Love how you worded that, yes we are all unique individuals and what works for one, would rarely work for others.
Saef, everytime I see those eyes, I immediately think you are Jennifer Aniston by the way and wanted to tell you that! ~ wendalyn

My DH was part of a study when he had his cancer treatment. One day he was talking to one of the researchers about this study and asked about the statistics. The guy told him "don't worry about them. The only statistics you should care about are your own." This kind of sums up weight loss/eating as well. None of us can control anything beyone our own eating/exercising, and are results are as individual as we are. I would dearly love to be able to eat/have the metbolism/whatever that my DH does. He works hard to keep his weigh up to 140!

Since I have started recording what I eat, I am shocked at how many calories I was consuming. Yes, off more than that is probably true. I make a cheesecake on request, put it in a recipe analyzer, 531.9 calories! I have made this for over 25 yrs and had no idea. To me this summarizes the not knowing of my eating.

Very interesting thread.

Karen - which recipe analyser are you using?

I was just thinking about this perception thing in regards to myself. One time in particular comes to mind. It was last year and it was the holiday of Hanukah. Well I had two buffet type parties back to back. One was a big family party on a Saturday night followed by a big party at a friends house Sunday afternoon.

As many of you know, I look at my social calender for the month in advance and decide which events I will splurge at and which ones I won't. Well I decided to splurge at the Saturday night event, it was dinner time and the Sunday afternoon one was at an odd time - 3:00 and that's just how I decided to handle it.

Okay. Saturday night rolls around, I eat fairly well during dinner. Some salads, and a couple of sweet potato latkes (potato pancakes), which I had made myself and brought for the entire crowd. Well then my MIL brings out dessert. And I OVERindludged - waaay too much ice cream (when will I learn with that stuff?) AND apple pie AND if I recall correctly maybe even a couple of cookies or 3, or was it 4? My SIL's and nieces were looking at me like I was crazy. How in the world does this woman stay so slim eating like THAT??? Man, she's so lucky. Well I don't stay so slim eating like THAT. Because I eat like THAT rarely.


The next day, Sunday rolls around. After overindulging the night before, I'm really determined to keep my calories in check at this party, and given the off hour (3:00), I'm not that interested in eating anything much AT ALL. I walk in, there's pastas of all sorts - baked ziti, lasagna, fettuccine alfredo, cheese filled crepes, blueberry filled crepes with sour cream, thick dough-y homemade pizzas, bagels, all sorts of cheese-y quiches, homemade ENORMOUS chunky chocolate chip walnut cookies, fudge brownies, jelly donuts and oh gosh - so much more.

And then there I see it, and I'm good and happy - a GIGANTIC raw veggie platter. And I become good friends with it throughout the couple of hours that I was there for. Lots of celery sticks, cuke sticks, grape tomatoes. And everyone is just chowing down and I'm HAPPILY (though they didn't know it) chowing down on those celery sticks. And they're all looking at me thinking, poor Robin, no wonder she's so slim. She eats nothing but raw celery sticks, who wants to live like THAT? Well I don't live like THAT - very often. I eat a wonderful balanced, nutritious, delicious and voluminous diet.

I actually had a better time at party number two - the celery stick one. I was with people I haven't seen in a while and I greatly enjoyed their company and I felt elated by the fact that I adhered to my plan having ZERO feelings of deprivation.

Robin, I love this post ^^^.

I knew a man who could eat anything he wanted and was thin. The difference is, is that he didn't snack.....He just ate his meals....while they were big and loaded with all kinds of "bad" stuff....he never gained weight.

I also worked with a girl who was thin.....she could have a package of M&Ms at her desk all week....she didn't try to be thin she just didn't snack a lot. Also, her meals were small..but enough. She didn't overeat.

For me, the mindless snacking is what I was doing. Before I knew it...I would eat the whole package of M&Ms and almost didn't even know I did....cause I was distracted by TV, computer, etc. Being accountable for me is what I am working on...

recipes.sparkpeople.com/recipe-calculator.asp

Thank you.

Robin, thanks for your initial post, and also for your later post. I'm always going to remember both posts now when I start edging into the "poor me, poor me, life is so unfair, why can't I eat whatever I want & stay thin?" mode.

Off topic: Wendalyn, thanks for calling mine "Aniston eyes." I always think I have a typical fat woman's avatar because it's a bit disembodied. Most peoples' eyes are among their best features, and our eyes don't gain weight. ;-) So we use pictures that show our faces close up, particularly oureyes. I know a lot of fat women who are really skilled with makeup -- I have learned from the best!

Interesting but there are several key factors involved that was missed out. Even though he said he eats like a pig, he only explained in the latter part that he does the extra things to keep his weight (?). I think its ok to indulge sometimes but I'll have to hit the treadmill the next day to stay on track.

Interesting but there are several key factors involved that was missed out. Even though he said he eats like a pig, he only explained in the latter part that he does the extra things to keep his weight (?). I think its ok to indulge sometimes but I'll have to hit the treadmill the next day to stay on track.

No, I think this man hits the treadmill ROUTINELY as part of his health minded lifestyle. It's not dependent on what he eats or doesn't eat the previous day. And *I* don't really call what he did/does indulging. His "pigout", which probably came to under 1200 calories doesn't occur more than the twice a week. AND it sounded to me as if the rest of the day he didn't consume too many more calories other than the "pigout".

This strategy has served me well. I rarely have my *planned* splurges in my home. I need a more controlled setting. During a social occasion seems the perfect opportunity. The key for me is deciding how to handle the situation BEFOREHAND. Not waiting till I'm faced with the temptation.

I never, ever regret adhering to my plan. It feels marvelous. Being a former super morbidly obese person, that sense of control by CHOOSING not to eat something is a big thrill for me. Doesn't matter how tasty the food is at a planned splurge, I ALWAYS enjoy NOT splurging MORE. Very odd. I guess "those" foods just don't have the same allure for me that they used to. I am almost always disappointed and realize I could have lived without it. That coupled with the fact that I know there is ALWAYS a caloric consequence to pay for it.

saef, thank you so much. It makes me happy to know that you've taken something from all this.