Totally obsessed with HungryGirl

[tulip]

I LOVE FRUIT!
It's so sweet and juicy
But I can also down a Pepperidge Farm cake in two days

TWO days?? Such restraint is not found in these parts. I stick to Angel Food cake from a box if I need a cake hit. Yes, it's super processed, but it's only every once in a while and it's relatively benign in the fat department. And I have it with alot of fresh strawberries. Yum....Angel Food cake...

[skinimini]

I'm trying so hard to remove processed foods from my diet. The last big hurdle was Diet Coke--it's been twelve days since my last one. I can't say that I've gotten totally beyond that addiction, but I'm determined to follow through.

[Zen]

I have not read The End of Overeating but it sure does look interesting.

[GLC1968]

Doesn't even taste remotely like real home made mayo!!

And that is exactly the point! I try to avoid processed foods, but I do admit to liking Miracle Whip. In fact, I just bought a new jar because my mayo eating husband saw the date on my jar and tossed it (it was over a year past the sell by date). He didn't get that those dates don't matter for Miracle Whip.

I HATE, HATE, HATE real mayo and all things related to it. As a kid, my mom discovered that I'd eat tuna salad if she made it with MW. Now I only eat it a couple of times a year and only in very small quanties.

(I like Cool Whip and hate real whip cream, too. )

[tctrek]

I LOVE FRUIT!
It's so sweet and juicy
But I can also down a Pepperidge Farm cake in two days

This reminded me of Name that Tune... I can name that tune in 5 notes.

I can down a Pepperidge Farm cake in one day!

[uforgot]

I have not read The End of Overeating but it sure does look interesting.

Zen, I had not heard of this book, but after your link I thought it looked interesting too. I bought it yesterday and it IS good. I'm about a third of the way through it. So far it talks about how major restaurant chains fix certain popular entrees. I had no idea. I'll admit, I didn't know anything about chemicals, processing and foods but have been fighting the weight loss battle my entire life. This is an entirely new approach. Maybe I just need to get smart and eat correctly instead of conveniently.

That's the thing that has been bothering me about weight watchers lately. We sit around and talk about how to get the most food for the fewest points. I looked at all of their offerings. 1 and 2 point snacks, rice etc, all in boxes and bags. How can this be right? You can eat an entire bag of 94% fat free popcorn for 3 points. An entire bag? Should that be the norm for a snack? Shouldn't I be concerned with portion control? And the correct nutrition for a 50 mile ride? My leader is no help. They are not trained all that well for healthy eating, just point eating, and cute sayings. They encourage you to get 7 fitness points per week. Last week I had 45 and gained 2 pounds.

I also saw a copy of HungryGirl at Schnucks yesterday, right after my Overeating book purchase. The recipe I turned to? Carmelized onion and even I was horrified at the ingredients. Marketing all recipes as under 200 calories will make those on the diet yo-yo buy it. Along with those snacks (Hostess ding dongs, oreo chips, etc) that have the "100 calorie bags". How many people are going to think that these are good choices based on calorie counts? How is eating these snacks (along with those 2 point calorie bars) conducive to healthy eating?

Anyway, sorry for the ramblings. It's what has been in my head since I rejoined Weight Watchers. This book is shedding lots of light so far, answering lots of questions I had, and thanks so much for the link Zen!
Maybe I can get off of the diet roller coaster.

[Zen]

I guess I should read that book now

[Running Mommy]

hmmm. Now I'm intrigued, and I must buy the book. Not the hungry girl book, the other one.
I have been eating clean for a solid week, and I have no need for the crap. I'm eating as much food in it's whole unprocessed state as possible, And it seems to be working. Lastnight I was up 5+ times "flushing" it out. The weight is flushing out- literally. And it's not just water.
I feel soo much better already! My poor body needed it so bad.

[ny biker]

uforgot, you might want to have a look at Nancy Clark's Sports Nutrition Guide Book. She addresses eating to lose weight in addition to fueling for athletic activities.

http://www.nancyclarkrd.com/books/sportsnutrition.asp

(It's available in bookstores and at Amazon, too.)

[tulip]

uforgot, that is a great post. I'm not struggling with weight, and I hardly eat convenience foods (just not the way I was raised, I guess), but I see people every day who are struggling. I've never done weight watchers, but it seems to work for alot of people. However, your observations about points and nutrition seem spot-on to me. I really like that you are *thinking* about your choices--that seems to be missing from the discussion too often. Thanks.

[uforgot]

Thanks for the recommendation NY biker! I'm about finished with the Overeating book and I think your book would be a good companion to it. The OE book addresses why we overeat and why we should avoid convenience food, but just goes into the psychology of it and how to stop the urges. It's apparently not willpower, but more of an addiction that we have to learn to control. No recipes or food plans, but a terrific book. I was raised on convenience food, am known as the microwave queen, and if that's the jist of the problem, some serious education needs to be enacted. Just look at a school lunch menu. Chicken nuggets, corn dogs...

Tulip seems to be an example of what is wrong with diets. She doesn't eat convenience food, doesn't worry about weight and is probably not obsessing about food 24-7. Weight Watchers has you weigh your food, count points, count activity...holy cow! You HAVE to think about it all the time. I cancelled my membership.

Running Mommy - I'd like to know what you are doing differently. What have you cut out? What have you added? Any certain plan or just your own?

Thanks for the help everyone!

[Crankin]

Uforgot, you are on the right track. I have always been suspicious of WW; I have had several friends who have done it, but they never *keep* the weight off. It's like the system helps you find the easiest way to eat the most bad stuff you can, and lose at the same time. I know this doesn't apply to everyone, but you have to change your way of eating and thinking about food for for life, as Tulip said.
Nancy Clark has a sports nutrition book that is just for cyclists, in addition to her regular sports nutrition book. It is excellent, but you have to order it from her web site; you can't get it from Amazon, etc. or in a bookstore.
Thirty years ago I was eating dinner at my parents' house when my dad told me I getting to be "a bit piggy." He was right. I totally changed my habits and started exercising. It took me a year, but I lost 25 pounds. The only time I started to gain it back (including after my pregnancies) is when I had slacked off on the exercise as I was starting menopause. I knew I had to change up my routine, and that's when I started cycling. But, my eating habits only had to be modified a little, because I had set the good habits when I was young.

[tulip]

uforgot, you are right, partly. I don't obsess about food or my weight--I often forget to weigh myself for weeks on end. When I do, I might be up a few, or down a few, but it's all in the right ballpark for me.

But for all of my adult life until a few years ago, I was about 15 lbs heavier than I am now. What changed? First off, when I was heavier, I still didn't obsess and I did not eat convenience foods (other than Starbucks--bad), but I did overeat and I ate the wrong things. I ate way too many carbs and not nearly enough protein. I also did not eat an apple a day, something that I think really has helped me be more healthy. Sounds naive and trite, but it's part of eating healthy for me. And I had the 1000-calorie breakfast from SB--triple grande latte and "low fat" cinnamon coffee cake---every day.

I'm bound to alienate the vegetarians on this list, but I was pretty much a vegetarian for many years because my then-DH was. We ate lots of carbs. For me, I needed protein in the form of chicken and a bit of beef. That's just me. It has worked for me. I eat less food when I eat meat.

There was also alot of emotional stuff going on in my life and when I addressed that (personal life, work life), the pounds melted off of me. Oh, and Pilates really helps too.

FWIW, neither my mother nor my brother even have microwave ovens. I do, and use it to warm up things I've made (I make alot of homeade foods, and always have leftovers). I don't buy or eat ready-made meals and such. Only microwave popcorn, which I have about once every couple of months.

I think that learning to cook, and even growing your own food or at least herbs, is a great way to learn to think about what goes into your mouth. Even shopping at the farmers market--it's mindful, not mindless like at the grocery store. When I go to the grocery store (and I do shop there), I always feel like I have to rush to get out. When I go to the farmers market, I like to linger and look and compare and even talk to the vendors and farmers. I get my beef directly from small farm where the cattle is raised, and that always involves at least an hour of chatting with the wonderful farm wife who sells the beef. (she homeschools her kids and likes adult conversation, which she doesn't get everyday!) It's really a cool way to do things, and I'm so grateful that I can do it this way.

Best of luck in your new way of thinking!

[shootingstar]

FWIW, neither my mother nor my brother even have microwave ovens. I do, and use it to warm up things I've made (I make alot of homeade foods, and always have leftovers). I don't buy or eat ready-made meals and such. Only microwave popcorn, which I have about once every couple of months.

I think that learning to cook, and even growing your own food or at least herbs, is a great way to learn to think about what goes into your mouth.

I actually didn't live in any home with a microwave until I was 42 ..when started I living with my partner. It never occurred to me to buy a microwave. Seriously.

My parents still don't have a microwave. We would never dream of buying a microwave as a gift for them. It would be wasted...unless they became so disabled to cook safely at the stove. Maybe that will be the time in future we'll do buy such a gift.

Even now, I seldom cook foods with leftover amounts for microwave nuking. My style of cooking just does not lend itself often to equally tasty leftovers the next day anyway. Whereas it's my partner using the microwave for frozen veggie soups that he makes or to warm up his bagel.

All through university, as a break from intensive study and as a form of therapy, I enjoyed cooking dinner for myself. Same core style of cooking as I do now. Maybe at that time, I did instant noodles with hot water thing, Kraft macaroni and cheese, Campbell soup, ..um..2-3 times per month. My parents didn't have enough money to pay my tuition nor accommodation, but one thing they did help out..was my mother gave me packets of pre-cut, frozen meat for my freezer when I was student. Looking back, it was probably godsend..not only financially but also ...extended a healthy diet for a stressful time in my life.

Well into my full-time paid career years, she was still giving me some care packages of fresh veggies that she had washed and cut for me when I visited occasionally. To last 1-2 wks.

It took a certain amount of repetition by me to get her to stop doing this.

So really, I have been indoctrinated....by a parent to prepare meals/dishes based on whole food. I just could not throw out these care pkgs. and good practices from momma.

I owe alot of how I eat now, my relative health..to this foundational start in life.

Same for my partner for similar cooking philosophy of his mother.

But our weight gain comes from desserts purchased outside of home. Sigh.

[skinimini]

Uforgot, you are on the right track. I have always been suspicious of WW; I have had several friends who have done it, but they never *keep* the weight off. It's like the system helps you find the easiest way to eat the most bad stuff you can, and lose at the same time. I know this doesn't apply to everyone, but you have to change your way of eating and thinking about food for for life, as Tulip said.

I can totally see your point of view, but for me WW has worked better than any other "diet" I've ever tried. In the past 14 months I've lost 75 lbs--75 lbs that will never be back on my body, because I have truly changed the way I eat. I have 5 more to go for my official WW goal and then I'll probably lose another few after that. The WW method is all about accountability and making the right choices--isn't that what we try to do in every aspect of our lives? After months of counting those points, I've gotten to a place in my life where I know what is right for my body and I understand how much I can and should eat and know that if I'm exercising really hard, then I need to fuel my body with good food. Yes, there are those people on WW (or other diets) who eat anything as long as it fits into the daily point values, whether it's healthy or not. I've had friends who do exactly that. But, they haven't really made the commitment to make a change and they won't be successful as long as they continually lie to themselves (OK, I'm a little preachy here). So, I guess what I'm saying is that WW is a tool and it's a good tool if you use it correctly.

My new mantra is "eat what you want, eat less of it". I also love Yoda's quote (as someone else on TE does as well) "Do or do not...there is no try"