Food Rules?!?!

[Ultralight]

It seems like some folks have food rules (or choices or guidelines, if you think "rules" sounds harsh).

I have had my share of them, and some I have been minding for years and years.

So I don't drink soda pop. I quit drinking it when I was 23. That is one of my main rules.

But I also don't eat desserts -- no cake or cookies or candy. This has been the case since about 2004.

And recently I have been doing the intermittent fasting thing, which I have thus far enjoyed.

My question is this: What are your food rules? And why do you mind them? What made you decide to include or not include something in your diet and foodways?

[iris lilies]

I dont drink soda. We didnt drink it as children so I never developed a taste for it.

I attempt ethically raised and slaughtered meats, but am onlu half way there.

[Tammy]

Rules serve to tempt people to break them. They are counterproductive. With kids, rules give them ideas for things they never would have thought of on Their own.

Example -

A friend of mine back in the 80s told a story about a birthday party he hosted for his child. He was thinking about this idea of rules being counterproductive. So he made an announcement at the start of the party that they can play and have a lot of fun, but under no circumstances should anyone spit in his flowerbeds. And then he watched and throughout the day almost every child spit in the flower bed when they thought no one was looking.

[Ultralight]

Rules serve to tempt people to break them. They are counterproductive. With kids, rules give them ideas for things they never would have thought of on Their own.

Example -

A friend of mine back in the 80s told a story about a birthday party he hosted for his child. He was thinking about this idea of rules being counterproductive. So he made an announcement at the start of the party that they can play and have a lot of fun, but under no circumstances should anyone spit in his flowerbeds. And then he watched and throughout the day almost every child spit in the flower bed when they thought no one was looking.

Wow! I cannot believe how you have completely and totally dispelled the idea that rules serve any individual or social purpose.

[Tybee]

Rules serve to tempt people to break them. They are counterproductive. With kids, rules give them ideas for things they never would have thought of on Their own.

Example -

A friend of mine back in the 80s told a story about a birthday party he hosted for his child. He was thinking about this idea of rules being counterproductive. So he made an announcement at the start of the party that they can play and have a lot of fun, but under no circumstances should anyone spit in his flowerbeds. And then he watched and throughout the day almost every child spit in the flower bed when they thought no one was looking.

That is a really funny story, Tammy, from a parenting standpoint!

[Chicken lady]

I like rules. Rules make things clear and easy.

i don’t like stupid rules though ;)

as for food, I try to eat things that are healthy and make me feel good.

so I am primarily vegetarian with pescatarian lapses - it does not make me feel good to eat creatures that are intelligent, endangered, or recognize their young. It does not make me feel good to eat things that have been dead for a while. It does not make me feel good to eat things that are soaked in petroleum and poison, so I try to choose, local, in season, organic, and minimally packaged when I can. My pond is full of fish. It has a limited capacity. If dh catches a fish, I eat it! - maybe 5 a year. (Raccoons, herons, and other creatures also eat my fish)

healthwise I try to limit the refined grains, sugar, and saturated fats. I try to avoid HFC completely for both health and environmental reasons. I avoid cow dairy products for allergy reasons. Also, I think there are just too many cows.

[Simplemind]

No ketchup on hotdogs.

[Tammy]

I think I’m a libertarian at heart - but socialism appeals to me because I have a lot of empathy for people who are down and out.

[Ultralight]

I think I’m a libertarian at heart - but socialism appeals to me because I have a lot of empathy for people who are down and out.

Then you ought to support people living by their own rules.

[ApatheticNoMore]

I don't drink soda mostly because it causes me pain. I read ingredients and don't eat food with weird ingredients (well when going out to eat possibly, I mean there is no perfection). So most of my food isn't particularly processed anyway. I try to limit going out to eat (which is not that easy to do because of my bf). So when people talk about the sugar in processed foods I just laugh, I don't eat any of that, if I eat sugar, it's because I'm eating a sweet because I want one period - it could not be more conscious, it's not "hidden sugar". I try not to eat vegetable oil except for olive oil (the occasional coconut or palm oil I guess) because it has too much omega 6.

I do aim for organic, ethically raised animals and organic (and local) produce when I can get it. Do aim for more sustainable seafood although I know it's all somewhat problematic. I decided to try to limit red meat to a pound a month, it's not that I think it's killing me really it's just I decided it is part of killing the world, that is it is environmentally destructive - and this is something I can do. When I do eat that small quantity it's grass fed - well yes it is. I boycott things like mexican avocados as I heard they were cutting down forests for them. I can get CA avocados maybe 5 months a year, the rest I can eat something else. I don't buy fruits that grow in this country out of season (do like me some bananas though - they don't grow here of course, but they are a real temptation - shrug).

I do think fasting is healthy, when I can. I don't use it for weight control, if i use anything for weight control (and toning) it's weigh lifting, but I accept I'll never be ideal female image thin - and I think that's mostly what women have in mind when they worry about their weight an ideal media image of what women should aspire to (because heck my BMI is within healthy range - but I have some cellulite etc. - probably have to lose 15 pounds or something to not have any fat).

[ToomuchStuff]

I avoid foods when certainly allergies kick in. I am not a seafood person and am pretty sure that I failed the crustachion test with my allergist as a kid. No shellfish.
Now I gave up a certain style of food, years ago, but in a different format, it is OK. This has to do with memories and who I used to have the food with, rather then something that others get. I gave up sheet cake (cupcakes OK to show form difference), and a relative gave up smoking.
I gave up alcohol at 25, after choking down one Bud light on about three hours, when celebrating a friend getting his dream job with KMOX after all the bad news/shit that he had just gone through (lost wife to cancer). I never liked beer, and my drink of choice was mixed with grain alcohol. Enough friends either had DUI's or died by the time I was 20, I was becoming the guy to stay sober and be the designated driver.

[rosarugosa]

No ketchup on hotdogs.

Words to live by!

[pinkytoe]

I try to avoid overly processed food and therefore cook from scratch most of the time. I don't drink soda or fruit juice. I don't eat margarine or other fake butters. I don't eat soy products other than miso. I check the sugar in products and don't buy if over a certain amount. The older I get, the more I have developed a built in moderator of sweets, fats and carbs that works for me. But sometimes I indulge and enjoy bacon, steak, popcorn with butter, ice cream, hot cocoa and other delicious treats because life is short. Alcohol is kept at a level that works for me (several beers/or glasses of wine on weekends) and adds enjoyment so I continue to partake even though I hear it is really bad for us.

[catherine]

I wouldn't call my rules "rules"--I would call them guidelines, because I'm successful at following them all the time.

--Like others, I don't drink soda. In fact one of my pet peeves is when DH, who is always drinking Diet Pepsi, complains when we're out of it that "there's nothing to drink"! I point out that all he has to do is turn on the faucet and he'll find plenty to drink, but he just rolls his eyes.

--I eat as little meat as possible. I've gone from being vegetarian to being flexitarian because meal planning with an omnivore spouse is a PIA. So I try to do as IL does and make sure it's sustainably and humanely raised.

--I bake wherever possible, and never deep fry.

--I never eat canned soup (except for an odd Bookbinder's New England Clam Chowder)

--I limit processed food

--I always have a guilty pleasure in the way of something sweet at night while watching TV, keeping in mind that "What you resist persists."

[bae]

Rule 1: I eat food when I am hungry.

Rule 2: I do not eat food when I am not hungry.

[iris lilies]

No ketchup on hotdogs.
This is so wrong.

Ketchup goes on most everything.

[Rogar]

I went off meat and dairy a couple of years ago in order to bring my cholesterol down, and after watching too many shows on the humanitarian issues around industrial animal husbandry. Subsequently I've pretty much gone off white breads and white pastas. I've enjoyed the cooking challenges and usually find the food choices appealing. I've found it difficult to stick to this, say when friend invites you for dinner and you don't want to be an inconvenience. Or your in a restaurant and the only vegan choice is a lame example of a veggie burger. I end up breaking with things one or two meals a week, but don't go off the rails too far. So in that case I guess it's not a rule, but a guideline.

[Ultralight]

This is so wrong.

Ketchup goes on most everything.

The sign of a true Midwesterner!

[jp1]

I only have a few rules around food.

No cilantro. No cling peaches in heavy syrup. No pineapple on pizza. No cotton candy. For everything else, moderation. And sometimes that includes moderation.

[Ultralight]

No cilantro. Amen, bro! It tastes like dish soap!

[JaneV2.0]

Rules concerning food are completely arbitrary:

Eat what works for you. When it stops working, do your research.
Keep your eyes on your own plate--nobody likes a food nanny.
Avoid spoiled food.

Remember that most "food rules" are made by manufacturers, advertisers, and those with an axe to grind (and they change every generation), and that your "eating healthy" may be seen as just the opposite by those with a different point of view. When someone says "I eat lots of fruit and whole grains; I avoid salt and fat" I think "I hope you have a robust liver, you're going to need it." But maybe you're a model fruitarian, who knows. I think often of the people of Roseto, who ate whatever they wanted washed down with wine, and avoided stress-induced disease as they did so. So don't stress over food, or anything else.

[Teacher Terry]

I am a very picky eater so never eat things I don’t like. Other than that I eat what I want. I mostly drink water because it has no calories and it’s free. I do think diet soda is unhealthy so avoid it. Sometimes I will have a regular soda when out.

[HappyHiker]

After much trial and error and serious experimentation and consideration, I have boiled my "food rules" down to these 4:

1. Avoid head cheese.
2. Avoid tripe.
3. If it smells "off" do not eat it.
4. Avoid anything with raw egg in it (after a violent G.I. attack after once breaking that rule)

[ApatheticNoMore]

I suppose it might seem endlessly complex to have a bunch of rules, but since most shopping is automatic and many of the same items all the time it really isn't. One just takes in more information and changes with that. So they aren't really rules even just habit at a certain point.

[Miss Cellaneous]

My main rule in life is: Everything in moderation, including moderation.

Not that I've ever thought of them as rules, more as guidelines or just things that I do:

I don't buy soda and chips and baked goods. I do eat/drink them when at someone's home and they are offered. They are treats, not staples.

I try to make most of the food that I eat.

I aim for 5 servings of fruits and vegetables a day, with different colors of fruits and vegetables for a more well-rounded diet.

I don't eat things I don't like. So no eggs for me, except in baking.

For snacks, if I want a salty snack, I have to make popcorn. This involves a pan, the stovetop, popcorn and oil. And clean up. If I want a sweet treat, I have to bake something--cookies, brownies, a cake. This involves multiple ingredients, bowls, utensils, baking pans and the oven*. And clean up. So it's a constant tug-of-war between fulfilling the urge for a snack and not wanting to clean up. Or wanting a snack at 9 pm, but knowing there's no way I'll clean up that late and I try not to leave the kitchen a mess at night, so . . . I eat fewer snacks than I would like to, but when I really, really want something, I take the time to make something that tastes really good.

*All my baking also requires me to mix everything up by hand--burning off a few calories before I chow down on the chocolate chip cookies.

[KayLR]

After much trial and error and serious experimentation and consideration, I have boiled my "food rules" down to these 4:

1. Avoid head cheese.
2. Avoid tripe.
3. If it smells "off" do not eat it.
4. Avoid anything with raw egg in it (after a violent G.I. attack after once breaking that rule)

Yes, these plus no bloody meat.

[Gardenarian]

I don't have rules, but I do have habits and preferences.

I'm a vegetarian, so, no meat.
I don't like to eat until at least noon, and I don't like to go to bed with a full stomach, so I mostly eat within a 6 hour window every day.
I eat all the fruits, vegetables, beans, tofu, non-fat yogurt, healthy fats, and whole grains that I want.
I have a sweet tooth and I do limit sugar. I try not to eat any white flour or overly processed foods.
I don't like eating in restaurants; the food often makes me feel sick. In a restaurant I usually just get soup.
I only drink alcohol on special occasions, and limit myself to one drink (I have a low tolerance anyhow.)
I'm hypersensitive to caffeine, so no coffee drinks. The only thing I drink aside from water is herbal tea and fruit juice.
I try to eat all local and organic whenever possible.
I don't like to cook - soup, salad, fruit, oatmeal, sandwiches, rice & beans, and ww pasta make up most of my diet.

[bigbear]

Here are my food rules:

1. Eat only vegetables, fruit, whole grains and legumes.
2. Drink only water.
3. No animal products like meat and dairy.
4. No salt.
5. No oil.
6. No sugar.
7. No nuts.
8. No seeds.
9. No avocado.
10. No soy.
11. No gluten (wheat, barley and rye).
12. No caffeine.
13. No processed food.
14. Eat only whole, unrefined plant foods.
15. No added fat.

I used materials from Dr. John McDougall ("The McDougall Program for Ultimate Weight Loss"), Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn ("Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease"), Dr. T. Colin Campbell ("The China Study"), Chef AJ ("The Secrets to Ultimate Weight Loss") and Dr. Alan Goldhamer and Dr. Doug Lisle ("The Pleasure Trap") and a few others to design this plan.

I got rid of some foods I believe are healthy (nuts, seeds and avocado) because they are high in fat and calories. Soy is also high in fat. I believe salt, oil and sugar are chemicals that cause dopamine response in my brain and make food addiction harder to overcome. Processed food generally has unusually high levels of salt, sugar and fat. Caffeine is a drug but since I switched to drinking only tap water, I don't really encounter this anymore. Meat and dairy cause problems with circulation and increase the likelihood of heart disease, strokes, high blood pressure, etc. As for gluten, I honestly just added that when I started to as it was easy to give up and I wanted to see what kind of results I would get if I ate as clean a diet as I could. However, I have found other whole grains that I'm happy with and I don't eat bread, so I don't miss it.

This way of eating has eliminated edema, facilitated weight loss, gotten rid of inflammation, made me happier, gotten rid of anxiety and depression, saved me money, calmed my brain, gotten rid of my desire to eat out, eliminated cravings for the food I like in the past and has cured my food addiction. It took me three weeks to get used to it and now I like the food as much as anything I've ever had.

Although I can eat out, I'm usually restricted to steamed vegetables, fresh fruit, baked potatoes and salads with no dressing. I can make all those things at home in less time and for less money, so it has really reduced the amount of eating out that I do. When I visit my parents, my mom adjusts her recipes to include only ingredients I can have and I take my instant pot. Although I'm used to and happy with food with no added seasonings now, if I want seasonings, I have to cook from scratch and that is something I never learned how to do so I have had to learn as almost all processed food I've found goes against at least one of my rules.

However, the downsides are few compared to the upsides. Switching to this way of eating has been one of the best decisions of my life.

[Teacher Terry]

No offense BB but that sounds truly awful. How long have you been doing that? I wonder if it’s sustainable in the long run.

[lmerullo]

What BB is doing. - not to put too fine a point on it - is a style of veganism. I follow a FOK eating plan, which stands for Forks Over Knives. There is a documentary of that name available on Netflix. It's based on the China Study.

I eat nuts and seeds, wheat and avocados. Otherwise, much the same. This way of eating is actually very sustainable. I've been following for six months, and see no reason to stop.

[JaneV2.0]

What BB is doing. - not to put too fine a point on it - is a style of veganism. I follow a FOK eating plan, which stands for Forks Over Knives. There is a documentary of that name available on Netflix. It's based on the China Study.

I eat nuts and seeds, wheat and avocados. Otherwise, much the same. This way of eating is actually very sustainable. I've been following for six months, and see no reason to stop.

The China Study, as reported by T Colin Whatsisname, bears little resemblance to the findings of the actual study. See Denise Minger's excellent analysis.

John McDougall's book is the only one I've ever actually thrown away. In the recycling bin. Torn up.

[bigbear]

To answer Teacher Terry's question, I have been doing this for 2 1/2 months. A helpful side effect of the diet is that I get physically ill when I consume anything off the diet. After I had eaten this way for two weeks, my best friend and I went to a restaurant. I had a big bowl of potato soup and a smoothie. After I got home, I felt stomach pain for hours and has slight chest pain which is something I have never had before. Additionally, the edema immediately after this one meal got dramatically worse. Apparently, the potato soup had cream (dairy) and salt (I'd mentioned I didn't know how to cook so I didn't know this). At times, I think it would be nice to occasionally cheat on the diet, but that experience taught me I can't.

I'm glad lmerullo mentioned the documentary "Forks over Knives" as it helped me also. Another documentary along those same lines can be purchased and downloaded from the website eatingyoualive.com. Dr. Michael Greger's book "How Not to Die" is also great along with Dean Ornish's work. I also recommend Chef AJ's hour long presentation on YouTube about how she changed her eating habits and why called "From Fat Vegan to Skinny Bitch."

So far, this way of eating has been a lot easier than I thought it would be when I started. It was hard at the beginning and for the first three weeks or so but after I got over the hump, it has been great. It's a little inconvenient at times and it can take some time but I mostly eat salads with vegetables. I'll add frozen peas that I microwave to the salads or some kind of beans that I make in my Instant Pot. Sometimes, I'll eat brown rice and salad together and I eat a lot of baked potatoes.

It helps that my best friend is also eating this way so we're helping each other.

In my case, I really do believe that only fruits, vegetables, whole grains and legumes (along with the nuts, seeds and avocado that I don't eat for high fat and calorie content) are food. Everything else (meat, dairy, processed foods, oils, salt, sugar, etc) I now see as drugs. I think it is like alcoholism. Some people are born with great sensitivity to it whereas others can have a little bit and stop. I never had a problem stopping with alcohol but the foods just seemed to have an effect on my brain that made calorie control different. So, I wanted to add this post in response to Ultralight's question in hopes it might prove as helpful to others as this information has been to me.

[KayLR]

In my case, I really do believe that only fruits, vegetables, whole grains and legumes (along with the nuts, seeds and avocado that I don't eat for high fat and calorie content) are food. Everything else (meat, dairy, processed foods, oils, salt, sugar, etc) I now see as drugs. I think it is like alcoholism. Some people are born with great sensitivity to it whereas others can have a little bit and stop. I never had a problem stopping with alcohol but the foods just seemed to have an effect on my brain that made calorie control different. So, I wanted to add this post in response to Ultralight's question in hopes it might prove as helpful to others as this information has been to me.

Interesting---since you do not consume any fats at all, how do you get the benefit of fat-soluble vitamins?

[bigbear]

It is my understanding that there is some fat in the fruits, vegetables, whole grains and legumes that I consume and that it is enough. I don't take any medications but I do take vitamin B-12 as that is the only vitamin not present in plant based foods.