No-S a "lady's" diet?

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reinhard
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No-S a "lady's" diet?

Post by reinhard » Tue Jun 05, 2012 3:23 pm

A recent post to the No S Diet facebook page got me thinking:
I have been doing No S on and off for 3-4 years. I have noticed it seems to be predominantly a "lady's" diet. But, may I suggest to any gentlemen that might be lurking, it is the most dignified way for us fellows to slim down.
You know, it's funny, a few years ago people were complaining that No-s "only" seemed to work for men. Now the pendulum of popularity has swung in the other direction.

I don't think there's anything intrinsically male or female about it.

The idea that men and women should eat differently seems a little strange to me. Until recently, when people ate, they ate together: men, women and children. They ate the same basic food in the same basic way -- at meals. And by and large they were thin.

It's only now, with everyone off indulging their own private desires in their own private corners whenever they get the urge, that we've gotten so out of control. Rather than doubling down on private and different, which got us into all this trouble to begin with, we should take a step back and strive to eat "in common" again, sharing the same food, at the same time, together at meals.

Reinhard

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Over43
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Post by Over43 » Tue Jun 05, 2012 3:33 pm

I wondered if anyone would notice that. I wasn't trying to insinuate that there should be seperate diets for men and women, but yes, the pendulum seems to have swung more in the favor of the XX species. There have been XYers here in the past, but as of now they are few and far between.

And of course there maybe guys checking in and out, they just don't feel the need to post as often as the ladies.

>>>The idea that men and women should eat differently seems a little strange to me. Until recently, when people ate, they ate together: men, women and children. They ate the same basic food in the same basic way -- at meals. And by and large they were thin.<<<

I don't disagree with this either. My grandparents on both sides were very slender. When my mom's parents retired they would get up, have the same breakfast, same lunch and same dinner. My grandpa would snack on peanuts during Wheel of Fortune, but by and large they ate three meals a day and snacked very little if at all.

Currently I think that marketing strategies dtermine who to target. There is a spereate advertising campaign for NutriSystem, but I can imagine it is the same diet for men and women.

I got called a f@g once while drinking a can if Slimfast. So, Slimfast must be for females only?

I think the division in "gender" dieting comes more from advertising and gender politics than it does from good science.
Last edited by Over43 on Fri Jun 08, 2012 6:28 am, edited 1 time in total.
Bacon is the gateway meat. - Anthony Bourdain
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I made myself be hungry, then I would get hungrier. - Frank Zane Mr. Olympia '77, '78, '79

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Post by Stackdiesel » Thu Jun 07, 2012 1:35 pm

Interesting. I tend to view No-S eating as a "masculine" way to eat, but that view is shaped by my own experiences and observations.

I grew up with a dad who ate 3 squares a day, never snacked, and had dessert once in a while. He did 200 push-ups a day and had visible abs at age 70. My mom was obese, ate junk constantly, and was very sedentary.

No-S is also basically the way we ate when I was in the Marine Corps (although Glass Ceiling was definitely not the way we drank). It's also the way prisoners eat, and how Spartans, Roman Soldiers and other historical warriors are portrayed (at least fictionally) as taking their meals (e.g., "Spartans! Ready your breakfast and eat hearty, for tonight we dine in Hell!").

I consider myself a fairly enlightened male, but I do have masculinity issues with "dieting." With No-S, such issues are non-existent. To me, saying "no" to dessert simply appears disciplined, whereas "I'll just have a salad" feels inherently feminine and could never pass my lips.

These views are obviously based on stereotypes and I'm in no way suggesting they are objectively correct. I agree with Over43 that "the division in 'gender' dieting comes more from advertising and gender politics than it does from good science," but these influences are strong, especially when thy comport with one's own experiences.

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Post by pd3 » Thu Jun 07, 2012 4:38 pm

Ditto what stack diesel said. Though how someone finds time to do 200 pushups a day is crazy.

for those also spiritually inclined, former soldier St. Ignatius has something similar to say in his "Rules for Eating" in his Spiritual Exercises.

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Post by Over43 » Fri Jun 08, 2012 6:26 am

>>>although Glass Ceiling was definitely not the way we drank<<<

If I had the time, and space, I'd share a story of my brother and his recon unit at dive school around Key West. It involved a lot of beer, bouncers, and my brother's squad of marines.
Bacon is the gateway meat. - Anthony Bourdain
You pale in comparison to Fox Mulder. - The Smoking Man

I made myself be hungry, then I would get hungrier. - Frank Zane Mr. Olympia '77, '78, '79

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Post by oolala53 » Sun Jun 10, 2012 9:17 pm

Over43, we've got the space if you've got the time.

I so agree with Reinhard about the sharing part of food, but it is a little harder when there are so many single households in the U.S now and with people working or taking classes in such a way that they are on their own. But being able to eat in your own little corner is a problem. It was one of the problems with intuitive eating, when it was considered a burden to have to eat with others if you weren't hungry. You were encouraged to just sit with a beverage. I think it is better to encourage us to sit with a beverage while others snack and train yourself to eat only enough at meals so that your hunger is there for the next one that you share with others.

I also agree that men and women should probably eat similarly in time. But I do think women have more pressures on them when they are raising children being around food more, being responsible for others' food, and possibly even having children pressure them to eat. One member here, a grandma, succumbed when her grandchild brought over a morning sweet roll that granddaughter was very adamant about sharing on the spot. What would grandpa have done? Grandma is trying to keep No S a secret for now. Not to say that women's choices about eating kids' leftovers and other random eating is right. Just that it's legitimately challenging.
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Post by Blithe Morning » Mon Jun 11, 2012 2:12 am

I have a former and active duty Marine. Active duty was home on predeployment leave at Christmas. He had a few other Marines over one evening. The next morning, I walked out of my bedroom and it was like walking into a wall of beer odor.

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Post by noni » Mon Jun 11, 2012 2:03 pm

oolala, I also got involved with intuitive eating now and then. I thought, "No way was I just going to sit with a drink while my family is eating the dinner I just cooked!" So I ate lightly at mealtime, especially breakfast and lunch, and ignored all hunger pangs between meals, and I was hungry at every meal...much like No S.

Unfortunately, it was the allowance of sweets that did me in. Also, the encouragement to stock pile all the wonderful tempting-to-me foods, so I won't feel deprived, knowing it's there when I need it. But I always needed it NOW!

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Post by oolala53 » Tue Jun 12, 2012 12:22 am

Oh, that stockpiling thing got me for years. I finally gave in when I saw Brian Wansink's work in Mindless Eating. Even thin people are affected by proximity. I do think it's true that we help heal overeating by consistently giving ourselves enough pleasurable eating experiences that we calm down about it, but we don't have to have all the food around us, especially as we retrain our appetites. Once again, No S is the wisdom!
Count plates, not calories. 11 years "during"
Age 69
BMI Jan/10-30.8
1/12-26.8 3/13-24.9 +/- 8-lb. 3 yrs
9/17 22.8 (flux) 3/18 22.2
2 yrs flux 6/20 22
1/21-23

There is no S better than Vanilla No S (mods now as a senior citizen)

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Re: No-S a "lady's" diet?

Post by NoelFigart » Thu Jun 21, 2012 11:22 am

I'm jumping in on this quite late, but I have to wonder if what is really meant is "lady" as in "to be a lady/gentleman in behavior".

Which, I suppose it rather is. Lady or gentleman. Cultured, anyway.
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My blog https://noelfigart.com/wordpress/ I talk about being a freelance writer, working out and cooking mostly. The language is not always drawing room fashion. Just sayin'.

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Post by oolala53 » Thu Jun 21, 2012 2:24 pm

Noel, good to hear from you!

You think they meant that we are "lady"-like? I know the civility of this board has been admired more than once.
Count plates, not calories. 11 years "during"
Age 69
BMI Jan/10-30.8
1/12-26.8 3/13-24.9 +/- 8-lb. 3 yrs
9/17 22.8 (flux) 3/18 22.2
2 yrs flux 6/20 22
1/21-23

There is no S better than Vanilla No S (mods now as a senior citizen)

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