One of my great passions!
I LOVE to eat.
BUT, unfortunately food can cause anxiety for some people.
These 'food issues' can range from the minor...
"If I open a packet of sweeties I have to finish them all, then I feel ill!"To the more serious...
Like being obsessed with the latest diets.
Or having eating habits that cause guilt and self loathing.
It seems so sad to me.
Food should bring us joy... it's one of life's great pleasures!
PLEASE NOTE: I'm not in anyway qualified to talk about mental illnesses such as anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa or binge eating disorder.
These diseases are not choices, or fads and I do not intend to mention them here... or indeed allude to them.
If I offend or upset anyone with this post I can only apologise.
This is intended as a bit of light hearted fun that you may (or may not) find interesting!
Lets (not) talk about diets
The D word.....Groan....Boring!!!Sometimes (when I'm at work) I can hear 5 different conversations all about the latest diet.
It's so exhausting to listen to, and just seems to make people miserable.
Some have been on a diet for 20 years, and never look any different.
What's the point of it all?
Well the point is that diets are BIG business.
HUGE in fact!
Diet clubs, books, courses and products are worth over $60 Billion in the US alone.
{Two Billion pounds in the teeny tiny UK.}
Someone is making a big pile of money out of other people's misery.
It's alright for you, you're a skinny b**ch!
Despite the title of this post, I certainly don't think of myself as a skinny person.{Although it's a label I've been given many times in my life.}
My body is 'normal' for my height.
(My BMI is 20)
I'm healthy... on paper at least!
But it's all relative, isn't it?
My friend put it really well...
"You're the skinniest (fully grown) person I know!"Hard to believe really.
But there it is.
A little Skinny Minny background....
So what makes me qualified to talk about maintaining a healthy weight then?Well, I've been (around) the same weight my whole adult life.
I'm 5'6" with a size 8-10 frame that has had the same proportions forever.
Apart from when I was pregnant of course!
I put on 4 stones each time I fell pregnant and felt great with the extra curves.
People often ask me how on earth I eat what I want and stay slim.
Which I don't mind at all.
{Although the answers are often not what they want to hear!}
When you have a slimmer build some people seem to think it's okay to pass comment on it.
Which is odd because they would never dream of making similar comments to someone who was overweight.
It's seems to be okay to say...
"Why are you so skinny?"BUT
"Why are you so fat?" makes people gasp.Why is one okay and not the other?
Both comments can hurt.
I must admit that some people's comments can be quite funny....
"You must have hollow legs, where do you put it all?"
"You must have a belly full of worms!"
"It's not fair.... why are you so skinny when you eat like a horse... lucky cow!"
Unfortunately, some people can be pretty nasty....
"So what you're skinny, it's not healthy is it?
"You're awfully scrawny looking!"
"Look at your legs!! They're SO thin and not in a good way."
(On being thin) "It's gross. Why don't you cover up your boney bits?"
"I bet you go home and throw up!"{I still can't quite believe that last one!}
Charming eh?
Luckily my skin is on the hippo side of the thickness scale... but what if it wasn't?
Recently, a friend of mine shared her lifelong battle with her weight.
She brought her issues all the way back to a time when she was very slim and she received some harsh comments (similar to the above) from people she cared about.
She subconsciously associated being 'fatter' with being accepted and loved.
Gaining weight to gain approval.
How heartbreaking is that?!
Why couldn't she be loved for who she was?
A throwaway comment can cut someone to the bone.
Personally, I couldn't give a toss if your a size 4 or a size 34... I only see the person I love to spend time with, who makes me laugh.
How different things could be if we all supported each other.
As I mentioned before, this post is supposed to be a bit of fun.
However, there is always a serious side to weight and health (especially as we get older) so I wanted to share what works for me.
Not necessarily to stay 'slim' BUT to maintain a steady weight and (more importantly) a positive attitude to food.
My 12 Secrets for Staying 'Skinny'
1. I NEVER EVER diet
I can't emphasise this enough.Food is always my friend.
Diets never seem to work in the long term.
Weight comes off, weight goes on.
Confidence is knocked and purses are emptied.
I'd rather spend my money on steak and shoes... not necessarily in that order!
2. No food is 'Good' or 'Bad'
I never feel guilty about food... ever.Being 'good' or 'bad' means nothing to me.
I was hungry and ate something that I enjoyed, that's all.
When people talk about having a 'good day' (usually involving starving themselves and feeling miserable) or a 'bad day' (involving chips, crisps, burgers and a family box of chocolates) I feel saddened.
What a way to live your life.
Food is there to be savoured and loved.
3. I eat what I want when I want
If I want a cake for breakfast I'll have it, guilt free.If I fancy curry and chips then I'll be having it, thank you!
Whatever takes my fancy.
If I'm in a rush I love to throw a microwave rice, a mix of salad (whatever is around) and tuna (out of a tin) in a big bowl.
All mixed together with a big squeeze of salad cream.
Not very cordon bleu but it's filling and tastes great!
4. I very rarely drink fizzy drinks, and would NEVER choose the diet option
Fizzy drinks leave me with belly ache and furry-feeling teeth.Diet drinks are not worth the bother, and SO bad for our bodies.
I'd rather a glass of water, wine, or a cup of tea!
If I could recommend only one change to your life it would be to ditch the fizzy juice.
You'll notice a big difference in, not only your figure, but how you feel inside... and your teeth with thank you too!
5. I choose full fat every time!
I never eat 'diet' ANYTHING.In fact I actively avoid any low fat options.
I'd rather go without.
{Don't even get me started on low fat fruit flavoured yoghurt.....shudder... it's full of crap. Sorry, but there's no other way to put it.}
I love meat, cheese, eggs, real yoghurt, butter, pasta, bread, chips, crisps & nuts.
Worrying about fat content is something I never do.
FAT doesn't make you fat.... it's the hidden sugars (to make up for the loss of flavour that fat provides) that piles on the pounds.
Stick to real food, your body will thank you.
6. I almost always cook from scratch
As a family we hardly ever eat processed food.The main reason is that it's much cheaper to feed a family of 6 when cooking from scratch.
Plus, it tastes much better and the chef gets to sample the goods en route!
I always cook with plenty of oil, butter and salt (as required)....never scrimping on flavour.
Good wholesome ingredients win every time.
My favourite meal is a rich chilli con carne with all of the trimmings!
{Grated cheese, sour cream, guacamole, garlic breads, a cold beer and plenty of salad.... yummy!}
Take aways are also a rare event for us.
They are SO expensive and not practical for 6 people.
Having said that, when I do eat a take-out it's a no-holds-barred-mega-feast. Eating until I can't move.
Treats are to be enjoyed!
{Although, I do get a carbohydrate hangover and a big puffy face in the morning!}
7. I don't eat ice cream
I just don't like it... it's too cold, too sweet and makes me feel a bit sick.
I'd choose the cheese board if we were out for dinner (yum!).
8. I love tea!
Tea is like amber nectar to me and I drink gallons of the 'builders' variety.Strong with only a dash of milk.
I also love black coffee...extra strong... but only one cup a day.
9. I eat chocolate EVERYDAY.
Sometimes lots, sometimes a small bar.I always feel good about it.
10. I don't really like fruit, and don't eat much.
I try and eat a banana every now and again, or an apple, but I'd rather a plate of veggies any day!11. I don't like gum.
Chewing gum makes me hungry and gives me a belly ache, plus I hate the smell of it.I'm not sure why, but it reminds me of masking bad breath! 😜
12. I self-regulate.
If I eat BIG one day I tend not to the next, but it's never a conscious effort.My body just tells me not to bother.
For example, after a salty take-out and a couple of beers I will crave salad, fish and a glass of water.
It's swings and roundabouts as far as calories are concerned and my body seems to know what it needs.
I trust it and just do what I'm told!
Tonight I had chicken curry, rice, Naan and a glass of wine... Followed by a few sweeties and my usual bit of chocolate.
Now all I want is a big glass of water!
I'd love to be able to share with you an easy trick that keeps me slim but, there is no magic wand to wave.
It's just basic science... I don't eat more than I need, and if I feast one day I don't tend to want to do it the next.
No rocket science involved.
{Although ditching the fizzy drinks is a great place to start! 😙}
I know this is a very contentious issue, so I'd love to hear your opinion!
What is your relationship with food like?
Do you ever feel guilty about eating certain things?
Have you ever been on a diet?
Are you still on a diet?
Please share your thoughts on this topic in the comments... or drop me an email at samantha44blair(at)gmail.com if you would rather keep things private.
I'll happily answer any questions you may have!
