| megnliz
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For me, the hardest part is watching everyone else in my life eat junk food, and still be skinny! Meanwhile, I am keeping track of what I eat, and excersizing, so that I can look that way too! lol 8)
Like a couple nights ago, I was eating some chicken--healthy, but certainly not the ice cream I would have LOVED to have--meanwhile my fiance downs a bag of cheesepuffs. He's thin and buff, and hasn't gained a pound in years.
How is it that some people, especially men, can eat anything, and still look great?
It doesn't bother me as much when I remember that, yes- they may be skinny, but the way they eat is not at all healthy, and in the end, I'll be the healthier one.
But it still bugs me, so I needed to rant a little.
Anyone seen that commercial for slimquick, where the cartoon lady is fat, while her husband looses like 50 pounds. "Are you trying to weigh 0?"
Anyone with me on this??..
lol
/end rant.
:D |
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Thu May 01, 2008 11:45 pm |
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| RedRox
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FWIW, thin does not equal healthy. And as a guy who ate what he wanted and was quite sedentary for a number of years, I continued to creep higher and higher on the scale over the years until I hit a point where enough was enough. Yeah, I probably also lost it a bit easier, but I also probably created irreparable health issues and I no longer have much margin for error in the foods I choose. As a friend of mine explained being in recovery for alcohol and drug abuse said. "I lost my drinking privileges.", I lost my "eating priviliges" as to whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted. It will all come home to roost one way or another eventually. Consider yourself lucky that you have found a healthy eating program that is maintainable for life and may help you avoid serious health issues later in life.
The number one killer of women in this country is heart disease and heart related illnesses. Breast cancer seems to get all the pub, but it trails heart related illnesses by a very large margin. You are doing very good things for your long term health and well being. Take comfort in that and know that you are taking care of yourself now and for years to come.
I don't envy those kinds of people, I just feel very sorry for them because they don't get the same signals the rest of us do that they are potentially doing great damage to themselves. |
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Fri May 02, 2008 3:51 am |
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| maltaguy
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I hear you megnliz and I quite understand where you are coming from. Growing up, I used to see all my male cousins eat whatever they wanted, and never gain a single kilo .. while I (male too), was piling on weight like crazy.
However I think one of the ultimate goals of the Southbeach diet is to become independent of food. We need to stop being so obsessed about food, stressing over why we can't have pizza or a burger. Life is so much more than that. To reach that kind of "spiritual" place in your life, you need to dig deep and understand yourself better.
How long have you been doing Southbeach? I've been doing it for 2 years now. And by now I can easily compare how I feel when I'm eating healthy, and when I let go. When I let go, I feel uncomfortable full, I don't feel comfortable with myself. On southbeach I eat until i'm satisfied, and I get up from the table feeling pleased with what i've ate, but not uncomfortably full.
It's a long process, to be able to fully let go of old habbits and cravings, but you will get there. When I follow Southbeach for a long period of time, I look forward to eating delicious crunchy vegetables as opposed to an oil dripping pizza. Just the thought of it makes me sick to my stomach.
There are so many things in life that are more important. Poverty, children dying because they don't have access to clean water, cheap labour, wars and so on. When you think about it, it's kind of selfish to long for unhealthy food, some people long for just a piece of bread and a cup of clean water. And here we are .. thinking lustfully of junk food.
I am sure you will reach this place soon enough. And when you do, you will be finally free. |
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Fri May 02, 2008 8:51 am |
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| rosenkilde1
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I enjoyed your reply Maltaguy, thanks.
I am only on day 5 but have not had a single craving or perhaps my determination is stronger still than my cravings, but I feel so much healthier already. Crazy how quickly it happens.
Did a similar kind of diet/lifestyle change last year and lost quite a lot and felt so good, and then when I was where I wanted to be I just let go and have gained 10kg and felt crap again.
I basically don't understand why my brain can persuade me that bread and ice cream is good when my body clearly tells my that it is poison for me.
Start listening to your body not your brain. |
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Fri May 02, 2008 9:41 am |
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| Ditdah
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I am amazed how much better I feel in such a short time, and I know some of it is mental.
I feel proud of myself for eating healthier. I feel some satisfaction when I look around at work and I'm devouring hummus and celery (which I'm truly enjoying) and someone else is eating a greasy, drippy burger. Sure, I still want some of that stuff, but already I've been thinking "that doesn't sound that appetizing." I feel energetic in the mornings, probably because I haven't pigged out on butter and bad carbs for dinner as I would have a month ago.
The worst part, for me, is that I live one block from a Wonder Bread / Hostess factory, so all day long I smell fresh baking bread and cupcakes! But I remind myself that eating a slice of plain white Wonder bread is never going to taste like that smell. And soon enough I'll be able to make some freshly baked whole wheat bread of my own.
The BEST part about the way of eating so far has been that yesterday a co-worker said "You really seem happier. And I can really tell you've been losing weight around your face. Can you tell me more about South Beach?" I printed off the food lists and FAQ's from this site, gave her the web address, and am bringing my book in for her today. So someone already noticed the changes in me, and wants to try and make some herself. w00t! Score another win for South Beach!
Sorry, I know this was a little off-topic from your original question. But I just wanted to share some of what I was feeling and what's been motivating me - maybe it'll help! |
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Fri May 02, 2008 11:53 am |
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| Bortass
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About the men comment in the original post:
Alot of it is probably the higher lean muscle mass advantage that the average guy has. I've done WW many years ago and some of the women were 'jealous' about how fast I'd lose weight. That's what I think it was along with not having hormonal swings; you gals have an additional set of challenges, I'll never understand.
I also agree with the comments about unhealthy(er) food not tasting right after awhile. I was a couple months into SBD, 19 months ago, and I had burgers and fries from Wendy's. The fries didn't taste so good and my system wasn't as happy after either.
So Megnliz,
Ignore what other people are doing. Focus on yourself and your success(es). You're the single most important person in your life. |
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Fri May 02, 2008 12:12 pm |
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| droppinem
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Oh meg...i completely understand. My fiance eats a 1/2 gallon of ice cream in 2 days. It makes me nauseous to sit there and watch him eat all of that at once. I've only started SB but already feel the big difference once I got past the day 2 "flu". I had already been on a diet along a WW concept when I started and I've already lost almost all of the urges to eat junk though. Whenever I have something I shouldn't my body reacts horribly. I'm tired, cranky, and all sorts of digestion issues. :oops:
Once you get past seeing junk as "good" it will be so much easier. There are muffins sitting on the counter at work right now. I have no desire to put that in my body, why work so hard? It gets much easier as you go along. 8) |
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Fri May 02, 2008 2:17 pm |
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| Bortass
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droppinem wrote: There are muffins sitting on the counter at work right now.
When you hit phase 2 look up the muffin recipe thread. I made them about a year ago. Talk about good!
I think one challange is finding all of the great tasting healthier substitues/versions of the "tasty" junk we are used to eating and miss.
Sorry if I went too O/T. |
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Fri May 02, 2008 2:58 pm |
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