And you know, I tend to feel a bit sensitive about statements about the relative attractiveness of weight, even when they're someone self-directing. Sure, I'm no model, but I do find myself attractive in many ways. What I don't feel is strong, and to an extent, healthy. Which is why I have been keeping up with the dietary changes I made in January.

I'm sorry you feel like you're not ideal when you're not at your ideal weight. You know we're all here to support you through any of your dietary changes, too.

Attractiveness is subjective. It is impossible to find everyone attractive. Being attractive to everyone is not important to me. But being attractive to ME is important to ME. And I personally don't find the way I look with 30+ pounds attractive. I like thin on me. I like heathy too, and now that my body seems to be cooperating in the health arena a bit better than it has, I can't just be happy with "I may be fat, but at least I'm healthy again". It's time to get real about the weight.

I have lost more than 50lbs in the past year. I know that I still have quite a ways to go, but right now I am pleased with how far I've come. I wore a 26-28 jean and now I am easily a 22, and those are starting to bag a tiny bit. I haven't really done anything drastic. I still eat what I want, but in much, much smaller portions. Instead of munching on chips or cookies, we have Wheat Thins and Chees-its.

I have noticed that I have problems if I eat anything that is overly greasy. I do get cravings for cheap fast food, but instead of going for a quarter-pounder with cheese, supersized, I do better with a Happy Meal, and even then I don't finish the fries.

I do need to drink more water. I am addicted to diet sodas.

Now that I am no longer walking at work, I need to head back to curves. My backside is no longer a total bowl of jello, and I would like to keep it that way.

Happy Meals rule! :snap:

It's true that so many "kids meals" are actually appropriate adult portions. In fact, 30 years ago, those were considered normal adult portions.

Just furthers my argument that increased "regular" portions have largely contributed to today's weight epidemic.

People didn't drink 32 ounces or more of soda at one time. They also didn't chow down on ginormous things of fries, or giant burgers like quarter-pounders, which wasn't even added to McD's menu until 1973.

Here's an interesting site about portion comparisons over the decades:

http://hp2010.nhlbihin.net/portion/

I CLEARLY remember going to McDonalds or Taco Bell (it was "treat" back then) and everyone got ONE item (taco, regular hamburger) and one side (Frijoles, small fries) and a small drink (usually 7up). We never ordered more than that.

I also remember when sodas were something "special" that you got to drink on Saturday night while eating popcorn and watching something on TV.

Granted, I grew up eating wheat bread, organic vegetables, raw milk and white chedder cheese (orange cheese wasn't allowed in our house), so I doubt what i remember could be considered the norm.

Yesterday: Today we learned why.

Yeah, well, I can only lie to myself for so long.

Soda. I remember my mom making some out of a packet. :confused:

We never bought sodas at McDonalds', once she treated and for some strange reason they left it to ME the smallest one to carry the tray of 4 sodas...well, I won't go on with that.

If we ate out, it was one burger, maybe a fry to share with another person.

Maybe that is part of the issue~we feel that as grown ups we can eat what we want. Not that little kid whose mom says 'If you're really hungry, you'll eat whatever I make you!!'

I know when I want to go to a nice place but not for dinner, just to check it out, I'll have a cup of joe and perhaps a nice pastry/dessert. Never ever was that something we did.

So, perhaps,being nice to myself isn't being so nice?

But that goes for staying overnight up at Disneyland. Never not ever never as a kid, always saw the Disneyland Hotel lights as we drove away at night. Now, I love to stay overnight, it is more the odd deal that we don't.

My healthy living change is to start getting a reasonable amount of sleep. There are lots of things I could, and perhaps should, change, but if I don't start regularly getting more than 4.5-5 hours of sleep per night I don't think any of the other changes will be particularly effective.