Happy Beautiful Autumn Day, Pumpkins!!
PeaceBang joined Weight Watchers again a week or so ago and seems to have taken up Competitive Eating as a result. After a week of molto mangia and feeling absolutely Ernest Borgninian about it, I have come to the conclusion that eating fake, low-fat versions of any food is the worst possible thing for managing hunger and health, and what’s more, I should have known this!! In fact, I DID know it! I DO know it! So what was my stupid, eh?
That, I don’t know.
So no more Lean Cuisines for PeaceBang. No more little snack cups of pudding, no more crappy fake bread, no more air-puffed crappy bagels. No more insta-oatmeal, no more Oscar Meyer anything. It all makes me feel terrible and starved and beastly. It makes me pale and puffy and miserable and itching for a binge. I’m a foodie, for the love of Alice Waters!! How did Lean Cusine find its way into my Stop & Shop cart? I musta been delusional with the fever or something.
I know you know this, but let’s remember it together: whole food is good food. Whole grains, humanely farmed lean meats (if you’re a carnivore, and I still am), veggies veggies veggies, legumes, nourishing food, not processed garbage that will leave your rummaging wild-eyed and ravenous through the fridge at midnight.
Although I really like the Weight Watchers emphasis on the sane basics of portion control, keeping track of what you eat, and exercising more, I don’t like their emphasis on “fast” food — eg, throwing a jar of salsa or prepared salad dressing on a chicken breast to give it taste, or using their WW products (but of course they’ve got to pimp their stuff, and I understand that).
I need to eat more if I want to lose weight. More of the right things. I once knew this!
Isn’t it crazy how easily we forget the facts and decide to try something we know won’t work?
By the way, I have ordered David Kessler’s book, The End of Overeating, from the library and I know I’m going to find it fascinating and relevant.
Love, PB (feeling less like Ernest Borgnine every minute — but look how cute he is here!)
I discovered whole grains a couple of months ago, and since then I’ve been MAD for quinoa. I add it to black bean soup, I saute veg (asparagus, sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, olive oil) and then mix in some steamed quinoa. I think I could do most of my pasta tricks with quinoa (contemplating pesto quinoa).
Yes, do read The End of Overeating, or at least the first half. He gets a bit proud of his ideas and method later on.
Yesterday evening I was invited to dinner at a retirement community where two of my parishioners live. It was a wonderful evening of fellowship and food. One aspect that made it really great was that the dining room entrees were fresh, tasty, balanced, and PORTION CONTROLLED. The plates were normal sized dinner plates, the vegetables were steamed, the fish was broiled. There weren’t mounds and mounds of food brought to the table. I could actually see the plate with the food on it! I finished my whole meal (which is rare for me) and I felt satisfied and not bloated or sick (which is usually how I feel when I eat out). If only all restaurants were like this!
I wish I could convince my husband of what you say. It’s much easier to stick with real food when everyone is on board.
For me, breakfast is the toughest meal to do right. Garbage food is just so easy on busy mornings.
I may still weigh too much, but I’m happier when I’m enjoying whole foods.
Good for you!! Weight watchers makes me totally crazy, and the food they sell with their name on it is an abomination. The way they give you so many carbs and so little fat is just not good for me. Portion control is the thing, and while it is still hard it is a soulful process instead of finding low calorie substitutes for real food.
You have once more gone to the heart of the matter! Thanks so much for the reminding that is needed in our busy lives to eat healthy. I am headed shortly to purchase some food which I can cook this weekend which will tantalize the taste buds and keep me on a healthier track. Merci!
FANTASTIC! That stuff is SO not real food. I actually found that stuff makes me gain weight.
Meat and veggies for me for a happy, healthy weight!
One word. BUTTER. I don’t even have margarine in the house. Margarine is terrible for you. You have a little butter on your whole grain bread and you will feel better than if you ate a piece of chocolate cake. Okay well you still have to have your chocolate fix – a little piece of extra dark chocolate will do it.
[AMEN!! That is so true. Is there anything more depressing than that spray-on Olivioil s***? – PB]
Yes, yes, yes!!! I am so glad you are ditching WW. Whole foods – avoid chemicals, preservatives & overly processed food. Eat every 3 hours to keep your metabolism up – and (bonus!)you won’t be hungry. Also don’t fear the (good) fat. My immediate and extended family have all lost significant weight by eating this way. I’ve personally lost 65 lbs, going from size 18 to size 4/6. Good luck, PB!!!!
I tried WW several years ago. Not for me, too much emphasis on cheating. Good fats, lean meats,less processed garbage, and more exercise and veggies is what worked for me. My doc asked me how I had lost my weight, I told him “I finally started doing all the things I knew I should do.”
I always feel worse when I’m traveling or doing field work and forced to eat out and eat quick foods. Eating real food makes me feel normal. 🙂
Amen and amen! I feel better about everything after a good meal. Today’s lunch grilled cheese sandwiches (pumpernickel and sharp cheddar with butter) and a cup of home-made veggie beef soup. I won’t need a thing except maybe an apple until supper. Nothing elaborate but soul nourishing and honest.
Wise eating is exactly that.
Thanks for the handsome pic of Ernie B. Very handsome!
Thank you for speaking about this, I work as a nutritionist and it is my mission to get people to eat real food and enjoy it. We don’t have to fear food, pick the good stuff, use moderation and enjoy every bit of it.