How fat is obese?

moolie

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I've been reading along but pretty much unable to contribute, because I've really never in my life encountered these kinds of eating habits. I feel horrible thinking of what people are doing to themselves, and I really had absolutely no idea that this kind of thing was "normal".

I grew up on home made food (and feed my own family the same)-- my Mom made home baked bread, we made our own school lunch sandwiches with leftover home-cooked meat with real cheese/lettuce/tomatoes (my Dad loved Velveeta so we occasionally had that around but we always had real cheeses in the fridge), we ate balanced meals with protein/veggies/starch--mostly meat and potatoes with veggies or salad but often casserole dishes like lasagne or shepherd's pie, breakfast was often oatmeal porridge or poached/scrambled eggs with buttered toast--no "sugary" cereals (it was Shreddies or Cheerios or Rice Krispies or nothing if we actually had cereal in the house), and we never had soda/pop or any junk food whatsoever--treats were home-baked cookies or brownies except at Halloween and the odd special occasion.

And we never in our lives pulled down the loads of Halloween candy our kids got while trick-or-treating when they were little (we always gave most of theirs away because they'd still be eating it years later if we hadn't). During my childhood the only times I ever saw "junk food" were at Christmas when my grandparents would put out a bowl of ripple potato chips with onion dip, or the occasional box of Smarties (Canadian Smarties are a bit like flat pastel-coloured M&Ms but better tasting) on the odd occasions when my Dad would do the grocery shopping rather than my Mom--and my brother and I had to share the box (flat, rectangular, palm-sized). We hardly ate in restaurants and usually ordered chocolate milk rather than pop because we liked it better--and there were no fried "chicken fingers" on the "kids menu" back then, it was spaghetti bolognaise or a hamburger or grilled cheese sandwich from what I can recall.

I don't personally know anyone who eats like what's been described above. I obviously know plenty of people who eat way more pre-packaged foods and more highly processed foods than we do, but I honestly don't personally know anyone who doesn't eat/serve their kids salads/veggies or balanced meals.

And as for kids, if ours didn't eat what was put in front of them, they ate it at the next meal. I'm no short-order cook and I don't cater, kids won't starve themselves, and need far less food than people might think--depending on where they are in their growth spurts.
 

me&thegals

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FarmerChick said:
oh man that was my hubby with the heartburn pills. I finally got rid of those and he is eating better.


he was on prescrip stuff at first. expensive

then I weaned him off those (and saved money to boot) and got him onto tums or zantac..... finally I got him off that!!


I tell ya it is so simple to prevent heartburn yet I bet it is a (how many) BILLION dollar industry. unreal literally and I laugh about people sucking down those pills.



you got me laughing gals! your MIL and BIL on heartburn pills and they won't eat the right foods to correct it....lol...it is mindboggling to the max :)
In my birth family, if there's something the body can't handle (gluten for my mom, acid foods for my dad), they strictly and faithfull avoid them. Meds are NOT the first answer in my family, so it is amazing to me how much it is for other people.

When we went to Mexico, we asked DH's family if they wanted anything from there (thinking of vanilla, for example). MIL wanted as many antibiotics as we could get. I am not kidding. I lied and swore we had never been close to a pharmacy.
 

me&thegals

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so lucky said:
If you watch network TV, you can see where the big money is being spent regarding meds. Obesity, depression, heartburn, constipation, impotence, the common cold, type 2 diabetes, arthritis and allergies. I'm sure I am missing some important ones---oh yes, headache and insomnia.
ALL of which can be greatly improved or cured by APPROPRIATE DIET!!!
Will the AMA admit this? No. It would cost the medical profession and the drug industry WAY too much $$ to tell the truth. Not to mention what the artificial foodstuff industry would lose. So we have to be even more vocal about spreading the truth.
There is SO much money in pharmaceuticals.

And non-water drinks (or bottled water).

And junk food. You take about 2 cents of corn and turn it into a $3 bag of chips or $4 box of cereal. Same with soy. Our food system is an absolute monstrosity, and since spending more time with other people while they're eating, I've been SHOCKED to see how badly people actually eat. Like not getting ANY nutrients, even by accident.
 

FarmerChick

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Antibiotics? that is what they asked for? you got me cracking up again Gals. geez......that is wild. I know I would never have brought them back either. for anyone.



yea hubbys family are full of diabetics who won't eat properly to literally save their life. his mom has shots. eats everything from fast food to tons and tons of white bread and more junk. unreal. hubby was a huge bad eater. I got him more and more straightened out and have lately been more on him to cut foods. (like stopping for a burger etc) he just doesn't need it and I am finally seeing results in his choices of better foods.

I told hubby we are heading into the 50s now and I want a healthy retirement. We are not giong to harm our bodies anymore than we have to and food control is very very important. he is understanding now. he even is commenting on better choices he is making :)
I created a good monster LOL


but his family is all medical. all pills. all some kind of pill to pop to fix something. heaven forbid they take responsibility. easier to buy the pill.

my family is like yours. we fix ourselves. we find the solution before pills and other situations kick in. we bike, we hike, we swim, we move. we live healthy.



so many don't do that anymore. simple as move and eat good.
 

FarmerChick

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man talk about potatoe chips.

haven't bought them in a long time. we camped last week and I went to buy a bag of chips for lunch and to snack on.

Lays were like $4.89 a bag. WT*? when did they get so expensive? needless to say I didn't get them.

but Fritos were buy one get one and I bought one at 1/2 price. one was enough for hubby and kiddo for camping.


I hardly go down that snack aisle anymore. when I did and saw the chip prices I was floored.



yea, people are obese and starving their bodies literally.
 

Wannabefree

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Sounds like mine and DH's family :rolleyes: we do still eat chips, and ice cream at times, but we eat LOTS of good stuff too. I make my own "junk food" without it being such "junk" in my food :lol: I think balance is necessary. we could not ever eat anything "bad," but then what would be the fun in that!? We all maintain a pretty healthy weight, and do avoid foods that cause issues, but the occasion splurge on crap is allowed....chips, homemade cookies, homemade ice cream, etc. At least we know what's going in our junk...who knows with the store garbage? :hu I do buy Haagen Dazs from time to time as well, because the ingredient list is NOT extensive, and it is in plain English unlike some other stuff :lol:
 

FarmerChick

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oh yea everyone at some point is going to have some crappola. :lol:


I do try to find the best 'crap' for the dollar tho. if I gotta have some junk I try to pick better junk ---I know, crazy to try to find good junk. but hey, we all are going to snack on smething junky at smoe time.


I buy little debbies etc for my kiddo. they are portioned out tho. no free for alls on the junk
 

Denim Deb

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Yep, moderation is the key. I will buy some junk, but it's rare. For instance, I don't buy them now cuz Hostess went out of business, but I liked Ho Hos. But I also knew that if I bought them, I'd eat the whole box in a very short period of time. So, I very rarely bought them, or if I did buy them, I'd just buy a snack sized pack.
 

FarmerChick

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yea Deb snack size individual packages is good. keeps it controlled.

I do that when travelling. buy the individual packs of things and that way we get a bit but don't have to worry about inhaling the whole box in a day :)
I sure can do that with something I love
 

Wannabefree

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Snack cakes are sooooo sugary I can't eat them :sick But, yeah, if not for my kids little debbie addictions, we'd have had them around a bit more often for quick stuff. I think that's the part I miss the most.....convenience :hide
 
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