Freedom

That's what I'm looking for most in my eating, and that's why I like what I'm doing right now.

I can't live for the rest of my life with a list of rules and forbidden foods. That only takes me from one kind of food obsession (I need chocolate, I need ice cream, what's for dessert?) to another (I wonder what they're serving. Will I be able to eat it, or do I have to bring my own food?).

I need the freedom to relax and to put food in it's place. No forbidden foods for life. Yes, I know french fries are unhealthy, but sometime in my life I might want french fries again. Maybe when I get healthy enough the thought of french fries will turn my stomach. That would be nice. But whatever the food, if I want to have some on the rare occasion, some time in my life, it won't serve me to put in on some oh-so-tempting forbidden foods list.

I really enjoy cereal, and for so many years I've named it a forbidden food. And I went for long stretches of time with no cereal. Many, many months. But I've never cut it out completely, I only felt guilty whenever I ate it. No more food guilt!

While this plan says it's best to avoid grains as much as possible, the daily meal plans all include cereal and other grains. I don't follow the menus, I just skimmed them to get an idea. What's important is serving size. I can eat cereal once in a while, especially a high-fiber cereal to slow down the blood sugar reaction, as long as the serving size is small, and I eat it with protein. I don't need a full bowl. A cup, or even a 1/2 cup might do. Or 1/4 cup sprinkled on yogurt.

I don't need much, and I don't need it every day. Mainly, I'm listening to what my body is hungry for. And I'm still focusing more on the mental side of things than the food side. Someone who truly loves their own body won't want to put junk in it. It should become automatic to feed it healthy nutritious things. Then I'll be all set.