deliciousness

[finallyfull]

After ten weeks on No S, my husband noticed that I regularly exclaim how delicious food is at dinner time. It didn't dawn on me what was going on until the other night, when I sat down to dinner and said "Boy! These beets are really good!" -- beets? That's not at all like me to sing praises of beets. I thought at first the new brand was expecially good, and then I realized it was because I was hungry. That's when I put it together and noticed that I've been eating mysteriously delicious food alot lately, and it's not the food -- it's my hunger. I just wish I could have done this 20 years ago.

[NoelFigart]

Hunger is the best sauce!

[marygrace]

I find I do this a lot, too, especially after spending 45 minutes or an hour cooking dinner and am super, super hungry. It's kind of interesting that our taste for something can change depending on how empty our stomachs are.

[kccc]

Yes... I think it's one of the aspects of No-S that is most reinforcing. Why eat junk an hour before dinner if it means your dinner will not taste as good?

"Don't spoil your appetite" is a old-fashioned maternal warning that has fallen out-of-favor, but has been resurrected at my house. There's a reason for it.

Isn't it lovely that on No-S, you may eat less, but you ENJOY it so much more?

[wosnes]

I find I do this a lot, too, especially after spending 45 minutes or an hour cooking dinner and am super, super hungry. It's kind of interesting that our taste for something can change depending on how empty our stomachs are.

I'm not sure that hunger is the only thing at play. If you're not snacking and avoiding treat foods, your taste buds aren't "contaminated" by the high fat/salt/sugar foods and real food tastes better.

[marygrace]

Yes... I think it's one of the aspects of No-S that is most reinforcing. Why eat junk an hour before dinner if it means your dinner will not taste as good?

"Don't spoil your appetite" is a old-fashioned maternal warning that has fallen out-of-favor, but has been resurrected at my house. There's a reason for it.

Isn't it lovely that on No-S, you may eat less, but you ENJOY it so much more?

AHHH. I just wrote something about this in another thread. My husband insists on snacking while I'm preparing dinner because he's hungry. It's almost dinner time--of course you're hungry! Why don't you wait until the meal is ready and satisfy your hunger then? Ugh, drives me nuts.

[kccc]

AHHH. I just wrote something about this in another thread. My husband insists on snacking while I'm preparing dinner because he's hungry. It's almost dinner time--of course you're hungry! Why don't you wait until the meal is ready and satisfy your hunger then? Ugh, drives me nuts.

Marygrace... I have a young child, who occasionally goes through growth spurts. When he's in one, he sometimes finds it very hard to wait for dinner. At those times, if preparation is going to take me more than 15 minutes, I put out an "appetizer" - usually fresh veggies or fruit, definitely something that could be "part of a meal."

If he's not hungry for that, I stop worrying about him - he's not really hungry. If he is hungry, carrot sticks will take the edge off, but not spoil his meal. And I can resist those, lol!

So maybe a planned appetizer that you can ignore (or easily virtual plate) might help?

[marygrace]

AHHH. I just wrote something about this in another thread. My husband insists on snacking while I'm preparing dinner because he's hungry. It's almost dinner time--of course you're hungry! Why don't you wait until the meal is ready and satisfy your hunger then? Ugh, drives me nuts.

Marygrace... I have a young child, who occasionally goes through growth spurts. When he's in one, he sometimes finds it very hard to wait for dinner. At those times, if preparation is going to take me more than 15 minutes, I put out an "appetizer" - usually fresh veggies or fruit, definitely something that could be "part of a meal."

If he's not hungry for that, I stop worrying about him - he's not really hungry. If he is hungry, carrot sticks will take the edge off, but not spoil his meal. And I can resist those, lol!

So maybe a planned appetizer that you can ignore (or easily virtual plate) might help?

I get what you're saying--but my husband is an adult! No more growth spurts for him, he should be able to wait for dinner just like I do. The planned appetizer of fresh fruit or veggies might be a good thing to offer him, though usually when I suggest something of that sort he rejects it in favor of a tortilla slathered with tons of peanut butter--which isn't bad to eat as part of a meal, but not right before one.

[kccc]

Maybe he SHOULD... but... he's not. Oh, well.

It's a lot harder to control what another adult does than what a kid does, isn't it? Sometimes you just have to let it go.

It took me a long time to get that waiting for meals was a good thing, so maybe there's hope for him yet.

[NoelFigart]

Marygrace, I'd say that you need to let this one go. Yes, confining eating to meals is ideal. My husband doesn't really, either, and I don't say anything. I think setting the example does better in the long run.

I DO have dinner ready to go on the table when he gets home which makes him squirm a little. (Even though he knows damn well I do it for ME because I'm HUNGRY, I think the fact he LIKES having that meal waiting for him when he gets home bothers his feminist sensibilities. I keep explaining that while it's not okay to demand such things, it's okay to like 'em when they happen).

[sophiasapientia]

Hmmmm ... The way I view it is that I'd be pretty ticked off if my DH started telling me when, what and how much to eat. So I don't lecture him about it. He doesn't have a weight issue, he's taller than I am, he's an adult, he doesn't stuff his face with junk and I'm not his mama. He isn't on No S. He sometimes has seconds, snacks and sweets on weekdays. But I will say that he has toned things down --especially the nighttime eating -- and even lost 5 pounds since I restarted No S at the beginning of the year ... so I do think the habit is rubbing off on him.

Now, with my kiddo, it is a different matter. I do lecture every once in awhile. But I am her mother and that is my job.

[oolala53]

I agree that I would not take it well if someone told me how he/she thought I should or shouldn't eat. Someone has to be ready to hear the message, and frankly, I believe it's irrelevant whether or not they have a weight problem. Now, if they whine about their weight, then it's different.

Just like if I ask someone to do the dishes, I can't tell them how to do them. IF they're done, they're done.

Regarding deliciousness, the nurtritionist Bernard Jensen said you should wait to eat until you have a keen desire for the plainest food. Doesn't mean that's what you have to eat, but it's a good measure of whether you're hungry. Even a plain potato tastes good when you're hungry.

[NoelFigart]

Regarding deliciousness, the nurtritionist Bernard Jensen said you should wait to eat until you have a keen desire for the plainest food. Doesn't mean that's what you have to eat, but it's a good measure of whether you're hungry. Even a plain potato tastes good when you're hungry.

Well, I'll eat a potato anytime, but I get your point. My benchmark used to be if I was hungry enough to eat a salad. Now I LIKE salads, but if a salad wasn't going to do it for me, then I wasn't genuinely hungry.

[marygrace]

I try not to lecture him about it (and I think I do a good job). I know he's an adult and is free to make his own choices, sometimes it's just frustrating. I see the snacking before a meal as sort of disrespecting the food that's about to be served, and he laughs at that--how can you "disrespect" food? he asks. It's not something I've ever done a good job of explaining, just a gut feeling I have about the sanctity of a meal. Oh well! Maybe one day he'll change his ways.

[wosnes]

I try not to lecture him about it (and I think I do a good job). I know he's an adult and is free to make his own choices, sometimes it's just frustrating. I see the snacking before a meal as sort of disrespecting the food that's about to be served, and he laughs at that--how can you "disrespect" food? he asks. It's not something I've ever done a good job of explaining, just a gut feeling I have about the sanctity of a meal. Oh well! Maybe one day he'll change his ways.

Maybe not disrespecting the food -- but the cook and the effort put into preparing a meal. Just a thought that went through my mind as I read this.

A totally unrelated thought. My former father-in-law died suddenly yesterday. One thing he did that I always thought was special was at the end of every meal -- no matter how simple or fancy -- he thanked his wife (or whomever prepared the meal) for it.

[Aleria]

Maybe not disrespecting the food -- but the cook and the effort put into preparing a meal. Just a thought that went through my mind as I read this.

A totally unrelated thought. My former father-in-law died suddenly yesterday. One thing he did that I always thought was special was at the end of every meal -- no matter how simple or fancy -- he thanked his wife (or whomever prepared the meal) for it.

Isn't that normal? My family has always done that. And the cook thanks the ones who helped them, etc etc. Heck, sometimes we get really into it and thank whomever did the dishes/set the table, too!

[wosnes]

Maybe not disrespecting the food -- but the cook and the effort put into preparing a meal. Just a thought that went through my mind as I read this.

A totally unrelated thought. My former father-in-law died suddenly yesterday. One thing he did that I always thought was special was at the end of every meal -- no matter how simple or fancy -- he thanked his wife (or whomever prepared the meal) for it.

Isn't that normal? My family has always done that. And the cook thanks the ones who helped them, etc etc. Heck, sometimes we get really into it and thank whomever did the dishes/set the table, too!

In my experience, it's not the norm.

[NoelFigart]

Wow... that's sad.

Dad thanked Mom for making dinner, and whoever cooks (usually me, but sometimes someone else) gets a thank you.

[Nichole]

Sorry about your father-in-law, Wosnes!!

My husband always thanks me, it's sweet . He also thanks his mom when she cooks for us on Monday nights. And I remember how I had gotten into the habit of thanking my mom, too, when we lived together.

I have to add that it's super awkward when we've barely started eating and my MIL says "mm isn't this wonderful? So tasty." She always expects a compliment, lol!!

[oolala53]

Nichole, your MIL says that when SHE cooks? Actually, when I'm with close friends, I do, too, usually because I cook the meat, veggies, and grain very plainly and then add a commercial sauce that I feel makes the flavor, so I don't see myself as being able to take credit for it. However, friends are always grateful because I often use unusual Indian sauces and non-standard grains you don't get at restaurants.

[Nichole]

Yup, she says it about her own food... It's really awkward. She says it in a sarcastic tone, kinda. I guess you have to be there!

[gratefuldeb67]

Yup, she says it about her own food... It's really awkward. She says it in a sarcastic tone, kinda. I guess you have to be there!

LOL, sounds annoying!!!

[gratefuldeb67]

"Boy! These beets are really good!" -- beets? That's not at all like me to sing praises of beets. .

Hahah funny, i just baked my first fresh beet last night and ate it plain..
It was soooooo good!!!

I think there's a quote on Reinhard's home page about beets as well, Haha, we can form the NoS Beet fan club
They are really good for you too
I always ate them pickled from a jar, but I never tried them fresh..
I'm definitely gonna make them again
YUM!

[wosnes]

Hahah funny, i just baked my first fresh beet last night and ate it plain..
It was soooooo good!!!

Roasted beets are so good!

[gratefuldeb67]

just read thru whole thread.
Sorry to hear about your Father in law passing Wosnes.
you have my deepest sympathies x