WAISTAWAYS TEAM CHAT - JUNE 2019

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Replies

  • evangsimmons170
    evangsimmons170 Posts: 1,188 Member
    Terytha wrote: »
    Terytha wrote: »
    Happy Monday everybody. I just gotta get through this week and I'm on vacation for a week.

    We're going to spend one day at The Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth. I wonder what kind of nutritional info is available for a slice of scorpion pizza, a ramen hotdog and some deep fried licorice? Also what appears to be ice cream mixed with assorted insects, the Bug Bowl. Or a pizza full of pop rocks, the Cherry Bomb.

    Or a soft serve ice cream cone topped with 24K gold? I probably can't afford that.

    Faire food is weird. XD

    Omg I would be so screwed lol. Minus the insect 🐜 ice cream although I’m sure that’s high in protein 😂 . I’ll pass on that lol. Just make sure to HAVE FUN and everything is allowed in moderation. ❤️👌

    I must have my deep fried oreos. They're unreasonably delicious. That's enough.

    The bigger problem is the pancake breakfasts tbh. Going into mid-July everywhere offers free pancake and sausage breakfasts. You can eat for free for weeks if you like pancakes enough. Can't go anywhere without smelling it.

    So tempting.

    Girl, @Terytha I'd have to find some place else to go on vacation! Be strong, my sistah, be strong! LOL
  • evangsimmons170
    evangsimmons170 Posts: 1,188 Member
    Hi folks, husband got sick a couple of days ago. Had what he thought was acid reflux. Went to hospital at 130 am today. Turned out he was having a heart attack. He has already had a stent put in. Another artery totally blocked, but apparently it’s been coming on for a long while..

    I’ll probably be off rest of week here.

    @Andreabroadley You and your husband are in my thoughts and prayers.
  • SueSueDio
    SueSueDio Posts: 4,796 Member
    Hi folks, husband got sick a couple of days ago. Had what he thought was acid reflux. Went to hospital at 130 am today. Turned out he was having a heart attack. He has already had a stent put in. Another artery totally blocked, but apparently it’s been coming on for a long while..

    I’ll probably be off rest of week here.

    So sorry to hear that, and thankful that he's getting the care he needs. Best wishes to both of you - and as others have said, be sure to take care of your own health and well-being too!
  • SueSueDio
    SueSueDio Posts: 4,796 Member
    jugar wrote: »
    @SueSueDio - indeed, you do NOT need to re-register. You are OURS!!! >:)

    Meep!! ;)
  • zlauerMom
    zlauerMom Posts: 183 Member
    Hi folks, husband got sick a couple of days ago. Had what he thought was acid reflux. Went to hospital at 130 am today. Turned out he was having a heart attack. He has already had a stent put in. Another artery totally blocked, but apparently it’s been coming on for a long while..

    I’ll probably be off rest of week here.
    I hope all goes well and he recovers quickly. Take care!
  • zlauerMom
    zlauerMom Posts: 183 Member
    PW: 190.4
    CW: 191.0

    Steps
    June 17 - 15,317
    June 18 - 11,093
    June 19 - 7,175
    June 20 - 9,282
    June 21 - 8,737
    June 22 - 13,832
    June 23 - 7,110
  • jugar
    jugar Posts: 10,262 Member
    Well, this is some news-filled Monday evening! late night for @mari_moulin by now, but some great exchanges and news.

    I am liking that a few of you have all been working at C25K and now you know who you are - anything you can join up on is a great thing. Give each other plenty of "inner voices" that speak when you think you might just skip today's session - you'll all be hearing each other saying "SERIOUSLY? I DID THIS AND YOU THINK YOU'RE GOING TO SKIP???"

    @evangsimmons170 - your "season of aloneness" speaks clearly to a lot of us, I'm sure. I love that you know it is an important passage to live, and that it is not forever. While you're there, you can really concentrate on what you need, and turn yourself into the person who gets it done, instead of just wishing you'd get it done. Thanks for being there more and more. I also love exercising in my skivvies! Videos at home are awesome.

    @Perla4686 - a son is the best kind of workout buddy. Mine was my rock through the hardest summer as I got used to working out in a gym regularly. We went together 3 times a week, worked independently, but were really proud of each other. It was fantastic. He still (a few years on) helps keep me on the good path. Even if it is an online team or partner, a friend, whatever - just having someone else to plow through the hard bits with is fantastic. Keep on enjoying those workouts together!

    @reflectionofme - thanks for the stats - as always, you are steadily in the green, and you must be getting close to goal!

    @juliemargaretkim - you are going to into the 120s soon! You love the veg and the greens, and that is the kind of food you can eat until you are stuffed with no worries. I just got OUT of the 120s into the teens, and it is only the veggie stuff that really makes the difference. Well, along with exercise, and being short! Keep up the great work.

    @zlauerMom great steps! Even though you had a small gain this week, you have lost 5 pounds this month. Fantastic job - if every month is this steady, you'll be feeling more and more awesome.

    @Blackbeautysue - no worries about being late. I'm glad to see you, and that you have had a good week of steps and weight loss. Blood pressure issues are really hard to get under control, but you are doing absolutely the right thing. Keep on going!!

    Have a lovely night! The only weigh-in still due is @tdrjustus3 --- send it on in!
  • evangsimmons170
    evangsimmons170 Posts: 1,188 Member
    Thanks for your kind wishes everyone. A quick update. He is fine. The doctor says if you have to have a heart attack this is the kind to have. His heart is pumping out 56% of the blood on each pump, normal is 60 to 65%. And it may get better over time. So not too much damage.

    He’s going to end up in cardiac rehab. He’s always been a pretty good walker, so we’ll have to see how soon he can get back to his regular pace. He could stand to lose 20 pounds, maybe I can convince him to join us..although my guess is that with a bit of restriction, it will pour off his body.

    But seriously, part of his dietary problem is too many refined carbohydrates, leading to high triglycerides and a few blockages.. also part of his genetic lottery, unfortunately.

    Anyway we are hoping he will be home in another 24 to 48 hours.

    Thanks for your support!

    I'm so glad things are not nearly as bad for your husband as they could have been! God is faithful.

    Here's my rule of thumb on processed foods, aka refined carbs. If any food can sit on a shelf today and not be opened for another year or 2 and still be in the exact same condition it's in today, it definitely does not need to be in my body. There's something wrong with that picture. I can't even stand the thought of canned fruit or canned vegetables. That's just not how God intended it, at least that's my opinion. I try to eat as organically as possible and as "clean" as possible. I'm not vegetarian or vegan or any other dietary "an." I just find that my body processes foods a whole lot better when they are as close to their natural form as possible. For example, one of my biggest dietary pet peeves is boxed, instant mashed potatoes. First of all, it looks like a box of dandruff, for heaven's sake! Then when water hits it, it completely changes it's entire molecular structure. What is that stuff? A Chia pet????

    No ma'am. I'll take a whole potato for $200, Alex! LOL

    Getting off my soap box now....night y'all!
  • mari_moulin
    mari_moulin Posts: 3,717 Member
    Thanks for your kind wishes everyone. A quick update. He is fine. The doctor says if you have to have a heart attack this is the kind to have. His heart is pumping out 56% of the blood on each pump, normal is 60 to 65%. And it may get better over time. So not too much damage.

    He’s going to end up in cardiac rehab. He’s always been a pretty good walker, so we’ll have to see how soon he can get back to his regular pace. He could stand to lose 20 pounds, maybe I can convince him to join us..although my guess is that with a bit of restriction, it will pour off his body.

    But seriously, part of his dietary problem is too many refined carbohydrates, leading to high triglycerides and a few blockages.. also part of his genetic lottery, unfortunately.

    Anyway we are hoping he will be home in another 24 to 48 hours.

    Thanks for your support!

    What a relief Andrea. I do hope he decides to join us here for a little support and encouragement on his road to recovery. Continued prayers from here and hoping the next few days in hospital pass quickly.
  • zlauerMom
    zlauerMom Posts: 183 Member
    Thanks for your kind wishes everyone. A quick update. He is fine. The doctor says if you have to have a heart attack this is the kind to have. His heart is pumping out 56% of the blood on each pump, normal is 60 to 65%. And it may get better over time. So not too much damage.

    He’s going to end up in cardiac rehab. He’s always been a pretty good walker, so we’ll have to see how soon he can get back to his regular pace. He could stand to lose 20 pounds, maybe I can convince him to join us..although my guess is that with a bit of restriction, it will pour off his body.

    But seriously, part of his dietary problem is too many refined carbohydrates, leading to high triglycerides and a few blockages.. also part of his genetic lottery, unfortunately.

    Anyway we are hoping he will be home in another 24 to 48 hours.

    Thanks for your support!

    So glad to hear his prognosis is a positive one. Thank you for taking the time to give us an update. I've been thinking about you and him.
  • zlauerMom
    zlauerMom Posts: 183 Member

    ... For example, one of my biggest dietary pet peeves is boxed, instant mashed potatoes. First of all, it looks like a box of dandruff, for heaven's sake! Then when water hits it, it completely changes it's entire molecular structure. What is that stuff? A Chia pet????

    No ma'am. I'll take a whole potato for $200, Alex! LOL

    Getting off my soap box now....night y'all!

    This cracked me up. Dandruff!!! There is no way I would ever be able to eat instant mashed now. LOL
  • Pearl4686
    Pearl4686 Posts: 918 Member
    zlauerMom wrote: »

    ... For example, one of my biggest dietary pet peeves is boxed, instant mashed potatoes. First of all, it looks like a box of dandruff, for heaven's sake! Then when water hits it, it completely changes it's entire molecular structure. What is that stuff? A Chia pet????

    No ma'am. I'll take a whole potato for $200, Alex! LOL

    Getting off my soap box now....night y'all!

    This cracked me up. Dandruff!!! There is no way I would ever be able to eat instant mashed now. LOL

    I once bought instant mash to take on a self-catered holiday. Opened one packet, no takers. Put the rest up on Freecycle to give away, still no takers. I'm still wondering who buys the stuff. We called it edible gloop, but dandruff is way better!
  • BMcC9
    BMcC9 Posts: 4,451 Member
    a couple of pages back,@evangsimmons170 was asking about how to increase her number of steps (because SOMEONE was doing something like 20,000 in a day regularly .... ) without going for even more Intentional exercise time.

    The short answer is ... NEAT with a step-counting device (and I know that @evangsimmons170 has a fitbit, so that aspect is covered.

    these two MFP threads have lots of great ideas.

    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10610953/neat-improvement-strategies-to-improve-weight-loss/p1

    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10707575/not-quite-exercise-what-active-lifestyle-activities-do-you-enjoy-throughout-the-day/p1

    The info in the spoiler is the Intro to the first of the links above, and puts everything in context for you.
    Your daily calorie burn, or TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure) is composed of your BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate, the amount you'd burn in a coma) + NEAT (Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis, your job and chores and such) + TEF (Thermic Effect of Food, calories burned processing food eaten) + EAT (Exercise Activity Thermogenesis, your separately- accounted intentional exercise).

    For an average person, the biggies are BMR, NEAT, and EAT, usually (not always) in that order from biggest to smallest. We can't do much to change BMR intentionally in the short run, and most people here are already taking steps (heh) to increase EAT, as they can fit it in.

    But how much are we all thinking about and effectively increasing NEAT? It can be an immediate improvement, and for some a surprisingly big one, allowing us to either lose faster, or eat more, depending on our personal healthy goals. (The only downside is that new NEAT calories are hard to estimate, but we'll see them reflected in our weight loss rate.)

    Some of the successful MFP weight losers/maintainers here have increased TDEE by a reported hundreds of calories daily by increasing NEAT. A couple of common examples are parking further from the door at stores, and taking stairs more often instead of elevators.

    Both threads can be summarized as "being as INefficient as possible while doing anything physical. Like bringing in one bag of groceries at a time instead of bringing in all 5 or 6 in one trip. Alternatively, use the "commando sneak-attack" mentality against calories wherever possible. Nothing that you'd notice, but it all adds up over the day. Like pacing while on the cordless / cell phone. Doing a wall sit or squats while waiting the 45 seconds for your coffee to re-heat in the microwave etc.

    What non-exercise strategies are you using to increase movement in your daily life, to burn more calories via NEAT? Share them below!


  • BMcC9
    BMcC9 Posts: 4,451 Member
    Personally, I find the French abbreviations of NEAT and EAT even more self-explanatory.

    EAT (intentional exercise) = TAP. Think of tapping your finger on a table. It is something that can be counted or measured.

    NEAT (general activity, not formal, intentional exercise) = TAG. Think of young kids in a playground. They are not "exercising". They are just randomly starting / stopping / changing direction and muscle groups used. Sometimes fast, sometimes lazy. Nothing that could be measured or counted. But they burn a lot of energy in the course of 20 minutes .....
  • Terytha
    Terytha Posts: 2,097 Member
    Perla4686 wrote: »
    zlauerMom wrote: »

    ... For example, one of my biggest dietary pet peeves is boxed, instant mashed potatoes. First of all, it looks like a box of dandruff, for heaven's sake! Then when water hits it, it completely changes it's entire molecular structure. What is that stuff? A Chia pet????

    No ma'am. I'll take a whole potato for $200, Alex! LOL

    Getting off my soap box now....night y'all!

    This cracked me up. Dandruff!!! There is no way I would ever be able to eat instant mashed now. LOL

    I once bought instant mash to take on a self-catered holiday. Opened one packet, no takers. Put the rest up on Freecycle to give away, still no takers. I'm still wondering who buys the stuff. We called it edible gloop, but dandruff is way better!

    I like instant mashed potatoes. They taste ok and take 100% less time and effort to make than fresh. It looks weird in the box, but so do many things. I can turn a whole bowl full of powder and liquid into a cake that looks nothing like the ingredients. I can make a whole apple look like chips. Dehydrated food is not that odd.

    I obviously prefer fresh but 90% of the time do not have the spoons. I basically like this group but am super unimpressed with the judgement and shaming going on right now.

    I thought this place was better than that. Maybe it's not right for me to be here after all.

    Sorry my diet offends God. :|
  • Pearl4686
    Pearl4686 Posts: 918 Member
    Terytha wrote: »
    Perla4686 wrote: »
    zlauerMom wrote: »

    ... For example, one of my biggest dietary pet peeves is boxed, instant mashed potatoes. First of all, it looks like a box of dandruff, for heaven's sake! Then when water hits it, it completely changes it's entire molecular structure. What is that stuff? A Chia pet????

    No ma'am. I'll take a whole potato for $200, Alex! LOL

    Getting off my soap box now....night y'all!

    This cracked me up. Dandruff!!! There is no way I would ever be able to eat instant mashed now. LOL

    I once bought instant mash to take on a self-catered holiday. Opened one packet, no takers. Put the rest up on Freecycle to give away, still no takers. I'm still wondering who buys the stuff. We called it edible gloop, but dandruff is way better!

    I like instant mashed potatoes. They taste ok and take 100% less time and effort to make than fresh. It looks weird in the box, but so do many things. I can turn a whole bowl full of powder and liquid into a cake that looks nothing like the ingredients. I can make a whole apple look like chips. Dehydrated food is not that odd.

    I obviously prefer fresh but 90% of the time do not have the spoons. I basically like this group but am super unimpressed with the judgement and shaming going on right now.

    I thought this place was better than that. Maybe it's not right for me to be here after all.

    Sorry my diet offends God. :|

    I'm so sorry, it was meant in jest but I can see now how it may come across as offensive. I'm truly sorry, I would take it back if I could (can I?)
    Please don't leave, this group will not be the same without you.
  • evangsimmons170
    evangsimmons170 Posts: 1,188 Member
    BMcC9 wrote: »
    a couple of pages back,@evangsimmons170 was asking about how to increase her number of steps (because SOMEONE was doing something like 20,000 in a day regularly .... ) without going for even more Intentional exercise time.

    The short answer is ... NEAT with a step-counting device (and I know that @evangsimmons170 has a fitbit, so that aspect is covered.

    these two MFP threads have lots of great ideas.

    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10610953/neat-improvement-strategies-to-improve-weight-loss/p1

    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10707575/not-quite-exercise-what-active-lifestyle-activities-do-you-enjoy-throughout-the-day/p1

    The info in the spoiler is the Intro to the first of the links above, and puts everything in context for you.
    Your daily calorie burn, or TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure) is composed of your BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate, the amount you'd burn in a coma) + NEAT (Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis, your job and chores and such) + TEF (Thermic Effect of Food, calories burned processing food eaten) + EAT (Exercise Activity Thermogenesis, your separately- accounted intentional exercise).

    For an average person, the biggies are BMR, NEAT, and EAT, usually (not always) in that order from biggest to smallest. We can't do much to change BMR intentionally in the short run, and most people here are already taking steps (heh) to increase EAT, as they can fit it in.

    But how much are we all thinking about and effectively increasing NEAT? It can be an immediate improvement, and for some a surprisingly big one, allowing us to either lose faster, or eat more, depending on our personal healthy goals. (The only downside is that new NEAT calories are hard to estimate, but we'll see them reflected in our weight loss rate.)

    Some of the successful MFP weight losers/maintainers here have increased TDEE by a reported hundreds of calories daily by increasing NEAT. A couple of common examples are parking further from the door at stores, and taking stairs more often instead of elevators.

    Both threads can be summarized as "being as INefficient as possible while doing anything physical. Like bringing in one bag of groceries at a time instead of bringing in all 5 or 6 in one trip. Alternatively, use the "commando sneak-attack" mentality against calories wherever possible. Nothing that you'd notice, but it all adds up over the day. Like pacing while on the cordless / cell phone. Doing a wall sit or squats while waiting the 45 seconds for your coffee to re-heat in the microwave etc.

    What non-exercise strategies are you using to increase movement in your daily life, to burn more calories via NEAT? Share them below!


    Thanks for the info, @BMcC9 :smiley:
  • mari_moulin
    mari_moulin Posts: 3,717 Member
    Terytha wrote: »
    Perla4686 wrote: »
    zlauerMom wrote: »

    ... For example, one of my biggest dietary pet peeves is boxed, instant mashed potatoes. First of all, it looks like a box of dandruff, for heaven's sake! Then when water hits it, it completely changes it's entire molecular structure. What is that stuff? A Chia pet????

    No ma'am. I'll take a whole potato for $200, Alex! LOL

    Getting off my soap box now....night y'all!

    This cracked me up. Dandruff!!! There is no way I would ever be able to eat instant mashed now. LOL

    I once bought instant mash to take on a self-catered holiday. Opened one packet, no takers. Put the rest up on Freecycle to give away, still no takers. I'm still wondering who buys the stuff. We called it edible gloop, but dandruff is way better!

    I like instant mashed potatoes. They taste ok and take 100% less time and effort to make than fresh. It looks weird in the box, but so do many things. I can turn a whole bowl full of powder and liquid into a cake that looks nothing like the ingredients. I can make a whole apple look like chips. Dehydrated food is not that odd.

    I obviously prefer fresh but 90% of the time do not have the spoons. I basically like this group but am super unimpressed with the judgement and shaming going on right now.

    I thought this place was better than that. Maybe it's not right for me to be here after all.

    Sorry my diet offends God. :|

    I also use boxed mashed potatoes because the other way is too much a pain in the butt to do. I will do real potatoes 🥔 on special occasions but that is as far as it goes. However, i did not take offense to any of these post because I know it was all in jest and honestly they got a giggle out of me. Please don’t take any of it to heart. Sometimes when we type things out, our readers can easily misunderstand the feeling behind what we are saying. It’s difficult to judge the the feeling or emotion behind texts/posts. No one is here to upset or offend anyone. I hope you choose to stay with us.
  • BMcC9
    BMcC9 Posts: 4,451 Member
    I bought my "wedding guest dress" on Saturday (coming up in just over 2 weeks) .... for an Italian-Catholic wedding, so it had to be something on the "fancy cocktail length style" side, but classic lines so that it will do me for years to come.

    As a total fluke, it was the very first one I tried on in the consignment store ... took one glance in the mirror and called out "OK, I'm done! We can head to the cash now .... " (also bought two other dresses while I was there ... one "little black dress" and one more casually-styled print that could be dressed up OR down depending on shoes, sleeve-addition option (things that basically serve the niche of a cardigan but aren't necessarily button-up knits OR long sleeved) and other finishing touches.

    All three are just-below-the-knee length.

    As a SECOND fluke - when I got home I realized just how perfectly this dark-plum dress matched the wedding invitation. I will blend in beautifully with the "décor of the event" and the bride's favourite colour-scheme.

    My previous one-and-only "not-floor-length special-occasion dress" (which also happens to be a rich plum) is baggy now .... it fit ok the last time I needed it .... about a year and a half ago .... Hubby and I don't go out to fancy places that much ....
  • SueSueDio
    SueSueDio Posts: 4,796 Member
    BMcC9 wrote: »
    I bought my "wedding guest dress" on Saturday (coming up in just over 2 weeks) .... for an Italian-Catholic wedding, so it had to be something on the "fancy cocktail length style" side, but classic lines so that it will do me for years to come.

    As a total fluke, it was the very first one I tried on in the consignment store ... took one glance in the mirror and called out "OK, I'm done! We can head to the cash now .... " (also bought two other dresses while I was there ... one "little black dress" and one more casually-styled print that could be dressed up OR down depending on shoes, sleeve-addition option (things that basically serve the niche of a cardigan but aren't necessarily button-up knits OR long sleeved) and other finishing touches.

    All three are just-below-the-knee length.

    As a SECOND fluke - when I got home I realized just how perfectly this dark-plum dress matched the wedding invitation. I will blend in beautifully with the "décor of the event" and the bride's favourite colour-scheme.

    My previous one-and-only "not-floor-length special-occasion dress" (which also happens to be a rich plum) is baggy now .... it fit ok the last time I needed it .... about a year and a half ago .... Hubby and I don't go out to fancy places that much ....

    Congrats on finding some great buys!

    I do think we need photos of you in said dress, though... ;)


    (Only if you're comfortable with sharing, but I love seeing other people's outfits!)
  • jugar
    jugar Posts: 10,262 Member
    HEADS UP!

    Wednesday weigh-ins:
    @Fourathomej
    @karenesg
    @offitgoes
    @SueSueDio

    And still hoping for @tdrjustus3 from yesterday. Tally ho!
  • jugar
    jugar Posts: 10,262 Member
    @ZlauerMom - don't forget to log points on the Game On spreadsheet (week 3 has been added) or let me know if you can't do it this week!
  • evangsimmons170
    evangsimmons170 Posts: 1,188 Member
    Terytha wrote: »
    Perla4686 wrote: »
    zlauerMom wrote: »

    ... For example, one of my biggest dietary pet peeves is boxed, instant mashed potatoes. First of all, it looks like a box of dandruff, for heaven's sake! Then when water hits it, it completely changes it's entire molecular structure. What is that stuff? A Chia pet????

    No ma'am. I'll take a whole potato for $200, Alex! LOL

    Getting off my soap box now....night y'all!

    This cracked me up. Dandruff!!! There is no way I would ever be able to eat instant mashed now. LOL

    I once bought instant mash to take on a self-catered holiday. Opened one packet, no takers. Put the rest up on Freecycle to give away, still no takers. I'm still wondering who buys the stuff. We called it edible gloop, but dandruff is way better!

    I like instant mashed potatoes. They taste ok and take 100% less time and effort to make than fresh. It looks weird in the box, but so do many things. I can turn a whole bowl full of powder and liquid into a cake that looks nothing like the ingredients. I can make a whole apple look like chips. Dehydrated food is not that odd.

    I obviously prefer fresh but 90% of the time do not have the spoons. I basically like this group but am super unimpressed with the judgement and shaming going on right now.

    I thought this place was better than that. Maybe it's not right for me to be here after all.

    Sorry my diet offends God. :|

    @Terytha I'm sorry that you were offended by my comments. My "judgment" was not about you or anyone else. I was sharing my judgment of food. I doubt seriously that all of us on this thread agree with everything that we share, and that's perfectly OK. We don't have to. My intention was not to offend anyone about my opinions of food or my belief in God. I wasn't proselytizing for either one in my comments. I hope you choose to stay with our group, but I hope that all of us, regardless of our perspectives and opinions, are free to share them with mutual respect for others views.
  • evangsimmons170
    evangsimmons170 Posts: 1,188 Member
    SueSueDio wrote: »
    We eat a lot of processed, canned and pre-packed foods in my family - it's cheap and easy. If money and time (and yes, spoons!) were no object, I'd love to grow some veggies, maybe keep chickens for fresh eggs, and buy as much of our food as possible fresh from local markets etc. Sadly I'm unemployed and poor, and even when I was working I barely earned enough to cover the bills, so that sort of thing just isn't happening in my family! :)

    Canned and packaged food is perfectly safe, or it couldn't be sold. It might not always be the most nutritious option, but I see nothing wrong with it if it fits someone's lifestyle and/or preferences.

    I don't think that the previous posters genuinely meant to shame or judge anyone else, I believe they were just expressing their own opinions and preferences. As Mari said, it can be very difficult to assess "tone of voice" and intent in written posts! I know there IS plenty of shaming that goes on in the main boards, though, and you often see people talking about their "clean eating" diets (a meaningless term) as if they're somehow superior to the rest of us by eating that way.

    As long as you're getting decent nutrition and an appropriate amount of calories, that's the most important thing. If it's possible to increase the "quality" of that nutrition that's great, but again that can be a relative term with a lot of different opinions attached to it! :)

    @SueSueDio Thanks for sharing your current situation. I've been there before in my life too. Like you, I learned to do what I had to do to survive. I remember having to eat oatmeal for breakfast, lunch, and dinner because that was all I could afford. Ramen noodles would have been even cheaper to eat and I would have readily bought them at the time; the only reason why I didn't is because the high sodium would have messed up my blood pressure, and I didn't have health insurance at the time. So oatmeal it was! What's interesting is that here I am 18 years later, not in the same situation, but there is always some oatmeal in my house to this day! No matter what other food I may or may not have in the fridge or pantry, there is (and probably always will be) oatmeal on the shelf.

    I hope things get better for you and your family real soon. If I could get through my stressful situation, so can you and anyone else. Stay strong. :smile:
This discussion has been closed.