Down with HFCS!

[Sohrshah]

Originally Posted by LSPoorEeyorick

Sohrshah, I think we've already pretty much hijacked the thread on the topic of health/weight/resolution.

I'm swimming tomorrow. For the first time since Italy. I've been putting off renewing my membership because I haven't felt like I had time to use it. I've felt like I was drowning in my job. But - all apologies, Boss - **** work, I need to exercise. I renewed it this morning.

Woman, you are my hero. Way to go!

[Gemini Cricket]

Ralphie was raised to never leave an empty plate at meal time. To this day, he has a problem doing that and will finish no matter how full he gets sometimes. So I think it has to do with the brainwashing our parents put us through as kids.
For me, when I'm done eating, I'm done. I stop. Even if the plate's still full. That behavior came from be being a general pain in the a$s as a kid.

[BarTopDancer]

Originally Posted by Gemini Cricket

Ralphie was raised to never leave an empty plate at meal time. To this day, he has a problem doing that and will finish no matter how full he gets sometimes. So I think it has to do with the brainwashing our parents put us through as kids.
For me, when I'm done eating, I'm done. I stop. Even if the plate's still full. That behavior came from be being a general pain in the a$s as a kid.

I was *lucky* to be raised in to try everything on my plate and eat until I was done. However, things happened when I was older (that I am not going to get into here) that to this day cause my brain to trigger a "eat everything you can" feeling when I think about dieting, or do any kind of plan that restricts food (weight watchers does not work for me for this reason).

Food is comfort is a mentality many of us were raised with. Good grades? Let's get ice cream. Birthdays? Anniversaries? Let's eat! Feeling down? Let's get Chinese food. It's cold out? Let's eat pasta, it's hot out? let's get some ice cream.

My dad told me a [Jewish] joke about the holidays. "They tried to kill us, we won. Let's eat!". Applies to I think every Jewish Holiday (Including Yom Kippur - we always went out for a huge meal after it was over).

[blueerica]

Good point, GC, I was a part of the CPC (Clean Plate Club), when I was a kid. I still have a difficult time not cleaning a plate up - though I try to not eat it all if I'm even close to full. Because if I'm feeling "close" I probably already am full.

[Gemini Cricket]

I got the "what about all those starving kids in China?" thing as a kid from my grandma and mom. My answer was always the same, "please send my meal to them".
Talk about guilt to eat.

[BarTopDancer]

Originally Posted by Gemini Cricket

I got the "what about all those starving kids in China?" thing as a kid from my grandma and mom. My answer was always the same, "please send my meal to them".
Talk about guilt to eat.

I tried using that on MattMatt and his reply was "you're trying to make me eat so you can send me to China and they can eat me!"

Never understood the logic of the "think of the starving children" argument. But damn if it wasn't a good one during the whole "Hands Across America", "We are the World" trying to save farms and Ethiopia phase.

[JWBear]

Originally Posted by Gemini Cricket

I got the "what about all those starving kids in China?" thing as a kid from my grandma and mom. My answer was always the same, "please send my meal to them".
Talk about guilt to eat.

I told my mother that once when she gave me the "starving children" line. I couldn't sit for days after....

[BarTopDancer]

Changing behaviors is not like turning on a switch. It is a constant and consistent effort that requires practice and can result in having to practice many times before the change is perfected.

When trying to change a behavior related to things that bring comfort (whether food, smoking or alcohol) the person involved needs to do what works for them. If the behavior can be changed quickly with minimal struggle and set-backs then great. If it takes a lot of perseverance and results in set-backs is that person less of a success? No. They will just take longer to get to where they need to be. It's an individual journey made by an individual. There is no "one size fits all" scenario.

[Not Afraid]

Originally Posted by BarTopDancer

Changing behaviors is not like turning on a switch. It is a constant and consistent effort that requires practice and can result in having to practice many times before the change is perfected.

When trying to change a behavior related to things that bring comfort (whether food, smoking or alcohol) the person involved needs to do what works for them. If the behavior can be changed quickly with minimal struggle and set-backs then great. If it takes a lot of perseverance and results in set-backs is that person less of a success? No. They will just take longer to get to where they need to be. It's an individual journey made by an individual. There is no "one size fits all" scenario.

Actually, it is more like turning on a switch, but one that you turn to the "on" position many times. It usually does get easier but it is rarely, if ever perfected. It takes daily manipulation of said switch.

As far as a person doing what works for them, I agree - if it happens to work. Most of the time I see people "doing what works for them" which translates into "making excuses for not making changes". I think everyone want the road to change to be soft and easy. It's not. It's abrupt and difficult and takes daily manipulation of the switch.

We all seem to want an easier, softer way with lots of pats on the back and acknowledgment from others. Too bad. You take control of the problem and deal with it head on and you'll get results. Otherwise, you're just going to convince yourself that "you're making progress" when, in actuality, nothing much has changed (but you may fool your friends for a while with all of the talk.)

I know I'm hard ass about this, but I take change seriously. Quitting drinking, using drugs, over eating, smoking, any bad behavior - these are all serious health issues that don't need a "feel good" solution. They need immediate change applied now rather than later. And, it is up to an individual to take action (and by action I don't mean just talking about it.)

[DreadPirateRoberts]

Are you familiar with the Transtheoretical Model?

1. Precontemplation - lack of awareness that life can be improved by a change in behavior;
2. Contemplation - recognition of the problem, initial consideration of behavior change, and information gathering about possible solutions and actions;
3. Preparation - introspection about the decision, reaffirmation of the need and desire to change behavior, and completion of final pre-action steps;
4. Action - implementation of the practices needed for successful behavior change (e.g. exercise class attendance);
5. Maintenance - consolidation of the behaviors initiated during the action stage;
6. Termination - former problem behaviors are no longer perceived as desirable (e.g. skipping a run results in frustration rather than pleasure).

Originally Posted by Not Afraid

Actually, it is more like turning on a switch, but one that you turn to the "on" position many times. It usually does get easier but it is rarely, if ever perfected. It takes daily manipulation of said switch.

this would be the Maintenance stage.