Opinions?

[margorah]

I think its interesting here that everyone is consentrating mainly on fat and not nutrition. Whilst Melfox26's menu was low fat it was not nutritional. The caffeine from the coffee is way too much and there is absolutely no protein or dairy in that days eating.
Glad to hear you don't eat like that everyday, especially when doing sport, as although you may be thin your body isn't receiving the proper nutrients it needs to guard against disease and function correctly.

I think this thread is really interesting. It's been noted that since low fat foods have been introduced in the US and the UK we have just kept getting bigger and bigger. Whereas in continental Europe where these foods haven't been adopted and people take the time to shop, cook and eat, their waistlines aren't half as big as ours.

Just my two pennies worth.

 

[seaangel]

I think that this is a very interesting subject. As a matter of fact I would highly recommend reading the book South Beach Diet, by Dr. Agaston. I have and to be honest his work as a cardiologist with obese diabetic cardiac patients really impressed me. I had an opportunity a month ago to meet and hear him speak regarding his diet. Which was not originally developed for general weight loss, but for his patients.

His approach is one of there being good fats and good carbs vs bad fats, bad carbs. He does not count carbs or fat grams. Alot of people think his book and diet are another fad diet or Atkins type diet, but it is not. It does have some areas that I do not agree with, example do not leave the table feeling stuffed, leave feeling satisfied. I have a problem with this as there is no portion control or limit to calorie intake. I can eat alot of food and not feel stuffed. I seem to have an ability to over fill and don't feel it until later so my cut off does not really register. I think this comes as mentioned by others from years of fast eating habits, having short lunch breaks or having to eat on the run and work.

This is why I am now using the WW Flex Point program and keeping in mind the good fats and good carbs to eat.

Just my $0.02 worth. Bon appetite! :05:

 

[Green_Manelishi]

Other than supper, cooked by my wife, my M-F breakfast and lunch remains the same:

Wake up with 3 cups high-test coffee and a small amount
of fruit juice:

Breakfast: 1 cup "fruit" lowfat yogurt, 1 can (supposedly contains 3.5 servings) "tropical fruit" (drain the liquid), 1 slice whole wheat bread. The "main course" varies but is high in protein and carbohydrates (mix of chicken, tofu, vegetable and diced hot peppers).

Lunch: sandwich, can of coca-cola, fresh fruit, pickle (if still hungry I'll eat a handful of potato-chips or nuts)

Supper: meat/fish or fowl, vegetables, rice or bread, yogurt.

My only beverage during the day is water ... and a lot of it.

Weekends, for breakfast, I'll usually have cereal (raisin bran, etc) with sliced fruit and some tofu or other high-protein substance. Lunch is much like the week, supper much same as the week; whatever my wife cooks.

I drink skim milk ... even in my coffee.

G_M

 

[grazie42]

My typical day:

Breakfast:
1 deep plate of yoghurt with müsli (sorta like cornflakes only more fibres, no added sugar and dried fruit like raisins and other stuff) or a sandwich and milk (or nothing as I´m not a morning person)

Workbreak:
Coffe and some kind of fruit (or sanwich when I haven´t had time for breakfast)

Lunch:

The days special (something that has a swedish "good for you"-label

Workbreak:
Coffe and some kind of fruit

Dinner:
Something that doesent require too much work like an omellette or some kind of fried meat with noodles, couscus, rice or potato.

My basic plan (which I manage to stick to most weeks) is to do 5 one hour group sessions at the gym/week. This entails spinning, bodycombat, aerobox or some such, as the weather improves I´m going to start switching gym time for 1-mile runs...

Anyway something I´d recommend for those who are dieting and getting a few hours a week worth of exercise would be to do a bodycomposition test which tells you what part of your weight is water, muscle and fat. Just because you gain weight doesent mean you´re not losing fat. I´ve gained 5kgs/10 pounds in the last year but still only 10% fat of body weight (8-20 is the recommended range).

Just my 2 bubbles...

 

[divad]

I read an article the other day that started me thinking- which led to a little experiment...

The premise of the article is that the majority of Americans have weight issues due to a couple of factors:

1. We eat too much, too fast.

2. We consume a lot of processed, fat free, "psuedo food"

3. we don't get enough exercise.

In the article, it chronicled the eating habits of an average American woman and an average Frenchwoman, then had them trade places. Guess what- though she was consuming full fat cheeses, dessert, etc. the American lost weight on the Frenchwoman's diet and the Frechwoman gained on the American's. Some stragtegies put forth were to do the following:

1. eat real meals, with courses (especially a salad course) of fresh seasonal foods. Have a glass of wine. Enjoy the meal and eat slowly, at the table. No between meal snacking.

2. skip the processed, fat free, "psuedo food" in favor of the real deal. The idea being that you will consume less as it is more satisfying.

So.... I decided to try a little experiment myself. Instead of my usual routine, I've been eating this way the last week- I don't know if I have lost anything- but I'm eating a LOT less (even with my cardio intensive workouts).

A good example was yesterday :

Breakfast:
1 crumpet with real butter and some strawberry preserves, 2% milk (sorry- I just can't stomache the "real" real thing- it tastes weird to me!)

Lunch:
A palm of the hand sized chunck of whole wheat french bread and fontina cheese and an apple.

Dinner:
salad of feild greens, cherry tomaotes, cucumber, kalamata olives with a bit of olive oil; beef ravioli (like 3 raviolis are all I can eat!) with marinara sacue and parmesan, a glass of Cabernet Sauvignon.

No snacks, tea and water to drink. Now, contrast this to my usual, protien shake breakfast, Lean Cuisine lunch and chicken or something dinner with a mid morning and mid afternoon snack. Eating the "usual" way I am ALWAYS hungry. I haven't been hungry betwen meals, and I could probably have an even smaller portion at dinner.

So what do you guys think? Is this nuts? I'd love to hear some opinions from non-Americans too!

Thanks,
Heather[/QUOTE\


Since you're actively experimenting, try not eating any wheat.
I've never been over-weight, but when I quit eating wheat, there was no blub to be found except for the between-the- ears stuff.

 

[chickdiver]

I'll consider it, but I'm not a big fan of the "x is bad for you, causes allergies, etc." school of thought. My stepmother is convinced that shehas headaches because of food additives. She went ont his "all natural" food kick, my Dad lost 30 pounds. Sounds great, huh? Well, my Dad is now ereduced to eating tuna fish and grapefruit juice for lunch every day- no wonder he lost 30 pounds.....

Flame retardant coat being donned....

 

[divad]

I'll consider it, but I'm not a big fan of the "x is bad for you, causes allergies, etc." school of thought. My stepmother is convinced that shehas headaches because of food additives. She went ont his "all natural" food kick, my Dad lost 30 pounds. Sounds great, huh? Well, my Dad is now ereduced to eating tuna fish and grapefruit juice for lunch every day- no wonder he lost 30 pounds.....

Flame retardant coat being donned....

I'm not a "fan." I quit not eating wheat myself. I was just suggesting that, while you're experimenting, you try it. Its the only diet change, aside from not drinking and smoking that had a pronounced effect. I am a huge fan of drinking and smoking. When I quit these things, I think I feel like your dad must feel. Or at least how you think he must feel. (Yellow smiley face)

 

[chickdiver]

LOL thanks. As I said, I'll consider it.

 

[divad]

LOL thanks. As I said, I'll consider it.

Yeah, and I'll consider a cavern class.

 

[jdf]

I visit Europe at least once a year and have many friends there. My husband and I have been discussing the weight difference between the 2 continents for the last few years. When we come home, the fat, ugly American seems to be everywhere. Here are our conclusions:

Europeans eat healthier, fresher, natural foods whereas Americans eat alot of Fast Foods and processed foods.
Two big differences in food for instance, in Italy they don't drown their pasta in heavy sauces, they are light and just enough for flavor. Their pizzas don't consist of 80% bread like ours, its a very thin crust and you can't pick it up and eat it very well because it droups. Thier salads taste like they just went out back and picked it out of the garden.

Europeans don't pile all their food on one plate. They have courses-sometimes up to 12 and this can take up to 6 hours with lots of chatting in between. When our friends came with us one year, they kept asking for refills of the courses, dispite our warning that alot more food was coming. They were full by the 4th course. Obviously, this is for a special occasion, but a normal dinner will be about 3-5 courses and the salad is after the main course.

The biggest difference is that Europeans get more exercise because they are not as dependent on cars as we Americans are. Most of them don't even own cars and take trains, ride bicycles or walk.

Believe me, they eat just as much food as we do, its just not from a can or box.

When I go there, I always end up gaining weight, not because of the food but because of my (old) eating habits--eat quickly til I'm stuffed and lots of food.

Hope this helps,
Janet