What would your diet look like if you ate according to cravings (i.e no restrictions)?

[Rinse & rePeat]

Thank you @aniciete

Its not a super popular approach in general around here
But I truly hope it helps others see another side

I wrote a post with the same sentiment….

Calming Food Fears & Sugar

"If we added up all of the special 'avoidance' diets, no one could eat anything. Many people are ruining their health by avoiding too many foods." -Ray Peat Oh the days of youth! How did we get to this place where we question everything we eat and worry? When was the moment that one day we...

raypeatforum.com

 

[Peatful]

I wrote a post with the same sentiment….

Calming Food Fears & Sugar

"If we added up all of the special 'avoidance' diets, no one could eat anything. Many people are ruining their health by avoiding too many foods." -Ray Peat Oh the days of youth! How did we get to this place where we question everything we eat and worry? When was the moment that one day we...

raypeatforum.com

That’s good to know Rinse.

Ive seen your posts on pork; which I really enjoy. And I think you wrote a thread on anti-starch maybe? And starch has been incredibly therapeutic and healing for me.

It hasn’t been a linear journey. Lots of ups and downs.
Everyone is different. With a complex food and medical hx.
Each person needs to find what works for them.
However- im a firm believer that food heals and is our best “supplement”.
Restriction is not our metabolic friend.

 

[Vileplume]

Even if we eat whatever foods we want and crave, there are foods more harmful than others:

-pufa
-difficult to digest unripe fruits
-difficult to digest raw green, leafy vegetables
-grains, especially with fortified iron
-all the manufactured junk added to processed foods—citric acid, potassium sulfate, xanthan gum, carageenan, high fructose corn syrup

If we eat too many of these harmful foods, our health will suffer for it and our quality of life will be worse.

I agree that too much restriction can lead to stress and lack of nutrition, but there is a case to be made for restricting many of the foods commonly eaten in today’s world. There are multiple reasons that the average body temperature has dropped over a degree in the past 100 years, but I believe the major reason is all this junk that has snuck into common foods and harmed people.

Some restriction is necessary for optimal health, unless you’re young or have an exceptionally strong metabolism.

 

[Peatful]

Even if we eat whatever foods we want and crave, there are foods more harmful than others:

-pufa
-difficult to digest unripe fruits
-difficult to digest raw green, leafy vegetables
-grains, especially with fortified iron
-all the manufactured junk added to processed foods—citric acid, potassium sulfate, xanthan gum, carageenan, high fructose corn syrup

If we eat too many of these harmful foods, our health will suffer for it and our quality of life will be worse.

I agree that too much restriction can lead to stress and lack of nutrition, but there is a case to be made for restricting many of the foods commonly eaten in today’s world. There are multiple reasons that the average body temperature has dropped over a degree in the past 100 years, but I believe the major reason is all this junk that has snuck into common foods and harmed people.

Some restriction is necessary for optimal health, unless you’re young or have an exceptionally strong metabolism.

Yes.

I think hard to digest foods (gums, unripe fruits) are extremely detrimental.

But I certainly don’t crave or want things that make me feel bad.

That wasn’t my point at all.

I was saying: no cravings because I eat what I want.
Im nourished. Well fed. A “healthy appetite” (like who even says that anymore? People are proud they restrict or IF or what have you).

Hope that clarifies.

 

[Vileplume]

Yes.

I think hard to digest foods (gums, unripe fruits) are extremely detrimental.

But I certainly don’t crave or want things that make me feel bad.

That wasn’t my point at all.

I was saying: no cravings because I eat what I want.
Im nourished. Well fed. A “healthy appetite” (like who even says that anymore? People are proud they restrict or IF or what have you).

Hope that clarifies.

I see. Not “eat whatever” but getting to a place where your food desires are aligned with how the food makes you feel.

You naturally begin to want the food that makes you feel good.

 

[Rinse & rePeat]

That’s good to know Rinse.

Ive seen your posts on pork; which I really enjoy. And I think you wrote a thread on anti-starch maybe? And starch has been incredibly therapeutic and healing for me.

It hasn’t been a linear journey. Lots of ups and downs.
Everyone is different. With a complex food and medical hx.
Each person needs to find what works for them.
However- im a firm believer that food heals and is our best “supplement”.
Restriction is not our metabolic friend.

I am not against starches as a food, but more pointing out that it is not a weight loss food or to be had as a daily food, especially somebody already sick. I am more about high quality foods as a whole and using starches as a splurge. There is just too much out there about grains promoting inflammation and disease to call them a health food and eat them without a thought about it. Here is a RP quote I posted earlier today.

“After decades of “education” to promote eating starchy foods, obesity is a bigger problem than ever, and more people are dying of diabetes than previously. The age-specific incidence of most cancers is increasing, too, and there is evidence that starch, such as pasta, contributes to breast cancer, and possibly other types of cancer.” -Ray Peat

 

[Rinse & rePeat]

Even if we eat whatever foods we want and crave, there are foods more harmful than others:

-pufa
-difficult to digest unripe fruits
-difficult to digest raw green, leafy vegetables
-grains, especially with fortified iron
-all the manufactured junk added to processed foods—citric acid, potassium sulfate, xanthan gum, carageenan, high fructose corn syrup

If we eat too many of these harmful foods, our health will suffer for it and our quality of life will be worse.

I agree that too much restriction can lead to stress and lack of nutrition, but there is a case to be made for restricting many of the foods commonly eaten in today’s world. There are multiple reasons that the average body temperature has dropped over a degree in the past 100 years, but I believe the major reason is all this junk that has snuck into common foods and harmed people.

Some restriction is necessary for optimal health, unless you’re young or have an exceptionally strong metabolism.

+1

 

[aniciete]

I am not against starches as a food, but more pointing out that it is not a weight loss food ir to be had as a daily food, especially somebody already sick.. I am more about high quality foods as a whole and using starches as a splurge. There is just too much out the about grains promoting inflammation and disease to call them a health food and eat them without a thought about it. Here is a RP quote I posted earlier today.

After decades of “education” to promote eating starchy foods, obesity is a bigger problem than ever, and more people are dying of diabetes than previously. The age-specific incidence of most cancers is increasing, too, and there is evidence that starch, such as pasta, contributes to breast cancer, and possibly other types of cancer.” -Ray Peat

Potatoes/tubers and rice are great staples that can definitely be eaten everyday. I have found it almost impossible to thrive on a no starch diet while eating adequate calories. You either have to over consume table sugar, fats or liquids, which peat doesn’t recommend. Obviously eat what makes you feel the best, but I’ve seen many people here try to brute force a dairy heavy diet and fail time after time again. There’s posts of people stopping and starting starch all the time, you’d think the benefits of quitting would be apparent no?

 

[Rinse & rePeat]

Potatoes/tubers and rice are great staples that can definitely be eaten everyday. I have found it almost impossible to thrive on a no starch diet while eating adequate calories. You either have to over consume table sugar, fats or liquids, which peat doesn’t recommend. Obviously eat what makes you feel the best, but I’ve seen many people here try to brute force a dairy heavy diet and fail time after time again. There’s posts of people stopping and starting starch all the time, you’d think the benefits of quitting would be apparent no?

I read more people on this forum stopping starches and feeling better than the people that eat starches feeling good. Keep an eye out and notice the people that eat starches in different threads having the most health problems. If one finds it impossible to stay away from starches then they aren’t balancing their meals right aka protein/sugar/fat or they have cravings/addictions to it.

 

[Rinse & rePeat]

People eating sugars have to be sure to have a protein or a fat with it…..

Rinse & rePeat:

“I recall five, or so, years ago reading that you recommend having protein in the day and starches and fats at night, am I remembering right?”

RAY PEAT:

“Yes, the function of the fat is to slow absorption of the carbohydrate.”

 

[aniciete]

If one finds it impossible to stay away from starches then they aren’t balancing their meals right aka protein/sugar/fat or they have cravings/addictions to it.

If I live in a northern latitude and it’s snowing all winter, how could I possibly “balance” my meals in a way to keep me warm and satiated? I would rather eat a warm potato with lots of butter, a couple glasses of milk and some local lamb than eat some imported unripe fruits, bottled juices or table sugar that has zero nutritional value. I’ll stick to eating grandmas cooking and eating like my ancestors who thrived on potatoes + dairy, local meats, local fruits when they are in season and local root vegetables. But I guess I have an “addiction” to starch lol

 

[Rinse & rePeat]

If I live in a northern latitude and it’s snowing all winter, how could I possibly “balance” my meals in a way to keep me warm and satiated? I would rather eat a warm potato with lots of butter, a couple glasses of milk and some local lamb than eat some imported unripe fruits, bottled juices or table sugar that has zero nutritional value. I’ll stick to eating grandmas cooking and eating like my ancestors who thrived on potatoes + dairy, local meats, local fruits when they are in season and local root vegetables. But I guess I have an “addiction” to starch lol

A potato, lamb and milk sounds good to me for winter food. I think grains cause more problems than a potato, and I don’t think unripe fruits or bottled juices sound good either. If you don’t any pounds to shed or health problems then enjoy! I certainly enjoy my starch splurges, but I don’t find it “impossible to thrive” without them”, so you might be right lol

 

[Herbie]

The thing I find difficult to get which isn't ruined by additives and seed oils is anything salty starch.

For whatever reason they have ruined all salty foods and continue to lower salt content because of those idiot nutritionists.

When I get a salt craving, it's very hard to find something which won't increase serotonin in my gut.

I'm craving salt now and likely going to get fish and chips tomorrow from one of the best places in the UK deep fried in rapeseed oil, maybe I'll regret it maybe I won't. This is because of the milk/oj diet, this is what it does, too much dampness plus its been raining today and I bathed in an Ice cold waterfall up a mountain.

I've finally come to a point where I've suffered and everyone else around suffered to the point where I'm totally alone from aggressive and angry behavior all the time, I know it's from gut irritation. It's so good to be in a tranquil mood all the time and no one else's emotions can shake it either but if I eat something irritating, it ruins it and makes me sad, because I end up getting agitated by people.

 

[aniciete]

The thing I find difficult to get which isn't ruined by additives and seed oils is anything salty starch.

For whatever reason they have ruined all salty foods and continue to lower salt content because of those idiot nutritionists.

When I get a salt craving, it's very hard to find something which won't increase serotonin in my gut.

I'm craving salt now and likely going to get fish and chips tomorrow from one of the best places in the UK deep fried in rapeseed oil, maybe I'll regret it maybe I won't. This is because of the milk/oj diet, this is what it does, too much dampness plus its been raining today and I bathed in an Ice cold waterfall up a mountain.

I've finally come to a point where I've suffered and everyone else around suffered to the point where I'm totally alone from aggressive and angry behavior all the time, I know it's from gut irritation. It's so good to be in a tranquil mood all the time and no one else's emotions can shake it either but if I eat something irritating, it ruins it and makes me sad, because I end up getting agitated by people.

Eat the fish and chips and enjoy it. If you develop an aversion due to it being fried in pufa, you could always look up a quick recipe to make your own. You could use masa as the breading and fry it in tallow like old fast food chains used to.

Anyways, just eat what you feel like eating and enjoy it. Doesn’t have to be a regular thing, but if you want to eat something, there’s not a reason to back out of it.

 

[Herbie]

Eat the fish and chips and enjoy it. If you develop an aversion due to it being fried in pufa, you could always look up a quick recipe to make your own. You could use masa as the breading and fry it in tallow like old fast food chains used to.

Anyways, just eat what you feel like eating and enjoy it. Doesn’t have to be a regular thing, but if you want to eat something, there’s not a reason to back out of it.

This isn't my first rodeo, I know from doing this over and over that it sounds good at the time but often it's not worth it.

I'm homeless and can't cook or prepare food for myself but I used to go to the fish monger and get freshest fish and make potato chips with beef fat or coconut oil.

 

[FoodForeal]

This isn't my first rodeo, I know from doing this over and over that it sounds good at the time but often it's not worth it.

I'm homeless and can't cook or prepare food for myself but I used to go to the fish monger and get freshest fish and make potato chips with beef fat or coconut oil.

Why can't you cook or prepare food for yourself? Do you have a cast iron pan and a fire or camp stove?

 

[Herbie]

Why can't you cook or prepare food for yourself? Do you have a cast iron pan and a fire or camp stove?

I live in a small car and don't have space and where I live there is no where to carry out such a task especially cleaning up after. I have to stay in the same place because I have a full time job and don't want to ruin it by drawing unwanted attention towards myself. I'm in England and going to my home country soon, Australia where I can go to free campgrounds where they have fire places with cast iron hot plates and parks with free gas bbqs.

England is just a hostile place compared to other places. It's full of nosy dog walkers and rich people own all the forests and just really difficult to get some privacy and space to do anything normal.

 

[FoodForeal]

I live in a small car and don't have space and where I live there is no where to carry out such a task especially cleaning up after. I have to stay in the same place because I have a full time job and don't want to ruin it by drawing unwanted attention towards myself. I'm in England and going to my home country soon, Australia where I can go to free campgrounds where they have fire places with cast iron hot plates and parks with free gas bbqs.

England is just a hostile place compared to other places. It's full of nosy dog walkers and rich people own all the forests and just really difficult to get some privacy and space to do anything normal.

Well, don't ruin your health just because you may not cook food for yourself. I'm sure you can find somewhere that you may cook unimpeded. Might cost a bit of gas, walking, and time.

 

[JamesGatz]

A lot of Pizza - Pepperoni Pizza with garlic especially
A lot of candy/gum - especially sour candy
A lor of soda - coke mainly
Ice Cream
French Fries
Burgers
Milkshakes

 

[Rinse & rePeat]

A lot of Pizza - Pepperoni Pizza with garlic especially
A lot of candy/gum - especially sour candy
A lor of soda - coke mainly
Ice Cream
French Fries
Burgers
Milkshakes

Try pepperoni with pineapple sometime. I tried it recently and I can never go back to just pepperoni now :)