[seebaruk]

Wow, wish I could cook. I'm addicted to Hot & Spicy Chicken Breaststeaks at the moment, Iceland's finest. And only a quid for 4, bargain!

[natalia]

Right now I'm drinking some overly sweet coffee, blech.

[Intrepid Homoludens]

Beer. Some brand called Mirror Pond. Not bad at all, nice finish.

[Sage]

I'm leaning towards a meatball sub, as the catfish, brussell sprouts, and pinto beans I had for lunch are all gone.

[RLacey]

I've eaten about ten 2-finger Kit Kats, a couple of packets of Ready Salted crisps and a Cox apple...

[Intrepid Homoludens]

Originally Posted by Thrift Store Scott

I'm leaning towards a meatball...

< dirty mind >



I couldn't figure out wot to make for dinner. Guess I'll just make spicy Indonesian stir fry ground beef with shiitake mushrooms and onions again, but instead of lettuce I'll use steamed rice. If big R doesn't wanna eat it when he gets home from teaching class later, too bad! He can just have his leftover kung pao chicken/beef/shrimp from last night's dinner out. But he'll eat whatever I cook anyway, he'll be too tired to be a brat about it.

Originally Posted by Robsie

I've eaten about ten 2-finger Kit Kats...

You Brits have such delicious Kit Kats. My sister returned from her European trip a few weeks ago and sent me some from London. Soooo good. American Kit Kats are crap compared.

[seebaruk]

Originally Posted by Intrepid Homoludens

You Brits have such delicious Kit Kats. My sister returned from her European trip a few weeks ago and sent me some from London. Soooo good. American Kit Kats are crap compared.

Mmm, Kit Kats. Never had one in America so can't compare, but I'm not a fan of American chocolate. European stuff is so damn good. You guys do make up for it with stuff like Wendy's though. I love those greasy fatty burgers so much

[Intrepid Homoludens]

Originally Posted by seebaruk

Mmm, Kit Kats. Never had one in America so can't compare, but I'm not a fan of American chocolate.

Nor should you be a fan. American chocolate is shit. American sweets for that matter. All of it is wasted on waaaaaaaaaaay too much sugar and artificial flavours. It's literally eating chemicals and fillers, and you never really taste anything real.

European stuff is so damn good.

The dairy in Europe is exquisite, and the cocoa quality is true. It all really boils down to the soil, I think.

You guys do make up for it with stuff like Wendy's though. I love those greasy fatty burgers so much

Though very delicious, much of the standard American cuisine is fattening and high in cholesterol. But that's actually not the problem. The problem is that American portions per serving are HUGE, and many Americans are greedy in how they eat (i.e. 'supersized'). Comparably, French cuisine is very rich and fattening, too, but the difference is that the portions served are smaller, and the French have a different psycho-cultural relationship to food.

[seebaruk]

Originally Posted by Intrepid Homoludens

The problem is that American portions per serving are HUGE, and many Americans are greedy in how they eat (i.e. 'supersized').

You're definitely right there. A 'regular' Maccy D's meal in the US is the same size as the large here in England, and Super-Size is just ridiculous. Plus the chips always seem a lot saltier over there.

[natalia]

Originally Posted by Intrepid Homoludens

Though very delicious, much of the standard American cuisine is fattening and high in cholesterol. But that's actually not the problem. The problem is that American portions per serving are HUGE, and many Americans are greedy in how they eat (i.e. 'supersized'). Comparably, French cuisine is very rich and fattening, too, but the difference is that the portions served are smaller, and the French have a different psycho-cultural relationship to food.

This is so true. After having a two-week vacation in France where we ate out every single day at fantastic restaurants, I lost a pound (also because we walked everywhere). After we stayed 2 and half weeks in Hawaii and ate out everyday, I'm sure I gained 5 pounds.

It was crazy, we would go to expensive restaurants in Hawaii where the only complaint by reviewers was that the portions were on the smallish side and I was always astounded by the huge portions that they actually served. I mean who's complaining that this huge plate filled to the edge with food is too small?

[Tobbe]

I´d like to eat now, but I´m stuck here with you, damn you guys!
No, just kidding, I´m so eager reading all new posts so can´t help it, just have to eat later..

[Hammerite]

I'm eating a lot of double chocolate chip cookies.
BTW, the whole massive new wave of forumites posting spree appears to have ended.

[Intrepid Homoludens]

Tonight I made spicy curry chicken in coconut milk with potatoes, onions, and peppers, served over steamed rice. Turned out great.

Originally Posted by natalia

This is so true. After having a two-week vacation in France where we ate out every single day at fantastic restaurants, I lost a pound (also because we walked everywhere). After we stayed 2 and half weeks in Hawaii and ate out everyday, I'm sure I gained 5 pounds.

Interesting. But didn't you do a lot of hiking in Hawaii?

It was crazy, we would go to expensive restaurants in Hawaii where the only complaint by reviewers was that the portions were on the smallish side and I was always astounded by the huge portions that they actually served. I mean who's complaining that this huge plate filled to the edge with food is too small?

No kidding. Here in the U.S. we have all these all-you-eat chains. There's a New China Buffet nearby, but big R and I never go there. It makes him sick to his stomach seeing all these overweight or downright obese families going for seconds and even thirds, piling their plates so high. Sheesh, I can't even eat everything on my plate and that's the only serving for me and I make sure I don't get too much of anything. Seriously, I lose my appetite seeing so many Americans gorging themselves .

I don't think there are [m]any all-you-can-eat chains in Europe, Asia, and South American countries. We Americans have such a different relationship with food than the rest of the world.

[Sage]

Originally Posted by Intrepid Homoludens

Tonight I made spicy curry chicken in coconut milk with potatoes, onions, and peppers, served over steamed rice. Turned out great.

Do I smell masaman, or was yours more spicy than the norm?

Here in the U.S. we have all these all-you-eat chains. There's a New China Buffet nearby, but big R and I never go there. It makes him sick to his stomach seeing all these overweight or downright obese families going for seconds and even thirds, piling their plates so high. Sheesh, I can't even eat everything on my plate and that's the only serving for me and I make sure I don't get too much of anything. Seriously, I lose my appetite seeing so many Americans gorging themselves .

Aside from how much you eat, what you eat is as, if not more, important in a buffet situation. Go for the veggies with little or no sauces, green ones when possible. Pick meats that are broiled or charbroiled rather than baked or fried, and go with fish if it's available. Just say "No thank you" to the buttery yeast rolls, and avoid the dessert table at all costs.
Yes, I eat like a horse, but I'm a big guy and it takes a lot to keep me going. By making good choices at buffets and avoiding sweets and empty calories, I've managed to lose thirty pounds since March.
(Now if I can just talk Mom out buying an entire tiramisu for my birthday. )

[Melanie68]

Originally Posted by Intrepid Homoludens

No kidding. Here in the U.S. we have all these all-you-eat chains. There's a New China Buffet nearby, but big R and I never go there. It makes him sick to his stomach seeing all these overweight or downright obese families going for seconds and even thirds, piling their plates so high. Sheesh, I can't even eat everything on my plate and that's the only serving for me and I make sure I don't get too much of anything. Seriously, I lose my appetite seeing so many Americans gorging themselves .

I don't think there are [m]any all-you-can-eat chains in Europe, Asia, and South American countries. We Americans have such a different relationship with food than the rest of the world.

I would say congratulations to be able to listen to your fullness signals. In our culture of being thin and being fit and dieting - so many people have lost the ability to fully listen to when they are full. They are taught to endure their hunger to lose weight and then when that fails, they binge. After every diet, there is an equal and even bigger binge. Many of these obese people have been through this cycle. Another issue is compulsive eating. People eat compulsively for many reasons. An incredible person to read is Geneen Roth. She touches on these issues of emotional eating and compulsive eating. Having done both, I can empathize with people who can't stop and eat even when they aren't hungry. I could write much more but suffice it to say - it's not easy to just stop eating so much. You have to reteach yourself to make peace with food. Right now too many people are at war with it. Another good book that I got when I took a class at the Student Health Center was Intuitve Eating.

From Feeding the Hungry Heart by Geneen Roth.

Fat becomes your protection from anything you need protection from: men, women, sexuality, frightening feelings of any sort; it becomes your rebellion, your way of telling your parents, your lovers, the society around you, that you don't have to be who they want you to be. Fat becomes your way of talking. It says: I need help, go away, come closer, I can't, I won't, I'm angry, I'm sad. It becomes your vehicle for dealing with every problem you have.

If you take away the fat without uncovering the needs it is expressing, you are left without a way to say what you do or don't want to, or don't know how to, or feel you can't say directly. Fat speaks for you.

In our culture, it is unacceptable to be fat, which makes it seem self destructive to continue to be overweight. Fat is regarded as a deviation from the norm; it is considered ugly, unfeminine, offensive, even disgusting. Fat sticks out; it is unavoidable, apparent. And it is precisely because it is a deviation, because it sticks out, because it is so devastating to be fat in a thin society, that it serves it's function as communicator so well.

It's a rant but it hits close to home. I've struggled with compulsive eating and being overweight and it's a lot more complicated than greed. I would also say that under that fat are real people with stories that aren't known by those around them and we need to view them as fellow human beings who are much more than their size.

[natalia]

To Trep: We sure did hike a lot in Hawaii, but we also lounged around a lot more on beaches. Also, in Paris when we wanted to go anywhere, we took public transit or walked. In Hawaii, anything not at the resorts we stayed at had to be driven too. So on balance, I think we got more exercise in Paris then we did in Hawaii.

Originally Posted by Melanie68

I could write much more but suffice it to say - it's not easy to just stop eating so much. You have to reteach yourself to make peace with food. Right now too many people are at war with it. Another good book that I got when I took a class at the Student Health Center was Intuitve Eating.

From Feeding the Hungry Heart by Geneen Roth.


It's a rant but it hits close to home. I've struggled with compulsive eating and being overweight and it's a lot more complicated than greed. I would also say that under that fat are real people with stories that aren't known by those around them and we need to view them as fellow human beings who are much more than their size.

Melanie, I totally hear what you're saying. I've had to struggle with my weight and eating habits all of my life. At home, I've had to struggle with confronting the reasons why I overeat and work on better ways at dealing with stress, as well as breaking old habits.

Having to deal with that in my own home when I'm just cooking for me and Mike, makes it a pain to have to deal with in the larger culture (restaurants, advertising, media, etc...) in America that focuses on quantity rather than quality. I don't need to have more "value" (really just more food and not better food) for my buck. I'd rather pay the same for better quality food then just more food, cuz if they put that humongous portion in front of me, it's a better person then me that will say no to it.

ETA: I just finished eating a whole wheat bagel with raspberry jam and a bowl of vanilla puffed rice cereal.

[Intrepid Homoludens]

Sipping chamomile tea and munching on wheat toast with butter and Nutella while listening to NPR.

Mmmmmmmm, Nutella........gggggggrrrrrrppppphhhhllllll



BTW, big R got a small package in the mail today and when he got home from work he opened it - a big ass jar of Vegemite from some Aussie shop in Seattle.

[Crunchy in milk]

Originally Posted by Intrepid Homoludens

a big ass jar of Vegemite from some Aussie shop in Seattle.

How exotic!

I'm inhaling paint fumes right now (painting a fence all day -ow my back) and its pretty close to the vegemite experience for those of you unfamiliar with the black, tar like substance. My sister recommends small dabs on toast, like polkadots.

Its funny you have to get it from a specialty store since its actually owned by an American company.

-Edited in the capitol A for American since you did it for Aussie. I'd love to hear how you pronounce 'Aussie' the yanks have a thousand ways of saying it.

[Intrepid Homoludens]

"OOOOOHsie." Heh heh, I say it that way based on how I react to goodlooking Australian men (which a lot of you).

Actually my mate big R lived in New Zealand for 30 years before he divorced his Kiwi wife and moved here to the States (he was originally born in San Diego and moved to NZ not long after his military stint in the Air Force). He tells me that when he first came back here he had quite a NZ accent (which is a bit similar to Aussie, but softer I think), which he eventually lost. However his son was born and raised there and he has the accent permanently - very charming sounding (he's a retired millionaire in his mid 30s and lives near Los Angeles with his wife and two kids).

Oh, and you guys are pussies. I slather my toast with Vegemite! If you ask me, it's not salty and intense enough (we Filipinos have what we call 'bagoong', which is far, far saltier than Vegemite).

[Crunchy in milk]

Originally Posted by Intrepid Homoludens

He tells me that when he first came back here he had quite a NZ accent (which is a bit similar to Aussie, but softer I think)

Its not even close, the Kiwi accent sounds closer to a "seth-efriken" accent. Next time you consider having take out, ask him if he'd like some Fush and Chups.