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04/05/10 MFC Healthy Eating
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Message 1.Â
Posted by PinaGrigio (U11141735) on Monday, 3rd May 2010
hello everyone & welcome to the first May thread for the MFC & Healthy Eating group. We are a friendly bunch of all sizes & shapes, who have come to the realisation that diets don't work and the answer lies in a healthy attitude to food & what we put in our mouths instead. Whether you're looking to lose weight, gain weight, or just maintain a healthy size & lifestyle, this thread is for you.
Different people follow different routes to healthy eating, whether it's low GI/GL, Rosemary Conley, Slimming World or their own plan. And we all have our different demons of temptation, whether it be a Chocolate Demon, a Cheese Pixie, or (in my case) the Crisp Sprite. You will find support & encouragement from all sides in here, so don't be scared - jump in and post!
There are three other related threads which all help with particular areas:
GEm's CyberGym:
Katy's Recipe thread:
And please sign up here to open this weekly thread on the rota thread (if I can, you can):
Phew, think that's it! Hope everyone has a good week and KOKO, one & all. -
Message 2
Posted by LostInML (U13646691) on Monday, 3rd May 2010
Thanks for opening up, Pina - lovely opening!
Not much to say except it will be hard work to keep up with the exercise this week because of Bank holidays and pool closures (for the election), but I am determined to try and maintain good habits! -
Message 3
Posted by Mermaid the Swishy-Fishy-Tailed Wise One (U10731448) on Monday, 3rd May 2010
Mon, 03 May 2010 17:22 GMT, in reply to LostInML in message 2
(smiling broadly)
Look, I'm here already! -
Message 4
Posted by Westsussexbird or Birdy aka Westie (U6316532) on Monday, 3rd May 2010
Thanks for opening up Pina, and well done Mermaid :0) Before long I shall be surprised not to see your name on the list of peeps opening up for us :0)))
Have a good week everyone. -
Message 5
Posted by Fire-Pig - proud to wave the protest banner (U12231213) on Monday, 3rd May 2010
My body is here, I'm not so sure about the mind! I managed to get away from work after 10.5 hours today. Far too much trouble shooting, without enough co-operation from others. At least most of the punters will have gone home now, tomorrow will be clearing up and then I have Wednesday and Thursday off.
Last night's roast gammon made a very good salad today. That was nice and easy, OH had indulged his love of buying reduced price food - but this time it was raspberries, so that made a very summery dinner.
We have had a beautiful day here, I had to have the blinds drawn in my office because the sun was so strong I could not see the computer screen.
KOKO one and all
F-P -
Message 6
Posted by eriskay (U2846175) on Monday, 3rd May 2010
Although recently retired, I have been working again for a few days and lunch is provided. Can resist the scones etc at coffee breaks but lunchtime is harder. Trying very hard and not falling too far...yet. 6 more days of temptation, But next week we are going to Paris so I must resist!
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Message 7
Posted by Tolkny (U710741) on Monday, 3rd May 2010
Hi thanks, Koko.
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Message 8
Posted by LostInML (U13646691) on Tuesday, 4th May 2010
Got a big day at work today with lots of visitors attending, so everyone's out to impress. We start with coffee and pastries. I can resist those, but wish impressing others didn't start with food like that. Psychologically it makes me feel resentful before I've even started work!
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Message 9
Posted by FlufflesB (U14188870) on Tuesday, 4th May 2010
Hello everyone. Another week of determination and optimism - I CAN do this!
.
Back in the days of work, among my colleagues any jolly was measured not in the quality of information/delivery etc but in the quality and quantity of lunch and snacks. As lowly chalkfacers did not manage to get out very often, these things were important. I remember one (in a well known football club's conferencing facility) that consisted of those little savory party snacks or indifferent white bread ham sandwiches. I know it is all down how much money they are given to do the catering but ........... There was another venue we all like going to because even if they were given a modest catering budget, the food was very good.
Off to the gym and then in search of asparagus. I intend to be sick of asparagus by the end of the season (no chance). Am thinking of parma ham wraps in the near future.
FB -
Message 10
Posted by Westsussexbird or Birdy aka Westie (U6316532) on Tuesday, 4th May 2010
In Italy at this time of year you see people wandering around the countryside cutting very very long stemmed wild asparagus. They then sit beside the road to sell any they don't want themselves.
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Message 11
Posted by Tolkny (U710741) on Tuesday, 4th May 2010
You and Others may wish to consider or ignore.
Lack of Healthy low fat/sugar desserts
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
1.) Even Restaurants offering Healthy option main meals do not offer similar for dessert, such as at a Beefeater Restaurant I ate at yesterday. This is bad. I would like to campaign to change this, have little time/energy/organisation skills, but a few ideas. Might you be interested/Might you help/ If yes what ideas do you have?
2.) Complementary Biscuits/Sweets/Chocolates, served with drinks and/or bills.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
This is potentially bad for me, although it now gives an opportunity to remind myself and perhaps companions who care for me that eating ANYTHING in addition to my planned meal is dangerous for me.
I suspect eateries do it to stimulate more sales as they are more interested in profit than my short term well-being. I do not want others for whom this is not a problem to be deprived, but would like to be asked, if I want so and so rather than have it assumed. I plan to aim to tell servers such things are unwelcome and return them in future rather than saving them for later to eat as part of a subsequent meal or offering to a companion. I also wonder if there might be value in campaigning to get Restaurants to change their policies. As above I welcome responses.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
3. Maybe, these things are not appropriate for this thread, if I start another will you join it?
Should there be two other threads? -
Message 12
Posted by Tolkny (U710741) on Tuesday, 4th May 2010
Should there be two other threads?Â
I offer apologies if you feel invaded with this stuff with hindsight I realise I could have started another thread(s) and invited others to go there. Sorry.
I have now asked others here, Message 339 to consider the above message as well. With hindsight I realise I may have got that wrong too, sorry, I can't move messages now the -
Message 13
Posted by Tolkny (U710741) on Tuesday, 4th May 2010
I can't move messages now the  "post Message" Button has been hit, unfortunately prematurely.... sorry again for causing yet another extra and some will think unnecessary message. I have learnt not to try and copy and paste the text on the "Post Message", it just POSTS!!!
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Message 14
Posted by Mermaid the Swishy-Fishy-Tailed Wise One (U10731448) on Tuesday, 4th May 2010
Tue, 04 May 2010 10:27 GMT, in reply to Tolkny in message 13
Tolky - stop, take a deep breath and start again.
(swims off snorking quietly) -
Message 15
Posted by Tolkny (U710741) on Tuesday, 4th May 2010
stop, take a deep breath and start again.Â
Thanks for the suggestion,WindfarmMermaid the Swishy-Fishy-Tailed Wise One, but I suspect most, if not all have had more than enough from me now, anyway, I think I have said all I wanted to say, albeit spread across several messages. -
Message 16
Posted by PinaGrigio (U11141735) on Tuesday, 4th May 2010
Tolkers, I don't think your messages are ignored. I think you raise some interesting points, actually, in what you say. I do agree, for example, that it would be helpful if restaurants offered an alternative to high calorie puds, such as fruit salad, because sometimes it's nice to have a palate cleansing type of finish to a meal rather than another heavy dish. I suspect that the restaurants would argue that healthy options are not chosen in sufficient numbers to make it worth their while, but I may be wrong.
We've always found when we go out that if you ask the waiter for something as an alternative it is usually possible for them to do it, depending on their supplies. So I've had fruit instead of a heavy dessert before, or oatcakes & cheese (I know about the cheese before everyone shouts, ok?), and MrG has done similar with respect to chocolate icecream. Less healthy but still possible....
with regards to the freebies at the end, I think this is usually expected by most customers so it will probably come down to leaving it alone. Our local curry house does a good thing which is to bring out a tray of a variety of breath fresheners, including caraway seeds, which makes a change from minty chocs.
Hope that helps, anyway. I see no reason why you shouldn't discuss this within this thread but if you wanted to start another, no reason why you shouldn't do that either. -
Message 17
Posted by Tolkny (U710741) on Tuesday, 4th May 2010
I don't think your messages are ignored. I am sure they are not and I am not sensitive about anyway. I post what I need to post that seems relevant and or helps me and I hope I share my experience which, as with all of us will help some, and not others.
However, I do realise this is not the place to start a campaign about Restaurants but I hope it is a place to see whether there is any merit in so doing and if others think there might be, we can go off elsewhere and have a go. -
Message 18
Posted by GuzziNut (U6364582) on Tuesday, 4th May 2010
I do know of Indian and Chinese places that give you a dish of sliced up orange at the end of the meal, thats quite refreshing
but yes, most do the mint thing and whilst I hear what you say, please spare a thought for the poor waiting staff, who probably do not want a lecture about being offered mints rather than just being given them, especially on a busy night.
Even if it was a place I went to regularly, I would not assume that the staff would remember this sort of thing, heck, they have their own lives to deal with
mind you I tend to think why should they even remember me? Unless its a place where I really, really stand out, like the veggie Indian joint near where I used to live, I was their "token white customer", man I miss that place -
Message 19
Posted by Fire-Pig - proud to wave the protest banner (U12231213) on Tuesday, 4th May 2010
As someone who is sensitive to peppermint vapour (I have been informed that it is incorrect to say allergic to peppermint, which I used to say) I just wish that sometimes there were other sweets than mints! Sometimes I feel quite ill when everyone around me is eating them and breathing out their *noxious* fumes!
One pub we went to for a lunch served a fairy cake with coffee, which seemed a tad excessive. I was glad that we had been warned as we did not have a pud just the cake with the coffee.
I agree with Tolkny that few places serve healthy desserts, and it should be encouraged - but how?
F-P -
Message 20
Posted by archingmad (U8292055) on Tuesday, 4th May 2010
I would like to think that I would have the will to choose a healthy dessert in a restaurant, if given that option, but if I'm honest I think a chocolate tart would win hands down.
I have mixed feelings today. On the plus side, I went to a meeting today and heard those magic words: "Have you lost some weight?" Aaaah, music to my ears. Unfortunately, as I'm knee high to a grasshopper, usually all they can see of me is my face and that is where, I suspect, I lost all of my four holiday pounds (one of which crept back for this morning's weigh-in).
The downside is that I had a coffee there and succumbed to a chocolate biscuit, my first since before I went away. I must also confess to a frenzied attack on a bag of sultanas yesterday and also I discovered an open box of Pringles in the kitchen cupboard. I didn't buy them, so I can only suppose that OH/saboteur found a special offer at *c*land. At least I didn't polish the lot off and just had around 10 crisps. Could be worse, I suppose. -
Message 21
Posted by Tolkny (U710741) on Tuesday, 4th May 2010
few places serve healthy desserts, and it should be encouraged - but how?Â
Form some sort of a group of people to campaign via a Messageboard, such as the sort Yahoo offer.
I have emailed Whitbread's with the following
"Comments to Whitbread’s 4/5/10
Visited The xxxxx yesterday and was very impressed with quality of service on a busy day.
Two points.
1. No healthy option desert, despite healthy option main courses. As a recovered overeating addict (in the same way an alcoholic is an addict) this puts me in difficulty. There was a time when most restaurants had a fresh fruit salad option. It is not essential to serve cream you could also offer yoghurt or other low fat dessert accompaniments.
2. You play right in to the difficult area for addicts by automatically presenting a chocolate with after meal beverages and sweets with a bill. I do eat such things but only with a planned meal and were I still in an active addiction phase could have been stimulated to start an eating binge by such a thing. You do not for example give every customer an alcoholic drink, you invite an order and I believe so it should be with all food.
I do not want to damage your profits or deny others who do not have problems with addiction the chance to have such enjoyable things with their meals but I do not want anymore addicts to be harmed.
Yesterday afternoon I visited a friend who is terminally ill and a food addict who had reverted to overeating and never managed to get to a healthy weight. Whilst that is not the responsibility of any restaurant(s), it does indicate that for at least some of us overeating is literally a killer. As far as your profits are concerned repeat customers who are long lived are better in the long run than short lived obese ones!
I would welcome the opportunity to consider these issues with those who set your practices and hope you will also consult nutritional experts.
Thank you."
I await a response, which is promised. -
Message 22
Posted by welshteddy (U3680635) on Tuesday, 4th May 2010
Hi all. I am a bit fed up this week as I just want to eat all the wrong things! I didn't lose anything this week and I really thought I had lost the single pound I needed to take me to 21 pounds lost.
Oh well. KOKO!! -
Message 23
Posted by Fire-Pig - proud to wave the protest banner (U12231213) on Tuesday, 4th May 2010
Oh Welshted have a hug! ((( ))) (It's guaranteed calorie free!)
Weight is like that, sneaky, it goes in fits and starts not according to any set pattern.
F-P -
Message 24
Posted by Tolkny (U710741) on Tuesday, 4th May 2010
I really thought I had lost the single pound I needed to take me to 21 pounds lost.Â
That is rotten but thanks for posting I find sharing my experience and considering the experience of others to be helpful to me. -
Message 25
Posted by countrypug (U9227943) on Tuesday, 4th May 2010
Evening folks, and thanks for opening Pina. I managed to lose about 600g this week, which is ok, although I had hoped for a little more as I have worked really hard to kick start things again. However, I am keeping on the straight and narrow, had another run this afternoon, and eating sensibly. We have a weekend off coming up, and friends for dinner Saturday night.
We are having asparagus for starter, with prosciutto (funnily enough Fluffles, just what you were suggesting), then a chicken main course, and I think a lemon tart for pud, which is not low in calories, but only a small portion is needed. I will just need to watch the wine consumption, and to keep up the exercise too.
Tolkny, that is a very interesting post about puddings. I am not really a pud person, and would much prefer to have a starter instead, but certainly feel that more healthy choices would be a good thing. I am sure that most places could have in stock a low fat yoghurt based icecream, or sorbet for instance.
Welshted, sorry to hear about the maintain, but maybe next week wil show the benefit instead. Have another cyber hug from me too, it will use up a few calories, I'm sure.
I hope a good week is had by all.
Pug x -
Message 26
Posted by Westsussexbird or Birdy aka Westie (U6316532) on Tuesday, 4th May 2010
We have unexpected house guests from now on this week ........... we are both determined not to undo the good work we have done recently.
KOKO everyone :0) -
Message 27
Posted by LostInML (U13646691) on Wednesday, 5th May 2010
Interesting talking points this week. I certainly agree that restaurants /ought/ to offer healthy options for desserts and that most don't necessarily. I think it's unfair when cheese boards cost extra on set menus, for example. I know cheese is expensive, but it hits diabetics financially as well as in terms of the choice they have! (I now tend to avoid the cheeseboards as well so as to avoid putting weight on, but that's a different issue: at least the cheeseboard is an alternative to sweet desserts.)
I actually don't mind not having dessert most of the time (I like starters too!), but I do think the option ought to be there. When I've been out at work meals with set menus and have asked for fruit salad as an alternative, the restaurants have always been accommodating (though the quality of the said fruit salad has varied enormously!)
I've never found it difficult to refuse the mints/ chocolates with coffee, but agree that this could well be a problem for some people. Part of the problem is our view that if we have paid for a meal, we are entitled to everything that is going!
I have far more problems with the 'eat-as-much-as-you-want' variety of restaurant than with the whole issue of desserts etc. which at least gives me a choice. I really do tend to avoid those restaurants now, as I find that the mentality of 'getting my money's worth' takes over the sensible mentality of eating what I need to.
Good to hear from everyone this week. Sorry if you're feeling fed up and that things are progressing far too slowly. I identify with that feeling all too readily! -
Message 28
Posted by GEm (U4356909) on Wednesday, 5th May 2010
Interesting indeed Lost. I like your analogy of thinking we have to have all of the food on offer because we have paid for it. Made me think - as mine is the opposite. I have paid so it's up to me to eat just what I want and send back what I don't.
I find if I am eating out I tend to eat much more slowly as I am chatting and listening and socialising. This plus that there is usually a 15-20 minute gap between courses so my stomach gets a chance to decide if it's full or not -and once I am full that's it, no more.
I find portions are so huge that eating about half or just under half of what is on the plate is enough food. If I have paid for it then I don't have to eat it
As for the mints and chocolates well if you are full, you are full. Just ask for your coffee without any mints/chocolate when you order it. If it comes with them then offer them to your dinner companion, if they don't want them move them off the saucer and put them in the middle of the table. Then the temptation is removed.
G -
Message 29
Posted by Mermaid the Swishy-Fishy-Tailed Wise One (U10731448) on Wednesday, 5th May 2010
Wed, 05 May 2010 06:11 GMT, in reply to GEm in message 28
Meals seem to be getting larger and larger in pubs and restaurants. I hate seeing food wasted and wish places would offer a choice of portion sizes as did the pub where we had the Wells Meet (At least I think it was there) where there was the option of two.
Places do smaller portions for children so why not adults. In fact some children can tuck away more than I can. Why not 3 sizes - small, average and greedy? or something like that. -
Message 30
Posted by FlufflesB (U14188870) on Wednesday, 5th May 2010
Welshted - (begin french accent) Courage mon ami! (end french accent) - if I may be so bold after so short an acquaintance. It will go.
Eating out. I take the line that if it is a social treat, not too often, then factor it in and enjoy within whatever parameters you have. The knack is obeying those boundaries. If you have to lunch/dine for work purposes, then a tighter rein would obviously be needed.
I was thwarted yesterday and at the archangel's food shop no less. Got the asparagus, no Parma (or similar), tsk tsk. Oh well, first of the year last night with a small sirloin, some potato and carrots. Tonight is steamed salmon and asparagus. -
Message 31
Posted by LostInML (U13646691) on Wednesday, 5th May 2010
What is it about asparagus that gets everyone so excited? Please tell me so that I can be educated into its wonders. I would like to hear all those 'praise of asparagus' songs from people who really like it.
Ah, GEm, your post just shows the differences between us and why you are slim and dedicated compared to me! I think I must have been brought up by those used to austerity, either that or the Yorkshire mentality of 'getting your money's worth' has been so drilled into me that I find it hard to refuse stuff offered, even if I don't really want it. Having said that, I am learning. I ate out at an Indian restaurant on Monday where there was a platter of rice and I ate what I wanted and left the rest. It felt odd to leave it, but I'd had what I wanted. That is quite an achievement for me. (I've yet to apply that to meat...!)
Laura, how is post-thesis life treating you? Are you resisting the DEDs? -
Message 32
Posted by GEm (U4356909) on Wednesday, 5th May 2010
hi Lost
Well done for leaving the rice when you had eaten your fill. I hate waste too and if you go into the cooking thread you will see I have posted that my OH and kids claim that by Thursday they are having left overs of left overs of left overs!!!.
I think our idea of what is a portion has got vastly out of control today - not helped by fast food restaurants and travel to places like the US where I struggled with a "starter" portion and never even got to a "main". Perhaps we need to go back to thinking of things like meat and fish as a treat - a small taste on the plate and fill up on salad and veg as we did as children
G -
Message 33
Posted by Fire-Pig - proud to wave the protest banner (U12231213) on Wednesday, 5th May 2010
Interesting ideas on the theme of "We've paid for it so we eat it". When I was a teen, many moons ago, my parents ran a house-party holiday for the diocese. This had about 100-150 people staying and on Sundays afternoon tea was included, but not on other days. Mother remembers the first two families arriving the first day she was at the tea urn. One mother said "Come on boys, we've paid for this so eat all you can" the other was the complete opposite "Just because we've already paid is no reason to be greedy, we don't usually have much more than a cup of tea now so no more than one sandwich and one cake each"
Another take on the eat all you can buffet is in Singapore, where the hotels would weigh what was edible left on your plate and add an extra charge depending on the weight. At least that was what they advertised they did, whether anyone actually did I don't know!
Lost, I'm another asparagus ignorant, it never appeared in my childhood, and since I have lived overseas so much in places where it didn't figure. I have eaten it but never drooled over it - and by the way, I thought it had to be eaten dripping in butter so was not very healthy then.
I still find it a struggle not to finish what is on my plate. Is this because I was brought up just after the war (after all I AM a Fire-Pig!) and we had to remember the starving millions in China? In my opinion they were welcome to whatever it was I didn't want to eat but it never did go to them! The Jesuists say the first seven years form you for life, and I was certainly formed into eating up whatever was on my plate until I left school - somewhat older than 7!
Tomorrow I will be at the Adelphi in Liverpool for lunch, possibly wearing a brand new bra with the old one in a bag, I will try to remember that I do not need to eat all that is in front of me. I managed that last week, I can do it again
My mother used to have a prayer "From the lust of finishing, Good Lord deliver me" Perhaps it could be a mantr for some of us - with the usual proviso about the meaning of the words Good Lord.
F-P -
Message 34
Posted by LostInML (U13646691) on Wednesday, 5th May 2010
Apparently I ate very little for the first five years of my life, having very little appetite. I have certainly made up for that since!
I certainly remember a subtle (well, maybe not so subtle) psychological mantra about the starving millions in Ethiopia (obviously I'm younger than you, FP, since the destination has changed!) which induced guilt if you'd left any food. I think I am, by nature, very susceptible to feeling guilty, so this kind of tactic works on me, whereas others just shrug and say 'let them eat my sprouts, then!' and don't seem to mind.
Eating everything on the plate was also seen as a courtesy to the cook. If you didn't everything, it was seen as an insult. Again, I hate insulting anyone unnecessarily, so this kind of psychological pressure has led to me feeling that I /have/ to eat everything all the time.
The Headmistress of my primary school was a real martinet and I remember her prowling the dining-room and insisting we all finished our lunches. Again, I suspect I was so terrified of getting into trouble (being quite a conformist at heart, rather than a rebel) that I ate more than I wanted/ needed, until that became the norm.
Or maybe I'm just greedy...! -
Message 35
Posted by welshteddy (U3680635) on Wednesday, 5th May 2010
Morning all. Thanks for all your encouragement!
I have 2 tedlets home from school poorly today, different illnesses strangely, so running around after them should use up a few calories.
We used to be told to 'think of the starving people in India'!! I too don't like leaving food on my plate and have to force myself not to tell the tedlets to eat everything up. I am in agreement about the portion sizes, far too big. I often order a child's size meal for myself, eldest tedlet having 'my' adult meal, but as the tedlets get bigger I think that is going to be more difficult to get away with. -
Message 36
Posted by Fire-Pig - proud to wave the protest banner (U12231213) on Wednesday, 5th May 2010
Can we work out a time line of starving millions? China - India-Ethiopia, any advances on that?
I thought I had proof read my last message but I still missed out an a, so here it is 'a' it should be the last letter of mantra but you probably guessed that!
I'm off to make herby pea and ham soup, by popular request. A very pleasant change from sitting in the office coping with whatever is thrown at me because I can always cope. They don't see it's all a front, underneath the swan gliding serenely there are little black feet flapping away!
F-P -
Message 37
Posted by FlufflesB (U14188870) on Wednesday, 5th May 2010
I came late to asparagus but just really like it. Only buy when it is in season. Had some butter with it last night - just a bit. Keeping to the 'have what you like to eat but keep the portions/cals sensible'.
I never needed to be reminded of the starving millions, just cleared my plate at a rate of knots from an early age. Luckily I was young at the dawn of the crisp age when a packet of ready salted with a blue twist was a treat to spend ones minimal money on (as was choc). I remember using some of my spends on buying a peach (4d) when they came into import season in the summer!
FB
FB -
Message 38
Posted by hazeyjane (U11228450) on Wednesday, 5th May 2010
Haven't posted on this thread before but was interested to read the discussion on eating out and finishing everything on the plate. I'm also of that generation and hate wasting food. When we've had family meals out recently we've opted for a sharing platter for at least one course of the meal. A lot of restaurants seem to offer this now. For us it means that those who are careful about what they eat can select what they want and the others can finish up the rest, so no waste. Even if the restaurants don't offer this I find a lot are more relaxed now about letting you share a course and will provide extra plates etc.
Two chain restaurants I've been to recently also offered mini desserts with coffee which is good if you just want a taste of something sweet but not too substantial. -
Message 39
Posted by GuzziNut (U6364582) on Wednesday, 5th May 2010
I agree about some places serving portions that are too large at times, I would struggle to eat the lot
and yes, portion sizes in the US are frightening
but have no compunction about asking for the leftovers as a carryout, half a naan bread went home with us on Sat and was enjoyed, Monday lunchtime and we were out with friends, who looked a bit ascance, so I have no shame, I take the uneaten rice home too at times...
I do not feel compelled to eat the lot as I have paid for it tho and I'm not much of a pudding person, so havent really noticed the lack of healthy options.
asparagus, I'm a fan, oh yes, Its the brief seasonal nature of the local stuff,the anticipation of when will it be ready? phoning the farm to find out (yup, I'm that sad)
coupled with the freshness and the taste, Its quite versatile, and very very healthy (if not served with butter) and good for you, its an acquired taste granted, but once you have it...
It goes well with pretty much any main course, its fab in soup, lovely with pasta and superb on its own
We will have some tonight, with a red tomato (ripe and sundried) pesto thing and some pasta
avoid imported like the plague, it tastes like soap -
Message 40
Posted by Tolkny (U710741) on Wednesday, 5th May 2010
Haven't posted on this thread before but was interested to read the discussion on eating out and finishing everything on the plateÂ
Welcome to hazeyjane, I remember as a child probably late 50's or v early 60's, unusually my family was having a restaurant tea and we were supplied with, as was customary at such places a several tiered cake plate with every layer full and I felt obliged to tuck in! After several my mother remarked about us not being expected to eat them all and that we would be charged on what was eaten, rather than having to pay for the whole plate. I don't remember much else but a feeling of embarrassment.
I guess my compulsive eating was well established by then and I was already feeling as if at least at times, I felt as if the food was almost calling out "eat me".
Thank God it is not like that now. -
Message 41
Posted by countrypug (U9227943) on Wednesday, 5th May 2010
Another welcome to hazeyjane (I like your name too!). For me the starving children were in Biafra, -I am ashamed to say I still don't know exactly where that is.
I can remember my mother despairing when I was really little of me ever gaining weight - ha - she must have regretted that later in life! I am also of the finish everything on my plate generation. I do find some portions too big, but have a very large (as in tall, not wide) teenage boy who is always happy to finish up leftovers.
We are making a first trip to the USA in October, and I fully plan to share some main courses if possible as I believe the portions are rather ridiculous.
Another busy day at work here, followed by Jazz Aerobics tonight (which I would have chickened out of, as I was really tired, but I had promised to take elder puglet and her friend). Chicken salad for tea.
I'm off to bed now, to rest my weary feet!
Pug x -
Message 42
Posted by Fire-Pig - proud to wave the protest banner (U12231213) on Wednesday, 5th May 2010
Welcome Hazeyjane, I hope we will hear more from you later.
Ooh Countrypug, Biafran starving children I can date that, and I should imagine it comes between India and Ethiopia in my timeline! I have a letter written while I was a VSO in Northern Ghana about a very poor village I had visited where many were starving and I wrote "They look very like the children from Biafra, or should we call it that any more?" That was in the first half of 1970, so the civil war was over by then. (Pug it was a civil war in Nigeria, Biafra was the breakaway part in the South East of the country)
Just been out to a committee meeting, went to the loo and when I returned there was a plate with a slice of coffee and walnut cake at my place (and at most other places too!) How is a girl to refuse, when it is her favourite sponge cake!
F-P -
Message 43
Posted by countrypug (U9227943) on Wednesday, 5th May 2010
Thanks for that F-P, saves me looking it up. And the day is not wasted, as I have learned something new!
)
Pug x -
Message 44
Posted by Tolkny (U710741) on Wednesday, 5th May 2010
How is a girl to refuse, If it is not on my food plan, it is not a case of refusing rather a case of not even considering whether or not to eat a thing unless I have actually decided in advance I will eat it.
In fact if an idea comes to mind, "I could just eat so and so" I am now pretty practiced at adding "but I won't,because it is not on my food plan"
People who know me have mostly got used to my habits and don't even offer nowadays.
If I do get an offer I might say "no thanks", and if pushed, "it could be dangerous for me", because eating something not on my food plan could be the spark that stimulates a return to binge eating and why would I risk that after 4 years abstinence?
Alternatively I might say "I have an allergy", because I have. I consider allergy means abnormal reaction, which is what happens to me, sometimes once I start, I can't stop. So with it being so dangerous I just won't take a chance. If I thought I might not be able to resist an offer of food, to keep myself safe I would avoid an event. It is THAT serious for me. Addictive eating nearly killed me with a heart attack, that has left me with heart damage, that has probably already made me liable to a shorter life than would otherwise have been the case. -
Message 45
Posted by Fire-Pig - proud to wave the protest banner (U12231213) on Wednesday, 5th May 2010
Tolkny, this is the difference between you and me. I know I am not a food addict and that it won't start a binge. I certainly had not planned to have any sponge cake this evening, but I ate it and enjoyed it. I believe that life is to be lived and enjoyed, I was with friends and if I had refused it, it might have led to too many questions which I preferred not to face.
Last week I gave up an outing with some of these friends when it moved from lunchtime to afternoon tea, then I did say I could not go then. I could avoid without giving offence, tonight would have been more difficult.
Pug, I'm delighted your day has not been wasted! OH was in Nigeria at the time of the Civil War and has his memories of it, we have friends who lost all their household belongings then and were lucky to get out alive. OH was luckier and didn't lose anything.
F-P -
Message 46
Posted by archingmad (U8292055) on Wednesday, 5th May 2010
Welcome to hazeyjane from me, too.
My hard-working and hard-up parents struggled to provide good food, but it was a priority for them. So we would have felt terribly guilty to leave food on the plate. It was simply A WASTE. I must have passed this ethos down to my children as I always expected them to clear the plate. When my daughter was being courted by her now husband she was struggling in a restaurant to finish her portion and he just said - leave it. She was shocked. However, she has now come round to his way of thinking and does not insist on her children finishing their meals. When they've had enough they can leave it. I am fairly surprised that they are still offered dessert, even if they didn't finish the main course, although it is usually a healthy dessert such as fresh fruit or yoghurt, so probably the right approach.
I am often satisfied with a starter, maybe two, and no main course in a restaurant.
I also discovered asparagus late in life and love it (in spite of it's rather strange after effects). Note to self: buy some tomorrow.
Lost, I think Laura told us she is on a bit of a sabbatical from ML at the moment and is not ignoring you. -
Message 47
Posted by Westsussexbird or Birdy aka Westie (U6316532) on Wednesday, 5th May 2010
Another welcome to Hazeyjane :0)
Cripes! Roast lamb and loads of roast veggies and a few spuds, gravy. Redcurrant jelly etc. Cheese cake AND I finished some left over on a plate, and cake x 2 to celebrate the first wedding anniversary of my nephew and his wife.
Yum but phew!
Night everyone :0) -
Message 48
Posted by GEm (U4356909) on Thursday, 6th May 2010
Pug - when in the US I found that a starter was more than enough in most restaurants (it came on a full sized dinner plate) and even then there were no clean plates to go back.
The idea of healthy puddings is a good one - however do remember ice-cream is made with cream so isn't desparately healthy and sorbet is made with huge amounts of sugar as well as fruit so again not desparately healthy. Low fat yoghurt is okay but the full fat stuff again is high in calories.
I always offer my family pudding regardless of cleared plates. It is always fruit based as it's part of the healthy balanced diet and getting their 7 portions a day. Fruit bowl is filled up three times a week as well, so if they are hungry between meals it is fruit or raw veg (I don't buy crisps, biscuits etc) . If we do have biscuits they are home-made and I have discovered this stuff called splenda which is twice as sweet as sugar so you only use half as much. It makes great biscuits and cakes for less calories and as it's half the amount better for teeth as well -
Message 49
Posted by hazeyjane (U11228450) on Thursday, 6th May 2010
Thank you all for your warm welcome. I have had fibromyalgia for some years so that's my main motivation for healthy eating, although losing a few pounds would be a nice bonus too. There are some extreme diets out there for FM sufferers which I have tried at times when I've been very unwell. I'm not convinced that they really helped and having to give up all sugars and yeast (including fruit and that ML favourite marmite!) was too heavy a price to pay.
Thankfully, my GP agreed and her recommendation was just to eat a healthy, balanced diet avoiding processed food and eating as naturally as possible. Generally, I don't manage too badly but my main triggers for eating unhealthily or over-eating tend to be feeling tired or cold. This winter I spent a lot of time both tired and cold so without realising had got into a few unhealthy patterns and now spring has sprung am trying to get back into better ways.
On the subject of healthy desserts, if I haven't had muesli for breakfast I sometimes have it for pudding in the evening. I find that a fairly small amount soaked in fruit juice with some grated apple and yoghurt on top is really filling and stops me snacking in the evening. Or sometimes I have natural yoghurt, a chopped banana and a Nairns stem ginger oat biscuit which are low GI. -
Message 50
Posted by Tolkny (U710741) on Thursday, 6th May 2010
Thank you all for your warm welcome. And thanks to hazeyjane for sharing some of her experience.
Having reduced my intake of breakfast cereal to almost nil I could use up my muesli for dessert.
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