h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I have to say I have a problem with the abundance of food that I am presented with every day. It's just right there!
I have been putting weight on very gradually since I stopped competetive swimming five years ago and I'm getting to the stage where I've got to do something about it (I don't have to money to spend on a brand new wardrobe, among other things!). Although I'm not obese, and only just tipping the medical 'overweight' mark, I can already feel the excess fat weighing me down. I'm having some slight ankle issues and I think that's down to the extra pressure they're haivng to endure.

There are so many reasons that people become overweight. Mine is the availability of food, my love of cooking, and my love of eating. I just don't want to stop!

Join the club!

I've gone up 2 clothes sizes since I left school 6 years ago. Think what my downfall really is, is that I'm working, so I can now afford to go and get a chocolate bar when I feel like it, and I'm making meals for myself and eating out a bit more. So I'm eating more. Whgen I was at school I got school dinners, but only had a certain amount of money to do me each week, so got smaller amounts. Now I'm eating more.

And as I work shifts it messes up my meal times. If I have breakfast at half 7 when I'm starting work early, I want lunch at half 10. It's not good and I know it isn't. It's just so hard to stop.

there's no reason to stop loving food and cooking it,Vip

Losing weight starts in the shop.Have a list,and stick to it.

Check the calories on the packets ,tubs, bottles and cans.(careful, you'll need to calculate sometimes,to find how many cals per 100 gms)

Buy more veg.(loose).Try to avoid the frozen food section,except for the green beans and peas.

Buy a double stainless steel steamer,and use it for the veg.They taste better and don't lose nutrients.

Only use your frying pan to poach or fry with 3-4 sprays of olive oil from a 1cal aerosol.If this is not palatable, put your own olive oil in a spray can.

Use a stock cube to poach mushrooms(beef or veg),as they absorb huge amounts of fat.

Freeze yoghurts or orange juice for desserts,or make more sorbets.

Keep off the pastry.(take the crusts off if you do have any)

Spread the butter on and scrape it off bread and toast.

Grill all your steaks and chops, instead of frying.(cut most of the fat off before eating)

Add a little water to a pan to stop mince sticking till its own juices appear and when it's brown, pour off all liquid into a gravy seperator,returning as much stock as you want ,when it's settled.

Only eat at the kitchen table.

Indulge yourself occasionally.

Don't weigh yourself.You'll know if you're losing weight - your clothes will get more comfortable.

Always run upstairs, if possible.(forgetfulness is very useful,in this endeavour)

hope this helps.*kept me at 9st for 30 years and fairly healthy*

Gosh you must've been skinny!!

I know when I was a kid, there was almost no such thing as being full. I ate until the food was gone. Now that I'm older and my metabolism has slowed down, there's often a lot of food left on the table when I'm full. No big deal... I just stop eating it.

What's surprising to me is how difficult many people find that to be. I mean, gorging yourself isn't a very pleasant sensation. Why is it that people continue to eat when they aren't hungry?

When I first got together with my wife, she'd never heard of anyone doing that. Those first dinners with her family, they all thought I was being rude because I didn't eat that much. Now I'm here in a new job with new coworkers who go to lunch together on a regular basis, and they're all picking on me for being skinny, but they're all concerned over their weight and all saying the same thing... they just can't stop eating until the food is gone. So apparently this is something that is more common than not.

It's an evolutionary thing; when you've managed to find food, you eat it!

It's either that of being told that you have to finish your dinner or you can't have any pudding- not that there was ever an issue with me (unless it was cauliflower cheese).

metabolism has a lot to answer for in regard to staying slim, Blatherskite!

My sister ate the same as I did and was stones heavier all her life.

Genetics plays a part.Your endocrine system does too.

Scientists have yet to find the cause of the feeling of fullness that most people have ,after a meal.Some people do not have it at all, and that condition is life - threatening :

(see the Prader-Willi Association website www.pwsa.co.uk )





Unfortunately ,My family are of an age when you were told to eat up all that was on your plate "there are children in china/africa etc ,starving ,you know....)"

And my mother took it as a personal affront if you didn't scoff all that she had lovingly prepared.

You are right to stop eating when you feel you've had enough.So many food outlets give such big portions these days, I usually share one and ask for an extra plate and cutlery.

Children are all too happy to leave food on the table, which leads me to believe this is more of a learned behavior than evolutionary.

Well I have to agree that there's a lot of parental influence when you're a kid to eat all ytour dinner coz you won't get desert or there are starving children or something. Though it's probably icky stuff like broad beans that they might want to leave.

Our granparents lived through 2 world wars,so their influence of not wasting food certainly had an impact on our family.

However, having to devise a healthy eating plan for my child from birth (because of medical reasons) has made me consider what I buy and cook , much more carefully.Hence, I don't have a problem with my weight,either.

It's not easy,as we are bombarded with influences from the media, other childrens' expectations and larger portions when eating out.

Interesting thing about media... I saw an article yesterday in which a group of children had a taste test, and they preferred the foods that were wrapped in McD's wrappers... whether they were McD's foods or not. They even preferred the "McCarrots".

That's one company which pretty much embodies all that is evil in media marketing to children, because they're such a combination of unhealthy food and ubiquitous advertising. My two year-old daughter recognizes the arches whenever we drive, and points them out each time. She doesn't know them as "McDonald's"... she knows them by their annoyingly simple (annoying because you know they made it simple on purpose so it would get stuck in your head) 5-note scat they're doing in their commercials lately. "Dada! Bah-dah bah bah bah!"

Thankfully, she hates their food.

Interesting. Well it can't be a bad thing if she's not into McDonalds.

I know that there's something in how early we're introduced to certain foods and drinks. I've a cousin who was only allowed I think milk and water when he was small. He now only drinks milk, water, lemonade and Orangina. He doesn't like Coke or fanta or anything. I've heard couples saying that once their child gets a taste of Coke, they want it more.