There is nothing easy about dieting on the reservation!

fowlmeli1093
fowlmeli1093 Posts: 199
edited September 29 in Health and Weight Loss
I also blogged this post:

Just a rant if you will....

There is nothing easy about dieting while living on the reservation!
I am a Native American. There is nothing easy about dieting while living on the reservation. First, all traditional events and ceremonies require food. Lots of food, and everyone attending will bring some. (They don’t call ‘em “FEASTS” for nothing).We are talking tables of delicious food (Like back in the pilgrim days on Thanksgiving). Many people bring traditional foods, or foods that they grew accustomed to: Frybread! Wild Rice Hotdishes! Oatmeal with bacon grease!.... Sweets! Carbs! Fat!


Technically, everyone who is attending needs to have a bit of everything on their plate. It’s not like you can pass something up. But that 100 calorie pasta dish, with that 200 calorie bite of frybread, that 100 calorie bite of cake, and 100 calorie side of wild rice….(you get where I’m going with this…) they really add up fast.


Second, it might have been okay to eat like this back in the day when we would burn most of it off, but most of us, when we leave, will not chase down a deer or buffalo, clean a hide, build a wigwam, paddle a canoe, or do anything else that might be strenuous….nope! We are going home to watch the latest new release and perhaps indulge in a little Facebook.


With that said, I am going to be good. I will eat my watermelon and yogurt now, because I know, there soon will be another day where I am FORCED to cheat on my diet L

Replies

  • rileamoyer
    rileamoyer Posts: 2,412 Member
    I know what you mean, I help put on various 'feasts' around here, I just have to plan my meals a day or two around feast day when I can. And - yep very small amounts, gotta have that fry bread, its hard to stay with one piece LoL.
  • risefromruin
    risefromruin Posts: 483 Member



    Second, it might have been okay to eat like this back in the day when we would burn most of it off, but most of us, when we leave, will not chase down a deer or buffalo, clean a hide, build a wigwam, paddle a canoe, or do anything else that might be strenuous….nope! We are going home to watch the latest new release and perhaps indulge in a little Facebook.



    This cracked me up! Just be sensible with it all!
  • countrymom1
    countrymom1 Posts: 125 Member
    Haha! I don't mean to laugh at your predictament, but the sentence about not building wigwams or chasing buffalo made me laugh. Just hang it there. It's okay to have a cheat day... it actually shakes up your metabolism and gets it going more. As long as you're not having a cheat day every other day or so, it will be okay.
  • crackers3333
    crackers3333 Posts: 8
    ha ha.....Loved your rant, I think at the end of the day it just proves we're all human and just love a good feast, I was getting peckish just reading your post, relax and enjoy it while your there just don't make feast day every day.......
  • daneslord
    daneslord Posts: 31
    I'm actually half french-Canadian-native (so, you know, that delightful thing that happens when you let single french men loose amongst the native population). And the other half is German. I'm getting it from both sides. I can make a schnitzel to make your heart sing, it's some of the best food ever. But afterwards, I'm not hauling the last bale of wheat over to Reutlingen, or making my way to Berechtsgaden to help build a house. Heritage food might be great, but it's not that appropriate in our modern era.

    Honestly, there are days we just gotta cheat. If I know I am gonna have a cheat day (no more than 1 per month) then I don't eat anything that day, and I try to hit the gym before hand. Afterwards it's back on the wagon.
  • allisshiney
    allisshiney Posts: 107 Member
    Maybe if you planned a massive workout that morning or the day before? That way you would have more calories to eat.
  • Papillon22
    Papillon22 Posts: 1,160 Member
    I get where you're coming from! My boyfriend's family is italian, and his mother and grandmother will not take no for an answer, and will actually take a no as me saying I dislike their food, and consequently them. It is incredibly uncomfortable for me, and hard to understand although I do get that they take pride in feeding their loved ones...tricky situation when I feel disrespected and pissed off about them not hearing me...

    Anyway, I hope you have fun and can keep the "damage" to a minimum.
  • Sumijain
    Sumijain Posts: 309 Member
    I'm glad you can still see the light side of the situation. Good luck with the process. Now that you've started, I'm sure you're going to do well.
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