Do you live to eat or eat to live???

What is the difference to you??

How do you make the transition from one to the other?

I am realizing there is a difference and making that change is a key part to my success on keeping the weight off.

I have been working to retrain my body to eat to live--meaning I eat when I am hungry and what my body needs. This won't work immediately post op when you have no real hunger sensation but I am almost 2 1/2 yrs out so hunger has returned and I am learning to listen to my body.

I maintain the goal of 80-100 grams of protein a day and always try and eat protein first but if I occassionaly want a piece of pizza that is ok--and guess what I am finding I want that less and less. My body prefers healthier food now that fuels me. Not to say that I don't get those bottomless pit days or days where I crave junk food because I do especially when I am PMSing--but I am realizing I no longer think what is my next meal going to be, I no longer care where we go out to eat, it's just food. If my husband calls and says he's getting fast food on the way home, what do I want I usually don't want anything and eat something at home. This was NOT who I was 3 yrs ago. 3 yrs ago I LIVED TO EAT---I was thinking about my next meal, I always had a preference of where I wanted to go when we ate out, food was a HUGE part of my world.

Well, I don't live to eat, but I do not only eat to live.  I do eat because I have to eat to live, yes.  But food is more than just fuel for me.  I think it is for most people.  I also eat because I enjoy food, because it tastes good, because I enjoy sharing a nice dinner with my partner, etc.  I don't think there is anything wrong with that.  I make good choices, at least most of the time now, and I enjoy my food.

I am trying to transition to eating to live versus living to eat.  I am only 11 months out and have been doing very well with the surgery.  Most of my time during the last 6 months has been trying to learn to pay attention to my signals for hunger versus emotional eating.   It will be the key to success.  I really don't want food to be the fix for anything but fueling the body. I have been getting better with not caring about where we eat because I do get sick from a lot of foods now.  Anything too greasy and I am nauseous.  I've been able to control that emotional eating better with the physical reinforcement that has been part of this process.  I think it has really helped me change the way I'm thinking.

 I just eat, period.  While I buy into the whole food is fuel thing, I don't believe that you ONLY eat to fuel your body.  Otherwise my diet would not be as varied and it would be bland and tasteless.

And I doubt the NSA fudge bar I had earlier gave me much fuel, but it did give me happy smiley faces.

You are right I do still eat things because they taste good, I just finished an english muffin with peanut butter--I love peanut butter and while I like it on apples it's much tastier on a toasted english muffin!  But I mean that my focus has shifted where food is no longer a primary focus for me.

Your question is part of my new life choice...I obviously love food...cooking, etc...but I want the focus of my day, holiday, etc... to be on the event, fun, people...etc...not on the "food"...Whenever we plan on getting together, the first thing we talk about is what food to bring, etc...I would rather us plan events that center on activity and then food as secondary...I have a grandson struggling w/weight and he is only 5 years old...I want to make changes before he needs surgery down the road...

One of the reasons I was thinking about this is because one of my son's is always asking what we are eating?? And I worry his focus is too much on food.

I understand your worry...my sons eats more than any 3 grown people, but he is not heavy...just a teenager, but our overall family view is always food first...not anything else...I want to start a refocus to people, etc.....and away from food....I can say lets go to the park...they all say ok what are you packing to eat....that's what I want to change.....lol

To me food has always been a necessary part of life. Must eat.

This hasn't changed.

pre-op I liked being stuffed because I liked how it felt, but I didn't think about food much. I would simply eat when I rememebered, in quantity. Often once a day. Sometimes i'd forget.

postop food is something I eat because I'm supposed to eat. I eat on a scheddule so I won't eat once a day.

Food has never been a central part of my life. I found as a child and young person I often wished for the ability to NOT have to eat. Seemed to me like it would be a much easier universe if eating wasn't a requirement. At that point I had serious TMJ issues, so it hurt to chew stuff.

So the whole, live to eat, eat to live.... never really touched me one way or the other. I find a schedule makes it a lot easier.