If everyone's dieting/eating healthy who is eating the rest?

amother

Sun, Jan 22 2023, 9:33 am

I almost gave up hope

We have fat genes

Me
my husband
my kids

so my kids aren't obese but I am and I HATE IT

I'm just too stressed out to bother making any concrete changes and that makes me hate myself more

Honestly, though I think we don't have the worst eating habits so I'm not sure why we're fatter than e/o else

basically we
eat cereal/milk [red cover] for breakfast
or a cereal bar

I eat two pieces of cake and coffee

I'll have a bagel two eggs and either fried or raw veg for brunch

a yogurt
or a bag of potato chips

then I'll eat supper
a protein starch and vegetables

shabbos we eat
challah fish tomatodip chickensoup/pasta in it chicken/kugel/ferfel
we drink a sweet drink at the seuda
we give e/o a jelly ring or a marshmallow with a handful of em&ems after cleanup

we eat fish tomato dip eggs liver chicken cholent and potato kugel in the am with a sweet drink

everyone has a slice or two of cake either in the early am or right after kidush

I give a snack and two noshes for oneg shabbos

shalosh seudas is usually just a small challah roll with tuna

melave malka same - a small challah roll or matza with eggs or cheese

According to what I see in the groceries.....
who is buying all the chocolates noshes spread cookies cakes etc
if everyone is seemingly skinnier and healthier

I'd love to know what a regular week of eating looks like in your house

amother

Sun, Jan 22 2023, 9:45 am

I seriously want to hear how I can feasibly change this without feeling like I inhabit an alternate universe or that I'm a made of different stock or that I'm a species from a different planet who cant
consume what everyone else can

[this means that I'm inviting suggestions]

Does anyone else feel like me?
the food culture we're surrounded with is just so....all consuming [punintended]
in the magazines
in the supermarkets
the restaurants
the bakeries
the simchas
the other community events
the food keeps beckoning at every turn

amother

Moccasin

Sun, Jan 22 2023, 9:48 am

Do you exercise? You can eat healthily all you want but some people do not lose weight only from their diet. They have to pair it with cardio, strength training, etc as well.

Also I see from your menu that you're missing a lot of produce, like salads/veggie sides at the Shabbos seuda. Are you adding celery to your tuna, or slices of cucumber to your bagel with egg? Maybe an apple with lunch? What are your dips made of? Are many of them mayo based? (It's ok to have one or two mayo based dips for Shabbos. But I've seen some families only have mayo based dips on the table, so mayo + challah = very heavy and calorie rich)

amother

Beige

Sun, Jan 22 2023, 9:50 am

To answer your question: I have a huge drawer of candy for the kids, but nothing in it other than black licorice ever appeals to me. My kids are thin, and they eat lots of fresh fruits and veggies that I serve with meals, so I don’t mind if they have candy throughout the day.

To answer your unasked question: do you truly believe that a few pieces of cake is a healthy breakfast? Why don’t you want to start the day without spiking your blood sugar, and with some filling protein?

Rappel

Sun, Jan 22 2023, 9:50 am

Our menus aren't that different. DH and I are slightly overweight right now; our kids are very fit, bli ayin hara.

Kids:

Breakfast is cornflakes and almond milk if I don't have energy to make anything properly (no cows milk - does bad things to all of us)

They go off to school with two sandwiches (tehina and silan), and a fruit/veggie of their choice.

Lunch is at 2 pm, and is any of a variety of hot meals.

Snacks are veggies and fruits left out on a platter on the table.

Dinner is varied, but simple - example, veggies and bread dipped in tehina.

Periodically theyll have junk food like pretzels or chips, but that's usually oneg Shabbat, not day to day.
-----

Adults -
Skip breakfast. May have tea or something light to drink.

Mid-morning: coffee.

Lunch time: eggs and salad and tehina

Snack: fruits and veggies

Dinner: whatever we serve the kids

Everyone drinks water throughout the day.

Shabbat:
Night- challah, salatim, soup, protein, vegetables, tea
Day: challah, salatim, homemade cheeses from our neighbour, fruit salad/platter
Lehitaneg: the kids get snacks and snack bags for learning Torah on Shabbat
Seudat shelishit: challah, tehina, leftovers

-----

Do I make cookies and treats for my kids? Sure. But one batch can last us two weeks, since we usually put them out when they have friends over. Otherwise, I'll send one or two with them in a baggie to school, in addition to their fruit.

amother

Currant

Sun, Jan 22 2023, 9:56 am

Can you replace the bagel with whole wheat toasted bread?also instead of cake for snack. I'd recommend cheese stick and crackers? Popcorn?

We pretty much eat the same otherwise. (I stick to neutral cereals)

I feel good when I eat that.

Something I try to do, but don't live to do, is eat a salad or vegetable in addition to my lunch.... But it takes time finding what I like

amother

Milk

Sun, Jan 22 2023, 9:57 am

2 pcs of cake and a bagel are def excessive every day.

This is my day and I think I’m pretty normal- I don’t eat a small amount and I weigh 140lbs at 5’5”

Breakfast- eggs or cereal and milk (blue) or nugo bar
Lunch- 2 ww bread with grilled cheese or turkey sandwich or slice of pizza
Snack - healthy muffin or oatmeal or pretzels or popcorn
Supper- grilled chicken salad or chicken in ww pita or turkey either in salad or pita, sweet potatoes if I’m not having the bread

amother

Sun, Jan 22 2023, 9:59 am

on the day-to-day it's not a bagel - it's whole wheat bread but because I will not keep back from eating a bagel if I chance on it - I wrote it so it's as truthful as possible

also we eat honey nut oats or rice crispies - no sugar cereals
my kids eat the oolah bars or the kedem crunchy bars

the tomato dip is homemade with oil

ok - which salads are 'shabbosdig'?

why I eat cake with coffee? you're right
anything else requires time and effort
not excusing myself - just saying

ok
so practically speaking

please tell me which vegetables your kids eat and how you prepare it and for which meal
I really want to learn
signed..someone who learned what many vegetables are AFTER MARRIAGE

amother

Holly

Sun, Jan 22 2023, 9:59 am

tichellady wrote:

I don't think all adults have cake and bagels everyday. I'm not saying you shouldn't eat those things and that if you didn't eat those things you would be thin, I am just being honest. I also don't think everyone is dieting. none of my friends are dieting

Right. Most people I know/ socialize with will eat cake occasionally, like shabbos kiddush, but don’t have it around during the week. I probably have a bagel once every few months (it’s the highest calorie bread choice).

I don’t consider myself to be on a diet- I usually have eggs/ cheese/ wrap for breakfast, ideally with either cucumber or tomato. Apple and yogurt + granola or a salad with quinoa for lunch. A coffee and maybe snack bag/ 2 chocolate squares if I need a boost. Then protein and veggies for dinner. I serve a carb for dinner but usually don’t need it at that point. I am not very skinny - I think people that are either have a great metabolism, naturally smaller appetite or stricter habits- but I’m definitely slim.

I also work out and have a salad at each meal shabbos at a minimum.

amother

Bottlebrush

Sun, Jan 22 2023, 10:01 am

Well you are eating cake and bagels every day. For me, those are very triggering foods and just make me hungrier. I'll eat them as treats or if I'm on the road and there's nothing else....but definitely not in the house every day.

My kids eat snacks like everyone else but I also leave out cut up pears/apples on table and make sure there is always fruit in the fruit bowl.

I stock up on Avocados so there are always ripe ones available and if I'm randomly hungry I'll eat half with olive oil and spice. Very filling and healthy fat

Etc etc

amother

Caramel

Sun, Jan 22 2023, 10:01 am

People are genetically different and have different metabolisms.

I was fed up with my weight so I decided to change the foods we eat. I basically added protein to every meal I eat. I have a protein shake in the morning. For lunch I'll have a wrap or salad with chicken or tuna or another protein. Dinner is protein and carb and lots of veggies. For snacks, I'll have a huge vegetable plate or fruit or string cheese or nuts or popcorn.

I try not to eat after dinner. I drink tons of water. I don't eat larger portion sizes. I try to do at least 5 minutes of exercise per day - a plank and some crunches or squats so I don't lose muscle. There are apps with 7 minute workouts and tons of 10 minute workouts on YouTube.

You don't need to do this. I used to think I'd rather eat the chocolate/ice cream/cookies and I don't mind if I'm fat. Then unfortunately I weighed more than I ever weighed. I had no energy and was always tired. I hated how I looked and felt.

My goal isn't the number on the scale. It is to feel healthy and strong. To have energy and not feel sluggish all the time. After eating this way for awhile, it got easier. I started enjoying real healthy meals. I realized that I felt lighter and more energetic. Heavy carb meals made me tired. I will still eat pizza, lasagna when I really want it but I only crave that stuff rarely.

You have to want to change. If not that is ok too. This isn't about what everyone else is eating or how they look. You need to want to feel healthy for yourself.

If you actually want to change, I highly recommend reading the shift 7 powerful mindset changes for lasting weight loss and the book atomic habits. 80-90% of people who diet will gain their weight back. If you don't want to struggle the rest of your life, you need to change your mindset. People who do this are the only ones who are successful in keeping weight off. Diets don't work. You need to look at this as a lifestyle change for life.

I didn't used to care. Only self motivation worked. It's ok to be happy with your body size and eat how you want. If you do want to change, I have many useful tips.

amother

Forsythia

Sun, Jan 22 2023, 10:03 am

Try switching the sweet drink for seltzer if kids want sweet add bit of grape juice. My in laws have fat genes but then they all drink soda every day and all week and food portions are larger my dh dropped 20 lbs once we got married my dd wld for sure be much rounder (she’s on the chubbier side) if I let soda in and in general I cook healthy-ish we buy 2-3 special things on shabbos definitely not buying the ridiculous display of sweets and candy platters shown in the stores. All the kids including the skinny ones eat 1 cookie in a day that is if they remember to notice the cookie jar - if they’re hungry still I encourage them to eat more protein