So Part of my IE is staying under 2000 calories. usually I do this without thinking about it..I think it is a hold over from my dieting days and it works, so I keep it around. So anyway. It occured to me, that there are people in countries who are so called "less advanced" than the US and they are thinner and healthier than us and they have no idea what a calorie is, how many carbs they are eating or any of other many measurements we have around.
I was also thinking that there was a time in this country when people had no idea what a calories was and there didn't seem to be an obesity epidemic until we got all educated....
not sure what it all means, but just putting it out there.
I was also thinking that there was a time in this country when people had no idea what a calories was and there didn't seem to be an obesity epidemic until we got all educated....
I think you're on to something here. Our schools used to produce educated kids of normal weight.
Since passage of the "No Child Left Behind" act, they produce under-educated kids who are over weight.
Maybe the person setting up No Child Left Behind was dyslexic and just swapped the two goals
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Completed Beck Program-day 12. 30 to go. Keep going!
Lately I've been eating a lot of smoothies. I use fresh grape juice, banana and strawberries. Yummmmmm! I always forget how good they are when I stop making them. Other good ones are peach, pear and apple. It's fun to try different combinations.
Paring down portions is a sure-fire way to cut calories, but figuring out what a healthy serving is can be tough thanks to the supersized meals and snacks we've all become accustomed to. Research has shown that restaurant portions have grown considerably in the last few decades. In fact, a study from New York University found that fast food items are now up to five times larger than their original versions. Unfortunately, you can't lose weight without paying attention to portions. So, how can you make sure you're eating a healthy amount each time you sit at the table? Try these portion pointers:
Go halfsies. Many people who eat out are shocked by the size of their dish--there can be two or three servings on one plate. And yet, despite their initial reaction, they continue to eat well past the point of being comfortable. That's because of all the eat-more triggers, such as music, lighting and even the size of your plate. So ask for a take-home box when your food is first delivered, and place half into the container for another day.
Order an appetizer. Another option when you're eating out is to select an appetizer for your main course. These days, appetizers are closer in size to what an entree should be, so feel free to have one for your main meal.
Be a label reader. It can be easy to overdo it with packaged foods because you may consider an entire bag one serving. Make sure to check the serving size on the label, and then do the math: Multiply the fat, calories and other nutritional info by the number of servings to determine how much that bag will really cost you.
Buy smart. Manufacturers are offering more portion-friendly products, like 100-calorie packs of cookies, chips and crackers. It's a great way to enjoy a tasty snack without having to worry about going overboard.
Think small. You can help your appetite adjust to healthier portions by retraining your eye. Serve food on smaller plates so meals and snacks don't look skimpy....
EVERYTHING I NEED TO KNOW ABOUT WEIGHT
MANAGEMENT I CAN LEARN FROM A CHILD
By Michelle May, M.D.
I love watching kids at Halloween - and any time of the
year for that matter. They can teach us so much about
instinctive eating and effortless weight management. For
example, during Halloween they are just as excited about
the costumes, the trick-or-treating, the sorting, and the
trading as they are about the eating. Don't get me wrong;
they love the candy but food is only part of the
experience. And for weeks afterward they get to enjoy a
couple of pieces of candy each day--but most kids lose
interest when their favorites are gone.
Children have many other natural behaviors that can teach
adults how to love food -but not too much. Here are some of
the important lessons I've learned from watching them:
EAT WHEN YOU'RE HUNGRY. From the time they're born, babies
and young children know when and how much they need to
eat--and they cry to let us know too. As they grow, this
important instinct can be un-learned so by the time they're
adults, they may have learned to eat for many other reasons
besides hunger: mealtimes, tempting food, stress, anger,
boredom, deprivation and countless other triggers. By
recognizing the difference between needing to eat and
wanting to eat, adults can re-learn when and how much to
eat too.
STOP EATING WHEN YOU'RE FULL. An infant will turn their
head away when they've had enough to eat, and a toddler
will throw a plate of food on the floor when they're done.
But as adults, we clean our plates because "there are
starving children" somewhere or just because something
tastes good. I'm not suggesting that we start throwing our
plates on the floor again, but we need to remember that
food is abundant in our society so there's no need to eat
it all now.
BEING HUNGRY MAKES YOU GROUCHY. Being hungry, tired, or
frustrated are sure to make a child crabby--and affect
adults the same way. As parents, we need to do our best to
make sure we are prepared with nutritious, delicious food
to feed our children when they're hungry. We should care
for ourselves that way too.
SNACK ARE GOOD. Kids naturally prefer to eat smaller meals
with snacks in between whenever they get hungry. That
pattern of eating keeps their energy up and their
metabolism stoked all day. Adults who need to fire up their
energy and metabolism might benefit from this pattern too.
PLAY WITH YOUR FOOD. Most kids love to examine, smell and
touch their food. Since eating is a total sensory
experience, they get the most from every morsel. This
childlike approach of eating mindfully will allow you to
appreciate the aroma, appearance and flavors
more--especially if you aren't driving, watching T.V., or
standing in front of the refrigerator. I think you'll eat
less food while enjoying it more.
ALL FOODS FIT. Though parents sometimes worry about sugar
and junk food, "fun" foods are part of a healthy diet. In
fact, overly restrictive food rules usually lead to
rebellious eating anyway - just think about the last time
you weren't "allowed" to eat something on a diet. Children
and adults both eat healthier when they enjoy these less
nutritious foods in moderation when they want them.
YOU CAN LEARN TO LIKE NEW FOODS. Healthy eating is an
acquired taste; it can take up to ten tries of a new food
before a child will incorporate it into their diet. Good
nutrition is essential, so providing a variety of
appealing, healthful foods will benefit the whole family.
In our house, we had a two-bite rule when my kids were
young. Assuming everyone at the table was hungry, they
needed to taste two small bites of everything we served. If
they still didn't like it, we didn't force or bribe them to
eat it--but they did need to try it again the next time we
had it. Since that was "The Rule," there were no battles at
the table and the kids often surprised themselves by liking
something they thought they wouldn't. As teenagers they
both enjoy a wide variety of foods.
BE A PICKY EATER. The corollary to the lesson above is
that kids won't easily eat something they don't like. As
adults we sometimes eat cold French fries, stale cookies or
salty chili just because it's there. Be a little pickier!
Think of how much less food you'd eat if you didn't settle
for food that tasted "so-so."
THERE IS MORE TO A PARTY THAN CAKE AND ICE CREAM. Invite a
child to a party and they'll want to know what they're
going to get to do. Invite an adult and they'll wonder what
food will be served. You don't have to avoid parties to
keep your weight down. Just focus on the real purpose of
social events--to be social--and let food be the icing on the
cake.
EATING WITH YOUR FAMILY IS FUN. Since babies and toddlers
must be fed by their caregivers, they naturally love eating
with other people. Family mealtime is your opportunity to
bond, connect with each other, and model healthy habits.
Now that our kids are older, we sometimes play "High-Low"
at dinner. Each member of the family takes a turn telling
the others about the best and worst parts of their day.
What a great conversation starter and opportunity for all
of us to learn how we handle normal ups and downs in our
lives.
IT'S BORING TO JUST SIT AROUND. Toddlers seem to be in
perpetual motion as they constantly explore their world.
Young kids love to run in the grass, play on the
playground, and challenge themselves and each other with
increasingly more difficult activities. Of course, as they
get older, television, computers and electronic games
compete for their attention. To encourage other activities
in our family, we use "screen time" which limits how much
time our children are allowed to spend on anything with a
screen. Sometimes adults would benefit by limiting their
screen time and exploring their world a little more.
FOLLOW THE LEADER. Face it, kids watch, and often imitate,
everything we do. If they observe us eating a variety of
foods and enjoying physical activity, then they'll learn to
take good care of their bodies. Likewise, if they don't
hear us making comments like "I look so fat in this" or "I
was bad at dinner so I have to spend an extra hour on the
treadmill" then they are less likely to suffer from poor
self-esteem and a negative attitude about exercise.
SLEEP IS GOOD. After a full day, children need a good
night's sleep to prepare for all of the adventures that
tomorrow will hold. Wouldn't we all benefit from a
consistent bedtime to make sure we get our rest too?
LIVE IN THE MOMENT. Kids are masters at living in the
present. They don't waste a lot of energy worrying about
what has already happened or what might happen tomorrow.
They are fully engaged in small pursuits like discovering
where the ants are going, chasing the dog, or seeing how
deep they can dig with a plastic shovel. We, on the other
hand, continue to scurry around, chasing after our dreams,
all the while digging ourselves deeper and deeper. We could
learn a lot from children!
Hi. I've been on every diet out there, and none of them last more than a day. I'm fed up. I've tried IE before but never stuck with it because I wanted a quick fix, but, I don't believe ther is one. I'll evaluate after six months. Here goes first day. I drank my mate, that my boyfriend brought me, he brought me a muffin, it was huge, so I ate half, and was comfortable. He and I like cooking together, so, dieting doesn't work, because that takes away from a fun hoby we share. Going to stock my fridge, and cupboards with things I like, not am supposed to have. The Thai soup cups are my favorite. Look forward to getting to know you all.
Amie
Hi Aimie. Fiddler is a big fan of Thai food so you too have something in common. I'm like you.....been dieting for years with not much success. But I've lost about 20lb with IE. Welcome.
I hope my therapist will be willing to work with me following this path, he seems pretty open, so, I'll share it with him. I've been on a real macaroni and cheese kick, had some for lunch, with a Haggendas bar. The vanilla ice cream center was great, but, I didn't like the chocolate coating, so, I think I may just have the ice cream from now on.
I realize that, when thinking about IE and eating what my body wants, I'm scared that if it tastes really good, I'll eat way too much. Even though I know when my body has had enough, I almost always eat beyand that point. I think I may devide my food in half next time I go out, and see if that works. Very nervous about this.
Amie
Aimie, A few posts above gives an explanation of what to do when you don't want to stop eating. I think we all feel that way at times and sometimes pay for it when we feel stuffed later. But it does teach us that feeling stuffed isn't good and that's a good thing. How are you doing today?
Hi carol. thanks for the board. i will try to be regular and come in. now this IE plan is it eating certain things. or just do our thing and watch calories and all? i am doing real good. LaDean Nice to meet everyone and be on a board again.
Hi LaDean. Intuitive eating is eating between hunger and satisfaction. There are quite a few posts here from other intuitive eating sites so maybe you'll get the idea from reading them. Since you are doing really well have you reached your goal? Welcome.
Years ago, in the late 1980s a book came out that I thought was revolutionary" "Diets Don't Work" by Bob Schwartz. It does seem like the principles that he followed to lose weight and keep it off was also along the guidelines of "Intuitive Eating".
I followed this for years and I maintained my weight. I stopped yo-yoing BUT I did not lose weight on it. HOWEVER, having said that, I would also suggest reading "The French Diet" by Michel Montignac and "The Fat Fallacy" by Dr. Will Clower. Some of the premises they assert are very compelling about why U.S. is so obese and getting fatter all the time!
One assertion that both authors claim which I have found to be true for me is that when we eat so called "plastic" food that has taken all of the fat and sugar out but replaced it with chemical addictives we are fueling an insatiable appetite for MORE AND MORE because there is no nutrition in those "faux" foods. We are overweight AND malnourished!! Our body wants food that will satisfy us even on the teeniest cell level. Once we start feeding our body foods that meet these needs we don't want as much.
QUALITY OVER QUANTITY.
Now, having done what I have done in the past and really suffering physically as a result, I began eating healthier ---moving towards "whole foods" and away from anything that is altered by some food chemist (and I had a friend who did that for a living!). I am now eating real cheese and I find that my low fat turkey sandwich on whole wheat stone ground bread sticks with me for hours rather than a short while! I snack less as a result too. I am eating MORE real food and less 'FOOD PUTTY" and I am losing weight and feeling so energetic I feel twenty years younger.
When I return to eating faux food I find myself wanting to eat more. This is proof to me that was the basis for my overeating for decades. I cringe now when I see people still grabbing low fat this or low sugar that or whatever. My blood profile proves that eating "real food" will not harm you in the way we have been lead to believe! Now, I must add a caveat: I am not refering to fast foods or the stuff that is over processed or has a lot of "white" whatever in it.
When I was a kid, the ONLY time we ate rich desserts was the holidays. My mom only baked on occasion. When we wanted something sweet we ate a banana, an apple or a plum (from our neighbors tree!). We ate meat, potatoes and a vegetable. We had oatmeal, milk and unsweetened juice for breakfast. I carried a cold lunch to school. Exercise? We walked every where, climbed trees, swam in the summer, ice skated in the winter. I was a "natural" size 6 all of my growing up years.
I became fatter and fatter the more I joined different diet programs. I won't name names but you would know them if I did. Why? Repetitive starving and "faux foods". NOW, I am returning to the way I used to eat when I was a kid. I plan on being a size 6 again---in about 15-16 months.
Keep us posted on this. I do not think this is a diet trend at all but a way we used to eat before "faux foods" entered the market. Keep plugging away and listen to your self. Your body does know what it wants.
Last edited by pamatga; 11-04-2007 at 07:31 PM.
Reason: missed some info
A thought I had the other day
No Child Left Behind
