Anonymous
Post 02/17/2022 21:01     Subject: Replacing the pleasure of food w/ something else
Cozy bed w/ book
Anonymous
Post 02/17/2022 20:57     Subject: Replacing the pleasure of food w/ something else
Anonymous wrote:I like to have various fancy kombuchas in a wine glass.


Me too!! With ice!
Anonymous
Post 02/17/2022 20:41     Subject: Replacing the pleasure of food w/ something else
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Green juice and yoga.

I know how that makes me sound, but I cannot stress enough that I am not a crunchy person and those two things are the last things I ever expected to get into.

Re the yoga: as I started to lose weight and get more fit I found it more and more enjoyable. Nowadays basically any time I have a few minutes to spare I’ll either steam a short peloton yoga class or just run through some sun salutations or other poses. My body actually craves the movement and feels so good doing it. And it fills a lot of the empty time I used to spend snacking or thinking about food.

On the juice, I know that doesn’t answer your question because it is actually food, but it totally realigned my relationship with food. I starting making a green juice for breakfast as part of my weight loss plan and just got addicted. (To be clear, I always ate real food too, never did juice fasts.) I hit my goal weight a long time ago but will never ever stop juicing. I don’t crave sweets anymore ever and I very rarely crave any other type of food. A fresh green juice in the morning gives me the kind of pleasure I used to get from a big fried meal. I make fruitier juices for snacks or desert and it tastes and feels like I’m having something bad for me, even though it’s still quite healthy.


Are you juicing or blending? Can you share a recipe? Could a Vitamix work? Thank you!


+1 Also interested in what kind of juicer you're using and a recipe for the green juice. Thanks!
Anonymous
Post 02/03/2022 00:24     Subject: Replacing the pleasure of food w/ something else
I like to have various fancy kombuchas in a wine glass.
Anonymous
Post 02/02/2022 18:52     Subject: Replacing the pleasure of food w/ something else
Anonymous wrote:Green juice and yoga.

I know how that makes me sound, but I cannot stress enough that I am not a crunchy person and those two things are the last things I ever expected to get into.

Re the yoga: as I started to lose weight and get more fit I found it more and more enjoyable. Nowadays basically any time I have a few minutes to spare I’ll either steam a short peloton yoga class or just run through some sun salutations or other poses. My body actually craves the movement and feels so good doing it. And it fills a lot of the empty time I used to spend snacking or thinking about food.

On the juice, I know that doesn’t answer your question because it is actually food, but it totally realigned my relationship with food. I starting making a green juice for breakfast as part of my weight loss plan and just got addicted. (To be clear, I always ate real food too, never did juice fasts.) I hit my goal weight a long time ago but will never ever stop juicing. I don’t crave sweets anymore ever and I very rarely crave any other type of food. A fresh green juice in the morning gives me the kind of pleasure I used to get from a big fried meal. I make fruitier juices for snacks or desert and it tastes and feels like I’m having something bad for me, even though it’s still quite healthy.


Are you juicing or blending? Can you share a recipe? Could a Vitamix work? Thank you!
Anonymous
Post 02/02/2022 18:50     Subject: Replacing the pleasure of food w/ something else
Anonymous wrote:Things I have done:
Used Duolingo as the bridge for when I have a craving (you just need to give it 10-20 minutes and the craving passes and guess who can read some Arabic now!)
Practicing art (I am occasionally a working artist)
Write down the cute thing your kids said
Exercise bike (they’re small and fold up!)

Things I would do:
Something houseplant related. Orchids and African violets seem to take enough care to keep your hands busy but don’t need babysitting. Terrariums.


Now this is creative!
Anonymous
Post 02/02/2022 18:49     Subject: Replacing the pleasure of food w/ something else
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Walking and listening to a great book or podcast.

I always keep a supply of clementines handy.

Good herb teas can ease my oral fixation too.

Agree with all these. We got a treadmill a couple months ago, and walking or jogging while listening to books on Audible is one of my favorite parts of each day.

I also find you can have some really pleasurable experiences with healthful foods. I cherish my two cups of black coffee every morning and I also like to prepare or buy intensely flavored sauces like nam pla or Tkemali (Georgian sour plum sauce) to add excitement to whatever I’m eating. Herbs and fermented foods serve the same function for me. Learn to love the world of krauts and kimchis.


I cherish and look forward to my coffee with whole cream every morning, and wish I could cherish black coffee. How did you get there?
Anonymous
Post 02/02/2022 18:34     Subject: Replacing the pleasure of food w/ something else
I've gotten into the nonalcoholic gins (Monday and Seedlip green are my favorite). Having a glass of sparkling water with some NA gin feels like a treat after work while I'm making dinner. Sure, it isn't my beloved glass of wine but it's also zero calories
Anonymous
Post 02/02/2022 13:21     Subject: Replacing the pleasure of food w/ something else
I know this thread is old but I realized that I do find pleasure in something so I don't look for it in food. It's really weird, but slime. A lot of slime shops make slimes that look gorgeous, smell amazing, and feel so good to play with. There have been times when I have been in the mood to eat at treat, couldn't find anything, so I played with a slime that smells amazing instead.

There are a ton of shops but this is the one I order from most.

https://momoslimes.com

Another one is fingerheart slime but she only sells on weekends.
Anonymous
Post 01/09/2022 19:43     Subject: Replacing the pleasure of food w/ something else
Anonymous wrote:Walking and listening to a great book or podcast.

I always keep a supply of clementines handy.

Good herb teas can ease my oral fixation too.


I second the walking or hiking (heaven to me) and herbal teas - I also have a major oral fixation. Sparkling water helps too. I also shop. This is such an important issue to address, I know people who had bariatric surgery and then became alcoholics.
Anonymous
Post 01/09/2022 14:54     Subject: Replacing the pleasure of food w/ something else
I tried this with alcohol/coffee when pregnant and avoiding those things. My replacements were tea and sparkling water in a wine glass. Didn't really do the trick but felt somewhat indulgent. Try tea!
Anonymous
Post 01/09/2022 14:50     Subject: Replacing the pleasure of food w/ something else
Yes, with the pleasure of feeling my feelings.

(Or at least the pleasure that comes after I feel my feelings)
Anonymous
Post 01/09/2022 14:47     Subject: Replacing the pleasure of food w/ something else
Working on increasing heat tolerance is a fun one. Lots of different hot sauces and spice blends out there and they all taste good on egg white omelettes, soups, and chicken.
Anonymous
Post 01/09/2022 14:25     Subject: Replacing the pleasure of food w/ something else
Anonymous wrote:thanks so much, all.

I do love to walk, and it does feel physically great, but I just don’t have an opportunity to do it, with work, small children, and unsafe neighborhood + no room for treadmill.

fermented foods — really interesting idea.

any more ideas, please keep them coming. 💜


I was in the exact same position one year ago OP. Can you move? It is amazing what a change a scenery has done for my mental and physical health. I had no idea the mental and physical toll our neighborhood had taken on me until we no longer lived there.
Anonymous
Post 01/09/2022 14:22     Subject: Replacing the pleasure of food w/ something else
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I've developed an obsession with hand creams.

Can you recommend me a good hand cream under $50?


it's hard to beat L'Occitane. i have a bunch of these little ones in various pockets, purses and drawers, and they're on sale right now: https://www.loccitane.com/en-us/honey-harvest-hand-cream-01MA030H19H.html 0

i also really like "Helping Hands" by lush https://www.lushusa.com/body/handcare/helping-hands/9999900410.html

and Resurrection by aesop (keep in mind it smells like mandarin oranges with a bit of sandalwood, so give a pass if you don't think you'd like the scent-i happen to love it); https://www.aesop.com/us/p/body-hand/hand/resurrection-aromatique-hand-balm/