Giving up a favoured food.

[spacial]

I can't use salt. There are lots of people in my position.

Giving it up was terrible. But now I prefer it. On vegetables, I've found by putting on freshly ground pepper, it really brings out the flavour in a way I didn't get from salt.

Now, wondering, has anyone else had to give up some favoured food item? Can you describe how you did it?

[Simon]

I gave up eating breads and pasta made with white flour a few years ago. Everything is now whole grain or wheat. Every once in awhile I'll have a roll or biscuit at a restaurant that isn't whole grain but that's alright. It wasn't hard to switch. Just changed what I bought. If it's not here I can't eat it.

[AscendantDevon]

I've recently been put under several very strict dietary restrictions. Currently I am gluten-free (Bread used to be my favourite thing), and also vegan. It has been a real difficult job adjusting to it. Lucky, I've been able to go about it one step at a time. Its actually become a fun chore for me to find places where I can eat, and recipes that follow all my restrictions. I am a real fan of cooking though, so its fun finding recipes like vegan gluten free mac and cheese (which sounds impossible but isn't, I swear : P).

[Jamie D]

My diet is salt-restricted as well.  I have been using a commercial herb/spice mixture instead, called "Mrs. Dash."

Not sure if that is marketed in the UK.

My sodium levels is my blood-work are much improved (low end of normal), and my hypertension is well-controlled.

[Felix]

Quitting meat has at times been very hard for me.

My blood pressure is in the high normal range and has been gradually climbing for about a year now, and I'm considering working on my salt intake. I don't use much salt when I cook but I ingest a good bit of it anyhow. I put hot sauce on everything and have a bunch of different kinds. I've tried to cut back on V8 because it's expensive, but it's also very salty. And I love pickles and pickled jalapeños.

I spent a couple of years not using white sugar and that took some creativity at times.

Generally I do best when I try to focus on new foods and recipes rather than altering what I already eat. Low-sodium V8 is nasty, for example, and it was easier to switch to plain black coffee than to succeed with artificial or alternative sweeteners. Thrift store cook books are always dirt cheap and fun to experiment with.

[bethany]

Because I had a bout with gout I Had to give up eating shellfish. Now one of my favorite foods in the summer are fried clams and oysters, along with chowder. It wasn't easy, and every once in a while I have to feed the craving but I'll have a small portion.

[Ms. OBrien CVT]

Most spicy food.  They just tear up my stomach.

[Misato]

Friday Night Perch Fish Fry.  #1 thing I miss since going vegetarian.

I did just find vegetarian fake fish recently though.  Not the same.  Good!  But not the same.

[~RoadToTrista~]

I eat way too much salt, and I know it's gonna be a problem when I'm old, but I can't help it. :3

Most spicy food.  They just tear up my stomach.

Mmm, I think if you eat it enough your stomach eventually adjusts, lol

[Anna++]

Almost 2 years ago I gave up all junk food since I was doing way too much bored/depressed eating.  One day I decided that I just wasn't going to buy any more.  That caused me to ration what was left until it was all gone, and probably helped to wean me out of the habit.  I haven't looked back!

[crazy at the coast]

I gave up doggy snacks, too many of them are made in china and I'm not too trusting of them.  Its not been too bad, I just eat more candy again.

[ClaudiaLove]

I gave up bread and most of the sweets , those were my favourite guilty foods  ( * after a little over two months I had a low moment and I ate bread and Nutella , but now I am living without them again ) . 
Also I gave up meat products of any kind , processed and most of the canned foods  . 

[immortal gypsy]

Alcohol. Using will power. The knowldge that abulance officers would not say you had a drink thats why you had a seizure, when I would have one. Plus on really fun days I would walk around my place holding my walking stick or cruch behind my neck thinking of using them in ways that would definitely get me arrested