The Healthy Weight and Eating Thread

[seastarr]

I am having a rocky morning. I went to a friend's for dinner, and, as she's from New Orleans, she cooked up some traditional crawfish stew that involved lots of butter and french bread for dipping. Now, I am not one to turn away food that is specially prepared for me, but the gluten and the dairy are now killing me. My belly is roiling and my gut is inflamed, and I sort of feel like someone's got their hand around the top of my neck, squeezing. Trying to pull it together to get to work, but I feel like crap.

This dilemma comes up often, because it is practically impossible to go out to eat or be entertained without eating gluten or dairy. I never know if I should suck it up and just eat, or if I should try to work things out so I don't have to eat the stuff that makes me sick. I feel so high maintenance when I try to order things without gluten and dairy at a restaurant, and I would be mortified to try to explain the situation to someone who invited me to dinner and cooked for me. The adjustment has been tricky in this aspect of life.

All the same, the effects of eating the stuff are quite unpleasant, especially since I've been off for a long time now. I'm even starting to get a rash on my legs.

[ztemhead]

feel better, seastarr. :(

I'm also a pain in the ass to eat with a lot of the time, and I ignore many of the established restaurant conventions.

*shrugs* people know this about me. they deal.

oh, and the crawfish alone would have killed me.

[Nichole]

Seastarr, that sounds like it might have been craw fish etouffe, which is one of my favorite dishes. It is horrible that you feel so bad though. If dairy and gluten do this to your body, you shouldn't feel bad about turning it down. Restaurants sound difficult, but asking your waiter about what is in food is not unreasonable.

Speaking as someone who loves to have people over for dinner, you also shouldn't feel bad about letting your host know about your food limitations. Maybe when they extend the invite, you should say something along the lines of "I would love to come over, but I have to warn you, my body just cannot handle certain foods." As a host, I want my guest to enjoy themselves, not feel bad or sick. I am more than willing to make my menu reflect what my guest can eat.

[Angalin]

This dilemma comes up often, because it is practically impossible to go out to eat or be entertained without eating gluten or dairy. I never know if I should suck it up and just eat, or if I should try to work things out so I don't have to eat the stuff that makes me sick. I feel so high maintenance when I try to order things without gluten and dairy at a restaurant, and I would be mortified to try to explain the situation to someone who invited me to dinner and cooked for me. The adjustment has been tricky in this aspect of life.

I was out for lunch on the weekend with a friend who has extensive, extensive food allergies. Not intolerances but full-on, anaphylaxis-inducing allergies. Asking for special exceptions is the way it has to be if she wants to survive the meal, and even then it has to be spelled out. For instance, "no poultry" also means "no chicken stock" and the kitchen has to be very aware of its processes. Which is my way of saying, if you can't eat it, ask for something else. :) Sorry you feel so awful now and hope it passes soon.

[WhiteQueen]

This makes me sad. :(

I used to sneak into the back fridge and dig into the litewhip. It had the same consistency and taste as chocolate mousse.

This cake thing is, I have determined, a serious pregnancy craving. I indulged myself with cupcakes on Friday AND Saturday and I still want more cake. GOD DAMN YOU, PREGNANCY.

Not as sad as it does me. I keep telling myself that it's lard and fat and will make me fat without any benefit (i.e. nuts are high in fat, but it's good fat), and that sugar will destroy my teeth, but I still love it. And will eat with a spoon. And will still throw away the cake part which is the better of two evils.

[Starkess]

Made it through yesterday despite the boyfriend's encouragements that "You look great, sweetie, why don't you just have some ice cream with me?" AAAAAH! I've talked about it with him before...I am NOT HAPPY with my body and even if he doesn't think I need to lose weight, I wish he wouldn't try to sabotage my efforts! It's not like I'm trying to become anorexic here...I'm trying to tone up, lose the love handles. Very frustrating!

[cjfshaw]

For those of you who have food allergies, particularly if you need to eat gluten-free stuff, I know it is sometimes difficult to find gluten-free beers but if you want to get good and drunk you might want to try mead, which is naturally gluten free.

[Deedles]

This thread and it's various iterations are definitely inspiring me to make small changes. Damn you all! I love my fatty sugary foods.

I've totally become addicted to carrots, and am trying to snack mostly on those at the moment. Saying that, I've some lovely cherrys for later on. Yum.

This weekend I had, sugarsnap peas, asparagus, new potatos, watermelon, plums, cherrys, carrots and spinach.

Please keep up the posting, as well as helping yourselves, you're also helping me.

[Minaku]

I am trying to stave off the cake cravings by eating other things. I have not had cake. I was out, and avoided going to places with cake. I instead came back home and ate a mango. It was delicious.

deedles, I'm a big carrot fan myself, but you do have to watch how many you're eating, because no lie, they'll turn your shit orange. Same with things high in iron, so if you're a lover of spinach AND carrots you may have some weird colored stuff in the toilet. :P

[Stego]

Please, please, please stop taling about cake.

Or there's going to be a big tattooed bald guy going on a rampage at the local supermarket.

[Minaku]

Please, please, please stop taling about cake.

Or there's going to be a big tattooed bald guy going on a rampage at the local supermarket.

What, my talking about shit didn't turn you off?

[Nichole]

Please, please, please stop taling about cake.

Or there's going to be a big tattooed bald guy going on a rampage at the local supermarket.

I just pictured China Meiville going bizzerk at my grocery store.

[Starkess]

deedles, I'm a big carrot fan myself, but you do have to watch how many you're eating, because no lie, they'll turn your shit orange. Same with things high in iron, so if you're a lover of spinach AND carrots you may have some weird colored stuff in the toilet. :P

Mmmm I love spinach. And carrots. I'll have to watch out for this!

You need to talk to him seriously, and tell him that he needs to be supportive of you. This means whatever you want it to mean, whether it's no sweets or alcohol in the house, he buys nothing with HFCS, or you and he plan a menu for the week and you both stick to it. Whatever it is that you're doing, he needs to be supportive for this to work - or it's time for him to get out of the picture.

Men have a few strange things going on that affect them when their partner is making a change to look good/be healthier:

1. "She's going to look so good she will leave me for another, hotter guy" (this came out of Darling's mouth in therapy, so I know they think this). I had to restrain a giggle. We were in therapy, after all. Don't underestimate this, though, it's major.

2. "She's changing and I don't like change/I'm going to feel pressured to change with her." If he doesn't like change, he's just flat out of luck. He'll either deal with it or leave. Just make sure he knows that you won't pressure him to change also, but he has to be respectful of your desire to change.

3. "There's nothing wrong with her, I love her just the way she is." Men really do think that the woman they are sleeping with is damn fine awesome just the way she is. You are always your own worst critic, and men are blind to things that they don't want to see, like a little jiggle on their partner here or there. He may really not be taking this seriously for just that reason.

Oh, I think it's all 3. He's told me before (kind of half-joking) that he's just waiting for me to realize I'm gorgeous and can have any guy I want (and yes I told him how fricking dumb that is). He also has started to run sometimes and even briefly toyed with the idea of dieting. But he doesn't really want to enough, and I don't make him at all. And he really is just the kind of guy who already thinks I'm perfect. :) He just wants me to be happy, and I admit that I do get grumpy sometimes when I want ice cream and can't have it!

[Jon Targaryen]

I made an 3 egg white, 1 egg omelet with a bit of 1% milk, chilli powder, cumin and pepper. A slice of low-fat cheese and some salsa in the fold and a small serving of potatoes o'brien. Good breakfast.

I had two shakes after that. One was store bought from EAS and another made of aging fruits from the fridge.

Dinner was filet mignon seasoned with fresh-ground pepper before cooking, a baked potato with fat-free sour cream, margarine (can't find Butter Buds, will get "Can't Believe It's Not Butter" next time at the market), and green onions and some steamed brocoli.

Dessert was frozen banana slices, some protein powder and 1% milk, blended with fat-free CoolWhip and chopped nuts.

Overall, a good day.

I don't know about blended fruit Trisk but I would guess ... no diff?

I'm not much into cake. Ice cream is where I fall.

[Minaku]

Still no cake here. I will live this torturous craving out, I swear.

I had about 6 good cherries last night, had to throw the rest of the bag out unfortunately. Such is the way of fresh produce. Then I ate a sweet and delicious plum. It was almost spicy, that's how sweet it was. When I peeled the skin away the flesh was such a dark red that it was almost black. Beautiful. I wish I could save that color.

[Hereward]

In Sweden, all children receive food parcels from the government, full of low-fat moose steaks, antioxidant lingonberries, and herrings, which are high in Omega 3. This is why all Swedish people look like Bjorn Borg or Victoria Silverstedt. In capitalist England, children live on pot noodles and Angel Delight, which is why everyone looks like Matt Lucas.

[Rubies & Jade]

Still no cake here. I will live this torturous craving out, I swear.

to satisfy my cake cravings, I make my own pumpkin or sweet potato muffins... maybe something like that will work for you? I make the muffins with less butter and sugar than typical so while they aren't non-fat, they gotta be better for me than cake. and with lots of cinnamon/nutmeg/ginger spice in them they're really tasty!

[Silverstar]

I have an obsession with frozen peas as a snack, which I'm trying to encourage at the moment as they are so much better for me than chocolate. Sooo sweet and icy. Yummy.

All you wise people out there ... any particular reason these are not good for me? I've been reading these threads and finding so much inforamtion about how things are better or worse for me than I expected.

[Nichole]

Nora, my husband used to be very similar to your boyfriend. He would scoop me a bowl of ice cream even if I said I didn't want any. He would poor me a glass of wine even if I said I didn't want some. What I did was not touch the ice cream and left the wine. He got that I was serious when I would do this and that he was acting like an ass.

The biggest change has come with age. When we first met, he did not eat vegetables. None. Now, it is not as if he is munching on broccoli and carrots, but he is definitely better. He has realized that he is not getting any younger. He realizes now that he has to take better care of himself, and my changes in diet and exercising is good for him as well.

I would suggest you be consistent. If you say you don't want some icecream, don't have some. I you say you should exercise, go do it. That along with talking to him will let him know that you are not about to compromise your health and happiness for him.

[ztemhead]

In Sweden, all children receive food parcels from the government, full of low-fat moose steaks, antioxidant lingonberries, and herrings, which are high in Omega 3. This is why all Swedish people look like Bjorn Borg or Victoria Silverstedt. In capitalist England, children live on pot noodles and Angel Delight, which is why everyone looks like Matt Lucas.

I caught about half those references.

I had a few beers yesterday which threw me off track a smidge, but not too much. I also burned a ton of calories biking/ walking/ sweating home. I'm glad my tub of peanut butter is now empty. I will not be replacing it.