I wondered how many people have found that their weight loss has made them into "born-again" health nuts.

I know for me, the more my body regains a healthy shape, the more knowledgeable I feel, which means that I feel all the more committed to a healthy lifestyle.

In our house, this has meant getting junk food out and healthy food in. My ten-year old, a healthy, active child, went through initial withdrawal when all the GOOD stuff cleared off the shelves; my spouse went through "self-directed grocery shopping" to combat my inital shelf-clearing; and I had to talk with my family and lay it down in no uncertain terms: time to get healthy... so STOP BUYING JUNK FOOD.

So far, my biggest challenge comes when I go to a friend's house and they bring out the extra-cheesy sour cream and butter dip (made with crab, so it can be called crab dip) and I have to sit their respecting their choices while remembering mine, but other than a few moments where I leapt from the wagon, I've done ok.

Anyone else become a born-again health nut?

I can totally relate to what you are saying. I find myself focusing on eating the best types of foods possible, and since I started dieting and exercising again, I pay more attention to what ingredients are in foods I buy at the store. I shop a lot at Trader Joe's now, which is popular in Southern California. It's a grocery grain with healthy and organic foods, but at a lower cost than some of the health food stores. I guess I trying to lose weight helps me to focus more attention on what I am putting into my body, which is definitely a good thing in the long run.

i've become an obnoxious label reading nut I always used to sort of read labels - even at my heaviest weight - i was aware of the amount of calories in food - and wouldn't eat oreos because they were 'bad" - it wasn't until recently I realized the amount of "good" foods - or foods that pretend to be healthy - that really aren't. Labels are more than just calorie and fiber count - for me now it's what's actually in the item...

I've also redisovered my love of cooking which is good

Funny - I did the opposite. I always checked the ingredients and wouldn't eat anything that didn't sound like food.

The calories, however, I didn't look twice at. After all, if it's got healthy ingredients, it must be healthy... right?

Yeah... so ANYWAY... about this weight I'm losing...

I'm really glad our local grocery stores carry bulk grains and legumes, plus organic veggies. Sadly, many of the organic veggies available come from California. I bet they looked better when they left your neck of the woods, Belle.

I agree. When I see a laundry list of unfamiliar ingredients which I know are primarily preservatives and chemicals, I immediately return the item to the shelf. It's not just fat and calories and sodium that affects our bodies--all that other stuff impacts our systems as well! I also look at where ingredients such as sugar or salt are placed in the list of other foods, and if I can, I try to buy items without either ingredient. I don't need the sugar, and if I want to add salt, I can do it myself. I'm even picky about my bread now--it has to be whole grain or it's not worth it at all!

"I'm really glad our local grocery stores carry bulk grains and legumes, plus organic veggies. Sadly, many of the organic veggies available come from California. I bet they looked better when they left your neck of the woods, Belle"

Haha! Probably, but we also recently had those horrible bouts of e.coli from the spinach and lettuce too! Might be slightly fresher, but not always healthier!

Uh huh! Thats me...

I used to throw scorn at 'healthy food' and exercise ....

Now, I exercise and eat healthy with an obsession. I've always been an obsessive slightly unhinged person, who has to do something all or nothing, so I guess that its a pattern thats been reoccurring throughout my life - only this obsession has greatly improved my fitness, health, and life expectations ... so is that such a bad thing?

Latest obsession has been with trying to eat more berries, and to eat some green leafy stuff everyday

[QUOTE=cmillington;193060]I wondered how many people have found that their weight loss has made them into "born-again" health nuts.

I've even started health and fitness shows on the FitTV network. Programs I used to laugh at I now won't miss.

And I sneak to the YMCA to get in an extra work-out when I should be doing something else. I disgust myself!