I’m sorry, dear reader, I lured you here under false pretences because I lost 40 pounds by not excluding any foods, but that’s not to say there isn’t great advice in this Substack.
After 30 years of dieting, I allowed myself anything I wanted because I was tired of cutting things out and wanting things I couldn’t have. I reached my limit and forbidden foods went out of the window.
Changes did have to be made though. I was 200 lbs/14 stone, which I didn’t wear very well on my petite 5 foot 4 inch frame, and uncomfortable. I chafed in places I’d rather not mention, was out of breath after fairly light exercise and, boy oh boy, did I sweat.
The biggest change was the change in my behaviour. It wasn’t what I put on my plate but how much of it I put there and it wasn’t about what I snacked on but the fact I was snacking way more than I needed to. When it came to food I had no ‘stop’ button. Once I started, I couldn’t stop which meant I’d frequently find myself going for long periods without it before feasting uncontrollably on it.
Even though the evidence was staring me in the face the whole time, I realised at the age of 41 that I had a binge eating disorder and that’s what needed my attention, not counting calories, points or excluding entire food groups.
With all that said, in allowing myself to eat everything, I learned that some things were best avoided. Not because the foods themselves were bad but because eating them changed my behaviour and made me slip into old over-eating habits.
These are the foods I either avoid or approach with caution because of how they impact the way I behave around food.