Today I'm having .37kg rib steak, roast potatoes and parsnips, peas and carrots and a couple of Yorkshire puddings.
This will take me well over my calorie allowance I know, but this is what I fancy. As I've read through the posts, there seems to be an increasing emphasis not only on calorie counting, but on the science of food and nutrition itself. Whilst many of the posts have been informative, some have not and I believe there is a danger in dabbling in science and looking too deeply into how the body and nutrition inter react.
Walking, eating, breathing, riding a bike and many other activities should and must be intuitive. With today’s convenience foods and the additives that accompany them, it has become a lot more difficult to be intuitive when presented with prepared foods. I have used the information from numerous posts and articles to relearn what's good for me and what isn't. I've become more intuitive in deciding what to eat and I listen to my body a lot more. When my brain craves sugary foods, I stop and ask myself if I'm hungry, I listen to my body. What is my body telling me? Sometimes, it's simply saying “you have a bad taste in your mouth”, so I shall have a mint, or perhaps a glass of water or tomato juice.
Sometimes our intuition goes awry, and portion sizes grow to unhealthy sizes. The 12 NHS Plan has been very useful in addressing this issue, by allowing me to check my intuition against recommended calories for the meal. Once I've managed the difficult task of addressing portion sizes and establishing them as intuitive, I shall probably leave this site. This is some way off though.
A healthy diet is as much to do with the mind as what you put on the plate and constant assessment of food values is not a healthy approach for me. Food for me must not be a preoccupation and must be as intuitive as the air I breath and the water I drink. I want to take this opportunity to thank the forum for some very good posts about making intuitively informed choices that have helped me on the way.
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I am sorry you say you might leave. I for one find what you say makes good sense. But then I don't obsessively calorie count. I know I need to eat from all food groups. I could not give up carbs. I am veggie but that is my choice. Please reconsider.
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No worries, I'm not leaving the forum for a little while Your posts are among those that keep me interested. My daughter went veggie in the latter years she was living at home. I found that really difficult to cater for, there were so many vegetables she did not like and she disliked all pulses. When she left home, she ceased to be a vegetarian
For 7 years I struggled with feeding her as she too disliked most vegetarian staples. Within one week of leaving home she started to eat meat, because it was too difficult cooking for herself!
Sigh - I've got an 8 year old who declared herself a pescatarian after Christmas last year. Give her her due, she has pretty much stuck with it for a whole year and gets quite cross if we mention bacon...Luckily she will eat most veggie stuff and loves fish so it's not too difficult to cater for - but another 10 years of it - I'm not sure I can handle it without going back to being veggie ourselves !!
I could have coped if she hadn't been so fussy, but she wouldn't eat tomatoes, mushrooms, pulses, peas, fish, peppers etc, etc and it got to the stage where I dreaded meal times. At least she was 11 before changing, 8 is pretty horrifying and you do have a lot of years ahead of you
Yeah - I think I'm fairly lucky because she's pretty good generally with her food. That's why I don't mind so much her having some control about not eating meat. She's never really liked meat, and she's proved it's not just a fad, and eats veggie school lunches all the time (except for 'fishy friday'). And she loves Quorn (strange child !!).
Being so switched on nutritionally speaking, I bet she'll never have to worry about her weight, so you've taught her well.
I have a horrible feeling my daughter used to nip into town at lunchtime and get chips! Of course I didn't realise it at the time. It's just as well she's naturally slim, or she could have ended up like me!
I have no idea how anyone could love quorn, because it doesn't seem to matter what you add to it, it still tasted vile!
I suspect that the 'good' eating will all change once she gets to secondary school !!
I don't actually mind Quorn too much - if it's just the mince, sausages or pieces that you use to cook with. But I really detest the things like the fake chorizo or ham - but she loves them ! Ugh !!
Yes, the control slips once they go to secondary school.
I don't even like real chorizo, so I doubt very much that I would like the fake stuff.
I struggle with the whole idea of fake "meat" for vegetarians, it seems to be a contradiction in terms.
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I think I may have had something to do with my daughter becoming veggie when she asked for chicken nuggets for the umpteenth time. I said, “what, chicken nuggets again?”, “Yes” she said, “what's wrong with that?” I said “it's just the thought of some poor chicken walking around without it's nuggets” She didn't ask for them again
Sometimes it's best to say nothing me thinks
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LOL - you've only got yourself to blame
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Sometimes we pay a heavy price for a little carelessness.
Think sometimes abit of what you fancy does you good. If you tell yourself you can not have it you want it more, reason many people give up on diets. Enjoy
I like your post, it is thought-provoking and interesting.
Your lunch sounds delicious! I hope you thoroughly enjoyed it. I absolutely love the taste of roast parsnips in particular - I'm hoping to have some tonight infact, so really looking forward to those. They always make me think of Christmas, as that is usually the time I'll have them. Very festive!
Enjoy the rest of your weekend.
Lowcal
I love roast parsnips
Hope you enjoyed your lunch Tewson😃
Enjoyed your post, I agree that sometimes what you fancy does you good and it's very important not to get obsessive re foods,cals,fats etc.
For the most part I really enjoy this forum but don't like it when others feels they are put down or misinterpreted and leave.
We are all on a journey and it's personal to us, and what works for one will not always work for another, the best of this is go with honesty and humour.
I hate it too when people leave because they don't feel supported - it actually really upsets me as this is such a supportive place 99% of the time.
I think it depends on your personality - for me I am doing pretty good with my own diet and no longer seek input from people here on what I eat as I get upset if I feel they are criticising my choices - they and others may see it as constructive but I take it as criticism so I avoid it. We're all different of course.
I agree with you.For me this is a lifestyle change (well most of the time lol) and as long as i go with what i like and moderate portions it works!
It must be really hard to get negative responses, the written word is much harder to deal with than the spoken one I think especially if not constructive.
I will be keeping in touch over the hols, I've decided to still weigh self even if don't post just to keep an eye on me !!
Will catch up on 23rd, here's to a good weigh in before you party harty!! Lol
I don't calorie count but I have an idea of what I can eat without putting on weight. I tend to go up and down a little but more down than up.
People deal with weight loss in different ways. Some like to count, others like to look into the food content, others, like me, are probably just looking to benefit from just eating healthier.
I like the fact that everyone has a different approach - it opens my mind to methods I've never considered.
Your meal sounds awesome!
Whilst I'm sure some of the science is 'right' and a lot of it is 'wrong', we've got to be able to eat a diet that sustainable to our own lives. Personally I ignore most of it - as long as I'm eating well and losing weight in a way that is good for me, I'm happy Your meal sounded delicious. One of the most important things I've learnt is that one day of overeating isn't going to ruin my weight loss - it probably does me good, and the important thing is just to do something about it over the next few days.
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Your posts are among those that keep me interested. My daughter went veggie in the latter years she was living at home. I found that really difficult to cater for, there were so many vegetables she did not like and she disliked all pulses. When she left home, she ceased to be a vegetarian 
Any advice on how to count calories
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