lemurcat12 Member

To answer the question, I don't think there's an amount you SHOULD spend on food. I spend more than I need to, but I don't see anything wrong with that.

Here, meal at an inexpensive restaurant, $13.50. 1 bedroom city center apartment = $1,783.25. Price per square foot = $328. (Amusingly, my own house (I'm not sure if it would count as city center, as I am 8-9 miles away) = $330/sq ft, although average for my neighborhood = $380/sq ft, according to Trulia, and I live in a…

I would agree that those pushing LCHF as a healthy way to eat often promote eating lots of veg, whole foods, higher quality meats, and other things I'd agree with, but of course you don't have to do LCHF like that, and I think it's in conflict with some of the more popular sites that seem to push doing less than 20 g carbs…

Here's an interesting cost of living index for current and earlier years -- and one that will allow us to focus on groceries! https://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living/region_rankings_current.jsp?region=019

OP also didn't say or suggest that she consumes excessive amounts of added sugar. She indicated she has a little something sweet daily, as I read it (kind of like you yourself say you do often). I would ask for more information before assuming she has a problem with consuming lots of sugar from "processed foods."

Why do you think it will get worse? Is this something you've been doing successfully for a while? Do you have an overall balanced and healthy diet? I ask because sometimes people get the idea that having ANY added sugar (I'm assuming you mean added sugar, specifically what we call a sweet) is a problem, and it's not. If…

Yeah, this is what makes no sense to me, assuming, of course, that you are someone who cares about vegetables. For me, vegetables are tasty and very important, so I try to have them (ideally a significant amount of them, and a variety of different kinds) at all meals. I don't know why that would be harder to do or…

I looked at your diary, and your calories are shockingly low and you aren't tracking sugar/carbs. I think you are talking about the pie chart, and that's meaningless, it should be ignored. Percentage of carbs from some arbitrary number of calories does not matter. What matters is hitting your goals for TOTAL GRAMS of…

Oh, sorry, now I mistyped. From the post I picked up on, I thought you were suggesting that 40-100 g of veg (which IMO is way too little) was sufficient. As noted, I think 40-100 g of net carbs can easily be sufficient too, if one uses them wisely. Less certain about 40 g of total carbs, and I think any very low carb diet…

I've popped in and out of this thread, and saw solely the post in question without going back to read the rest, so no, not disingenuous. I thought you were suggesting that 40-100 g of carbs was sufficient. Clearly I was not the only one with that impression. Is it that hard to acknowledge that you mis-typed and not try to…

You asked about 40-100 g of vegetables/fruits, that's not just a matter of not being "literal" enough; you apparently meant something entirely different from what you said. My view is that sure, if someone wanted to, they could get sufficient fruit/veg (it would be mostly veg) on 40-100 g net carbs, although it would…

Calls for this photo:

I don't think it's a bubble in Seattle, because of the rents and because it's related to genuine shortage of properties. My question is whether that's rectifiable -- can zoning changes or the like increase supply significantly?

I'm really not, that was my point. I thought Aaron was underestimating what a comparable place would go for in Chicago. But that aside, I totally agree that Seattle is more expensive, of course it is, for the reasons that have been given. But Aaron is right, we are off topic and probably only people in Seattle and Chicago…

Things aren't natural anyway.

I'm worried I'm boring everyone other than you and me, Aaron, but I actually figured out a better way to express what I think we are (maybe) disagreeing about. If you say that in Seattle a family is effectively priced out if they can't afford more than $500K (perhaps well more than), I'd totally agree. That's my perception…

Heck, I have granite countertops, guess I should stress about that.

(That map of Chicago includes some western 'burbs, as well as neighborhoods you would not be willing to live in, I'd imagine, and is far different than what I see on Redfin for 3 bed, which is what I'd use for the local market. But like I said, we aren't debating the main point, which is the one I think you keep trying to…

Yeah, we aren't in disagreement about that. I'm just saying that that doesn't mean that some couple with two kids who want to live in a decent/safe neighborhood a reasonable commute from work and have a house and a local school that you find acceptable -- I'm assuming this is what you have -- won't necessarily be able to…

But by your own admission you do eat "junk food." Buying a cupcake from a higher-priced trendy bakery in a nice neighborhood that says "no GMOs" does not make the cupcake (or whatever) not junk food vs. the grocery store bakery birthday cake some other (clearly worse)* mom might provide. Similarly, processed does not mean…

You can't do that in Chicago, as neighborhood makes a HUGE difference (as does how much work you need to put into the place). Maybe (likely?) Seattle is not the same, but within the same # of miles away you will get hugely different costs here due to (1) transportation, (2) proximity to the lake vs. being right by the…

Percentage-wise, very few. That's not even necessarily that desirable here. The most expensive residential neighborhoods would be outside a mile for the most part unless you are talking about specialized luxury condo buildings -- and even so more of the luxury condo buildings are more than a mile, in say the Gold Coast.…

Right, but you weren't comparing like to like, which is why I posted a different condo to show that condo costs vary a HUGE amount based on specifics. The one you showed in the location you were taking about would not have been so much cheaper in Chicago as the one you compared it with. (Not disagreeing with the basic…

Yep.

I think this is a silly point, since no one thinks french fries are a health food, and the reason french fries should be consumed in limited amounts (especially when one is dieting) is that they are high cal (mostly due to all the oil, as potatoes aren't hard to fit in) and not very high nutrient for the calories. You seem…

I think the main differences (diet/health-wise) between fast food and a homemade burger are: Most people will get fries (high cal) and no veg with the FF burger Many people will choose a lower fat content or lower cal buns at home and NOT bother making fries but instead have roasted potatoes or baked beans or just veg. So…

So here's what you get for a comparable price ($2.8m) and year (2007 for this one, 2008 for yours -- in Chicago newer is going to be more expensive for a high rise condo normally) in downtown Chicago. So is where in the building it is, of course, and outdoor space that exists, and whether the view is blocked. Lots more…

Ah. Yes, you can easily find a 2 bd/2 bath condo in downtown (or desirable neighborhoods near downtown, living right in the Loop is possible but the options are much more limited/very specific, and not the highest priced since for many that would not be desirable compared to other neighborhoods convenient to the Loop) for…

Fast food here has had calorie counts for ages, and so have many quick serve restaurants. I don't think it's helped reduce the obesity rate, but having it at some of the quick serve places I go to has made it easier for me (although back in the day I just didn't pay attention to it), and I think does put some pressure on…

It depends on the neighborhood in Chicago, and how much of a fixer-upper it is. Downtown doesn't really have houses, so I'm curious what that listing is. I would not expect to see a house near downtown for less than $500K (or near $500K), in many closer in neighborhoods a teardown would be more. (My guess is you may be…