What If Food Didn’t Affect Weight or Health?

What Would You Eat?

Simple mental exercise for you today.

What would you eat if you knew the food choices you made wouldn’t adversely affect your weight or your health?

I’ll start: I would eat just about everything I am currently eating.

John

Posted by johnbarban in food, Health, Weight Loss
Tags: food, food choices, Health, Weight Loss |28 Comments

28 Responses to “What If Food Didn’t Affect Weight or Health?”

  1. Sherah Says:
    April 21st, 2010 at 10:15 am

    Hmmm…I think I’d have to agree with you! I think the only reason I eat too much of anything bad for me is because I have this mentality that “tomorrow I start the diet so I can’t have it anymore after this”. I tend to eat way too much, then tomorrow I decide to start “tomorrow” and on it goes.

    But if I never had to start eating healthy? I think I would eat SOME of those things, but I do love my salads, oatmeal, etc. Interesting thought.

  2. Bart Says:
    April 21st, 2010 at 10:31 am

    whatever i like and want to!!!

  3. biggahboy Says:
    April 21st, 2010 at 10:37 am

    i would eat every pastry i can get my hands on

  4. Dave Says:
    April 21st, 2010 at 10:39 am

    If It was not going to affect my weight or health, just more of what I eat now.

  5. Josh Eflin Says:
    April 21st, 2010 at 10:57 am

    I would eat what I eat now, just WAY more of it, I just love having flavors in my mouth.

  6. Josh B Says:
    April 21st, 2010 at 1:43 pm

    a lot more fast food and desserts since I love me some burgers on the go and pastries. other than not much different from what I already eat

  7. Jordan Says:
    April 21st, 2010 at 3:24 pm

    Okay, I’ll make some assumptions here. I’m still losing weight, so I’ll assume that, hypothetically, I’m either at my ideal weight, or that one can still eat less and lose weight. I’ll also assume that one doesn’t need to eat any food (esp. veggies) for health reasons. And I’ll also assume that one’s food choices and amounts wouldn’t affect mood or cause discomfort (like feeling stuffed, bloated, sleepy, digestive problems, etc.)

    Maybe I’m assuming too much and you weren’t implying any of these things! Or perhaps I’m over-thinking it. lol. But if all of the above were true, I would simply only eat for taste and pleasure. Honestly, I would probably eat how I was eating when I was 255 pounds, and then some. Plenty of high-cal stuff with no regard for moderation/ restriction. I would eat a breakfast sandwich for breakfast, burger and a piece of pie for lunch, and pizza and ice cream for dinner. And seconds or thirds of whatever I felt like. I would only eat “healthy” food if and when they taste good (like a stew with veggies.)

  8. Alex P. Says:
    April 21st, 2010 at 3:29 pm

    Everything.

  9. FitXcel Says:
    April 21st, 2010 at 4:12 pm

    I can’t say that a whole lot would really change. I’d definitely eat more donuts, though.

  10. Mike Navin Says:
    April 21st, 2010 at 5:27 pm

    The same fruit, veggies, meat, nuts and oils that I currently eat with splurging a meal or two a week of “junk.” Overall, eating this way makes me just feel better than when I’m eating junk.

  11. andy Says:
    April 21st, 2010 at 5:30 pm

    I would probably continue to eat as I do just because the habits I have formed are well formed.

  12. Pat Says:
    April 21st, 2010 at 5:55 pm

    Chocolate cake with tons of icing and mint chocolate chip ice cream for breakfast everyday. For dinners, Filet Mignon, Baked Potato with butter, pancakes, bacon, eggs, boneless wings, fries, pizza, margarita or buffalo chicken. Milkshakes, Pepsi Slurpees and water for drinks.

    I eat just about all these things now and still lose weight/maintain weight. Cake, I only have around birthdays etc, but wish I had them all the time.

  13. Pap.kyr Says:
    April 21st, 2010 at 6:56 pm

    I do not know John,you speak about a different world.If food is just like you describe then a lot more would be different, wouldn’t they?
    (sry for bad english)

  14. Girlwithnoname (Jackie) Says:
    April 21st, 2010 at 7:34 pm

    if it didn’t affect weight OR health? good god, I’d eat a lot of a lot of stuff.. I’d definitely be upping my quantities and going out a lot more, and drinking way more wine!

    what a fantasy.

    but yes, probably similar foods, just more.

    fortunately my personal goals for myself are firmer than my desire to do as above. Lean ‘n mean. Where’s the salad? LOL

  15. Lachlan Says:
    April 21st, 2010 at 7:59 pm

    More of everything, But it would really put a hole in my bank account each week. Think of the economy if this were true. Would there be enough food for the whole world to go around? Would price of food go up? Almost every business would incorporate some way to sell you food because essentially its easy pleasure with 0 accountability required.

    L

  16. Mike Says:
    April 21st, 2010 at 8:41 pm

    Mcdoubles by the barrel.

    Gelato by the gallon

    And chipotle and egg wraps by the platter.

  17. Chris R Says:
    April 21st, 2010 at 9:14 pm

    Anything and everything I could get my hands on!! No weight or health repercussions? LOTS of everything. Truth is, I eat anything and everything now, just not in high doses, so I would probably just eat more of the same (okay, a HELL of a lot more) but with no guilt!

    Great post Barban! I’m about 8hrs into a fast….motherf…..!

  18. Keith Says:
    April 21st, 2010 at 9:57 pm

    I would like to eat the girl holding the two dishes

  19. Andrew Lowry Says:
    April 21st, 2010 at 10:01 pm

    Beer and wine, pastries, juicy steaks and lots of vegetables. I have always loved vegetables.

  20. Q Says:
    April 21st, 2010 at 10:39 pm

    I would eat stuff with gluten in it and it wouldn’t make me feel sick.

  21. Tol Says:
    April 22nd, 2010 at 12:36 am

    it would make me gain weight faster, because junkfood is more calorie dense, and i also notice I get hungry faster after a high calorie junk meal.
    but if I ate for example, a few apples, I would be also full.
    with less calories

  22. Lars Says:
    April 22nd, 2010 at 2:43 am

    I don’t know. I pretty much eat whatever I want now (thanks to ESE, which made me understand how calories work).

    I’d probably eat more of it. Kebab every day!

  23. Josh B Says:
    April 22nd, 2010 at 9:37 am

    John, are you asking this because we can basically already do this? to drive home a point? as long as portions are controlled and calories are kept so a certain amount we really can make whatever food choices we want, aside from foods we are allergic to/intolerant of. that’s basically the diet philosophy you and brad are teaching and living.

  24. johnbarban Says:
    April 22nd, 2010 at 10:31 am

    Josh,

    I wanted to get everyone to explore their own beliefs about food and why we make the food choices we make.

    I guess you’re right and most of the readers here already have this under control and already eat whatever they want.

    JB

  25. Joshua Says:
    April 22nd, 2010 at 12:12 pm

    I saw your agenda coming a mile away, john. It definitely supports your “eat whatever I want” diet…to an extent. You obviously control how much you eat, or else you wouldnt be losing weight. So you’re not eating whatever you want. Your eating stops when your self-imposed calorie limit stops you. And it stops you from eating ANYTHING you want. We all know you believe in a “minimum” amount of protein as well;this is not necessarily what everyone “wants” to eat. And where is your nutrition coming from if you’re living on donuts and beer (not to say you are exactly–just an example). Nutrition encompasses more than just calories–there’s plenty of calories in our fat cells. Also, our bodies aren’t just calorie dumps: They are designed particularly for foods we’ve evolved on. Just look at the digestive system. By the rhetoric, I’m assuming neither you nor Brad have digestive distress. But it doesnt mean you wont incur some later in life. So give people who already do have these problems–or are wise enough to want to prevent them–a break. They’re only trying to feel better/keep feeling good. And the food one (I) eats clearly has much to do with that.

  26. Joshua Says:
    April 22nd, 2010 at 12:14 pm

    with respect

  27. usernametooshortnowitstoolon Says:
    April 23rd, 2010 at 1:27 am

    As for WHAT I would eat, I’m already eating what I enjoy thanks to ESE. But I eat a LOT less of my favorite foods than I would like to.

    Now, if we’re talking about WHAT and HOW MUCH, that’s a TOTALLY DIFFERENT story. Let’s see, I would eat the following for breakfast, lunch, and dinner EVERYDAY:

    * Bacon
    * Peking duck
    * Krispy Kreme (yummmmm, donuts)
    * Fried Spam
    * Dutch apple pie
    * Cinnamon Toast Crunch
    * Gin & tonic
    * Dr. Pepper
    * Pizza
    * Fried chicken

    I can go on and on…:)

  28. Aaron Curl Says:
    May 3rd, 2010 at 10:56 am

    I would continue eating the same paleo food I eat now. Maybe more bacon…lol.

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