confessions of a post-holiday carbaholic

[Carbaholic]

Re: confessions of a post-holiday carbaholic

yeah, there was quite a high incidence of larger customers at these places, but also, I saw so many women with amazingly good figures - of all ages. So it is completely possible

[not2late]

Re: confessions of a post-holiday carbaholic

Oh, I'm not saying that people with normal body weight do not exist in the US, because they do....and are slowly becoming the minority. But take for example the area I live in. It's more or less in the Baltimore-Washington DC area. Whenever you see news clips of the "locals", they are usually clips of folks walking in the downtown area in their business suits, etc. They usually aren't overweight. Ditto for the clips of the people at the beach areas of this place: fit, slim, etc. BUT in reality for every slim person there is an overweight or frankly obese person walking in downtown or at the beach. With a Starbucks, McDonald's, Baskin Robbins, Dunkin' Donuts, Rita's, etc. on almost every street corner, it's not surprizing---at all.

Food is everywhere. If you walk into any supermarket in the US, there is at least 1 entire aisle devoted to snacks like potato chips, at least 1 entire aisle devoted to cookies and crackers, at least 1 aisle devoted to fruit juices. Every gas station with a convenience mart has aisles of cookies, chips, etc.

Even here in the semi-rural area I live there are increasingly more overweight-obese people than there are normal weight people. And the school? My gosh----at least 1/2 of the kids at the bus stop are overweight for their ages.

So there's alot of incentive in the US to stay away or at least moderate intake of certain foods, imo---just take a good look at all the people around you. I'm not sure if the problem is as severe in other countries, but it is here. I mean, you know something is definitely wrong when a couple of years ago they were thinking about having all the seats in the Metro (the DC subway and bus system) enlarged from something like 18 inches in width to 24 inches because customers were complaining the seats were too small.

Sorry, I know what I've written sounds very critical and very harsh, but it's the truth. Obesity has sky-rocketed in the US over the last 10 years. We all have a choice to make: either be part of the obesity statistic or contribute to decreasing that statistic. I see a good reason to stay on my course everytime I walk outside my house.

[k5commando]

Re: confessions of a post-holiday carbaholic

While I think we're all bingers in some way, I think it needs to be controlled. I understand the feeling of not wanting to be a "spoil sport" with everyone else eating all the usual junk, but I usually get over it real quick. After all, its the junk that made me fat and I hated that fat feeling so much that now I couldn't care less what other people think! I've found that there are very few places aside from doughnut shops and ice cream shops that you can't find something that's good and still fits into the plan on the first three rungs at least. The best thing about Atkins is that when you do it right and stop eating the junk, the cravings go away. I was one of the worst ice cream addicts you could imagine, so I know what I'm talking about!

Don't beat yourself up about it, just remember that it's those binges on junk food that got you where you don't want to be.

As far as your question about when to hit the scale, I'm on it every day. It really keeps me focused. If my numbers start to climb I really watch the carbs that day or push a little harder at the gym. Fat creeps up slowly, and weighing every week or more would be real hard for me. I can put on 10 lbs before my pants fit tighter. That's too much fluctuation for me. Better just never to let it get to that point.

[Carbaholic]

Re: confessions of a post-holiday carbaholic

not2late - I don't think that your observations are harsh at all, just honest.
Maybe I am only focusing on the slim-jims as I am so damn jealous!!

The situation in the UK is getting just as bad, a lot of the people I see in the street, although not morbidly obese, are a bit chubbier around the waist than they probably are happy with - and we know where that comes from! Fast-food, and particularly our notorious 'binge-drinking' reputation will really start to take it's toll - we have an alarming incidence of heart disease, I believe Scotland has the highest in Europe: may be something to do with the 'deep-fried Mars bars...

Going back to what some other guys were saying about california having quite a high level of obesity despite being considered a mecca for health food freaks - it does seem at odds that you have this epidemic of obesity in the US and other parts of the world, and also, in general people are bigger than they were 30 years ago: and yet there runs parallel an absolute obsession for [women especially] with getting super-skinny, and trying to get into smaller and smaller sizes, such as the 00 size. I don't know which is the least of two sins...

I remember about 10 years back, when the original supermodels abounded, Cindy, Claudia, Christy, Naomi et al, that the target size for wanabe supermodels was a size 10-12 (US size 6-8, I think), and then remember the outcry when Kate Moss arrived on the scene, dubbed 'anorexic' and 'heroin-chic', the fashion began to turn to skinnier and skinner models, so that today the target size is a size 0 or 00 - and this is just in a matter of 10 years!
In the article abuot clothes sizing, it mentioned that looking back at Elizabeth Hurley in her famous Versace gown back then, she looks a bit chunky in comparison with the headline grabbers of today!

Another bug to bear is when I read that someone is 'curvy': blatant euphemism for 'could lose a few pounds' in fashion magazine-speak.
I have even read articles that have talked about Giselle's 'curves' and how Cameron Diaz eats cheeseburgers to keep her 'curvy' figure...... What???!!! These women are about a size 6 at most (US 2) - how on earth could they be described as curvy?

[not2late]

Re: confessions of a post-holiday carbaholic

About being "curvy".....Hello? We're women! We have hips. We have breasts. We don't have the figure of a 12 year old boy---no hips, no breasts.

If you take a good look at those thin actresses, they have no or very little hips and they have no or very little breasts. In other words, they have a very boyish figure. Or if they go the opposite route, they get humongous breast implants and look like 12 year old boys with basketballs under their shirts.

I think we should start trying to be happy being women with curvy womanly figures (hips and breasts), than trying to regain the figure we had when we were 5 years old.

I think the obsession with the stick-thin figure stems from the media's image of "beauty". Again, I don't think adult women should have figures reminiscent of 12 year old boys or 5 year old girls. But there is a slightly pedophilic aspect to this trend, imo.

[bluerain324]

Re: confessions of a post-holiday carbaholic

This has happened to me each time i've gone out of town over night. I've been off the wagon since last Sunday, and i'm due for TOM, so i'm really feeling the difference. I'll be starting back tomorrow. Sure, we feel guilty when this happens, but sometimes it just isn't possible. I personally couldn't do it living out of a hotel room for 3 days Time is time, it passes regardless, we can change stuff back whenever we get the chance.

[Carbaholic]

Re: confessions of a post-holiday carbaholic

NOT2LATE - I think you make some very good points there about the boyish figures of the celebrities adorning the magazines!

[Carbaholic]

Re: confessions of a post-holiday carbaholic

....sorry bout that, I had to go on lunch!!

I agree with you entirely!! It has dawned on me lately, that objectively, these women I have been trying to emulate have the figures on teenage boys and the strange thing is, I don't even really like their figures - what the **** am I doing to myself - strange masochistic girl! I think the celebrity whose figure I most admire is Scarlett Johanssen (?spelling?) - she has a gorgeous soft-looking hourglass figure. I wonder how long before the hollywood machine gives her a 'makeover' which sees her losing 20 unnecessary pounds, like Hilary Duff did.
I also figure that the girls in the mags: Paris, Lindsay Lohan, Olsen twins, Keira Knightley, Mischa Barton and Nicole Richie - not only are must they be under massive pressure to be skinny from the general viewing public, but also from each other - there seems to be a fierce almost incestuous rivalry and competition as to who can be skinniest (and who can date each others guys - weirdly), and at their kind of ages, girls are at their most bitchy and their self-image and esteem is weak.

I admire women that look like women - Scarlett, Mariah, Beyonce, Shakira, J-Lo - these women look great - slim, curvy and not like they've been working out solidly for 10 years: imo, I don't like that really sinewy, overly muscular look that a lot of hollywood seems to go for.

[Jerzaka]

Re: confessions of a post-holiday carbaholic

I also figure that the girls in the mags: Paris, Lindsay Lohan, Olsen twins, Keira Knightley, Mischa Barton and Nicole Richie

Otherwise known as, lollipop heads.

[not2late]

Re: confessions of a post-holiday carbaholic

Carbaholic, look at the movie stars from the 1930s through 1960s: Elizabeth Taylor, Marilyn Monroe, Betty Grable, Ingrid Bergman, Sophia Loren. You wouldn't mistake any of them for boys! They weren't the boy-women you see on magazines nowadays. They weren't overweight, but they were definitely curvy.

So, don't be self-conscious or feel inferior that you have curves---you're an adult woman, and you're supposed to look like an adult woman, not like a 12 year old boy!

[Jerzaka]

Re: confessions of a post-holiday carbaholic

Lets not forget the women that are portrayed in movies to be masculine. The Lara Croft's Tomb Raider, Kill Bill and Charlie Angels to name a few. It really makes me wonder what the boys that are growing up now will WANT in a woman as they move forward, if they end up wanting woman at all. <shrug>

[Carbaholic]

Re: confessions of a post-holiday carbaholic

Yep - it is a little troubling to think of the psychology of men who find very fragile-looking, young boyish girls and women attractive