feeling sad boohoo, only you rationalize it as boredom. Using self-harm to "feel alive" is not to alleviate general teenager boredom no matter how you wish to romanticize it.

Well, the variety is derived from boredom, because eventually eating junk got annoying and I wanted to do my two-a-day exercise thing. And then that got boring because I realized I didn't need much sleep, etc. And why are you assuming a motive? Doing so implies that people have to 'feel' a way to behave a certain way, and thus that there is some norm. Ever consider that some of us just operate differently from you, and naturally want to experience more "intense" things for the feeling of it (so there is no "feeling" until the stimulation impacts)? What it comes down to with me is, I don't know how I would breathe if I was just exercising daily, sleeping well, etc. I'd feel like a fucking robot. I need to sporadically decide to run at 3am, go up to 7/11, buy blacks, smoke 2, run back, hit the bag, and drink coffee, because I need such contradictory feelings of intense stimulation to feel alive. I realized long ago that harnessing such impulses only detriments me in the long run. And tell me this: if I get pleasure from self harm, is it hurting me? And I'm not referring to cutting my wrists as I drown in INFp agony; more along the lines of aspects of exercise and whatnot. Sounds like you're making some assumptions here, Kim. I was never attempting to justify my behavior; what a disgustingly presumptuous notion. I was simply trying to evince the psychology behind it, because I find it interesting how some people are content with what I would deem boring lives, and others aren't, etc. Most of the time, I laugh at people who want me to justify it to them irl. They're just looking for a way to rationalize something that they're too scared to do. I wouldn't be surprised if those were your motivations here.

[FDG]

I always try to eat healthy, but I don't say no to cakes and the like

[tereg]

I probably should have voted for the second option upon further thought.

[Kim]

I was simply trying to evince the psychology behind it, because I find it interesting how some people are content with what I would deem boring lives, and others aren't, etc. Most of the time, I laugh at people who want me to justify it to them irl. They're just looking for a way to rationalize something that they're too scared to do. I wouldn't be surprised if those were your motivations here.

You were implying that some people self-destruct because they are boo-hoo sad and take it out on their bodies, but the cool kids (my term), and here you were referring to what Ritella wrote and to your own behavior, do it to alleviate boredom and because you need the stimulation. Perhaps you can say that for yourself, but the way you reacted to her post seemed to imply that she is one of the cool kids who self-destructs for the same reasons you do, which I found to be a strange rationalization of what she described.

Kim. I was never attempting to justify my behavior; what a disgustingly presumptuous notion. I was simply trying to evince the psychology behind it, because I find it interesting how some people are content with what I would deem boring lives, and others aren't, etc. Most of the time, I laugh at people who want me to justify it to them irl. They're just looking for a way to rationalize something that they're too scared to do. I wouldn't be surprised if those were your motivations here.

And I never said you were justifying your behavior. That's a misunderstanding on your part. I find it amusing that now you are telling me that I wrote that because I have to rationalize being scared of drinking black coffee, shots, or chain smoking. Don't be ridiculous.

[Kim]

Hi, Kim! *waves* How are you doing these days?

I am doing well, thanks!

[strrrng]

You were implying that some people self-destruct because they are boo-hoo sad and take it out on their bodies, but the cool kids (my term), and here you were referring to what Ritella wrote and to your own behavior, do it to alleviate boredom and because you need the stimulation. Perhaps you can say that for yourself, but the way you reacted to her post seemed to imply that she is one of the cool kids who self-destructs for the same reasons you do, which I found to be a strange rationalization of what she described.

My point was that a large amount of people only engage in self-destructive behaviors when they get sad, while others engage in behaviors which are termed "self-destructive," but which are pleasing/thrilling to them, for different reasons. There's a difference between binging on cookies after you get dumped, and depriving yourself of sleep while working out more. The former is a reaction to mitigate pain, while the latter is a volitional act to generate pleasure (through pain). Many people would say that the latter is harmful, stupid, silly; their misunderstanding on such types of things is what I was addressing earlier.

And I never said you were justifying your behavior. That's a misunderstanding on your part. I find it amusing that now you are telling me that I wrote that because I have to rationalize being scared of drinking black coffee, shots, or chain smoking. Don't be ridiculous.

Ok, my misunderstanding. But heh, if you think I'm saying people are rationalizing their fears of petty things like that, you're mistaken. I could give countless examples of this behavior, but I don't think it's necessary to get the point across.

[Kim]

My point was that a large amount of people only engage in self-destructive behaviors when they get sad, while others engage in behaviors which are termed "self-destructive," but which are pleasing/thrilling to them, for different reasons. There's a difference between binging on cookies after you get dumped, and depriving yourself of sleep while working out more. The former is a reaction to mitigate pain, while the latter is a volitional act to generate pleasure (through pain). Many people would say that the latter is harmful, stupid, silly; their misunderstanding on such types of things is what I was addressing earlier.

I see. I guess my reaction would be that self-destructing out of sadness is nothing to look down upon and not feeling pleasure through pain does not mean people live boring lives. This is where we probably disagree.

For example, I started to run because I want to run a half marathon (in the distant future, lol) and while I feel good after running, I don't enjoy the pain that sets in after a while and I don't feel the need to enjoy that pain because I suppose I don't need that kind of stimulation. I derive the pleasure from monitoring my progress. In the end these are just different rewards from the same thing.

[strrrng]

I see. I guess my reaction would be that self-destructing out of sadness is nothing to look down upon and not feeling pleasure through pain does not mean people live boring lives. This is where we probably disagree.

I definitely don't think it's detestable simply for being driven by sadness. I guess I was referring to more superficial reactions to transient bad moods. But real sadness is something I would never criticize a person for—especially if they we were looking for a release through "unhealthy" methods. Similar to your empathy with obesity, I suppose. And my comment about boring lives wasn't necessarily about pleasure or pain, but more in reference to people who seem too content. I feel like pain is a part of pushing the envelope, and I just dislike it when I see people wasting their experience with comfortable limitations.

For example, I started to run because I want to run a half marathon (in the distant future, lol) and while I feel good after running, I don't enjoy the pain that sets in after a while and I don't feel the need to enjoy that pain because I suppose I don't need that kind of stimulation. I derive the pleasure from monitoring my progress. In the end these are just different rewards from the same thing.

Yeah, I suppose this is just where we differ. I mean, I've known people who can enjoy physical intensity without too much pain, but it comes to a point where to two become intertwined, and you're either in or out. This isn't an area I will waste too much time judging people on (aside from indifferent mockery if I feel like it), but it's largely in part why I don't enjoy exercising with basically everyone—because they get in my way with their 'weakness.'

[Kim]

, but it's largely in part why I don't enjoy exercising with basically everyone—because they get in my way with their 'weakness.'

Yes, it's this emphasis on being weak or strong that I can't quite relate to. Probably much like your dad. I would have stopped to watch the ducks and tried to explain to you how that enriches your life!

Or my priority is to be strong in other areas of my life, like career.