Everyday Systems

Tonight, with/slightly after dinner, I was parched, so I had an 8fl oz cup of frozen berries drizzled with grape juice. I excused it because I find it very refreshing and have never heard of anyone getting fat off berries. However, I wasn't sure, does this rate with drinking soda because of the grapejuice (100%juice, no corn syrup or crap!), or does this qualify more as a handful of fruit, which would be okay, as long as it's with the meal? Just curious. Thanks.

Hi Storm, you can go either way with that.

From one perspective, it's solid food, therefore it is a snack, therefore it is "funny stuff."

From another perspective, the berries with juice drizzled over them probably had fewer calories -- and more fiber -- than the same 8oz cup filled only with juice.

So, yeah. I wouldn't feel too bad. An 8oz cup of berries hardly qualifies as a binge.

On the other hand, you could have had water if you were thirsty...

Probably what I would do is be very strict, by the book for the first 21 days or so, just to reestablish the habit. So, if you're thirsty, drink the best thing for your parched body: water.

Yo Storm...
Most people don't eat enough fruit...
I would say, unless you had two or three fruit for the day already, that you can just think of this as "virtually plated" part of dinner..
And by no means would I compare this with soda...

There was a fruit thread a while back on the old yahoo group and I think Reinhard basically agreed that eating your plums directly next to your meatloaf and gravy was considered something like "borderline barbarian" LOL....
But James is right too... If you are only thirsty, go for the water instead..
Many people substitute a fruit or piece of pie for what they really need when they are dehydrated,, water... So I say go for the H2O...
But by all means, have that fruit if you were just looking for an approved dessert...
You didn't drizzle it with the concentrated grape juice in syrup form did you??? LOL.. I'd watch that... If you want to make your water a little more exciting, get some seltzer and add a small amount of the juice to it for a fizzy drink...

Also, again, James is right about trying to attack the "Snack demon"...
If you feel this is something you really like to have as a normal part of your dinner/dessert, then just budget for it and leave a little space on your plate where the berries would be... That's "virtual plating"

Don't just eat them any time of day whenever you are parched... Be regular about mealtime... That's very important.

Keep up the great work!
Peace and Love,
Deb
ps... I never did get to see the competition photos you posted last year because there was some problem with the link..
Do you think you could try posting it again? I would enjoy seeing how you do the "Farmers Walk" LOL...
I'm lucky if I can carry my groceries from the car!

Hi storm fox

Fairly often I have a piece of fruit just after my meal, especially if I feel that the meal was lacking in fibre or vitamins.

I think it's OK as long as it's a single serving and forms part of a balanced meal (or virtual plate).

Emma

Hi Storm,

This is relatively borderline, but I wouldn't do it regularly because I think you'll wind up using it as justification for eating more crappy food at mealtime -- why bother making healthy, bulky fruit a part of your meal if you know you can snack on it later? In itself, it's obviously fine, but nothing is just in itself.

Reinhard

I was thinking more about this, and thought of Reinhard's maxim: snack's aren't what, they're when. So a cup of fruit with a meal is a meal, but a cup of fruit between meals is a snack, and is therefore a screwup.

I don't know. I still think you can justify this either way, but the very fact that one needs to justify indicates serious funnistuffage....

If you're asking, maybe you already know the answer?

My sense of No-S is the most important thing to stick to is eating only meals. That's the rule I try to apply even on S days. When I was having a particularly difficult time, I ate four (somewhat smaller) meals a day. I'm off that now, back on three meals.

Kevin wrote:My sense of No-S is the most important thing to stick to is eating only meals. That's the rule I try to apply even on S days.

Hey, Kevin, thanks for this thought! I've not been happy with my experience of "S" days. Now I'm thinking that for me, personally, No Snacks No Seconds might be Seven days a week, with No Sweets being the "Sometimes..." exception.

Yeah, it was funny stuff, so I'll count that as both a screwup and a lesson. Kevin's idea of only eating at meals, even on S-Days is a good one for me to apply. Thanks, all.

My weekness is snacks. If I give in, I'm a goner. Your mileage may vary.

Great suggestion, Kevin.

The funny thing about snacks is (though I think they're most people's biggest weakness) is that they're not even that pleasurable in themselves. As reward, they don't hold a candle to sweets.

I haven't given myself any hard rules in this regard, but I tend to follow the three meal structure pretty closely even on S days, just out of habit, and because I don't really see much point in doing otherwise.

Reinhard