Independent medical expert answers
on psychiatry and psychology

Joy of Cooking without Gaining Weight

Written by: Gunborg Palme, certified psychologist, certified psychotherapist, tutor and teacher of psychotherapy.
First version: 22 Jul 2008. Latest version: 13 Aug 2008.

Abstract:

Tips on how to enjoy food without gaining weight.

Question:

Here is a hard question for you to answer. I weigh 89 kilos and would like to go down to 55. I am 175 cm tall. I can never find any nice clothes which fit me and if they do they don't look good. I was formerly a Weight Watcher, but I couldn't stand trying to cook all that complicated food. I think that healthy food is disgusting, there is no joy of cooking such food. It doesn't give me anything. I get a totally different feeling when I eat hamburgers, ice cream and chocolate. It feels good eating that kind of food. Please, don't tell me how I should eat without gaining weight, because I can't stand it anyway.

Answer:

You have to choose between eating unhealthy food, which will make you fat and ill, or you can begin to take personal responsibility for your diet. You seem to believe that others will solve your problems for you. Of course, I can give you some tips, but they will only help if you work to find a solution.

You think that if you changed to a healthy lifestyle you will no longer experience the pleasure which unwholesome food gives you. When my patients improve their life style, they find that life gives them much more pleasure both with food and in other ways. It can be hard sometimes in the beginning, but they soon find that they feel so much better and they look back at their previous lifestyle with contempt.

You are not compelled to eat food that you find repulsive. Everybody can find food which is both wholesome and satisfying. You may need some time to make the change and the new food may not taste as good the first time you try it.

Here are some tips that may make it easier for you:

Avoid ice cream and chocolate just before eating kale soup and come home hungry. The hungrier you are the better the new food will taste. (If you occasionally make the mistake of eating junk food, don't regard it as a catastrophe).

And here are some suggestions for tasty meals which are very easy to prepare and are excellent:

Wholemeal bread with ham and greens.

A large salad with various wholesome yet exciting salad ingredients, such as celery and sunflower seeds.

Fruit and cottage cheese.

More Information
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