A few years ago when I was teaching my weight loss class in Florida we had a conversation about eating food from the trash. Do you or don’t you? Have you or haven’t you? I found this whole conversation fascinating because eating from the trashcan was where I drew the line. If an M&M fell on the floor I may eat that, but not if food was in the trash can! Apparently though, in that particular group of ladies, eating from the trash happened occasionally, but there were rules.
1. The food had to be really good
2. The food had to be on top of the can
3. The food had to be freshly disposed of
I laughed along with them, but I was thinking – “What!! You have got to be kidding me! Food from the trash?” The more I thought about it, the more I realized that I had been guilty of doing the same thing. Not by eating food from the trash can, but by eating trashy food. What nutritional value did I get from inhaling large amounts of chocolate before 10:00 a.m. Wasn’t the over processed, fried food bad for my heart and health? Candy bars in twos and double dinners were trashy for my body. The food didn’t come from the trash, but it may as well have for all the good it did for my health and my weight.
How are you doing these days with your food choices? Is the food you are choosing to eat healthy and nutritious for your body, or are you filling yourself up with trash? The more weight I lost the more I developed the desire to eat foods that were healthy and satisfying. I still loved food, but my love for certain foods shifted. There are a lot of sites with lists of healthy foods, but I like World’s Healthiest Foods website. They have a great list of healthy foods. In reviewing their list I realized that when I changed my eating habits I added in a lot of foods from this list, just by gaining an awareness of the nutritional value of the foods I was eating, and the foods I was serving my family.
Weight loss can be achieved by following a low calorie, nutritionally poor diet, but losing pounds that way isn’t the way to long term improvement in your health and well-being. Years ago, when I was in high school some of my family and I tried one of those diets where you have shakes twice a day and then a “healthy dinner.” We all lost some weight doing that, but the minute we started eating food again, we promptly regained our weight. Don’t settle for losing pounds and your health at the same time. While losing weight — try and focus not just on the amount of food you are eating but on the health of the food you are eating. You will be glad you did!
Ever been tempted by trash? Diane
I have been reading (here and there) about the fact that so many kids are nutritionally starved from all the non-food they eat. And I am not just talking about vending machine choices after school. I am also talking about what they are being served at the dinner table or in their lunch box. My youngest just happened to meantion (yesterday) how many kids she sees who have no food in their lunch box. They have a whole lunch box full of NONfood (chips, cookies, crackers, etc fill the whole box).
and yes, absolutely I have eaten things out of the trash – exactly as you describe – on top, fresh pitch, ‘good’ taste
vickie´s last fabulous musings ..different
I haven’t eaten food out of the trash, but I have certainly used my body as a trashcan. It’s a fine line isn’t it?
Hugs,
Mary
Mary´s last fabulous musings ..Day 87 – Monday – A new month
I too have never literally eaten food out of the trash can, but I can’t deny that I’ve eaten my share of trashy food. Now that I’m trying to lose weight for real, I find that there is no room for that kind of trash food. I need all my calories for real nutrition, in order to keep my body well fed.
Desert Agave´s last fabulous musings ..Weigh In
Never was I ever tempted to take food from a trash can and eat it, even if it just fell in there like 1 second ago. No way. That’s disgusting.
But yes, you do have a point where we as people do eat food that is trashy for our bodies.
These days I like to think that the healthy food I’m choosing is not just for my weight loss but also to make me be healthier example: Getting fewer flu’s and taking fewer sick days. Being healthier overall.
blackhuff´s last fabulous musings ..Planning meals
YIKES, no eating out of the trash can for me!!! And I am so with you on focusing on trying to eat a better quality of food.. whole foods & less packaged foods! I rarely eat packaged foods & yes, I portion control!
Jody – Fit at 52´s last fabulous musings ..GIVEAWAY – Lifting Gloves
Never out of the trash, so far. I have eaten food that fell on the floor
Did know a fellow in college that would take cigarette butts out of ashtrays and smoke those, similar behavior??
I’m way too much of a germaphobe to eat out of the trash. However, my mom’s friend once bought us this food called “White Trash” and it was stuff like pretzels and Chex and other stuff covered in white chocolate. Of course it came in a trash can like the one in your photo, which is what made me think about it. I think I polished off that trash can.
Tracey @ I’m Not Superhuman´s last fabulous musings ..I Might Be Cranky…
No eating from the trash can here either, but I think I might’ve come close once or twice. I would put food in the trash when I knew I needed to stop eating it, and I think I may have been tempted to pull it out and brush it off. Never did though. If all else failed I’d dump something else on top of it – like that SATC episode where Miranda puts soap on her chocolate cake so she’ll stop eating out of the garbage.
As for trashy food, I was raised on very healthy meals – just way too much of them. I’m realizing how lucky I was in some ways. When I eat overprocessed junk now, I’m always amazed at how wrong it tastes. Either the flavor is too much – way too salty or way too sweet – or there’s just no real flavor at all. It’s like eating chemicals. Whole natural foods really are just more satisfying and taste better.
Maude´s last fabulous musings ..The Grind
Don’t think I’ve ever eating out of the trash can. A few times, when I’ve been fasting, I’ve seen my kids toss something that looked appealing because I was so hungry.
Leah´s last fabulous musings ..Good Thing I Asked and NSV
No never from the can…ugh..I have sometimes put food into the trash so I stop eating it….
sian-girlgetstrong´s last fabulous musings ..Giveaway- Nuu-Muu Workout Dress
Never, ever, from the trash, falling on the floor (even with the 5-second rule). I don’t even like to eat food in people’s houses where they have animals they allow free run of the house (as in cats on countertops … double yuck).
Siobhan´s last fabulous musings ..Not to worry …
I’ve never eaten from the rubbish bin, but I have activated the 5-second rule before.
You make a brilliant point about the quality of food we choose to eat, though. I think I eat untrashy food these days, but I used to eat trashy, empty calories on a regular basis, nods.
Cilla´s last fabulous musings ..Trying tofu
I would never could never eat from the trash can – the floor – sure! But I SO eat empty/trash calories – my snacks just aren’t wholesome enough and are too much more like “treats” instead. Must work on this! (to be fuller, eat fewer calories to lose weight and to ultimately be more healthy!)
fittingbackin´s last fabulous musings ..Puppers in Costume- Product Review- Book Review
I was that woman. I didn’t want to “waste” good food. And I always rationalized it wasn’t buried underneath.
No I am much more cautious because I have to get my nutrients in with my stomach problems. I’m in awe at what I used to eat and think was “food”.
I have never eaten food out of the trashcan either..but there have been times where I had bought something *really* bad, binged on it, felt guilty and promptly tossed (once a whole cake minus one big piece) and then actually regretted tossing it in the trash and *wishing* I could get it back..but I just could never bring myself to actually go get it out of there. I certainly have put enough trash into my body however.
As I’ve been writing down all my food and trying to stay within a calorie range, I find myself making better and better choices and caring about the quality of the food that I do eat.
What a great post! I have never eaten (literally) from the trash but I sure did my share of eating trashy food. Nowadays I realize that I deserve better, I deserve the best food I can put into my body!
Rapunzel´s last fabulous musings ..November Already
OK, I’ll bite. (Pun intended!!) Yes, I’ve eaten from the trash. It is not as if the was sitting amidst the dustbin’s castoffs or other gross stuff. But maybe on top of a tossed container or up against a milk carton. Still looking like it did an hour ago when I threw it away. I am one of those people who is not afraid of getting rid of “danger” foods. If I have 1/3 a cake leftover from a party, I will get rid of it. Somehow. The bottom line is that I’ve retrieved food before, I know I will do it again if I’m not careful and so I take steps. Instead of throwing the food away, anything that might tempt me I throw into the sink and down the garbage disposal. Voila! Gone! And not because I ate it! (You’d be surprised, but some foods from the garbage may be less contaminated than if it fell on the floor!)
I have to say that I have pretty much lost my appetite for junky food or trashy food as you call it!
Being thin does not equate being healthy. We are what we eat! I try to eat healthy at least 80 – 90 percent of the time. I feel better when I do. I don’t want to go back to the way I use to eat and feel.
I’m tempted less and less by trash; it’s not worth the consequences.
‘Drea´s last fabulous musings ..The Happiness Project
Hi Diane,
This brings back memories of when I was a cook… the restaurant dug food out of the dumpster trying to prove the dollar value of “good food” the employees threw away. We were then acquainted with a spatula!
I like your focus on quality.
John W. Zimmer´s last fabulous musings ..National Debt Dog and Pony Show
Absolutely NOT!
It never even crossed my mind to do that.
A few years back , there was a publication put out called The Tightwad Gazette by Amy Dacyzn( I am sure I am spelling it wrong) , and it was about frugal living. One of the things she advocated was dumpster diving – crawling into dumpsters or curb side trash to rescue furniture, toys, clothing and canned goods. The only way I would ever eat something out of the trash would be if I was homeless, absolutely broke, unable to get into a shelter and starving to death. My diet seems to be very similar to yours- I LOVE the Worlds Healthiest food website and eat most foods suggested on there – shellfish is the one that I do not , due to an allergy.
Diane´s last fabulous musings ..The Press Association- WeightWatchers in U-turn on alcohol
I will admit that my husband has thrown away a partially eaten bag of potato chips and if it was still on top, I’d open the bag and finish her off! But that is about as far as I would go. Now if I am tempted I dump the bag of stuff directly into the garbage…I could never eat something that has touched other stuff. bleck.
Shawnee´s last fabulous musings ..A Lion’s Heart
I’ve never actually taken a piece of food out the trash. I can’t imagine myself doing it either – no matter how good it is!
As for eating trash “food” – of this I am guilty many a time!
Great post!
Toni´s last fabulous musings ..Old Betty Died!
I can’t say I’ve eaten out of the trash, but I’ve certainly thrown things away so I wouldn’t eat any more of it.
I’ve had my share of trash food in my time, but fortunately, that’s pretty much under control these days.
and it alll makes me think of GEORGE and the Seinfeld episode:
but it was on a doily!!
(hmmm. did I misspell doily!?
)
Miz´s last fabulous musings ..Exercising at the airport video post