why are we tempted?

[joasia]

Why are we tempted to try diets that we know are absurd? Diets that make us weigh our food. Diets that make us eat disgusting processed microwave food. Diets that make us cut out entire food groups. Why? Is it the promise of the quick fix? Do we think that eating normally only makes us fat, so we have to eat like abnormal freaks? And as a totally unrelated aside, I read an article about the Amish. They were given pedometers and they walk between 12,000 and 20,000 steps in a day. They also eat normal food three times a day. They do like sweets. But with that much physical activity, I guess you could have a slice of cake everyday! Maybe I will move to a farm and ride a horse and buggy!

[ClickBeetle]

When I was in the UK on vacation we walked about 6 to 8 miles a day (maybe 15,000 to 20,000 steps?) and we ate like you wouldn't believe. But we didn't snack because we were too busy touring and walking.
That's even with those gigantic, high-fat English breakfasts -- typically sausage, ham, toast with jam, yogurt, eggs, muesli, cornflakes, beans, and fried mushrooms and tomatoes.

*And* with the irresistible treats at teatime. The British sure have figured out how to put sugar to its finest use!!

Bottom line, eating vast quantities (but not snacking) and walking long distances, I lost 2 pounds in 2 weeks.

[katie1980]

That's even with those gigantic, high-fat English breakfasts -- typically sausage, ham, toast with jam, yogurt, eggs, muesli, cornflakes, beans, and fried mushrooms and tomatoes.

Mmmmm, brekkie! I'm missing proper sausages - they just don't have them over here in Malaysia I get why not in most of the shops (pork versus Muslim country and all), but even in the "Tidak Halal" areas, where they have bacon, etc, they don't seem to have proper sausages to eat. I'm not big on fried breakfasts (mainly I have cereal in the mornings), but you can't make toad in the hole without proper sausages! And that's one of my favourite dinners - you can't beat a good sausage in yorkshire pudding Especially if you use the pork and bramley apple sausages!

*And* with the irresistible treats at teatime. The British sure have figured out how to put sugar to its finest use!!

Why, thank you very much Mr Kipling does "exceedingly good cakes", I'll give you that! My personal favourite cake at the moment is lemon drizzle cake, it's really light and refreshing. Rats, now I want lemon drizzle cake!
But the French know how to cook, too, crépes are *really* good!

[katie1980]

Why are we tempted to try diets that we know are absurd?

I think you're right - it is the potential of a quick fix. We figure that eating "normally" isn't working, so we need to try something drastic. But we forget that eating twice as much as we need, and eating mainly junk food at that, is not eating normally. That's what I love about No S - it retrains us to eat more normally, and makes us think about what we are putting in our mouths.

In the past 2 weeks, I have caught myself *so* many times thinking that my mouth felt empty, so I ought to put something in it?! Even just a polo mint - but you eat enough polo mints to "cleanse your palette", they're going to start showing on your hips and thighs! Which, among so many other things, is where my problem stems from - filling my mouth when I really don't need to! And I know from this site, that I'm far from alone on that front!

Here's to eating normally *cheers*