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Old 05-03-2012, 03:30 PM   #1  
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Default Food network and how do the skinny ones do it?!

So I love cooking, and I love watching cooking shows. I dvr a few shows on the food network and usually have them on as background when I am cooking/cleaning/ doing laundry. I love gleaning new ideas, and watching foods being prepared is more inspirational for me and my cooking than say reading through cookbooks.

Well I have been attempting to calorie count since the beginning of April and since doing so I have really noticed a few things that I cant help but wonder about.

My favorite hosts on the food network are Ina Garten, Giada Delaurentis and Ree Drummond. I eat mostly vegetarian (also fish), so some of the shows I watch more because I like the flow of the show and find it entertaining than that I actually plan to cook the foods. So if you know these hosts you would know that Ina Garten (barefoot contessa) is overweight, Giada (giada at home) is very thin, and Ree Drummond (pioneer woman) looks to be a totally healthy weight. Not heavy or thin. Ree and Ina seem to cook the most fatty dishes, but even though Giada is cooking things that usually seem healthier i am still astounded by how she is so thin. Just from figuring out the calorie counts in my cooking I am perplexed how someone can make desserts, add lots of cheese to things and stay so very slender. I know she may simply have a fast metabolism. She probably only eats a few bites of the food she makes etc. But in my past I wasn't able to lose weight unless I eat lots of vegetables and fruits and lean protien and almost no cheese or sugar or processed carbs.

I'm sure its completely silly of me to compare what I have to do to lose weight and keep it off with that of a TV cooking celebrity. But I have come to terms with the fact that I cant eat the kind of dishes I see cooked on these shows very often if I am going to lose weight and keep it off.

I do find myself envying the life in which I could make desserts and maybe only have a few bites, or have cheesy pasta dishes every so often and still maintain a thinner frame. Perhaps it is possible even for me? But judging from my past I kind of doubt this....
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Old 05-03-2012, 03:38 PM   #2  
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My best friend is like Giada except she makes cakes from boxes, and gets takeout and fast food often. If I actually looked at her entire day (and I've spent days in a row with her) she's not eating much at all.

While she may be satisfied with a slice of pizza, I need to eat something else because I'll want four slices to fill me up!

Giada probably has a small appetite. Well, small compared to me!
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Old 05-03-2012, 03:38 PM   #3  
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I watch those shows too and for Giada the only thing I can think is that she might not EAT everything she cooks. And also, some of her recipes that are rich are probably "once in a while" meals. That, or she is really good about working out and exercising portion control.

I LOVE to cook and bake and I still do even if I am on weight watchers. There are a lot of ways to cut out calories while still maintaining the best parts of the dish
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Old 05-03-2012, 03:48 PM   #4  
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Munchy- I suppose a small appetite would be a great way to eat less than stellar healthy foods and still stay slim

tinkerbell- I have thought the same thing. When she has one little bite of something after cooking it, maybe that's all she eats? Also maybe she isn't eating carby cheesy meals 90% of the time. I read somewhere that if you eat VERY healthy 90% then you could eat unhealthy 10% and still maintain a slim healthy weight. I haven't seen any science behind that mentality, but I suppose if you looked at it another way and say you could eat 10% of your weekly calories from unhealthy foods maintenance would still be pretty easy?

I have really enjoyed cooking even after counting calories. I have always loved fresh herbs and I find I want to cook with them even more when making lighter dishes. Also I have discovered that just a little cheese can go a long way. I made black bean and veggie enchiladas last week and I made sure that I only used 1/2 oz of cheese on two enchiladas (which is how many I ate). It saved alot of calories and saturated fat, and having that little bit of sharp cheddar was still satisfying even if not as extravagant as mounds of melted cheese.

I look at recipes now and think of ways I could trim them up and make them healthier. It really is alot of fun, but I confess I spend so much of my free time obsessing about food! I am excited to get a balance back when I settle into this calorie counting in a more routine type of way.
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Old 05-03-2012, 03:58 PM   #5  
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<<I know she may simply have a fast metabolism.>>

I doubt it.

<<She probably only eats a few bites of the food she makes etc.>>

I would bet on it.

<<I do find myself envying the life in which I could make desserts and maybe only have a few bites, or have cheesy pasta dishes every so often and still maintain a thinner frame. Perhaps it is possible even for me? But judging from my past I kind of doubt this....>>

I don't see why it wouldn't be possible for you. You can lose weight on doughnuts (though I don't recommend it) if you stay within a suitable calorie range.

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Old 05-03-2012, 04:07 PM   #6  
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My beau and I wonder the same thing when we watch Anthony Bourdain. Even though some of the places he eats are very small portions, he has tons of courses. Has stated preference for fatty pork and organ meats and puts away enough beer during one meal that alone would put either of us over our calorie limit for the day. Oh and then there's the late night street food. I realize this is a program about what he eats while on the road but seems like if he can put that much away while ON camera, surely he's not fasting while OFF?
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Old 05-03-2012, 04:07 PM   #7  
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http://www.dashrecipes.com/blogs/das...stay-slim.html

I thought this was an interesting article on chefs and weight.
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Old 05-03-2012, 04:09 PM   #8  
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I love Ina, must have seen every episode of barefoot contessa twice. I'm really not surprised she's overweight with the amount of butter, oils, salt (and so on) she uses. Mind you I'd love to go to hers for dinner :P
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Old 05-03-2012, 04:10 PM   #9  
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I'll also add that, like most TV shows, they are filmed in one span of time and not year-round. Giada may film 10 shows one day and do a whole season over the course of a couple of weeks... perhaps her "indulgences" are limited to this time while she's filming her show.

You'll also notice that while she does remain relatively thin, her weight does fluctuate a bit.

One other point is that Giada grew up in a family that was HUGE into cooking, so nothing was ever tabboo. She probably never felt deprived, and as such probably didn't develop that mentality that a lot of us do; "I'd better eat all I can now because this is my last special occasion for a while and then I'm on a diet..." She's just like any other woman out there who isn't obsessed with food.
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Old 05-03-2012, 04:17 PM   #10  
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fuct- I love the ambiance of her show. Her food usually looks so lovely. Her show is my favorite, but I rarely use her recipes. Even before counting calories its just so apparent that most of what she cooks is not for anyone watching their weight.

Jossfit- These are all excellent points I didn't really consider. They produce the shows to seem like you are watching something in the span of a day. I forget that these days may be all lined up in a row and hammered out in a short time. Maybe she reins it in significantly after shooting a season.

Penguin- Thanks for the link! That was a very interesting article. Shows how even the celebrities have to work hard to be able to cook these foods and stay slim.

caryesings- I dvr no reservations also. And yeah he is pretty thin and does sometimes eat huge portions! He must do something different when not shooting the show. That or the big meals he eats are all he eats that day.

freelance- I hope to be able to cook more rich foods on occasion after i get this weightloss thing figured out. And I know logically its totally possible. But for now I think I'dd stick to what works and once I figure out maintenance I'll try to work these extravagant things into my repertoire. Right now anytime I try I fall WAY off the wagon it seems.

Last edited by wannaBfitnessbuff; 05-03-2012 at 04:22 PM.
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Old 05-03-2012, 04:53 PM   #11  
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Quote:
Originally Posted by freelancemomma View Post
<<I know she may simply have a fast metabolism.>>

I doubt it.

<<She probably only eats a few bites of the food she makes etc.>>

I would bet on it.

<<I do find myself envying the life in which I could make desserts and maybe only have a few bites, or have cheesy pasta dishes every so often and still maintain a thinner frame. Perhaps it is possible even for me? But judging from my past I kind of doubt this....>>

I don't see why it wouldn't be possible for you. You can lose weight on doughnuts (though I don't recommend it) if you stay within a suitable calorie range.

F.
IA with you.

In fact, I just ate a McDonald's Big Mac. Well, 15% of it and a small shake (half of it). I'm thin doing this often (though I don't ever recommend a junk food diet, I'm just lazy). I don't have a fast metabolism, I have a normal metabolism and so does 99% of the population unless they have been diagnosed with hyper or hypothyrodism, so that explanation for why some are skinny and others aren't needs to die. Besides, people who weigh more have FASTER metabolisms than their skinny counterparts because they have more mass to keep up.

It really shouldn't matter anyway if someone's metabolism is through the roof and they can eat a cow and not gain fat, while you get full after 3 bites. If you're only eating to your body's needs there should be no issue with the amount. I think people would be better off examining why it is they want an excuse to eat more food when their body is not in need of fuel, i.e., obsessing about what they will eat for dinner while still eating breakfast, or purposely exercising for the sole excuse to eat. Again, why do want to eat so often, and why are you thinking about food so far ahead in advance?

I was hungry when I ate that burger, and was satisfied when I stopped; that's why 85% of it is still left. If I had eaten all of it and stuffed myself and did such a thing on a consistent basis, I would, *gasp* put on weight. I don't, so I maintain. I'd imagine that's what skinny chefs do and that's it's probably quite natural for them and automatic.

You can lose weight on any food, and you can get very fat on health food if you overeat.

Last edited by QuarterLife88; 05-03-2012 at 05:01 PM.
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Old 05-03-2012, 05:20 PM   #12  
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I am a Foodie and LOVE to cook! Food Network is a huge part of my world. I also enjoy their website.

If I see a recipe I really like, I tweak it according to my eating lifestyle. Any recipe can always be adjusted without losing taste. You only have to do what works for you and definitely not compare yourself to the chefs other than your fantastic culinary skills!
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Old 05-03-2012, 05:51 PM   #13  
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I used to complain about Giada's hotness despite her being an Italian chef. I don't really watch her show all the time, but occasionally I'll catch it. (I am also a pescatarian, and sometimes I see her make Italian seafood dishes.) Anyway, my husband finally started making me really pay attention to the end when she eats the meal with her friends/family because the portion sizes are really small. Also, all of you are probably right about her not eating that way all of time and/or exercising a lot.
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Old 05-03-2012, 07:41 PM   #14  
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You know how many people gave me sideways glances because while I was losing weight I ate fast food and pizza? It's about how much you eat.

Just like these chefs I LOVE food...I've just taught myself to watch how much I eat.
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Old 05-03-2012, 07:45 PM   #15  
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As someone said... they film all those shows in a VERY short span of time. I'm willing to bet she doesn't eat like that 99% of the time.
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