Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Once I retired about 5 years ago, I changed what I eat.. from microwaved lean cuisines and hot pockets at work to what I guess could be called the 'no crap' diet: Lots of salads, no bread, few sweets, vegetables, no red meat, just chicken, turkey, fish, tuna, etc.. no diet soda or wine/beer. I lost weight, also thanks to a lot of biking, gym.
Then, this past winter, I gained about 20 pounds, and started thinking what the heck, might as well eat what I want, not worry about my cholesterol.. blood pressure is kept in check with medication... still working out, feel ok.. wondering why I was being so spartan when it came to diet.
So now, I am not being so strict when it comes to what I eat.. should i feel guilty?
I'm a big believer in prevention. We can all cite examples of people who did everything "right" and still ended up with scary health problems, but I'd rather tilt the odds in my favor by good choices, without going to such an extreme that my life is miserable. (I enjoy a nightly glass of whisky, I will NOT give up coffee or diet pop and I occasionally eat a piece of pecan pie.)
I'm also a big believe in controlling what you can without medication. Medications have side effects. All of them. And they cost money even if they're supplied by a plan that provides them at no out-of-pocket cost to you.
Once I retired about 5 years ago, I changed what I eat.. from microwaved lean cuisines and hot pockets at work to what I guess could be called the 'no crap' diet: Lots of salads, no bread, few sweets, vegetables, no red meat, just chicken, turkey, fish, tuna, etc.. no diet soda or wine/beer. I lost weight, also thanks to a lot of biking, gym.
Then, this past winter, I gained about 20 pounds, and started thinking what the heck, might as well eat what I want, not worry about my cholesterol.. blood pressure is kept in check with medication... still working out, feel ok.. wondering why I was being so spartan when it came to diet.
So now, I am not being so strict when it comes to what I eat.. should i feel guilty?
No one should be able to tell you what or what not to feel guilty about.
It still comes down to calories in calories out even if the food you eat is "healthy". If you consume more calories than you burn (a huge portion of chicken still contains more calories than a small one), you'll gain weight unless your workouts magically put on a lot of muscle. Winter may have had nothing to do with it though it might have meant fewer trips to the gym, more sitting, and less bike miles.
Once I retired about 5 years ago, I changed what I eat.. from microwaved lean cuisines and hot pockets at work to what I guess could be called the 'no crap' diet: Lots of salads, no bread, few sweets, vegetables, no red meat, just chicken, turkey, fish, tuna, etc.. no diet soda or wine/beer. I lost weight, also thanks to a lot of biking, gym.
Then, this past winter, I gained about 20 pounds, and started thinking what the heck, might as well eat what I want, not worry about my cholesterol.. blood pressure is kept in check with medication... still working out, feel ok.. wondering why I was being so spartan when it came to diet.
So now, I am not being so strict when it comes to what I eat.. should i feel guilty?
Guilty??? If the 20 extra lbs is OK with you, then forget the guilt.
Once I retired about 5 years ago, I changed what I eat.. from microwaved lean cuisines and hot pockets at work to what I guess could be called the 'no crap' diet: Lots of salads, no bread, few sweets, vegetables, no red meat, just chicken, turkey, fish, tuna, etc.. no diet soda or wine/beer. I lost weight, also thanks to a lot of biking, gym.
Then, this past winter, I gained about 20 pounds, and started thinking what the heck, might as well eat what I want, not worry about my cholesterol.. blood pressure is kept in check with medication... still working out, feel ok.. wondering why I was being so spartan when it came to diet.
So now, I am not being so strict when it comes to what I eat.. should i feel guilty?
Sounds like you do feel a bit guilty, which is not surprising but certainly not necessary.
It's interesting that 5 years of eating better didn't overcome your affinity for the junk diet utilized during years of employment.
Quality of life is important, so I guess you need to weigh the pros of eating whatever you want with the cons of carrying around an extra layer of insulation.
Weight isn't the issue. Your long-term health is. 20lbs isn't necessarily a big deal, although it might slow you down a bit. BUT......quality of diet is paramount. If majority of food intake is fresh, well-prepared food made from high-quality pesticide and hormone-free ingredients, an occasional doughnut, fast-food hamburger won't harm you. The older I get, I more I realize the good health I have today - no medication, no ailments at 77 y/o - is because I've been very strict about proper eating for 95% of my intake my entire life. Did go out tonight, though, and bought a chocolate eclair - which I will eat in small bites over the next three days.
Once I retired about 5 years ago, I changed what I eat.. from microwaved lean cuisines and hot pockets at work to what I guess could be called the 'no crap' diet: Lots of salads, no bread, few sweets, vegetables, no red meat, just chicken, turkey, fish, tuna, etc.. no diet soda or wine/beer. I lost weight, also thanks to a lot of biking, gym.
Then, this past winter, I gained about 20 pounds, and started thinking what the heck, might as well eat what I want, not worry about my cholesterol.. blood pressure is kept in check with medication... still working out, feel ok.. wondering why I was being so spartan when it came to diet.
So now, I am not being so strict when it comes to what I eat.. should i feel guilty?
During this past winter did you increase the portions of what you ate on a regular basis and/or exercise less?
Did you notice any other health issue arising or a change in metabolism during this past winter?
Other things being equal, perhaps at this point you simply need fewer calories per day.
If a new health issue has arisen, see a doctor and/or a nutritionist: perhaps you need a different set of nutrients in different amounts and proportions than what you have become used to over the past five years.
Hope this helps.
While I'm here, yes, store-bought bread is mostly empty calories, but home-baked wheat-based bread, using few high quality ingredients, is still, for me at least, the staff of life (unless one is gluten-intolerant), among other types of carbs (including gluten-free, e.g. rice, quinoa, teff, potatoes, oats), provided that daily quantities consumed are at or below the quantity of calories burned per day.
It's interesting that 5 years of eating better didn't overcome your affinity for the junk diet utilized during years of employment.
I'm not the OP but I haven't lost my taste for a lot of junky stuff- I can pass up most of the processed foods easily, knowing that they'll have a chemical aftertaste and/or leave a greasy film in my mouth, and knowing that most are made for maximum eye appeal and don't necessarily taste as good as they look. (Check out all the stuff in your grocery store bakery department on that last point. Do Fruity Pebbles crumbled over the frosting on an eclair really add to the eating experience?)
But, when it comes to high-quality empty calories, especially of the sweet variety, I still LOVE them. If you read some of the literature, our brains and bodies are "wired" to crave carbs and fats as a survival mechanism. I deal with it by not keeping them in the house and allowing myself the occasional high-quality "cheat" on special occasions- e.g., a piece of wedding or birthday cake.
I'm not sure why you're asking us if you should feel guilty. It's your body, your health, and your idea of what adds up to quality of life. If eating desserts = quality of life to you, what's it to me? If going back on the stricter diet = improved health to you, what's it to me? You're a grown person, do what seems right to you.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
