Everyday Systems

I'm partial to a bowl of granola either for breakfast or lunch. Not sure if this counts as an S, as I think the kind I eat is quite high calorie and I tend to have quite large servings. However, I've tried to only have this on the weekends and this ended up being counter-productive because I ended up binging and eating the whole box in one go....

So is the granola 'allowed' or not??

You're not counting calories, you're just eating meals. If it's a meal, it's a meal.

One plate (or bowl) at that meal, right?
Not technically a sweet, right?
Not a snack, right?

You're good.

Unless it's a "gateway" food or you identify it as a problem for other reasons, let it go.

One of the reasons No-S is livable is that it doesn't expect perfect eating, just "better" eating. I expect if you're cutting snacks and sweets, you've probably already eliminated far worse than that granola.

Because this is typed, you can't hear the friendly inflection in my voice or see the kind smile on my face, but I have to tell you this:

Don't overanalyze! (See, I'm smiling when I say that)

As my German piano teacher used to say to me, "Das iss not ass hard ass you are trying-g to make it. Relahx. Enjoy yourself."

I happen to love granola. when I get sick of oatmeal in the morning or in the summer when a hot breakfast just isn't appetizing, my wife makes granola that is AWESOME! I mean wicked good! And guess what? I eat it. In a big bowl. Lotsa milk. Maybe even a banana. No guilt, no "how many calories am I blah blah blah..."

I just enjoy it.

You like the granola? Then eat the granola. I said it's OK, so you can put the blame on me. I'm married with two kids, so I'm used to being blamed. I can take it.

paulrone wrote:As my German piano teacher used to say to me, "Das iss not ass hard ass you are trying-g to make it. Relahx. Enjoy yourself."

I can't believe how easy it is for most of us to over-think and complicate things. Just imagine how much fun life would be if we didn't do that! If we just relaxed and enjoyed ourselves...

One of the reasons No-S is livable is that it doesn't expect perfect eating, just "better" eating.

Very well said, KCCC.

paulrone wrote:I said it's OK, so you can put the blame on me. I'm married with two kids, so I'm used to being blamed. I can take it.

Between that line and your German teacher quote, I really did lol!

Thank you so much for the replies! It's made me take a step back and realize how silly it is to fret much about this. Agonizing over food/calories like this is what led me to NoS in the first place, and I need to break the habit!

Eat your granola. Yes it has a lot of sugar, but it's not quite a dessert level "sweet." You'll get much more bang for your buck focussing on the obvious offenders.

If you find yourself UNABLE to eat your granola without worrying about it, consider cutting it 50/50 or some other ratio with an unsweatened cereal like grape nuts or (my favorite) "Ezekial 4:7" (grape nuts with divine mandate). I actually find that super sweet granola often tastes better cut like this.

Reinhard

Or, make your own:

http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes ... 03,00.html

http://www.usaweekend.com/06_issues/060 ... smart.html

Here's my take on the granola issue. When I eat a granola bar on my drive to work - that's a meal. If I eat a granola bar after my dinner - that's a sweet, aka dessert. Sound reasonable?

gwen

Oh my Gosh Gwen.

If I ate a granola bar for breakfast I would be starving and would never make it until lunch. It does make sense, what you are saying about a meal vs. a snack, but I hope you eat a piece of fruit or a scrambled egg with it. (Well, the egg would be a bit tough when you are driving!)

I need to let you know about my issue with peanut butter, butter and toast: I have been a Noser for almost three years and last year I got into a BAD habit of having a slice of toast topped with peanut butter and butter every day with my lunch. Not a big deal if all I ate was soup or a salad, but then I was also eating leftover casseroles or a burrito...my point is that my PB toast became a boarderline food for me that I had to reign in and only eat during S days. So just be careful with your granola bars. Forgive me if I am off track...I just don't want to see anyone else go through what I went through last Spring. Especially since it included weigh gain - yuck! )

CVmom

wosnes wrote:Or, make your own:

http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes ... 03,00.html

http://www.usaweekend.com/06_issues/060 ... smart.html

I've done Kathy Daelemans' one from Food Network many times and we love it:

http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes ... 67,00.html

Okay - now I have to try it!!!!!!

paulrone wrote:Because this is typed, you can't hear the friendly inflection in my voice or see the kind smile on my face, but I have to tell you this:

Don't overanalyze! (See, I'm smiling when I say that)

As my German piano teacher used to say to me, "Das iss not ass hard ass you are trying-g to make it. Relahx. Enjoy yourself."

I happen to love granola. when I get sick of oatmeal in the morning or in the summer when a hot breakfast just isn't appetizing, my wife makes granola that is AWESOME! I mean wicked good! And guess what? I eat it. In a big bowl. Lotsa milk. Maybe even a banana. No guilt, no "how many calories am I blah blah blah..."

I just enjoy it.

You like the granola? Then eat the granola. I said it's OK, so you can put the blame on me. I'm married with two kids, so I'm used to being blamed. I can take it.

Now I'm intrigued.... Your fault!

Can you please share your wife's granola recipe? Pretty please?

I'll post it tomorrow.

CVMOM, actually the granola bar seems to hold me (most of the time). If I get hungry before lunch, I make myself drink a bottle of water which usually forestalls the hunger. It seems that I read somewhere that oftentimes when you "feel" hungry, you're actually thirsty. I know what you mean about it becoming a "bad habit." Which is why it's ok AS a mean but not AFTER or BETWEEN meals - except on S days. And your right about eating egg while I'm driving - yukky. Almost as yukky as when I tried to balance carbs and proteins by putting peanut butter on my granola bar. Tastes great, but can get messy while driving .

Gwen

laketrash, I would probably eat two granola bars if they were going to be a meal. I doubt that one would be enough for me!

paulrone's German Piano Teacher wrote:"Das iss not ass hard ass you are trying-g to make it. Relahx. Enjoy yourself."

I wonder if you might consider posting only in Deutchlish from now on. Oh, please!

Ah, Stevecooper, vas iss das? You like da vords off da fatherland's english, yah? Das iss good! Das iss real good!

So I forgot to get the granola recipe posted. Sorry. I'll try to get it on here tonight.

I think my obsession with this granola is going overboard. I've managed not to binge-eat the whole box so far, but I spent a whole lecture thinking about how I wanted it for lunch ( although I'd had it for breakfast this morning)....surely craving a certain food that much is not normal??

but I spent a whole lecture thinking about how I wanted it for lunch ( although I'd had it for breakfast this morning)....surely craving a certain food that much is not normal??

If you really want granola for lunch, then have it for lunch too. I really love breakfast and sometimes I'll have "breakfast" later in the day. For either lunch or dinner. In fact, last night I ate a bowl of cereal for dinner. I've also been known to eat soup for breakfast.

It's merely tradition that we eat bacon & eggs, cereal, english muffin, whatever for breakfast and not later in the day. Just as it's a tradition that we don't eat soup for breakfast.

Food is merely fuel for the body. The higher quality the fuel, the higher performance for the body.

jules

babyprrr wrote:I think my obsession with this granola is going overboard. I've managed not to binge-eat the whole box so far, but I spent a whole lecture thinking about how I wanted it for lunch ( although I'd had it for breakfast this morning)....surely craving a certain food that much is not normal??

I find that eating too much of a food puts me off it, so maybe you will find that too?

BrightAngel wrote:I also questioned whether I could have a Granola bar as part of my breakfast.
I'm glad to hear that it's okay.
I would love to have one with my 1/2 cup of 0% Fage greek yogurt,
and a small bowl of strawberries...
Yummmmmm.

I LOVE Fage Yogurt!! The protein content is high so it keeps me full.

Noturningback says: "I LOVE Fage Yogurt!! The protein content is high so it keeps me full."

ME TOO !!!
Most plain yogurts...even good ones, I needed 3 Splenda and a big sprinkle of cinnamon to make it tasty.
In my 0% Fage Yogurt, I put a packet of Splenda in it
and, although I love cinnamon, I can't bring myself to add it and spoil the natural flavor.
To me, It's like eating a sweet cloud.
I eat 1/2 cup almost every day,
and although some might find it wierd,
now I like it EVEN better than ice cream.
and NO, my plain 0% Fage Yogurt it is NOT a sweet.

Some granolas aren't as sweet as others but I love granola. I've lately been getting the kashi brand. It's been on sale and it's very good. I never thought of mixing it with Ezekial 4:9 or Grape Nuts. I like the Ezekial cereal so I might give that a try.

paulrone wrote:I'll post it tomorrow.

Ooooh, boy I can't wait!! Hey y'all I'm really glad that there are men who post on this board. I like hearing what they have to say about weight issues and poor Reinhard has got to be crazy with trying to keep up with everything.

It just goes to show that although some folks think men are insensitive to female weight issues, the guys on this board show a wonderful sense of caring about what the distaff side thinks and posts. It's really refreshing. I wonder, what do your wives think of your participation in the diet and on the boards?


Diane