7/12/15

KarenZen

Good morning/evening!

It's still very early here and I'll probably go back to sleep, but the Cat Princess wanted to be snuggled and demanded I wake up to do it.

Here's a conversation topic for today:
How dull is your palate? How overwhelmed are your taste buds?

I'm thinking about this because I was "diary surfing" (reading other people's food diaries for ideas), and I'm absolutely shocked by what passes for nutrition. For example, one woman has lost 30 pounds, but she got there on frozen waffles, potato chips, and chocolate. I also just watched our two Kentucky boys, ages 9 and 15, scarf down an amazing amount of junk food. When I offered them apples, they looked at me like I was crazy.

The other day I posted some links on Carly's news feed on the topic of food addiction and "bliss point," the scientifically engineered point of fat/sugar/salt balance that the human palate most craves (used by food manufacturers for their recipes for everything from cereal to Fritos). We're buying processed food that is DESIGNED to dull our palates, make us crave more, turn us into addicts.

I love fresh berries, but I can eat a few and walk away. Same with carrots. Or some grilled fish.

I'm wondering if I can restore my palate to a point where it can't stand over salted/over sugared/over fatted processed foods. I hope so! I fight the cravings every day, one day at a time, and I'd like to live with more ease.

K.

catladyksa

Well that was a very 'heavy' post Karen. I never gave that a thought. And to be honest...I can't think about it now...I am getting ready for bed! lol I truly wished I craved veggies and fruits...but it just is not happening!! I don' really eat that much processed food, as i do cook my food ...but I am heavy with the salt! So I use 'low' salt'...but to give up sodium, it adds potassium...which is not always a good thing!

So with that...I wish you all a good night (good day for you guys) and I will post my goals for the next 10 day mini challenge. Karen yours are great goals...I can not go cold turkey on the sugar...yet!! Because I would not stick to it....but you go for it!!!!

And also Karen...you can babble all you want too!!! i love reading your posts....well the one above is a bit heavy for me...but perhaps I should not read them before I go to bed!! lol

Cheers,

KarenZen

Ahhhhhhh.... my meal planning just got MUCH easier. Guests have gone and junk food has been banished. If I can survive breakfast surrounded by every degree of unhealthy carbs, I can finish my detox today.

This is the WORST day of every summer for me--the day when my sister leaves. She keeps saying "one more year" in Kentucky before she moves back to the east coast, but another year goes by and still no move.

We are in for some HOT weather today--88 and sunny--So I'm going to do some floating and swimming. I'm also going to really think through the mini goals in terms of their cumulative effect. If we have 5 more 10 day challenges before September 1, what do I want to achieve? Obviously weight loss, but how much? and in what way?

Carly is such a good voice of reason when she talks about maintenance and sustainable weight loss, and I think I need to really look at how I approach "dieting." I'm getting better about not being "off" or "on" because I'm better at incorporating almost all food into my calorie count for the day, excluding "junk" food. To me, junk food like chips or candy are such a waste of calories. My choice has become "do you want to have THAT, or would you rather eat fresh fruit and still have calories left for almonds and dates?

How are you all today?

K.

KarenZen

Nancy, your post didn't pop up until after I finished the last one... hello! and goodnight! although you're probably up now!

When you're in the mood for some heavy thinking, I'll post the links to the science of food addiction. Fascinating stuff!

Case in point--I'm eating a no sugar added fudgesicle right now. I wanted a "treat," and chose this over berries, celery sticks, an apple, or yoghurt. Seriously... I don't even think it has a single nutrient. But it tastes good!

K.

maoribadger

Sorry long posts, bad brain tonight. Um. I am not a huge fruit or veg eater naturally i have to work for it. I also probably eat more processed than i should. If it fits your macros and all that. But i do like flavour, strong cheese, strong meat etc

KarenZen

Here's your Sunday dose of adorable babyness.

KarenZen

KarenZen

KarenZen

Could this kid be any cuter???

Yeah, yeah, I know I have Auntie Goggles on, but seriously?

Day is almost done here. We hit 90 degrees. I did a pretty good detox until a run-in with some mini-pretzels, but as those were my only "sin" in 3 days, I'm pretty darn happy with myself. Lots of water, lots of protein, lots of veggies.

I'm going to poke around in my bling collection for a suitable prize, then figure out my long-term goals, then start the "Carly Challenge" thread.

Woohooo! Let the 10 day dance begin again!

Xxoo
K.

catladyksa

I am up...and what a cutie! I will pass on the heavy duty reading about science and food. My brain could not handle the reading at the moment!! lol I will post my 10 day mini goals today. I agree with you Karen...to look at an overall scheme of 'x'number of days total and take it in 10 day increments...hopefully reaching my total goal of 'x' pounds lost over the period of time. Sounds like a plan! Off to the treadmill!

KnitOrMiss

I find that my palate is dulled, but my fiance and I came up with another idea, too. I have severe nasal allergies - he does not. Literally, either of us can make a particularly smelly disposal of bodily waste, and 90% of the time, either I don't notice it at all or it really isn't bothersome. My guy theorized that this is part of why I prefer more intense flavors - extra sharp cheddar, more sweetness/saltiness/tanginess just to "taste" foods, etc.

I still eat a few processed foods (pepperoni is the big one, and I've had Velveeta Rotel dip twice since February), but most everything else I can think of offhand is unprocessed foods I make... So I would hope in 6 months that my palate has been able to hit reset somewhat.

Anything sweeter than 72% dark chocolate tastes like straight sugar to me. Chips are salsa taste like paste and vinegar. Some southwest eggrolls I had tasted like barely flavored mush - even the ranch dipping sauce was blaze. Fried mozzarella was bland at best, and the marinara tasted like sweetened vinegar... It was crazy.

I made thin cut zucchini slices tossed with olive oil, salt, and pepper, broiled, then topped with parmesan and crisped. I LOVED them, but fiance said they were too sharp and salty for him. Overwhelming, as parmesan can get. Usually, I just make our food, the butter and salt my own. But on my eating plan, I have to keep my sodium on par with my water, or I'll dump fluids and get my electrolytes all out of balance and such.

I love salty fatty things like bacon, but I can't do the bad fats like veggie oil and canola now. They all taste spoiled, even brand new and tasting fine to others. The process used to refine them is disgusting and horribly unhealthy. But if I have anything these days, it seems to have two of the three:

Fat/salty
Sweet/fat

but NOT: salty/sweet

I wonder why that is. And the sweet stuff is all stevia, erythritol, or berries...

KnitOrMiss

KarenZen wrote: »

Carly is such a good voice of reason when she talks about maintenance and sustainable weight loss, and I think I need to really look at how I approach "dieting." I'm getting better about not being "off" or "on" because I'm better at incorporating almost all food into my calorie count for the day, excluding "junk" food. To me, junk food like chips or candy are such a waste of calories. My choice has become "do you want to have THAT, or would you rather eat fresh fruit and still have calories left for almonds and dates?

Voice of reason? ... ... ... I don't think I've ever been accused of that! LOL

That being said, I've just found my own points of sanity, I think. I always looked at everything in such black and white...I was fat or not. I was healthy or not. Now I realize that every step, every calorie, every minute of sleep is me getting healthier. I can't sit back and look at the big picture except to say, "I want to get healthier." However that looks right now, etc. I've spent a lot of time figuring out my broken bits...and working on retooling the bent ones... My whole life's focus is different now than it was before. I can't even explain it all....