A bland food "diet"?

[zaramarie81]

It seems as though you’re completely missing the point of the Original Post. The brain REMEMBERS the pleasure highs of zero-calorie diet drinks, spices, sugar, salt, etc. Dieting for 2 bland meals per day and then splurging for one tasty meal per day DOES NOT and NEVER WILL work because if your brain can talk you into SELECTING the “good taste,” why would anyone voluntarily select the bland one? Once you eat healthy, bland meals all day every day, you’re brain doesn’t miss it as much! Freedom from the enslavement of food!

I’M THE PROOF. I became accustomed to having dessert after every dinner to the point that I NEEDED it after every dinner. Once I started eating bland desserts, dessert was no longer attractive. I made it a point to have no cheese or soft drinks. I lost weight to the point that I was so skinny that several relatives thought I was ill. Not a bad problem to have. It was easy to gain a few pounds.

Just wanted to jump in here with a few more thoughts… ManOnFire, you keep making references that the rest of the world doesn’t have as much of a weight problem b/c they don’t have the resources we have. There are a couple problems with that… one, it’s kind of a huge sweeping generatlization to assume that the US is SO much richer and has SO much more access to tasty foods than the rest of the world. There are plenty of people across the world with the “means” to access plenty of tasty food… look at Europe where many countries are known for their tasty foods yet have a much lower obesity problem than we have here (some scientists think this is b/c they eat more naturally and get more exercise… even Coke in Europe has real sugar instead of high fructose corn syrup… only the US gets the hfcs… not that Coke is EVER good for a person). But look at Italy and France… .talk about some amazing, tasty food!

The other issue is that in the US, obesity is a bigger problem among lower economic statuses. This is partly because the food that triggers the most weight gain (processed, high carbs) and contains the least amount of nutrition is often the cheapest. Think about all those fancy organic grocery stores (with plenty of yummy food and extensive spice aisles) and their high prices compared to Wal-Mart’s grocery aisles (lots of lower priced junk, although they are getting better, I must say). I can say, having a special gluten free diet, that I pay a lot more in groceries than most people (am forced to shop in those high priced stores) but my food quality is much healthier for it and it tastes great.

 

[CountrySinger]

okay this is opposite of your point but country singer- try cutting you orange into slices lengthwise and sprinkeling cinnamon on them. its really tasty sorry

That does sound yummy. I love cinnamon.

 

[zaramarie81]

Just wanted to jump in here with a few more thoughts… ManOnFire, you keep making references that the rest of the world doesn’t have as much of a weight problem b/c they don’t have the resources we have. There are a couple problems with that… one, it’s kind of a huge sweeping generatlization to assume that the US is SO much richer and has SO much more access to tasty foods than the rest of the world. There are plenty of people across the world with the “means” to access plenty of tasty food… look at Europe where many countries are known for their tasty foods yet have a much lower obesity problem than we have here (some scientists think this is b/c they eat more naturally and get more exercise… even Coke in Europe has real sugar instead of high fructose corn syrup… only the US gets the hfcs… not that Coke is EVER good for a person). But look at Italy and France… .talk about some amazing, tasty food!

The other issue is that in the US, obesity is a bigger problem among lower economic statuses. This is partly because the food that triggers the most weight gain (processed, high carbs) and contains the least amount of nutrition is often the cheapest. Think about all those fancy organic grocery stores (with plenty of yummy food and extensive spice aisles) and their high prices compared to Wal-Mart’s grocery aisles (lots of lower priced junk, although they are getting better, I must say). I can say, having a special gluten free diet, that I pay a lot more in groceries than most people (am forced to shop in those high priced stores) but my food quality is much healthier for it and it tastes great.

Another issue is that cultures vary in their tolerences of spice and the kinds of spices enjoyed… for example, Thai food is often much “hotter” than American taste buds can handle. In fact, the spices in Thai food… even a mild Thai dish… cause me to eat leass… as much as I love the taste, my eyes water pretty badly lol. All that to say, eating and culture and weight are so individual that what works for one person or culture may not work for another. I’d be curious to see cross-cultural studies on people’s responses to different spices… I bet they’d find that the brains’ responses vary quite a bit. Also, taste buds vary not only across culture but with age… children have more bitter taste buds and tend to be able to handle the taste of sugar easier while the taste of vegetables make them gag more easily. As you age, your taste buds literally change and how you interpret different tastes change.

 

[SugarMagnolia]

Every lent, I give up carbonated soft drinks for my lenten sacrifice, and every year, I lose 5-10 pounds by drinking water instead of soft drinks. I also gave up cheese and spices on everything. For the first few weeks, my brain craved the pleasure of the tastier food that I previously ate to the point that it was almost painful. Eventually, the brain pain decreased.

It’s no wonder that diets and diet soft drinks don’t work. If we have just ONE or more very tasty foods per day, it seems that our brains REMEMBER the high pleasure center stimulation, the more we “miss” it when it’s not there. Why drink diet soft drinks over water if both have no calories? Answer : taste (pleasure). A stronger case can be made for water since it’s free. Diet soft drinks = high pleasure = positive reinforcement = want more taste at dinner. Water = no pleasure stimulation = not “missing out” on a potential high next time = don’t care to have another non-stimulation episode = intake less calories because there’s no reward. It seems many people reward themselves for choosing diet soft drinks by indulging at dinner because their brains “miss” and crave the pleasure. It’s no wonder that diets don’t work. People basically crave pleasure and want to avoid pain. The brain doesn’t like to be teased by ups and downs. The brain wants to avoid the downs at all costs. Avoiding the ups altogether (very tasty) is the key. Healthy food is still possible this way.

I think the key to weight loss is to eat blander food ALL the time, once weaned. The Govt. telling people to exercise more is a help, but few people have the time nor the motivation to run the mini-marathon needed to burn 10,000 calories per day! What say you?

This is a very interesting concept. I do something similar (on and off as the mood strikes me). I eat what I call a “simple” food diet. I’m wondering if you could actually be a bit more specific about what you mean by “bland.” People have such different ideas of bland. I’m often told my cooking is bland. (And it’s not meant as a compliment.) For example, I’ll saute my veggies in olive oil and add a dash of soy sauce for flavor. This many people call bland. I call it tasty. When I decide to go “simple” I’ll generally just steam my veggies. I do agree that you eventually lose the taste for the more intense taste pleasures.

Some of the posts suggested that people shouldn’t try to eliminate pleasure from food, but I don’t think we’re really talking about eliminating pleasure. It’s about appreciating less intense pleasures. It’s hard to appreciate the pleasure of a celery stalk if we’re accustomed to Doritos. But a celery stalk has it’s own (albeit milder) pleasures once we learn to appreciate it.

I’m also curious what you mean by giving up spices. Spices could mean a lot of things from actual spices like ginger or paprika to savory veggies like onion and garlic to herbs like parsley or marjoram. When I cook I use foods like these, which are flavorful, though my meals are still quite simple.

Someone brought up the issue of bread. I am on a veritable crusade against sugar and high fructose corn syrup-laden bread, which pretty much means 99% of the bread in the supermarket. Even simple breads like pita bread have ingredients I can’t pronounce. In fact, searching my neighborhood for “real bread” gives me more than enough exercise. And this is also why I prefer to describe my food choices as simple rather than bland. All natural whole grain bread (without weird unpronounceable ingredients or high fructose corn syrup) is actually tastier than the commercial brand bread-like-substances which typically are blander in taste.

 

[ManOnFire]

Stop eating processed, sugary, trans-fatty artificial foods and eat whole, unprocessed foods, naturally raised meat, organic produce, and whole grains and you will likely lose weight and be healthier without having to give up the pleasure of food.

This works well for people who have enough willpower.

The issue and main point, for people who are trying to lose weight and seemingly lack the willpower with their current eating habits, is, Why tempt your brain with more pleasure of great tasting foods??? Why risk WANTING tasty foods? Why not take away the temptation?

I cringe when I think of all these weight loss companies selling great tasting weight loss foods. Remember O’Douls no-alcohol beer? Do they even sell it anymore? Guys drink beer FOR the alcohol. If you take away the reason they want it, they won’t want it anymore. Same with food. Take away the taste, and people will realize that we must eat to live, not live to eat, as if the meal has become an anticipated event.

 

[Bataar]

I love cooking and would be a professional chef if I could. With that in mind, I view it as immoral and a serious sin to not make food as good, both from a taste and presentation perspective as possible

 

[ManOnFire]

OP is fruit off the table then for you? I do see some of your point. I struggle with weight myself. I see how sweet things can stimulate something you dont want too.
Gives me something to think about for sure.

I don’t eat the very sweet fruits. Fruit still contains natural sugars which, if eaten alone, will still cuase a spike in blood sugar and a subsequent sugar crash once it wears off. I usually eat berries with cream to spread out the absorption.

 

[ManOnFire]

Just wanted to jump in here with a few more thoughts… ManOnFire, you keep making references that the rest of the world doesn’t have as much of a weight problem b/c they don’t have the resources we have. There are a couple problems with that… one, it’s kind of a huge sweeping generatlization to assume that the US is SO much richer and has SO much more access to tasty foods than the rest of the world. There are plenty of people across the world with the “means” to access plenty of tasty food… look at Europe where many countries are known for their tasty foods yet have a much lower obesity problem than we have here (some scientists think this is b/c they eat more naturally and get more exercise… even Coke in Europe has real sugar instead of high fructose corn syrup… only the US gets the hfcs… not that Coke is EVER good for a person). But look at Italy and France… .talk about some amazing, tasty food! I don’t know for sure. Friends who have been to Italy say they have much more basic homes, lifestyles, don’t work as hard, and eat long, drawn out meals. Maybe it has something to do with eating purely for pleasure and the most effective way is to savor it slowly and thoroughly over a longer period of time. Maybe their level of vanity is slightly greater than their desire for tasty foods. But, Europe has plummeting birthrates and low Church attendance. They’re in a shooting-star burnout phase as their priorities focus too much around self.

The other issue is that in the US, obesity is a bigger problem among lower economic statuses. This is partly because the food that triggers the most weight gain (processed, high carbs) and contains the least amount of nutrition is often the cheapest. Personally, I eat a 99 cent value burger almost every day for lunch. $1.05 with tax. Willpower. Think about all those fancy organic grocery stores (with plenty of yummy food and extensive spice aisles) and their high prices compared to Wal-Mart’s grocery aisles (lots of lower priced junk, although they are getting better, I must say). I can say, having a special gluten free diet, that I pay a lot more in groceries than most people (am forced to shop in those high priced stores) but my food quality is much healthier for it and it tastes great.

Fresh food tastes better, but most people are on an anti-autism crusade by wanting to eliminate preservatives. I don’t know if there’s any credible research to show it’s helping. It sure makes us believe we are helping ourselves and our kids regardless of whether or not it’s really working. Are they selling us HOPE along with fresh taste? Maybe.

 

[flyingfish]

Whoever said spices were not addictive, I got a new spice mix that is garlic, rosemary, and other “mediterranean” spices with sea salt. I put it on steak and it was great… Now I am eating the spice on its own, and I can’t stop because it tastes so good.

 

[CountrySinger]

Whoever said spices were not addictive, I got a new spice mix that is garlic, rosemary, and other “mediterranean” spices with sea salt. I put it on steak and it was great… Now I am eating the spice on its own, and I can’t stop because it tastes so good.

What are exactly “mediterranean spices”? It might be some addictive drug. And you would never know… Lol. Just kidding.

 

[flyingfish]

What are exactly “mediterranean spices”? It might be some addictive drug. And you would never know… Lol. Just kidding.

Well, it DOES look like dried grass.

Maybe I have some kind of a salt deficiency. Sometimes I get this powerful urge to eat salty stuff, and I’ll do things like put pepper in V8 juice and drink that or put salt on veggies, or just eat salt.

 

[CountrySinger]

Well, it DOES look like dried grass.

Maybe I have some kind of a salt deficiency. Sometimes I get this powerful urge to eat salty stuff, and I’ll do things like put pepper in V8 juice and drink that or put salt on veggies, or just eat salt.

I love salt too. I have to be very careful though, otherwise I will pour the whole container on cooked veggies.

 

[AnnaTherese]

Every lent, I give up carbonated soft drinks for my lenten sacrifice, and every year, I lose 5-10 pounds by drinking water instead of soft drinks. I also gave up cheese and spices on everything. For the first few weeks, my brain craved the pleasure of the tastier food that I previously ate to the point that it was almost painful. Eventually, the brain pain decreased.

I think the key to weight loss is to eat blander food ALL the time, once weaned. What say you?

Soft drinks are loaded with chemicals, not just sugar. So it’s natural they affect your brain and create addictive type behavior.

I do NOT believe that God wants us to always eat bland food. In fact, there is a verse, can’t remember where it is now, but it says something like “eat rich foods, drink wine and milk.” There are times for fasting and time for feasting. Certainly we all need balance. Historically oftentimes water by itself was undrinkable so the only thing people commonly drank was fermented beverages like wine. Fermentation creates positive bacteria and kills off bad bacteria, creating a very nourishing drink. Cheese is good for you, also a fermented food. As is sourdough (naturally leavened) bread. Meat and fish are healthy foods that give one energy to carry out one’s work and provide necessary nutrients. Spices are healthy, life-giving and even healing substances that no one should avoid except as a temporary penance. Sea salt in its natural form is necessary for life. There is nothing particularly holy or healthy about eating tasteless food unless one is offering it up for reparation for sins or some other intention.

I applaud your desire to do something good for yourself and God, but don’t go overboard with your theories.

 

[ManOnFire]

Soft drinks are loaded with chemicals, not just sugar. So it’s natural they affect your brain and create addictive type behavior.

I do NOT believe that God wants us to always eat bland food. In fact, there is a verse, can’t remember where it is now, but it says something like “eat rich foods, drink wine and milk.” There are times for fasting and time for feasting. Certainly we all need balance. Historically oftentimes water by itself was undrinkable so the only thing people commonly drank was fermented beverages like wine. Fermentation creates positive bacteria and kills off bad bacteria, creating a very nourishing drink. Cheese is good for you, also a fermented food. As is sourdough (naturally leavened) bread. Meat and fish are healthy foods that give one energy to carry out one’s work and provide necessary nutrients. Spices are healthy, life-giving and even healing substances that no one should avoid except as a temporary penance. Sea salt in its natural form is necessary for life. There is nothing particularly holy or healthy about eating tasteless food unless one is offering it up for reparation for sins or some other intention.

I applaud your desire to do something good for yourself and God, but don’t go overboard with your theories.

Fermentation occurs because of yeast, which is a mold, not a bacteria. The yeast (mold) competes with bacteria for food (sugars) in the unfermented grapes or bread. The yeast wins most times. We don’t get as sick from eating yeast as we would from most bacteria, on average. Penicillin is a mold that eats bacteria, that’s why certains molds are much healthier than bacteria.

I think the Bible talks of feasting on special occasions, not every day. I think most would agree that unhealthy eating is gluttony. I think most would agree that gluttony trumps the occasional feast in the Bible.

The point of the original post is to help people who feel defenseless against food to lose weight, become HEALTHIER, AND SAVE MONEY. It works. I’ve proven it. I’m not selling anything. It costs nothing. It’s kind of sad that most people probably won’t believe it because I don’t have expensive pills to sell or expensive TV commercials. I’m just an anonymous internet poster who found something that will truly liberate people from the enslavement of food. Spices have been proven to be addictive to the brain. I actually saw an ad selling crystals that make food NOT TASTE SO GOOD. Imagine, spending you hard earned money on food, then spending your hard earned money to buy crystals to make it NOT TASTE GOOD. *How insane is that??? * You might want to consider eating bland, healthy food without any tasty food if you want to lose weight. It costs nothing, works to help you lose weight, which could help you to be healthier, and SAVES money over other diets that only tease you with more tasty foods!

 

[ManOnFire]

As another poster mentioned, weight loss is big business. Once people lose lose weight through the bland food diet, and they will be less dependent on those weight loss companies that keep producing great tasting diet foods. People will feel empowered and freer. Non-obese people are generally healthier, live longer, report having more energy, save money on gas to propel their cars since the load is lighter, save water and energy by flushing the toilet less, produce less food packaging garbage, and have smaller carbon footprints.

Please let me know your experiences with the bland food diet. Thank you.

 

[ManOnFire]

Bland, healthy food all the time works to lose weight. Thoughts?