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Brewer5: No Training Wheels


Brewer5

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jmcbn, this goes right along with what we discussed the other day, re: the things that are allowed in our food here in the the US that are not allowed in Europe.

 

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From this article:

 

http://foodbabe.com/2013/10/22/sillyputty/

 

Is this depressing, or what?!

Wow. I had no idea it was so different! And I complain about how crap it is here....  :wacko: 

That really is depressing.

 

Do the schools have rules about the contents of packed lunches? Or does the canteen have healthy options for the kids?

The school dinners have improved quite a bit here, but the budgets are tight so they're still not great. I pack a lunch for my two.

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Unfortunately, I live in a cave and I am the wrong one to ask about school lunches.   :lol:

 

My oldest son was in public school for the first 3 years.....  And we packed a lunch.  Hmm, I think every single day.  I'm honestly not sure if he ever ate school lunch or not.  I'll have to ask him!

 

I know I've "heard" about Michelle Obama trying to work on the options in schools.  I think they removed the pop machines -- which never should have been there in the first place!

 

But I don't watch the news, and I don't have kids in school -- so Karen or Lily may have more info on this subject.

 

It's bad here.  I mean, I read about things every day in my Feingold newsletters.  Things that have been banned in Europe and are commonplace here.  Just letting our kids shove it down their throats and most people don't have a frickin clue.

 

In that article I posted -- the lady said, "Why do we need an anti-foaming agent here, but they don't there?  Do the English just like their fries extra foamy?"  <-- paraphrasing.  But I thought that was hilarious.  But then -- no, that isn't funny!!!  Why DO we get to eat an "anti-foaming agent" that we can't even pronounce?!

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My youngest son's school has a 'healthy eating' policy - although with a very diverse range of puplis (from a diverse background both ethnical & financial) they are keen to work with the parents to rpovide what's best for childre.

There are  no vending machines in the school at all, and the kids are expected to use clear water bottles so the teachers can see that they are drinking water, and not fizzy drinks - which are strictly off limits. They also encourage the kids to refill their bottle throughout the day from the water pumps.

Nuts are also off limits too due to a number of kids in the school with tree nut allergies.

Breaks have to be healthy - no chocolate, no candy, no biscuits, no crisps/chips - so something like fruit, cheese or a yoghurt is okay.

They don't monitor lunches just so much but they do send home recommendations as to what might be considered healthy. We go through a lot of chicken breast kebabs that my butcher makes up from chicken breast. We also do roasted chicken, sausages, sliced beef/ham, veggie sticks, & fruit.

The school dinners are good in that they provide a hot meal (& a dessert) for many kids that wouldn't get it elsewhere (many of these kids get the meals free due to their parents having a low income), but the quality of the meat is poor, and the vegetables are over boiled... it's not hugely appetising -  my kids prefer a hot dinner at home.

Primary schools here also serve a small carton of milk to the pupils each day. It was free to everyone in my day but now you pay a small fee for it (again the low income households have this subsidised, as they do school uniforms), but my youngest can't do dairy (or wheat or eggs) so we don;t bother with that.

The eldest is 13 and in 'high school' where they monitor what they eat a lot less.... He takes pretty much the same as my youngest each day except in bigger quantities, and then one day a week he gets a burger - they are given a swipe card which the parents then have to 'top up' with cash so you can keep a track of spending. My eldest is very money conscious and he'd never splash out on junk knowing it's not really his money, and if it was his moneyhe'd rather be buying something that he can keep like a movie figurine or something.

A friend showed me the menu for her son's school and I was horrified. The vegetarian option was pasta & a veg sauce every day except Friday, when it was a vegetarian pizza - what happens if you're GF AND vegetarian?? The non-veg meals looked pretty abysmal too - again she sends packed lunches.

The Home Economics curriculum is still teaching the food pyramid in HIgh School, but my eldest knows well enough that it's not how I roll and has defended my food choices to his teacher often, and past comment on the harm she's doing herself too.

It's good though that in an all boy's school he is being taught food science & actively being taught how to cook - that for one thing is opening his eyes to new foods that he's willing to try... ok, maybe it's peer pressure, but it's working!!

 

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My daughter is in her last year of high school (secondary school).  My daughter has always preferred to pack a lunch.  She cites the lack of time (especially waiting in the lunch lines) as her biggest reason for packing - but has on occasion told me that she doesn't like what is serves.  Much of the "hot" food items are processed - i.e. chicken nuggets, etc....    The upper schools do have a salad bar but I am told that it never "looks very good".  

 

My biggest pet peeve is how many things that kids do "require" food to be served.  As the kids grew up, every scout meeting, club meeting, sunday school class, children church, etc had to have a snack served.  At best, it was granola bars.  At worst, candy.  Always something processed and filled with sugar.  I think that maybe 5% of the time or less, there was fruit - served with cool aid.  I was always asking "why do the kids need a snack"....  For example:  on sundays, kids are fed breakfast at home (about 8am).  As soon as they get to church, they are given a snack at sunday school 10am), then a snack in children church (1130), out to lunch with the church (1pm), then back for afternoon bible study with a snack (3pm)....  then home for dinner at 6pm.    Elementary school was bad too:  breakfast (8am), midmorning snack (10am), lunch (11-12), afternoon snack (230pm), after school activity snack (4pm) then home for dinner (6-7pm).  Most of the time, I think it was used as a time killer.  I was cited by teachers that morning snacks were "needed" because it was too long between some kids breakfast and lunch.  Afternoon snacks were for the kids that don't get anything between lunch and late suppers when parents get home (not supplied by the school, however - each kid brought their own snacks unless there was a special occasion when parents brought things like cupcakes for birthdays).  After school activity leaders said that kids were "hungry"......  And then we all sit and wonder why childhood obesity is on the rise and we now have 10 year olds being diagnosed with Type II (adult onset) diabetes.

 

I am seeing a glimmer of hope, however.  This year, I had to attend a Parent's of Athletes meeting the week before school started.  (Marching Band is loosely considered an athletic event)  Parents and students had to sign the newest rules and regulations about proper diet and hydration.  Energy drinks (like steroids, tobacco and alcohol) are now banned for athletes - not just during the game/practice - but at all times.  Of course the schools can only regulate this while the student is on school property or on a school trip.  This is a start - and the kids are being taught that what they feed their body affects their performance.  

 

Now, I (of course) have to add my own two cents about the differences between the US and Europe.  I have seen the ingredients lists from both places, as Brewer5 posted.  I have seen articles about GMO bans in Europe.  I have seen the "side by side" school lunch comparisons.  But what I have to say comes only from personal experience.  I have been fortunate enough to be a military brat and have lived in many countries.  As a kids, it taught me to appreciate different types of foods.  I ate everything, and had no problems with anything.  That changed as an adult.  Despite having lived in Japan for 3 years, where I ate soy every single day, I found out as an adult that I have a soy allergy (fairly significant, too).   Through w30, I have come to understand that eating grains and dairy cause some issues.  About 4 years ago, I was fortunate enough to visit Italy for 2 weeks.  Despite my food allergies/intolerances, I decided that I was going to enjoy my trip - which for me, meant eating whatever I wanted without having to interrogate the restaurant about ingredients.  I had pasta, pizza, gelato....  everything --- and I never felt better.  I even lost weight on that trip - eating whatever I wanted, and not paying attention to exercising. Within 2 days of returning to the US, I was sick (aches and pains, GI upset, etc)   Two years ago, I visited Scotland.  The same thing happened.  (I can't say I didn't exercise since it was a hiking trip).  I loved everything I ate (including the haggis).  I never felt bad.  As soon as I returned home.  I not feeling so good.  So, I know that this isn't a scientific study, but I can't help but believe that it is the "hidden" poisons in our food that make us feel so horrible.

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After school activity leaders said that kids were "hungry"......  And then we all sit and wonder why childhood obesity is on the rise and we now have 10 year olds being diagnosed with Type II (adult onset) diabetes.

 

 

What's sad is that they actually DO feel hungry.  Almost all. the. time.  Because they are starting their day off with processed, carby crap, instead of protein & fat. As we all know -- this starts the cycle of blood sugar UP ... crashing down ... and wanting MORE.  All. day. long.

 

And yes, you nailed it with obesity and Type 2 diabetes.  I am reading so many interesting things in my second time through Grain Brain -- my highlighter is about to run out and I'm gonna have to buy a new one.   :lol:   I am fired up about this.

 

AND I just got his new book, Brain Maker from the library -- just a little bit ago.  Woo hoo!  Now I just have to find the time to read.

 

Maybe if I go hide in the closet............

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Now, I (of course) have to add my own two cents about the differences between the US and Europe.

 

 

At first I thought you were going to argue that things are better here than other places.   :lol:

 

Thank you for sharing your experiences.  Very true, so much of our "food" here should not even be called food.  They've really made a mess of things!

 

Edited to say:  I have discovered that I can eat a lot of things on vacation that I can't handle on a daily basis.  I have come to the conclusion that when I am on vacation -- I am SO much more relaxed.  Less stress = less total load on our bodies.  

 

When we are under a lot of stress at home in our everyday lives, that is the time that we should be really focused on getting the best possible nutrition.  Trying to juggle so many things does not go well when we aren't feeling our best.  How many times have I thought that hitting a drive-through was so much "easier" because I was so busy -- but was it really easier?  If it makes us all grumpy and crave-y.........  Yeah, not so much.  Time and time again I have been reminded that the hard work of Whole 30, Feingold, Paleo, whatever -- it really does pay off in so many ways.

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We have found literally one kind of bacon in our area that is Feingold approved.   :rolleyes:   It does have sugar -- so would not be Whole 30 approved.

 

Our neighbors gave us a HUGE bag of green beans from their garden, several days ago.  Today, I really needed to lift -- I mean, I really needed to get out there and lift.  And I did.  But first, I made myself wash these green beans & get them all cut up so we could actually use them.

 

I don't particularly enjoy spending a lot of time in the kitchen.  But I did it.  

 

So tonight, after football, gymnastics, AND a new art class -- instead of hitting a drive-through (which we haven't been doing lately anyway, but boy we used to) -- I spent some more time in the kitchen making supper for the kids.

 

No mystery ingredients here.   :)  Bacon, potatoes, green beans, butter, coconut oil.  They loved it.

 

IMG_9156.jpeg

 

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Hit the Reset Button or end up in the City Dump...where it's stink on stink. 

 

I used to live at the City Dump. hall-candy1-smiley.gif?1292867612  I crawled around on piles of trash and just took a dirt nap on mountaintops of multi-crap.  I wallowed around at the City Dump. It was SAD and pathetic to root around in the trash.  I couldn't see the stars or moon, I had blinders on my eyes.

 

Then one day, the heavens opened up and I could see clearly.  angel2-smiley.gif?1292867546

 

Don't let 2 days go by.  Do it NOW.   Two days might as well be a million miles or traveling at the speed of light...headed right back for the City Dump. Our body is not a trash can.    If you've fallen back into bowls of pasta, bread,  match-box-smiley.gif?1292867636bread bowls and whopping boatloads of multi-crap - get that hook and pull yourself off of the stage.   

 

Hit the Reset Button.  

 

I love the visual of that red reset button.  I think of it often.    I needed that, a reminder of what it was like to root around at the City Dump.  Stink on Stink.  Not a pretty sight and not one I want to revisit.  We have to turn around and seriously look at our own multi-crap. Only then can you pull ourself up by the bootstraps and crawl out of the hole we've dug for ourself.  digg-in-smiley.gif?1292867582

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Thanks,  Brewer and Kmlynne....for dragging truth bombs out of myself.   No Training Wheels and no smoke.

 

We're not blowing smoke here.   There's truth and I can handle the Whole 30 truth and nothing but the truth.  

 

It's the truth that will set you free.  I want to be free, free at last.  Somebody must be praying because I can feel those prayers and they're good.   Soooo  good.    Thanks again, for helping me.   nice-talkin-smiley.gif?1292867643

Goodnite.  big-bed-smiley.gif?1292867555

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bed-bug1-smiley.gif?1292867554  Okay,   I still have one eye open.  We all collect trash and junk throughout the years.   We have to take out the trash and throw it all right back at the City Dump.  That's what I'm doing.  It takes some of us longer than 30 days to get it done.

 

At this particular time, I would lurve to post a song.  It would be creating a diversion, something to take my mind off the painful truth.   The truth hurts.   

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There's no need to rewrite the book, it's already been written.  But I have a quote of Melissa's that keeps running through my head today. Too many refined carbs....in your body.  Oooo, all kinds of ugly.  I can't wait for my roasted vege to finish up.  They make everything right and right every wrong.   Protein, Fat, Vege - Trifecta of a Whole 30. 

 

 But the form of saturated fat that gets all kinds of ugly in your body doesn’t come from eating saturated fat. The harmful kind of saturated fat comes from eating too many refined carbohydrates.” 

― Melissa HartwigIt Starts with Food: Discover the Whole30 and Change Your Life in Unexpected Ways

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I am on Chapter 3 of Grain Brain now:  "Attention, Carboholics and Fat Phobics"

 

Going crazy with my highlighter.    :lol:   I love this book.

 

One of my favorites so far (p. 72):

 

"The human dietary requirement for carbohydrate is virtually zero; we can survive on a minimal amount of carbohydrate, which can be furnished by the liver as needed."

 

And now I will add a favorite quote from MeadowLily:

 

Protein and a Fat.  STAT.

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Sounds like I need to read Grain Brain.  :D   Extinction bursts.   Grains are the horse of a different color.  Grains create victims of disorganized thinking. 

 

They lull you to sleep and give the unfortunate impression that they can be eaten in moderation without waking up that giant of cravings.   Sugar Carb Dragon Monster. 

 

They do create all kinds of ugly in your body that show up on the outside, too.   You try tipping your toes back into the carby sugary sharkysharky-smiley.gif?1292867670 waters....he'll bite your toes and nose right off.shark-attack-smiley.gif?1292867670

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Grains are a Mission Creep.  The longer you let the Mission Creep hang around, he'll marsh your mellow and help you dig a huge hole digg-in-smiley.gif?1292867582for yourself that will take months to crawl out of.   He'll throw all of the dirt right back in your face and leave you there. Mission Creep.   

 

mis·sion creep

noun
noun: mission creep; plural noun: mission creeps
  1. a gradual shift in objectives during the course of a military campaign, often resulting in an unplanned long-term commitment.
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Grains are a Mission Creep.  The longer you let the Mission Creep hang around, he'll marsh your mellow and help you dig a huge hole digg-in-smiley.gif?1292867582for yourself that will take months to crawl out of.   He'll throw all of the dirt right back in your face and leave you there. Mission Creep.   

 

Ayup. That's what happened to me...

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HIT THE RESET BUTTON.   BAM!

reset-header1.jpg

 

See that RESET BUTTON in your mind's eye. Put your hand on it and feel the whirr of your motor start to run.

LancerLott...this is what you're going to do.   Go ahead, put your hand over that red reset button and  HIT IT.   GOooooooo, today.   Don't look back over your shoulder.   Don't think about the days gone by.  Today is a new day and tomorrow has enough worries of its own. 

 

This is the day that you're hitting the reset button.  You're back up and running.   No looking back.  No looking back.   

 

March on into Day 1 of your new Whole 30.   Soldier on.  Don't let the Mission Creep pull you down.  No siree.   He is his-tor-eeeee.

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It's so true.  The battlefield is for the mind.   

 

We choose by an act of our will to change our minds.  I 'will' myself to move beyond this resting place and into the future.  I don't know the exact date but I'm somewhere in the future and I can see the landing.  

 

That doesn't mean I can rest or hang my hat on it but I can see the landing from here.  It's not a lunar landing or looney tunes.  It's real, full of reality and  I will continue to enjoy the real worldearth-smiley.gif?1292867587 when I've stuck the landing. gold-medal-smiley.gif?1292867608

 

LSAM_lunar_landing_v2.jpg

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Some interesting highlights for you to ponder:

 

"We still have a hunter-gatherer genome; it's thrifty in the sense that it's programmed to make us fat during times of abundance."

 

"According to the theory, the genes that predispose someone to diabetes -- "thrifty genes" -- were historically advantageous.  They helped one fatten up quickly when food was available, since long stretches of food scarcity were inevitable."

 

"While some of us like to believe we're plagued with genes that promote fat growth and retention, thus making weight loss and maintenance hard, the truth is we all carry the "fat gene".  It's part of our human constitution and, for the majority of our existence on the planet, has kept us alive."

 

"Our forebears could not have had any meaningful exposure to carbohydrates, except perhaps in the late summer when fruit ripened.  Interestingly, this type of carbohydrate would have tended to increase fat creation and deposition so we could get through the winter when food and calories were less available."

 

"Now, however, we signal our bodies to store fat 365 days a year."

 

~pages 72-73, Grain Brain

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Interesting.   During the winter months.. the lakes, rivers, ground was frozen.   No carbs, paleo pancakes, monkey salad, paleo mug muffins, larabars and green smoothies.   No paleo food kits and emergency bars.  Naah.  It was a hard rock candy mountain Christmas.

 

I have a family history passed down through the generations about the winters of starvation. I'd post it but it has names and GPS coordinates...many ancestors died every winter.

 

I know Paleo doesn't mean a replication of what it was really like but Paleo today is alot of fluff.

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So the questions are:  How do you get your body to stay at a stable weight?  How do you keep it from wanting to turn on the "fat gene"?

 

If the old "eat less and move more" truly worked -- if it were actually that simple -- we wouldn't be in the state of obesity we are in.  

 

The fact is, people are hungry.  They are irritable.  They are sad.  SAD.  They are eating crap and they are craving more crap, and oftentimes -- they don't even realize it.  And even if you are aware of the science and feel like you are pretty knowledgeable about things:  It can creep up on you.  

 

The creep.  It's a real thing.

 

This is the result of a high-carb, low-fat diet.  Period.  People aren't satiated.  They are reaching for more, more, more, and they don't even know why.  They think there is something wrong with them.  They think they are alone.  Unique.

 

Well... not so much.  I am starting to think that disordered eating is the norm these days.

 

I really like something MeadowLily said to me today:

 

Weight stability is a reflection of what's going on in the mind.  It's like a house without chaos.

 

I think, once you can wrap your mind around the science, and truly see what is going on inside your body, it is a lot easier to make decisions about what is proper fuel.  The emotional part of eating can and does go away.  This is why the rigidity of the rules of a Whole 30 is so comforting to many.  It narrows your options down, so there is much less chaos in your brain without all of those voices.  You silence them.  You have to.

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