I named this in my own work: food grief. It's not about missing food itself. It's mourning what food was doing, the comfort, the reward, the way it absorbed feelings that had nowhere else to go. The relief and the loss showing up at the same table isn't a contradiction. It's what it looks like when something stops meeting a need it was meeting for years, even when meeting it that way was never actually working.
"The relief and the loss showing up at the same table." That line is so powerful. ❤️ I think naming it as grief gives people permission to stop feeling guilty for having mixed emotions. Thank you for adding this perspective.
Before Wegovy, if I knew we were having one of my favorite meals, I’d be excited about it for hours. I’d think about it all day, counting down until dinner. I honestly thought that was just normal.
Now, I’m seven weeks into my Wegovy journey, and that feeling has changed so much. I still enjoy good food, but it no longer takes over my thoughts.
Thank you for putting the biology behind this into words. It made me realize that what I experienced wasn’t a lack of willpower—it was something much more complex.
I relate to this so much. Food used to occupy so much mental space that I didn't even realize it until it quieted down. I'm so glad the article helped put words to your experience.
I also miss being excited about food. When I go out to a restaurant I’ve been looking forward to trying and can only eat a few bites, I don’t recognize myself.
That article was amazing. It all made so much sense. Thank you for saying those words. I actually miss the “binge”, eating when no one was around and loving every minute of it, maybe feeling a little sick after but the knowing that no one actually knew I was doing was it, the secret was huge. I can’t thank you enough for that brilliant article.
Dianne, thank you for trusting us with this. I think so many people have felt exactly what you just described but have never put words to it. The secrecy wasn't just about the food, it was about having a place to escape. I'm so glad the article helped you feel seen. You're definitely not alone in this.
Thank you for talking about this. It is real. And on the weeks where it is paired with a small loss…or no loss…or a gain…it gets louder. I do find myself wondering when I will make my peace with it. What I find I miss is the fun. The social piece. Planning an entire day or vacation around where I’m going to eat. I miss being excited about food.
Lori, I think so many people will read this and quietly say, "Me too." Grieving the role food used to play is real. The goal isn't to stop enjoying food, it's to let it become part of your life instead of the center of it. That takes time, and I think it's okay to let that process be messy. I also miss planning my entire day around “where will we eat?” Going on vacation and picking the restaurants specifically for the food. It was a huge part of who I was before GLP1.
I miss going to bed on a full stomach. The almost too full feeling was my calm, my appetizer to sleep. I now do not eat past 8 no matter what, no more late night snacks. The other things I miss are sweets. They now make me feel nauseous. There is something about a cinnamon roll and a cup of coffee that makes the day feel special. I am working through it. I was raised to finish your plate, if not you ate it at the next meal. I used food for happy, sad, excited, to celebrate, you get it …. Food was everything. It does feel like loss. I can tell you all but even my family would think I am crazy if I said something g like that.
Laura, this is exactly it. It does feel like a loss sometimes, and saying that out loud doesn't mean you regret your journey. It just means you're grieving the role food used to play in your life. Thank you for trusting us with something so honest. I promise you're not crazy, and you're definitely not alone.
I named this in my own work: food grief. It's not about missing food itself. It's mourning what food was doing, the comfort, the reward, the way it absorbed feelings that had nowhere else to go. The relief and the loss showing up at the same table isn't a contradiction. It's what it looks like when something stops meeting a need it was meeting for years, even when meeting it that way was never actually working.
"The relief and the loss showing up at the same table." That line is so powerful. ❤️ I think naming it as grief gives people permission to stop feeling guilty for having mixed emotions. Thank you for adding this perspective.
This really resonated with me.
Before Wegovy, if I knew we were having one of my favorite meals, I’d be excited about it for hours. I’d think about it all day, counting down until dinner. I honestly thought that was just normal.
Now, I’m seven weeks into my Wegovy journey, and that feeling has changed so much. I still enjoy good food, but it no longer takes over my thoughts.
Thank you for putting the biology behind this into words. It made me realize that what I experienced wasn’t a lack of willpower—it was something much more complex.
I relate to this so much. Food used to occupy so much mental space that I didn't even realize it until it quieted down. I'm so glad the article helped put words to your experience.
I also miss being excited about food. When I go out to a restaurant I’ve been looking forward to trying and can only eat a few bites, I don’t recognize myself.
I completely understand. It can be such a strange feeling to look forward to something and then realize you only want a few bites.
That article was amazing. It all made so much sense. Thank you for saying those words. I actually miss the “binge”, eating when no one was around and loving every minute of it, maybe feeling a little sick after but the knowing that no one actually knew I was doing was it, the secret was huge. I can’t thank you enough for that brilliant article.
Dianne, thank you for trusting us with this. I think so many people have felt exactly what you just described but have never put words to it. The secrecy wasn't just about the food, it was about having a place to escape. I'm so glad the article helped you feel seen. You're definitely not alone in this.
Thank you for talking about this. It is real. And on the weeks where it is paired with a small loss…or no loss…or a gain…it gets louder. I do find myself wondering when I will make my peace with it. What I find I miss is the fun. The social piece. Planning an entire day or vacation around where I’m going to eat. I miss being excited about food.
Lori, I think so many people will read this and quietly say, "Me too." Grieving the role food used to play is real. The goal isn't to stop enjoying food, it's to let it become part of your life instead of the center of it. That takes time, and I think it's okay to let that process be messy. I also miss planning my entire day around “where will we eat?” Going on vacation and picking the restaurants specifically for the food. It was a huge part of who I was before GLP1.
I miss going to bed on a full stomach. The almost too full feeling was my calm, my appetizer to sleep. I now do not eat past 8 no matter what, no more late night snacks. The other things I miss are sweets. They now make me feel nauseous. There is something about a cinnamon roll and a cup of coffee that makes the day feel special. I am working through it. I was raised to finish your plate, if not you ate it at the next meal. I used food for happy, sad, excited, to celebrate, you get it …. Food was everything. It does feel like loss. I can tell you all but even my family would think I am crazy if I said something g like that.
Laura, this is exactly it. It does feel like a loss sometimes, and saying that out loud doesn't mean you regret your journey. It just means you're grieving the role food used to play in your life. Thank you for trusting us with something so honest. I promise you're not crazy, and you're definitely not alone.