Newbie!

TickingPwny

Hi, there~. I'm a newbie. Been part of this group for a few days now but have been too shy/busy to post anything.

I'm a freshman-going-on-sophomore who still lives at home, and while I'm not overweight, I've nonetheless gained a couple pounds since entering college and would like to tame myself before things get out of hand. I don't have much of a problem at school thanks to half the cafe's being healthy (and the fact that I can simply walk to Subway if I really need to avoid temptation), but to give you an idea of what I deal with at home:

• My mother is a Type-II diabetic, overweight.
• My father, having been raised on a farm, LOVES cooking and his soul food. (I'm putting less emphasis on his eating habits as I am on the fact that dinner is almost ALWAYS one of his mother's recipes. He himself is actually active with a fast metabolism and a very healthy relationship with food...lucky bugger.)
• I work at an Italian restaurant.

Top that with my anxiety and (very legitimate!) sugar addiction. As you can tell, I'm kind of desperate for change...

...so I came to MFP. c': I have a couple friends right now but need/would like some more for accountability's sake. I also want to be able to support others! So pleeeasepleaseplease don't be shy!

chrysanthss

Hi there!
Sounds like you have a lot to deal with at home. It's awesome that you're striving to keep things in control. Good luck with everything! And you can feel free to add me.

iNanner

Hi there! Its nice that you elaborate on your family history a bit. Family eating habits are sooooooo influential in our diet decisions as we become independent. For example, my dad has Type 1 diabetes and is one an insulin pump. Even though he knows what food he should and should not eat, he struggles to break the habits established when he was growing up in an economically impoverished situation (think lots of canned soups and added preservatives, fake dyes, sugar and chemicals). If his sugar gets low he will consume 1/2 a jar of peanut butter even though his doctor has told him to stop eating it completely! When my sister's husband was a baby, his parents would put regular Pepsi in a bottle and give it to him. He drinks a liter of soda a day now.

Heathy eating is about 2 things in my opinion: consciousness & self-control. Most of the time, we dont think as we eat. America is a nation of mindless consumers. We just eat without enjoying it or considering how it makes us feel! Taking time to consider the colors, texture and smells of our food can make a big difference. The self-control part is self explanatory.

Definitely take time to APPRECIATE those homemade meals that you talked about! Even if they are a bit unhealthy, they are a blessing and mum and dad won't be around to cook forever. Embrace it, just maybe avoid second helpings.