Down with HFCS!

[Not Afraid]

"Diet" foods should be banned. If you eat right and eat less you don't need "diet" foods.

[Sohrshah]

Originally Posted by Not Afraid

"Diet" foods should be banned. If you eat right and eat less you don't need "diet" foods.

I am torn on this issue. Low sugar foods tend to replace sugars with fats, and low fat foods tend to replace fats with sugars. That said, I have a metabolic problem wherein I am supposed to be curbing both my sugars AND my fats. Without reduced-fat salad dressings and sugar-free options, life would be really dull. For the growing diabetic population, many of the lower sugar foods out there have made life a great deal more bearable.

I really think it's all about exercise.

[€uroMeinke]

As an unashamed hedonist, I take pleasure in food and have the waistline to show for it. I wish it were otherwise and fantasize of trips to Paris, where I could eat whatever I wanted, food most delicious leaving me satisfied, smiling and – unbelievable but true – lighter. Fresh ingredients, small portions packed with flavor, I don’t know why but if I could eat like a Parisian I would be most happy and probably healthy.

Sadly, I hear the French are succumbing to our American ways – more processed foods and convenience foods are increasing the size of the average Frenchman.

I think what frustrates me most is the food I eat without pleasure, the fast food lunches I take because I can just drive-thru. I hate the psychology at play where ordering a “small” makes me think I’ll be less satisfied with my meal. Today my lunch dilemma sent me to Quiznos – where I ordered a “regular” sandwich with a Rosemary bread that sounded at least some flavored compensation for the bland meal I would have.

Bread shall be my downfall –oh for the hard crust of a genuine baguette, or the delicate flakey-crispiness of an actual croissant – I haven memories of such foods that trick me into trying yet another ersatzes doughy chew – I would love to eat better, pull my meal fresh from the morning market, or as a little aside in my café lunch – but the Spartaness of steamed veggies returns food to simple fuel.

But I still think back to Paris, where food can be a rarely disappointing pleasure and I have to think that perhaps this should be the next focus of my hedonism – to tease the pleasure of eating back into my mouth and combat the laziness of convenience that tricks me into believing I am fulfilled when really I am settling.

It’s time for a revolution.

[Sohrshah]

Originally Posted by €uroMeinke

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Bread shall be my downfall –oh for the hard crust of a genuine baguette, or the delicate flakey-crispiness of an actual croissant – I haven memories of such foods that trick me into trying yet another ersatzes doughy chew – I would love to eat better, pull my meal fresh from the morning market, or as a little aside in my café lunch – but the Spartaness of steamed veggies returns food to simple fuel.
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*le sigh* You're making me hungry, and poetic, and salivating, and ... and really looking forward to California Cuisine again.

[Strangler Lewis]

Originally Posted by €uroMeinke

As an unashamed hedonist, I take pleasure in food and have the waistline to show for it. I wish it were otherwise and fantasize of trips to Paris, where I could eat whatever I wanted, food most delicious leaving me satisfied, smiling and – unbelievable but true – lighter. Fresh ingredients, small portions packed with flavor, I don’t know why but if I could eat like a Parisian I would be most happy and probably healthy.

Sadly, I hear the French are succumbing to our American ways – more processed foods and convenience foods are increasing the size of the average Frenchman.

I think what frustrates me most is the food I eat without pleasure, the fast food lunches I take because I can just drive-thru. I hate the psychology at play where ordering a “small” makes me think I’ll be less satisfied with my meal. Today my lunch dilemma sent me to Quiznos – where I ordered a “regular” sandwich with a Rosemary bread that sounded at least some flavored compensation for the bland meal I would have.

Bread shall be my downfall –oh for the hard crust of a genuine baguette, or the delicate flakey-crispiness of an actual croissant – I haven memories of such foods that trick me into trying yet another ersatzes doughy chew – I would love to eat better, pull my meal fresh from the morning market, or as a little aside in my café lunch – but the Spartaness of steamed veggies returns food to simple fuel.

But I still think back to Paris, where food can be a rarely disappointing pleasure and I have to think that perhaps this should be the next focus of my hedonism – to tease the pleasure of eating back into my mouth and combat the laziness of convenience that tricks me into believing I am fulfilled when really I am settling.

It’s time for a revolution.

As an unashamed narcissist . . .

You do steamed veggies a disservice because, as you rightly recognize, meals are what you bring to them. I was only half joking with my earlier tea ceremony remark. If you take pleasure in drizzling the olive oil and balsamic, in slicing the lemon, in pinching the oregano and thyme and salt or lightly dusting the cumin and turmeric, you'll be in a good place.

I note that the "French Women Don't Get Fat" lady promotes compromise and how you can't have every indulgence you might want with every meal. She also promotes walking, which none of us do enough of in our day to day. And, though she doesn't mention it, she probably chains Gitanes.

[Chernabog]

Originally Posted by Sohrshah

I really think it's all about exercise.

It's not an either/or, it's a both/and. My mom does weight watchers off and on and I think their philosophy is that it's something like 80% what you eat and 20% exercise. Obviously if you exercise more, you can eat more calories and maintain your weight.

I remember doing the South Beach thing a while back and losing weight without ANY exercising. But the problem with that for me was that it was too difficult and time consuming to plan.

But nothing's going to work over the long term if the motivation doesn't come from within. Or the ability to get back down to business if you screw up, instead of saying "screw it" to everything (though usually that happens to me when I get TOO gung-ho about my diet and exercise, and have unrealistic goals, like not eating ANY sugary snacks, or going to the gym 6 days a week, etc., and burn out).

**EDIT** heheh the conversation has moved on... teach me to write a post at work over a long period of time when I'm distracted heheh