Bland Food Diet

[ManOnFire]

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. Spicy foods have been proven to release the body's natural painkillers (endorphins) http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content/short/346/12/947. Red pepper spices are literally addicting. 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. Bland, 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.

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? If you're trying to lose weight, your goal should be to wean yourself from pleasurable foods to the point where you don't tease your brain by periodically having them. We eat to live, not live to eat. 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!

[CatholicChick]

This is very interesting information that I have never heard before thanks so much for sharing..much to think about as my diet is not bland, makes sense about food cravings.

[ManOnFire]

Thanks. Modern food seems to be more about taste and pleasure for the taste buds (brain) than sustenance in many cases. I found that the less I stimulated my taste buds (brain) the easier it became to resist and vice versa. I now laugh when I think about diet foods that taste good. It just makes us want more. Taste is the big tease.

[GKCMD]

Originally Posted by ManOnFire

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. Spicy foods have been proven to release the body's natural painkillers (endorphins) http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content/short/346/12/947. Red pepper spices are literally addicting. 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. Bland, 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.

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? If you're trying to lose weight, your goal should be to wean yourself from pleasurable foods to the point where you don't tease your brain by periodically having them. We eat to live, not live to eat. 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!

It'll take a month for your taste buds to change.

I slowly switched to a strict vegan diet. While I steam my vegetables I do not put anything on them. I eat them as is, just steamed. Same with everything else. Pretty soon eating plain steamed brussels sprouts is as good as eating french fries (they just taste different :-). I boil steel cut oats and eat them with a sliced banana. I eat apples, oranges, and berries. Lately I've been eating steamed white rice along with my mixed vegetables and I can't see giving that up. And, I do occasionally add a very little soy sauce to the plate. Other than that I have a very boring diet.

Now, that said, let me make my point. The key to keeping slim is DIET. Period, end of sentence, full stop. BUT, there is a synergistic effect that makes a regular intense exercise regime (e.g., running, cycling, rowing, etc., at least 1 hr/day) as important as diet. The cardio regime makes eating healthy infinitely easier in my opinion.

The funny thing is it is so hard to eat a healthy diet and be sedentary. And you tend to think about eating more. During those periods when I cut back on my at least 6 miles/day runs (didn't do it for a week), I sometimes felt depleted on my vegan diet, and would resort to snacking on pretzels, peanuts (very calorie dense and fattening), and sometimes candy (a lot of candy is vegan and fat-free, e.g., Mike and Ikes, but the sugar is a killer).

The biggest lesson I learned in getting fit (and I went from 70 lbs overweight to looking like a model off the cover of a fitness magazine) was that you just have to do it. Eat a healthy diet (IMO good strict vegan w/ uncooked fruits, veggies, grains, and legumes) and make a hardcore 1-2 hours of exercise a part of your life ( I recommend running), rain, shine, snow, or sleet.

At first when you start exercising you start with such enthusiasm. After 5 minutes in it is absolute torture and you get so discouraged. The next day your muscles are crying for mercy and you can barely walk. Then the next day you do it again and it feels like torture, only you can stand the torture a little longer. And the next day it is torture, and you are sore, but you continue on and do more. And the more you do the more you can do. Pretty soon, and it takes place without much notice and sooner than you could ever imagine, it seems easy and you knock out a 6-mile run in the mornings like nothing. Your body becomes transformed into a lean, athletic one. Friends and relatives marvel at you and co-workers ask you for advice on getting healthy and fit. People treat you differently. And you feel like a different person. And you start to look at people your age who don't look like they are off the cover of a fitness magazine and you get annoyed ("Why can't they just do what I did, it's so easy!" ;-).

[3DOCTORS]

This is a very interesting thread!

I joined an online group that I wasn't sure would exist until I Googled and there it was: www.pickyeatingadults.com

You see, I have sensory issues with food and eat very few veggies and prefer bland (and unfortunately often starchy or high-carb) foods. This, coupled with metabolic problems, has left me about 80 lbs. overweight, insulin resistant, and at risk for diabetes.

Mortification of the flesh -- yes, I am familiar with the concept, in case you are wondering. However, when something like raw tomato, mayonnaise or pickles triggers a gag reflex, one has to tread carefully. Food has been a challenge for me. So-called comfort food feels "safe."

Well, I won't bore with all the social embarrassment and so on that my weird eating has caused, but this thread struck a chord immediately, and here's why:

1. So many "dieting tips" say to add spices to make the rabbit food more appealing. To me that makes it even less desirable.

2. On occasion I have reluctantly consumed foods such as steamed broccoli or barley soup offered to me and discovered that without salt, I could actually overcome my sensory repugnance to broccoli or vegetable broth, etc. more easily. This surprised me.

3. I read of one study that confirms what ManOnFire said, that the flavorful foods set up more cravings. And it's true for me too, I'm sure, with the flavors I do like (butter, cheese, sweet, etc.). I gave up soda pop for plain tea about 3 years ago -- and did great. Then someone got me started on sweet tea. I'm thinking I may need to give it up -- not sure what's in it, either nasty chemical sweeteners or evil high fructose corn syrup

In conclusion, I think this whole idea has merit for both religious and health/dieting reasons.

So...I'm thinking that the bland diet concept will be helpful to me and I'm fascinated by the reasons it has benefit for others who've posted here.

[ManOnFire]

Has anyone else had any success? Tasty food pleasures the brain. People who buy tasty food but lack the willpower will be heading toward extra unhealthy weight. The answer is to choose healthy bland food to turn food away from an emphasis on pleasure and into an emphasis on energy for the body. Once the brain is weaned from it's regular dose of pleasure, it will get easier given time. Best of luck for health and success!