I admit I’m not much of a fan of Thanksgiving, at least not any more. Last year was awful, with that rude old relative who told me to go workout after dinner, not because she thought I ate too much, just that I was too big and needed it. This year, it’s the parents, and my dad is cooking, which means dry, unbrined, unseasoned turkey, along with all the low-fat, low-sugar, low-salt, low-flavor stuff they call food. Which means turkey and salad. I’m bringing my favorite deep purple sweet potatoes, which I can eat plain (unlike the regular ones), and plan on drinking some wine. And sugar-free pie, which is gross but okay, since I dislike pie. Oh joy. At least my mom has backed off of my weight, they seem to think I’m okay now, though I see myself as still big.
Though really, if the average person eats 3000 to 4000 Cal on Thursday, (not me, I’ll eat much less-nothing heavy at our meal) it doesn’t seem like something to stress about. One of the benefits of becoming a competent or intuitive or whatever you want to call it, eater, is that you realize you don’t have to balance intake every day, as long as it balances overall. When I’m lucky enough to actually eat a good T-giving meal (still don’t like pie, marshmallows, stuffing, nor barely even turkey), I eat less the next few days. And exercise a bit more. In many people, this happens automatically, others need to be mindful of it, and if not, weight will probably be fluctuating, if not increasing.
If you stress about it, and think it’s blown, and keep overeating, weight really will be gained. People just need to chill, even if you do overeat 2000 Cal, you’re still not going to gain 5 pounds, unless you continue overeating.
Other diet stuff that’s driving me crazy lately, and there is much. While bored waiting for something at work, was reading some random blog, and this woman was suggesting, as the first steps towards weight loss, was to prepare to spend lots of $$ on organic produce and protein powder. WTF? What is she even talking about? What difference would organic produce make? And protein powder? Are we trying to be bodybuilders? Get to single digit body fat? I don’t understand why something that is theoretically eating less should cost so much more. How’s this for advice? Learn to cook, if you don’t know how. Eat more vegetables, less overprocessed low nutrition, high calorie, low fiber food. And watch those portions, no matter what you’re eating, especially if you eat out a lot. And eat out less.
Weight loss blogs can be seriously neurotic places. This one, included. Not as neurotic as those who demonize one macronutrient based on shoddy science, cherry-picked data, and vast conspiracy theories. OK, enough said.
Cute incident Saturday morning, 8:50 am, in the gym’s locker room, in the Mission. Three old ladies, finishing up from their swim, stop speaking Chinese to break into a round of “Beso me Mucho”! Made my morning.
My neighborhood corner store:
poster on the corner
Smoke Yourself Thin! 
I wholeheartedly agree with you about diet insanity. I try to eat normal portions of fresh, healthy food and the occasional treat. I am maintaining a 60 lb. loss. The other day I was eating a handful of grapes in my office kitchen. A younger co-worker was horrified at this. “Do you realize how many CARBS are in those grapes?”. Sigh. Since when did fruit become the enemy?
I had Thanksgiving dinner at somebody else’s family’s home! Everyone there got along great so it made it very easy for me!
Being a noral weight really is very simple, but not always easy. We know what we need to do, whether or not we do is up to us.
I really I could make it all easier for you, Julie, but I suppose that is the downside of your choosing to “ride the tiger,” in your life, but then is there any better way?
Even though I have a dieting blog, I still am amazed by some of the things people say on theirs. And I agree with you – organic produce and protein powder would not be first on my list if I was just beginning a weight loss journey!
Hi! I’m not sure if you remember me. I am now accepting fat loss consultation services. If you’re interested, feel free to visit my site.
Thanks!
You doing okay?
I didn’t answer your last comment on portion control because I thought you were a Julie that had already commented on that column.
Doing okay, thanks, Dr. J., just not feeling very social, even on the blog. Thanks for checking. I’m glad someone remembers me. I’m trying to motivate myself to write something here,
Of course I remember you! Initially I hated the name of your blog and where you were at, but I came to love how you found yourself and moved forward in your life in such a good way. You know as well as anybody that even an upward curve has small ups and downs along the way! Just maintain your positive momentum and it will all be fine.