As crazy as it sounds it was hard NOT to gain weight in Liberia. Despite living in a country where food was scarce and unaffordable for the majority of the population, we were well fed on the ship.
I suppose the thinking is if you are sick then you can't take care of the sick. On the
Mercy Ship we had 3 buffets a day. It was good food and there were always endless options for picky eaters, vegetarians, children, and the taste-bud challenged.
After
losing 30 pounds 6 years ago, I managed as a single person to pinpoint my weaknesses. I come from a family of snackers and if the food is there, I eat it. My coping mechanism became not having the food there at all. If I craved something I would only get enough for that one moment.
So with all the food served on board, plus a snack bar (chips, chocolate, drinks, etc), a ship shop (with all your baking needs, cookies, and ice cream), and a coffee bar (aka Starbucks), I was in serious trouble. I ran like a banshee in the mornings or evenings. But for anyone who has calculated caloric burn, running doesn't burn that much. A half hour of sweating doesn't even burn off your Mars Bar. I did gain 10 pounds although, being tall, it was well hidden. In the end I banned myself from any junk and drinks and I only ate a salad sandwich for lunch, keeping to the minimum of the Canada Food Guide.
As Canadians, I realize we are lucky to have the
Canada Food Guide (pictured above), taught in schools and available to the public at large. Now that I am back in the UK, back cooking my own food and analyzing the British way of eating, I see instant meals take up a huge portion of the grocery stores. Other than the National Health Service's "5 a day"adverts (5 fruits and veg daily), how are people supposed to know what is best to eat? How best to stay healthy?
The other shock for people is portion size. Four tablespoons of peanut butter is all the protein you need for a whole day (plus a whole load of fat and sugar). Three cups of pasta is all the bread/grain product for a whole day.
I remember talking to a thin friend of mine who said she hates the feeling of being full. Well, I love the feeling of being full. It is comforting and homey. One of my favourite things is to curl up with a good book under a blanket with a snack. Bliss!
When I lost all the weight 6 years back, I had lost my love for food and eating, so it wasn't too difficult. But when I gained that love back, it was a battle. Until Nigel came along and introduced me to a whole new way of eating.
Most people think Nigel has great metabolism and can eat anything and stay skinny. Since living with him, I don't think that is the case. I call it the Nigel Diet and it is a lifestyle. He points out to me that I am an "all or nothing" personality. Previously, if I ate too much junk I would start again the next day and live it up for the rest of the current day. I would try to run every day. I would try to eat junk food only one day a week.
The Nigel diet is just eating healthy, moderately, and consistently. Yes, I now have dessert every night. No it isn't fruit! I eat a simple breakfast (Wheatabix or porridge with banana, skim milk, and raisins); lunch (for me) is a salad (no sauces) with beans and a fruit; and dinner is a any new vegetarian meal from one of our many cookbooks (sometimes with a side vegetable if the dish doesn't provide enough). We try not to eat a huge second helping. Following dinner we eat a dessert every night...but not big. Half a cup of ice cream with sauce or Onken yogurt and usually several squares of chocolate. Nigel explained that particularly for diabetics, but also the rest of us, sweet desserts are okay in moderation if tagged on at the end of a meal so your blood sugar doesn't shoot up. There is no snacking in between meals (okay, very occasionally).
I remember picking up a pamphlet on losing weight by a nurse at a street booth in the UK. It listed the top 10 ways to lose weight. I knew them all except one. That one surprised me and was opposite to what most North Americans are taught. EAT 3 MEALS AT THE SAME TIME EVERY DAY. Nigel confirmed medically that your body is best when you eat at the same time every day. I had always read that eating 5 small meals a day was best and nothing about timing.
It isn't as drastic a plan as I was used to. I might not have eaten for a day if I had had a bad day previously. But I was surprised to find that even without exercise I consistently lost weight eating like Nigel. In fact, it is a lot easier than my old method. I even get a really nice non-diet meal every evening.
As crazy as it sounds it was hard NOT to gain weight in Liberia. Despite living in a country where food was scarce and unaffordable for the majority of the population, we were well fed on the ship.
I suppose the thinking is if you are sick then you can't take care of the sick. On the Mercy Ship we had 3 buffets a day. It was good food and there were always endless options for picky eaters, vegetarians, children, and the taste-bud challenged.
After losing 30 pounds 6 years ago, I managed as a single person to pinpoint my weaknesses. I come from a family of snackers and if the food is there, I eat it. My coping mechanism became not having the food there at all. If I craved something I would only get enough for that one moment.
So with all the food served on board, plus a snack bar (chips, chocolate, drinks, etc), a ship shop (with all your baking needs, cookies, and ice cream), and a coffee bar (aka Starbucks), I was in serious trouble. I ran like a banshee in the mornings or evenings. But for anyone who has calculated caloric burn, running doesn't burn that much. A half hour of sweating doesn't even burn off your Mars Bar. I did gain 10 pounds although, being tall, it was well hidden. In the end I banned myself from any junk and drinks and I only ate a salad sandwich for lunch, keeping to the minimum of the Canada Food Guide.
As Canadians, I realize we are lucky to have the Canada Food Guide (pictured above), taught in schools and available to the public at large. Now that I am back in the UK, back cooking my own food and analyzing the British way of eating, I see instant meals take up a huge portion of the grocery stores. Other than the National Health Service's "5 a day"adverts (5 fruits and veg daily), how are people supposed to know what is best to eat? How best to stay healthy?
The other shock for people is portion size. Four tablespoons of peanut butter is all the protein you need for a whole day (plus a whole load of fat and sugar). Three cups of pasta is all the bread/grain product for a whole day.
I remember talking to a thin friend of mine who said she hates the feeling of being full. Well, I love the feeling of being full. It is comforting and homey. One of my favourite things is to curl up with a good book under a blanket with a snack. Bliss!
When I lost all the weight 6 years back, I had lost my love for food and eating, so it wasn't too difficult. But when I gained that love back, it was a battle. Until Nigel came along and introduced me to a whole new way of eating.
Most people think Nigel has great metabolism and can eat anything and stay skinny. Since living with him, I don't think that is the case. I call it the Nigel Diet and it is a lifestyle. He points out to me that I am an "all or nothing" personality. Previously, if I ate too much junk I would start again the next day and live it up for the rest of the current day. I would try to run every day. I would try to eat junk food only one day a week.
The Nigel diet is just eating healthy, moderately, and consistently. Yes, I now have dessert every night. No it isn't fruit! I eat a simple breakfast (Wheatabix or porridge with banana, skim milk, and raisins); lunch (for me) is a salad (no sauces) with beans and a fruit; and dinner is a any new vegetarian meal from one of our many cookbooks (sometimes with a side vegetable if the dish doesn't provide enough). We try not to eat a huge second helping. Following dinner we eat a dessert every night...but not big. Half a cup of ice cream with sauce or Onken yogurt and usually several squares of chocolate. Nigel explained that particularly for diabetics, but also the rest of us, sweet desserts are okay in moderation if tagged on at the end of a meal so your blood sugar doesn't shoot up. There is no snacking in between meals (okay, very occasionally).
I remember picking up a pamphlet on losing weight by a nurse at a street booth in the UK. It listed the top 10 ways to lose weight. I knew them all except one. That one surprised me and was opposite to what most North Americans are taught. EAT 3 MEALS AT THE SAME TIME EVERY DAY. Nigel confirmed medically that your body is best when you eat at the same time every day. I had always read that eating 5 small meals a day was best and nothing about timing.
It isn't as drastic a plan as I was used to. I might not have eaten for a day if I had had a bad day previously. But I was surprised to find that even without exercise I consistently lost weight eating like Nigel. In fact, it is a lot easier than my old method. I even get a really nice non-diet meal every evening.
4 comments:
What a sensible plan. I'd love to follow it, but I'm so fond of food.. I don't know if I'll ever reach my ideal weight. I might make it if I had a candle like the one in your previous post. Mmm... chocolate candle. And it looks delicious, too!
Michal,
I love it when you get into a eating carefully mood because you influence us a lot.
with love.....Mom
H,
Yes, that Nigel is sensible all right! If you had him asking what sort of junk food you ate every day...hoo boy...you would start thinking about it every time you tucked into a junk out binge. I like the all or nothing approach, except it always seems as though one is living for the future time when you are under control.
Thanks, mom.
I am sure I will backslide at Christmas, but the nice thing is that if you start off 10 pounds lighter, you have 10 pounds leeway!
I forgot to add the excercise regime. Again, I am an all or nothing. I run everyday or I am too tired and don't run at all. Nigel tells me to just run 3 times a week, despite this seeming to small, it is consistancy that he is after.
I didn't realize the most recent Canada Food Guide had increased its quantity sizes. I use the retro guide and eat the MINIMUM of what it recommends: 2 dairy, 2 fruit, 3 vegetable, 5 grain products, 2 protein, and an added 3 fats (1 tsp each) and 3 sugars (1 tsp each).
I do eat vegetarian main meals in the evening, but only because I AM a vegetarian. Nigel will eat meat when we are not eating at home.
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