Frump to Fab - Summer Solstice Sizzler

lizzie157

Bitsy_Beans wrote: »

Lizzie - would I recommend mindful eating? Yes. Am I any good at it no. Basically I can't diet. Yep that sounds like a cop out but hear me out. Any diet, whether it SW, WW or "healthy eating" makes me obsess about food, I fear the inevitable deprivation I am what is termed an emotional eater I eat for reasons other than hunger. Boredom, gives me a break during the day, because I am at a loose end, because my eyes are bigger than my belly, because i don't want to miss the opportunity to eat this prticular food and lastly I eat because I feel subconsciously I am always going to be the fat girl :o not always been overweight but as a child was taller and bigger boned and it continued during school years right through work. The latter has been more of a revelation but I am digressing basically the idea is quite simple, no restrictions, food is not bad or good, it's just food. However you have to pay attention to what your body is asking for rather than giving it what your eyes can see You pay attention to what you're eating. You eat slowly (unlike me who can Hoover food in 10 seconds flat :rotfl:), you savour each mouthful, you pay attention to when your body signals you've have enough and it all has to be done WITHOUT distraction. No TV, no reading, no computer, no emotionally charged conversations. Sounds easy but boy for me I find it sooooo hard. I am used to doing other things when I eat. So for me it's a work in progress but in my heart of hearts I know its the right way for me. The idea is this is how naturally slim people eat.

hope I've not bored you all rigid

LL embrace online shopping, I only wish my preferred shop Aldi would run something similar :cool:

dannie we ought to work on our self image more, I've done a lot of soul searching for the reasons i feel the way I do, coupled with my apple body shape which I find unwomanly but now I need to start reversing my thinking. What I do find depressing about modern culture that we hold our worth on the number stitched into our clothing

You've pretty much described me here. :oWhen I was thinner I still had issues I think you've hit the point -it is actually all to do with our self-image/ self esteem as there are some larger ladies who are both stylish and beautiful in spite of not conforming to what our society considers to be beautiful. I try and believe life's too short to deprive myself but when I look in the mirror I don't like what I see although I'm not enormous (12-14), I am too big for my height.
Thanks for the info though I do like the sound of it but like you it will mean a whole new way of eating.(I am almost always doing something else at the same time:o)

Bitsy_Beans

Lizzie I took the plunge and ordered a book on self esteem last night so will give that a go. I'd happily kill to be a 12-14 mindful eating is a different way of eating but it's got to be a better way than what I currently do if you're interested in reading more I can recommend a couple of books x

WW Well done on your WL :T

Maman glad you had a lovely holiday

Gorgeous sun here but rain due at midday boooo. Still garden needs a good water I suppose, was kinda getting used to this though
Wednesday is my busy day, on my feet at woods all afternoon and then on to tap class in evening. Just the usual fabbing going on here.
Have good day everyone

lessonlearned

Good morning everyone

WW :T:T:T for each pound lost. Well done you.

I'm watching Silk too - not seen last night's yet though. I sat in the garden, lit the chiminea and burned some old papers. It's old business stuff and we are now up to 2004 so nearly done.:D

Nice to see you back Maman Glad you had a nice holiday.

The joiner has now finished DS2's wardrobe, replaced a stair hand rail which had to be removed when we had the stairlift and did a few bits and bobs for me.

When it is cold and raining (probably quite soon now) I will be able to do a bit of patching to the plasterwork and then go around touching up paintwork.

Today my sister is popping around and we are off to see OH.

Have a nice day everyone - make the most of the sun - I understand the weather will be changing soon.

podperson

Hi all,

I miss a few days and have pages to catch up on :eek:

Bitsy - the 'mindful eating' is interesting, and like Lizzie can relate to a lot of the points in your post. I remember being out with a thin friend before and he had left something like one potatoe and a tiny sliver of chicken on his plate, I was laughing saying could he not have managed that last tiny bit and he was genuinely baffled and said why would he eat it if he was full? Totally different mindset. I think a lot of it can come from our upbringing as well, I know my mum was very much with the 'there are starving children in Africa who would kill for that' and 'you can't leave the table until you clear your plate'. She did fairly recently tell me that her mother was just the same way. I think it sort of ingrains into us that it's wasteful not to eat everything we're given, so we keep eating even if we feel full.

I am trying to incorporate it a bit at the moment. I'm trying to work on my food budget and realised that I spend a lot on snacking food I buy to eat during the day, I'm not particularly hungry - it's just boredom and habit - so am trying to cut it right back and think before I eat something whether I do actually need it, or if I'm just munching for the sake of it.

Anyway, been manically busy as usual. Finally managed to get the fitness photos and videos finished - with much help from OH on the video editing part! - so am going to drop off everything on a disc for her tonight and hopefully she won't need anything redoing so that will be done and dusted Was filming a band Friday and Sunday nights with OH, was quite fun - though I ended up running round the place with the handheld camera while he was stood still with the static one - was funny because the band kept pointing it out over the mic that I was doing all the work:rotfl:Not a massive amount on for the rest of the week so might actually get a quiet night or two - editing is mainly up to date and not shooting again until Sat. OH is out tonight so might go to the cinema.

Anyways, apologies for not commenting individually, sending *hugs* to those who need them and fabbing vibes to all

lessonlearned

podperson wrote: »

Hi all,

. I remember being out with a thin friend before and he had left something like one potatoe and a tiny sliver of chicken on his plate, I was laughing saying could he not have managed that last tiny bit and he was genuinely baffled and said why would he eat it if he was full? Totally different mindset. I think a lot of it can come from our upbringing as well, I know my mum was very much with the 'there are starving children in Africa who would kill for that' and 'you can't leave the table until you clear your plate'. She did fairly recently tell me that her mother was just the same way. I think it sort of ingrains into us that it's wasteful not to eat everything we're given, so we keep eating even if we feel full.

Some really interesting points there PP, especially the wastefulness bit. My dad is very lean - always has been and often leaves food on his plate. However, woe betide me if I left food as a child - there would have been hell to pay. (When I were a boy blah, blah, blah, .......never saw a banana till after the war ................etc).

School (catholic convent:eek:) was even worse with endless lectures about the starving babies in Africa and what made matters even more intolerable was the fact that school meals were practically inedible.

Throw into the mix people telling you you were a good girl for clearing your plate, food being used as a reward or a comforter and that every social gathering was a signal to metaphorically kill the fatted calf and it's plain to see that a child will grow up with some rather strange attitudes towards food.

I wonder how much of this perverted thinking was due to the deprivation of the 30's and the rationing during the war years and into the early 50's.

I know my parents were not alone in their warped view of food, I think it probably affected most of their generation. I know my mother still stockpiles enough food to see her through WW3 and, having lived through the 70's with the strikes, fuel shortages and the three day week, I can be a bit guilty of this too at times, although I'm better than I used to be.

I have been determined with my children never to make food an issue. I firmly believe that meal times should be a pleasure so apart from ensuring that they had decent table manners I never made food either a subject for discipline or used it as reward.

Thankfully my approach seems to have been successful because they both are a good healthy weight, no problems with body image or similar food issues and they do eat quite healthily (well - for blokes:rotfl:).

Sometimes I just wish I could practice what I preach a bit more often but old habits can be hard to break. Like Bitsy said the other day - any idea of being on a "diet" seems to send me into a tailspin so for me I try not to think in those terms - just sensible, healthy and enjoyable eating.

Food should be a pleasure not something that makes us feel guilty and resentful. I'm still working on that one.

Savvy_sewing

Well I took the time out yesterday to get a massage. Bliss.
My skin felt lovely and silky afterwards as well.
I still havent arranged with the hairdressers, so I must go and do that.
The summer has made things easier. Shove a pair of pants on, a summer dress, and sandals. I am dressed and out the door in 2 mins. (after the usual ablusions of course!).
I have to confess to finding that my bra's even the one I was measured for not so long ago, all hurt me. So I have taken to not bothering. As I am not very well endowed, and they are still up near my armpits and not on my waistline, I am lucky I can get away with it. Certainly cooler if i have a cotton dress on. Although I have had one lurid remark from an idiot. Bit embarassing. So I am double checking things before I go out the door to makesure I am decent!!
Started to wear bits of my old jewellry as well.
Went to councilling today. he commented on my stone necklace. Said 4 of his clients have worn a semi precious stone or crystal necklace today.
I am still not very good at remembering the skin routines though. Dispite a cupboard full of lotions and potions!
I must try harder!.

WelshWoofer

I'm another one with food issues - I'm either on a diet or eating anything and everything. I did have a brief brush with bulimia once but seemed to grow out of it - but the mini binges still happen from time to time. Again, a work in progress......

My dad has wound me up today - I invited (a little bit under duress) my mum and sister up to see me from Weds- Fri next week and he's stuck his oar in saying why don't they come on Tuesday making me sound mean and as if I don't want them here at all. When I said that I have things to do (lots of schoolwork, seeing friends and generally having a few days off to myself over my well earned half term break without a houseful of visitors) he didn't sound at all impressed and just made me feel guilty.:mad:
Its put me in a bad mood but I'll try to rise above it. Grrr!

I don't get annoyed or lose my temper very often but when I do its a big deal so I'm trying to bite my lip and let it blow over.:(

Anyway, not much else to report on the fabbing front - food wise, have been quite good today sticking to the fruitathon during the day and will havean omelette and beans for tea. I actually quite fancy it and haven't had one for a while so it will be a change. I've almost worked my way through the fruit mountain so will have to pop out for some more either tonight or tomorrow. In fact, just writing it has inspired me to pop to Aldi now to stock up before the munchies hit:rotfl: Better safe than sorry!

Savvy_sewing

Booked my first hair appointment for next wednesday morning. I am a twit as I said when I had taken DGD to school I would go. But there is no school! Its Half term. Wonder if there is the afterschool clubs still going on? must see. But that would make it an expensive day. Perhaps I will just take her with me, and she can have hers done as well. As a treat. If she will let the hairdresser do it of course. As the woman is a personal friend of my daughters I think that she will accommodate that.
I dont have food issues. I eat what I want, but I never eat until I am too full. However as my life is more sedentary I am starting to put some weight on. So I will have to up the exercise somewhere!
Or for the first time in my life I may need to diet! heaven forbid. I cant see anything that seems to be more demorolising for women than that.

adelight

On the topic of food and stuff, I don't think it matters what you do when you eat if you put a reasonable amount on your plate and eat just that. Don't snack!
My Mum & sis are on a "diet" (more like portion control and getting off the junk tbh) atm and it helps them so much when they know exactly what they've got to eat. They have some american style measuring cup spoon things and they put 1 cup veggies, 1/2 cup carb and 1/2 cup or 1 palm of protein on a plate or in a tupperware and that's the meal. My Mum even has half a dozen already measured out meals in tupperware in the fridge to grab. I know it doesn't sound like a tonne of food but it's actually quite a lot when you see it all together on a plate.
100% recommend getting something for easy portion measuring because frankly our eyes will always over estimate

dannie

Hello all, thanks just been updating upon all the posts recently.

My house "fabbing" is going quite well but sometimes slowly regarding clearing out "clutter". Other bits of "fabbing" have been selecting and creating a birthday gift for somebody, light gardening, some bicycling, skin care and an "improvement" in dietary management.

lizzie - thanks for your message. It's great to be able to do more again. Sorry to hear of the many factors causing "overeating" and also to the other posters.

adelight - thanks for the hugs; made me feel wow! It occurred alongside some nice kindnesses from the few people I know. Your wardrobe sort out reminded me of my clothes saved for "best" or in case of hospitalisation. Neither has happened, or will:eek:.

Bitsy Beans - about self-image, I see your point but am not influenced by clothes sizes, just perhaps how I am managing (or not) managing everyday life. I can relate to your food experiences however.

lessonlearned - hope you resolve the problem regarding carrying shopping. For me, using up what I have got has helped. Also, shopping locally rarely but especially if reductions, edible plants from the garden, collecting "light" groceries by bicycle and occasionally help from a friend.


Anyway, the rain is here but quite pretty making everything seem fresh and clean. Should help the seeds sowed and existing plants. Hope your day goes well.