Changing lifestyle= more cooking interest? for losing weight

[Crankin]

She's probably staying away from the lunches because she doesn't want to be tempted by the food, more than anything else. I do the same thing. I get comments when I bring my own food to lunch at work meetings that have very unhealthy foods.

[lph]

No, you see we all bring our own food all the time, we just eat together on Fridays. But there is cake there too.

[Kathi]

I'm so glad this discussion was started by someone other than me. I've maintained my weight my entire life and "hate" to cook. My SO does all the grocery shopping and cooking. What is on my mind, though, is a recent observation that I had with 3 overweight friends and their relationship with food.

Two of the women are on weight watchers and go to the meetings for weigh ins. One has been going for several years has lost weight. The other started in January. The third mentioned the on-line website as more suitable for her. I've known these women for years and have watched them "pack on the pounds". Every year they come for a visit and every year (except) for 1 they seem to weigh more.

When we get together for dinner they cook very healthy dinners except there is also the snacks before dinner, alcohol and dessert. I don't pay attention to what they eat and I can't give advice but at the gathering this week all the talk was about weight watchers and "points" so I started paying attention. This is what I observed. They all munched on the junk before dinner. We had salmon for dinner and serving sizes were way out of proportion. I halved the smallest piece. There was a very good salad and vegetables. Dessert was "to die for" according to the woman who made it but the serving size was double what it should have been. That was ok because it was made with "fake" sugar, but it certainly wasn't calorie free. The "fake" sugar spoiled the taste for me but everyone else raved about it. Later, she was telling the other women how many "points" the dessert was.

As for the alcohol, none of these women considered the calories in the alcohol they were drinking. The group is here to ski and they are on vacation. I know one goes to the bar after skiing so she starts drinking around 3 pm., drinks before and after dinner. The other 2 often do the same but I don't know their habits in the evening. This evening they all had wine starting when they arrived at 6 and until we broke up at 10.

I know that this doesn't answer any questions about being over weight but it shed some light on the relationship these women have with food and alcohol.

[OakLeaf]

Thank you, Blueberry.

[shootingstar]

Another employee within the same work group, has lost 30 lbs. She does occasionally mention about her weight loss efforts to some of us. Also her off and on affair with jogging to help her. She recently told me of her concern over her uncle who was obese and already had 3 heart attacks. We talked about the stress of his spoiled adult children who expect money from him.... That's really hard.

For another employer, for 7 years I worked with another woman worked side by side with me. (I hired this person.) Yes, she was overweight but she was totally different....she had a personality and charisma that was a magnet for other employees who would drop by to chat up. She was the life of various social circles with other employees and acted naturally like a social leader. Yes, she was aware of her weight and knew the consequences: she was a nurse before switching careers. She was outspoken but in a cheery way. Yes, she had a healthy interest in food but not without going overboard...not noticeable to others. And if she did, no one, who was her friend, even cared. She was such an interesting person (multi-lingual, German, French), worked in Switzerland for a few years, etc.

I guess what I'm trying to say: no matter what other impressions people might impose on you, it's your own self-worth and how you express in attitude to others.
This is not a pat answer: because other people live with mistaken judgements from other strangers, not about weight, but about race.

[Catrin]

She's probably staying away from the lunches because she doesn't want to be tempted by the food, more than anything else. I do the same thing. I get comments when I bring my own food to lunch at work meetings that have very unhealthy foods.

I used to stay away when I first started my fitness journey 3.5 years or so ago. I now attend but I bring my own food - especially for staff birthday parties. Occasionally I make them cookies since they love them so much - feels odd to make something I won't eat but if it is a pitch-in/potluck I typically take something that I will eat.

[Kathi]

I used to stay away when I first started my fitness journey 3.5 years or so ago. I now attend but I bring my own food - especially for staff birthday parties. Occasionally I make them cookies since they love them so much - feels odd to make something I won't eat but if it is a pitch-in/potluck I typically take something that I will eat.

Question, for those of you who take food items that meet your dietary requirements, do you tell others what the ingredients are? I'm asking this because my friend didn't tell me the pudding in her dessert had Splenda in it. She knows I don't eat "fake" sugars, but seemed miffed at me when I asked if there was Splenda in the recipe. Had I known I wouldn't have taken the dessert.

[Catrin]

Question, for those of you who take food items that meet your dietary requirements, do you tell others what the ingredients are? I'm asking this because my friend didn't tell me the pudding in her dessert had Splenda in it. She knows I don't eat "fake" sugars, but seemed miffed at me when I asked if there was Splenda in the recipe. Had I known I wouldn't have taken the dessert.

No, but I wouldn't take a dessert unless I relented and made cookies. My recipes use no processed foods or added sugar - natural or man-made. I WILL mention something if it contains nuts as so many people are allergic to one form or another.

[Kathi]

No, but I wouldn't take a dessert unless I relented and made cookies. My recipes use no processed foods or added sugar - natural or man-made. I WILL mention something if it contains nuts as so many people are allergic to one form or another.

I suspect I'm allergic (if there is such a thing) to Splenda, etc. as I tend to not feel well after eating foods that contain it. Splenda also leaves a bad taste in my mouth, that's how I detected it in the dessert. I typically don't eat dessert but when I do it's a small amount. I know my friend was trying to make the dessert healthier but I think there were better choices. Even though I don't eat a lot of sugary foods and don't have a weight problem I'm starting to take a look at the processed foods we do eat and reduce the number.

[OakLeaf]

If I'm eating anything I didn't prepare myself, I figure it's my responsibility to either find out what's in it or decide ahead of time that I'm going to eat it regardless. That goes for chemical sensitivities, food allergies (both the lethal kind and the kind that are just uncomfortable), religious laws, ethical choices, and stuff we just choose not to eat for whatever reason.

If someone is offended by someone else asking what's in the dish they brought, that's their own problem. I'm not going to post an ingredient list next to anything I bring to a potluck, but I'm not going to have any problem telling someone who asks, either.

I suppose it would be different if there are going to be people there who can't be relied on to make decisions for themselves - children old enough to fill their own plates but too young to do it wisely, e.g. But if it's just adults at work, they're on their own, and so am I.

[Kathi]

If I'm eating anything I didn't prepare myself, I figure it's my responsibility to either find out what's in it or decide ahead of time that I'm going to eat it regardless. That goes for chemical sensitivities, food allergies (both the lethal kind and the kind that are just uncomfortable), religious laws, ethical choices, and stuff we just choose not to eat for whatever reason.

If someone is offended by someone else asking what's in the dish they brought, that's their own problem. I'm not going to post an ingredient list next to anything I bring to a potluck, but I'm not going to have any problem telling someone who asks, either.

I suppose it would be different if there are going to be people there who can't be relied on to make decisions for themselves - children old enough to fill their own plates but too young to do it wisely, e.g. But if it's just adults at work, they're on their own, and so am I.

You're right but I don't make desserts and didn't realize you could use Splenda in a recipe so I didn't give it a thought. This woman bragged so much about how this dessert "was to die for" and since I don't feel a need to turn down at least a small portion I went ahead and tried some.

I'm also in a weird situation with this woman. If I had passed the up the dessert she would have been displeased and the response would have been "I just knew SHE (meaning me) wouldn't eat that!" and made a big issue of it. Last year she invited us to dinner, it was a very ordinary dinner, nothing unhealthy and she commented, "Wow, SHE ate everything I made, I didn't think SHE'D eat anything". Because I'm small and have maintained my weight all the years I've known these people, there seems to be the belief that I don't eat or I'm a picky eater. I'm not, I just eat sensibly and don't over eat.

Most of the time I pay no attention to what this woman says as I only see these friends once or twice a year. I also make no judgements about what she eats or her weight. I stay out of the weight loss discussions because I have no advice, she (and the others) makes the choices as to what she puts in her body or how much she exercises.