Entertainment & Music That Sugar Film

I am happy to share because I would not want anyone to go through what I went through. Looking back, I wonder how a well educated person could end up with such a poor diet. It was nightmare really. My motivation to change was that I just didn't want to live like that anymore. The constant roller coaster of "sugar high" and hunger driven eating was extremely unpleasant to live with. Having stable low hunger levels all day is amazingly different. I'm a lot happier as a result.

 

Mate I empathize with you. I definitely believe for some people it is not so much what you eat or how much, but there are other factors at work really out of their control. I think your probably someone that falls in that category and it must suck.... But honestly, I don't believe the majority of overweight people would fall into this category. Thanks for sharing your story and honestly mate.

 

Spot on Leo - I know people who have various medical conditions (totally unrelated to diet) who have gone from 'bean pole' to obese regardless of exercise regime. Conditions like PCOS (polycystic ovarian syndrome), thyroid irregularities, steroid treatments (for asthma) are all culprits.

 

I'm trying to find a link to a TV show I saw a while ago but for the life of my I can't find it. My google skills are lacking tonight. Anyway, the show was about how different people process food. There were ~15 of them and they had to eat some ridiculous calorie amount per day (5000?) for a month. Every week they were measured for body fat %, weight, blood pressure etc and the impact it had on the people were quite amazing. Some put on weight as expected and had the symptoms of being overweight and unhealthy whereas some people just could not eat that many calories. They would just vomit. Some put on no weight at all (or maybe a kilo) and there was one bloke who didn't gain fat but gained muscle mass. I found it quite fascinating.

I'm pretty sure it was the same show where they were "testing" little kids by getting them in a room and leaving chocolates and biscuits and seeing what they would do. Some ate till they were sick. Some had 1 chocolate or biscuit and had their fix and some didn't touch it at all.

I think some part of our 'relationship' with food is beyond our conscious control.

 

The key issue I find is that I hate cooking. As in, I loathe it. I would rather have a bowl of cereal than a proper meal (eg. meat and three veg, home made spaghetti etc). My hubby is the same. As a result we've been tending to eat a lot of Lean Cuisines etc. However I have to say I am loving my Nutri Ninja - I'm having a smoothie for breakfast and often one for dinner as well. Love the fact I eat lots of raw vegies every day, and the time it takes to make them is negligible.

Hubby is just moving onto the Michelle Bridges frozen meals (sold by W'worths) which are low calorie, low fat, lots of vegies, low in sugar etc.

We've also gone for two walks over the last two days. I don't think we're about to start running half marathons, but every little bit helps, right?

I have been reading I Quit Sugar (the blog) over the last few days, and am both fascinated and horrified at the logic behind it. I have a terminal sweet tooth so while I appreciate the theory, it would be very difficult for me to actually implement. Baby steps, I guess!

 

I'm the opposite, like to cook and try new things, spend more time cooking than eating. Drink a lot of beer also but good food and a bit of exercise seems to counter balance that. Didn't eat much fast food for years but more recently have been going to McDonalds occasionally because I've two small kids. A meal deal (big mac, chips and beer) makes be feel sick afterwards, something is wrong there. Now we just get the kids meal and I have a beer, Id rather go hungry than feel sick. Perhaps humans have become conditioned to processed food, so if you're not used to it it has a much bigger impact.

 

It is not expensive to eat healthy.

As many would know; we have been doing it very tough financially for a few years, and we've never been high income earners anyway compared to most here, so we are always thinking value for money on all day to day living items.

Through necessity (but also choice) we have had to try and maximise spending dollars on most things - kids clothes from the various Opshops and maybe Target now and then, and so on.

Most of our main food sources are from the Dandenong Market - meat, poultry, fish, fruit and veg. Then we go to Aldi for the rest, and if anything else is required we go to the local Ritchies IGA. Never shop Coles or Woolies unless absolutely desperate.

A meal of spaghetti and meat sauce will typically consist of the spaghetti itself (from Aldi), good quality spag sauces (from Ritchies), 500gm's of premium mince and veges (from the Market).

One whole packet of spaghetti - 99c (usually on special).
One jar of spag sauce - $2.49 (usually a special going)
500gm's of mince - approx $3.00 - $4.00 from the market (Coles have sausage mince - not premium mince - for $5.50 for 400gm's).
1/2 red capsicum - $1?
1/2 onion - .50c?
1 corn cob (shaved into the sauce) - 50c.
Shredded parmesan cheese - $1.00

My wife will often throw together a side salad as well for herself with this meal - cal it $2 for lettuce, bit of onion, red capsicum, bit of avocado, bit of tomato and cucumber.

This meal would not cost $10 to make and feeds 5 of us, and there is enough spaghetti left over for me to have the next day for lunch with a tin of tuna ($2) another cob of corn shaved into it.

Drinks - water from the tap is virtually free, but you can also buy 10lt of water from Aldi for $3.95 if you must have bottled water.

And so on.

What would one meal cost for a family of 5 from Maccas, for comparison?

 

Don't give in to the kids' demands. Going to these places only instills bad eating habits in them. There are other options which they will eat.

 

Agreed - but other choices like buying in season for fruit and vegetables, beans/lentils, chicken or cheap cuts of meat go a long way too eg. Brisket, ribs etc are great slow cooked.

As to a Maccas family meal - that's like asking a vegetarian how much does a t-bone steak cost.

 

Not so easy if a few families are going after an event we all went to. The kids stuff isn't too bad for once a month or so, but some find it odd when I just get my beer. McDonalds make it fast and easy with little kids, went to one the other day, all ordering was by computer (no counter service) and staff delivered to the table, free play gym and electronic dance thing after. Place was packed, they know how to get them in.

 

Exactly. There's a social aspect to eating healthy, and I suppose with kids in tow, it's even more difficult.

 

Why? Be honest enough with your group and say that you don't encourage the kids to eat at xyz.

My kids have never asked for it (I have even threatened to take them there for a meal if they misbehave).

 

Humour me next time you see that bottle of sauce.... Check to see how much sugar is in it?

One thing I really struggle with is buying normal non dessert food off the shelf that isn't packed full of sugar. Some items are really surprising.

 

This is exactly what I was thinking....

 

It beats me why people buy premade/bottled pasta sauces.

A couple of cans of peeled tomatoes, an onion, garlic, basil, parsley & a little oil is all that's required. Good enough to bottle and lasts for months unopened.

 

That's not a healthy meal though, it's a cheap meal and it's not terrible but it's absolutely not healthy. Spaghetti, Spag Sauce, Parmesan and I'm guessing it's beef mince are all not good options. The first two are downright bad for you.

Further to that, my point was never that eating healthy is so expensive it can't be done, simply that the healthier options all attract a premium on their unhealthy comparisons. Your meal actually is a perfect example of that, it's a very cheap but not healthy option (again it's not terrible by any means).

 

Exactly. That meal quoted can be a healthy-ish option. But it's not one for people trying to go low-sugar, or low-carb/gluten. The salad sounds decent enough ($3 for baby spinach, maybe half a tomato; add in some protein and the cost does go up another $ or two). In addition, that mince... they say fish is one of the best protein options, but fillets of small (low-mercury) fish cost an arm and a leg. Chicken is comparitively cheap, though.

There's a time component to all this. A busy, stressed parent won't spend an hour slaving over the stove, even if it's cheap to cook healthy grilled chicken and stir-fry veggies or whatever. A small salad at Sumo Salad or the like is about $10. (I once calculated that this is on par to me purchase the fancy ingredients myself; non-fancy salads just don't taste as good, or have as many healthy protein components.) How much is a Happy Meal?

I buy both cheap apples, and cheap ice-cream. The cheapest ice-cream (bulk, homebrand, soft-serve, or just Connoisseur on sale) is cheaper than the cheapest apple.

A bag of almonds is $10, a large bag of chips is $2.50. A hungry person could probably finish half a bag of almonds or half a bag of chips in one sitting. An average mom or dad would probably think, "Why spend $10 on a snack when I can spend $2.50?"

I think the biggest expense of "healthy eating" is the high-fat, protein-rich component of this diet. Once you reduce carbs, you need to bulk up on something, and cabbage every day just doesn't cut it. Good quality proteins and fats are expensive.

 

I'll be knocking down your door for parenting tips once I get myself some kids.

 

@SerenityNow - Lead by example & don't give in.

It's a great feeling to be able to walk through a food court and not be pestered to the golden arches.


Watch something like "Kill it, Cook it. Eat it" a UK series from the BBC.

 

Taking very young children to Mc Donalds should be classed as child abuse!!! I am talking about 3-4 year olds sucking on 500 ml of coke, washing down all that processed rubbish.
Ever wondered why it takes a long long time for even mold to grow on a Big Mac?