Everyday Systems

Long time NoSer, first time post for me. Did anyone catch yesterday's Oprah about looking and feeling 20 years younger? I couldn't help thinking about what my fellow NoSers would say. I watched part of it this morning and was glad I had read a recent NoS post about obsessing over eating healthfully enough. I printed out the discussion and have been rereading it periodically, it was so helpful to me. The gist of the discussion was that while eating nutritious foods is better for your health, when it comes to weight management, it's about eating less overall and it's ok to eat crap now and then. I'm working on becoming "intrinsically moderate" and NoS is a huge help with that.

On Oprah, her diet/exercise guy Bob Greene, talked about four areas that need to be addressed: nutrition, exercise, sleep, and skincare. Of course he makes good points (it's common sense, after all), but the part about nutrition was where I had to remind myself that obsessing over having perfect nutrition and trying to eat mostly "superfoods" just ends up backfiring, at least in my case. I much prefer moderation versus extreme views on nutrition. Plus, too much healthy food can make you gain weight. I love NoS because it's allowed me to break free from these time consuming worries and focus on life itself (which is quite amazing for someone who's had perfectionistic food issues for much of her adult life). Sometimes I do have to remind myself not to get swept up on whatever I see on tv or read in a magazine, though. It helps to remind yourself it often is all about money - Bob Greene basically wants to push his new book, "20 years younger." There is even a website www.20yearsyounger.com where you can buy Oprah endorsed (and rather expensive) skincare products, etc. With NoS, you could spend nothing and still succeed (though I do think everyone should try to buy the book to support our "diet/exercise guy" Reinhard! ).

One other thing I find interesting is last year Oprah had Geneen Roth on to discuss intuitive eating. I recall a discussion on the boards about that episode. She seemed to be saying she planned to partake in that method. This Bob Greene plan is definitely more of a diet, if you ask me. Either way, NoS is where it's at in my humble opinion.

Very interesting...I definitely agree with the moderation rather than extreme view on foods. Do you by any chance have the link to that No S post about obsessing over food? I'd love to read it. Thanks

http://everydaysystems.com/bb/viewtopic.php?t=7245

Not sure if that link will work...but the post is on the first page "Fear of not eating healthy enough" - good stuff

I refuse to obsess over nutrition. I just don't want to live that way. I think that's one of those things that can make you live 120 years- or at least it will feel like it. I love that No S doesn't require obsessing over nutrition.

I think they're trying to ride the coattails of the Younger Next Year series, and Charla Krupp's How Not to Look Old. If you can't sell it to them to lose weight, get 'em worried about looking old.

I know they talked about super foods. Once again, focusing on the ancillary issue. Eat moderately! Apparently, they mentioned the partitioned plate, as if they had invented it.

It's not that it's terrible info. It's just that attitude that if you just tell people what to do, they'll do it.

I remember when Bob Green first appeared on Oprah years ago. Oprah had signed a "contract" dealing with her eating and then,during the course of her contracted diet she won a very special award..don't remember what..and she called Bob and asked him if she could have a glass of champagne after the ceremony to celebrate. He said..."NO"!! He told her it wasn't in her "contract" and that was that. She didn't have the champagne. She lost weight. ..and then put so much of it back on. What a perfect S day that would have been for Oprah. Bob could have said, "Enjoy your day..celebrate your success..drink your champagne!!" or Oprah could have said, "Why does this man have so much control over me that I have to ask him about one glass of champagne?" At any rate, I quit listening to anything he said after that.

Yea, that is just silly if you ask me. NoS has helped me realize it's best to be skeptical/wary of anything extreme - life is a lot easier when you choose moderation...our culture is all about the quick fixes though!

Yeah, it's hard for me to take Bob Green seriously, since his one great testimonial is a smart woman with a will of iron, who still yo-yos desperately between extreme diets and rapid weight gain. The important part isn't LOSING weight, it's being able to keep it off -- and his only answer to that is "punish yourself every day for the rest of your life."