In answer to Michele's question the other day re: caloric content, I
lost a considerable amount of weight following a VLF diet (52 pounds in
about a year). My family plagued me continuously because they thought I
would just continue to lose weight and get skinnier and skinnier (oh, I
wish!! <g>). They were concerned that I was becoming anorexic. I found
that pointing out the quanitity of food I was eating helped relieve
their fears and I always made it a point to eat a large amount of food
where my mom could see me so she'd quit worrying. Anyway, I got down to
about 110 pounds (I'm 5'1'' tall) and just stopped losing weight. I eat
when I'm hungry, and I eat as much as I want. I exercise daily. Since
then (about a year later), I have gained a little bit back (maybe 5
pounds) probably due to a bit of "cheating" on my part and a bit less
vigorous exercise. I don't think you can go wrong with the idea that
you just eat when you're hungry as much as you want and don't overload
on sweet stuff. (Snackwells will make you fat!! )
As far as SAD families are concerned, I have lived through 2 holiday
seasons like this and it can be a problem. I try to take something I
can eat. I eat before I go so I'm not hungry. Then I take small
portions of stuff, and will even put m**t on my plate if I absolutely
have to to keep from offending some older relative who just wouldn't
understand (and in a situation where it's just not worth the hassle to
get into it). Then I proceed to pick at my food without comment and
push it about on the plate. If there is a casserole, I will pick out
the veggies if they exist, eat a few noodles. For a typical
Thanksgiving dinner, I would eat lots of rice, vegetables if they are
served, salad (I bring my own dressing). Sometimes, in desperation, I
have had to just go ahead and eat a small serving of something that
contains a lot of fat and I know it. (I have to be really careful,
though, because you're right, it will make you sick if you get too
much). I didn't die and I didn't gain a bunch of weight from it. I've
found, though, that the less said about it the better. Nobody wants to
hear about the way you eat unless they are really interested. The rest
of the folks resent it, and somehow feel that you are criticizing their
eating habits. There was a thread about this last year about holiday
time, and the best advice I got from that was to just do what I needed
to do, not make any comment about it, push food around on my plate and
pick at it, and eat before you go.
Sally
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