Great article. I've been following a diet called "The Livet," which is live with a T instead of diet with a T. I too feel a lot of freedom in what I eat. Instead of constantly agonizing over what to eat and feeling guilty about it, I listen to my body. You can read more about it http://feedingjimmy.com/the-livet/

This is a great article--thank you! To enjoy food as a gift, and one that (like all others) is meant to be used in moderation, is really the healthy and joyful way. I love the comment about how sweet food gets associated with guilt in our culture--and shouldn't. There's nothing guilty about enjoying chocolate--why would there be? So, I grew up in France, where the food culture is a bit different from the U.S.'s. People don't talk about guilt in relation to sweets. They do sometimes turn down seconds saying "I'm watching my weight," so it's not like they don't think about it. But one big difference that I've noticed between France and the U.S. is what seems to be the American belief that certain foods are bad. That's unknown in France. The notion that I mustn't eat *that* because it'll make me fat is an American one, and what's more, it's not true. It's not the innate nature of cake that puts pounds on you--it's the amount. And it's not just the amount of cake, it's the amount of everything. That's why I agree with the notion of listening to your body--if what you're listening to is when your body is full. And Stephanie, I SO agree about fat-free foods. I would add diet soda to the list. They all taste HORRIBLE. I watched a French person taste non-fat yogurt (which seems to be standard here now) and she made a face and went "That's not yogurt! This stuff is held together with gelatin!" (Yeah, apparently she could tell that...) I think they come from that cultural "Aha, *this* food is the culprit!" attitude--and they perpetuate the other American food myth, which is that bad foods taste good and good foods taste bad, so you can pick health or enjoyment, one or the other. That's just... wrong.

While I agree with the idea that we should never base our contentment on circumstances (our weight, our income, our marital status, etc.), and while I am more than a little tired of our cultures obsession with both food and health, I don't think just "listening to our bodies" is the answer. We naturally crave fats and sweets because they are the best source of calories and energy because for most of human history food was in short supply while daily living require a lot of physical activity. And rather than being chided for eating those between meal sweets, I often have been told "this one time won't hurt." However, "this one time" happens all too often. Combine that with every opportunity for "fellowship" involving food (usually sweets), and it's no wonder so many people have weight related health problems. I often find I'm not looking for sweets, but when everyone around me is eating them and the food is out on display it becomes hard to resist. There has to be a middle ground between constantly denying yourself and eating whatever you want. (or crave) That's what I'm aiming for.

Stephanie, love and couldn't agree more with your post!

I have battled/struggled/wrestled with my weight since childhood. I've have lost large amounts of weight numerous times, using healthy, insane, structured weightloss plans. I'm at the heaviest I've ever been and am considered obese, with high BP and cholesterol, plus my knees reall hurt. This past summer I began investigating weight loss surgery. A few colleagues had undergone surgeries and were doing very well. I have continued to research and pray, and am the point where I will undergo WLS May 2013.

Anna, thank you so much for focusing us on the good gift God gave us in providing food that is not only nutritious but also extravagantly enjoyable. I wrote an ode to my God-given taste buds on my blog today, so I am right there with you on your post here. Cheers (in more ways than one!), Tim

Great article! I love food a great deal, and sort of hang around between 'healthy'/overweight BMI. I often see on Pinterest, "Nothing tastes as good as being thin feels." I loved being thin, and I like having the excuse of a 4-month-old to be a bit pudgy right now. And I completely disagree! Food is meant to be enjoyed! It's a gift. As long as I am healthy, just because I'm not a size 8 or even my ideal 10, doesn't mean I need to feel guilty about enjoying really good food. (Now to internalize that truth.) Fat-free food is gross and empty of nutrition. Keep your 100-cal packs; I will eat a real cookie made with butter or a slice of pie instead of five hundred little tasteless things. Anyway, I still struggle with not looking as good as I want to, but I'm definitely not willing to eat too differently to lose weight. And it's a choice I have to make. Our society really knows how to take good things and wreck them. (Food, sex, exercise/sports, fashion, beauty, etc.)

I meant to say "fair share". Sigh.

I appreciate what you have to say here. As someone who has battled both anorexia and bulimia (and recovered!), I have had my far share of seeing food as a source of guilt, something to be accompanied with the self-remonstrations you spoke of. I do, however, have a few questions. Would your outlook on food change if you were diagnosed with a severe food allergy or celiac disease? (Both would limit what you could eat and therefore might impact how you think about food/nourishment/enjoyment.) Second, what advice do you have for those with severe food limitations, who desperately want to enjoy food, but nevertheless know that the wrong foods might sicken their bodies?

Well said, and thank you for sharing some of your story. Considering the biblical description of a huge Feast awaiting us on That Day when all is indeed re-made, I think *God* is looking forward to having *you* over, too! :)