How important is food to you?

[angie-bum]

I have just had a revelation. I was wrangling with myself about what to do on my Birthday (details in my blog). I realise that I could receive the biggest besets present in the world, but given the choice my inner child would chose birthday cake, sweeties and crisps. I feel quite sad for my inner child that she doesn't think its a proper birthday without celebrating with sugar.
That she would give up all her presents to have a birthday cake,
That she feels like crying because she can't have the cake.

But I have just thought. I can have a cake, I can have my birthday but I will have diabetic chocolate or another bar and no sugar pop! I know, its off plan, but its not enough off plan to sabotage my journey.

Celebrations are about te people you share yr time with, it is also making sure other people are well fed (if they want to be!)

I can substitute for a day

I was just so struck by my inner voice being very sad at not eating cake. How did cake/chocolate ever get to be sooooo important to me, more important than, health, my figure, my happiness. Anything chocolate is my drug of choice

 

[FattyMcBigbum]

I think my inner child must be a teenager 'cause all she wants is alcohol which is weird cos I've never been a drinker - maybe had a drink twice a year.

I've never heard of a diabetic cake... I'm guessing it's low in sugar?

 

[jools1986]

I am finding out that actually, it isn't that important to me. I have sat through many take aways and celebrations and not been bothered by it all. I do struggle with alcohol though

 

[susie-slimmer]

Good thinking Angie, it sounds like the beginning of a plan to me. I will go and read your blog for more details.

I was thinking about this last night, the importance of food that is. Food is always central to any celebration (or commiseration) to me. Whenever someone mentions a nice restaurant they have been to I go and look at the menu's and decide what I would have. This is what me and hubby did last night. Then it's a realisation of oh no we can't do that :-( sigh

But we will do that one day soonish, probably before Christmas as a treat for our hard work, and surely once goal weight is reached, or even along the way, we have to allow ourselves some quality food experiences? I love nothing more than a sit down three/four course meal in a fine restaurant with a bottle of wine and would rather do that than go to any concert,show etc.

I guess it's just a case of balance, we can have large rich meals out then be more sensible for the following days, all a matter of quantity and quality balanced over a period of time rather than lettuce and cottage cheese (or TFR) for ever.

I don't believe that it's what we do on special occassions (like Birthdays) that matter, it's what we do every day of our lives, those bad snacking habits, the huge portions, the wrong choices, day after day.

As much as we might not want it to be, food is a source of pleasure, we would never have been given taste buds if it wasn't meant to be, surely? So as well as loving food let's also learn to love ourselves and our health by doing things in moderation. That's the plan I intend to follow.

Good luck Angie xx

 

[Ladyshopper]

When I last did Exante it was over my birthday (back in July). At first I was just going to have a day off plan, but then decided I didn't want to ruin what I was doing. I knew I was only doing exante for 4 weeks (it was a pre-holiday thing), so promised myself a meal and a cake after I'd finished the diet. I actually felt really good about that decision, and didn't even feel deprived on my birthday!

Am now coming back to exante, as despite doing really well before my holiday, unfortunately the holiday style eating hasn't stopped and I've put most of it back on (although my scales have broken so can't actually weigh myself!). Am starting tomorrow.

 

[angie-bum]

It's daft! I still haven't got it sorted in my head. If I was offered cake or alcohol today I know with absolute certainty I would say no thank you. But a birthday, my birthday? There is a real part of me that believes if I don't have cake on my birthday it will just be like any other day of the year, that I won't have a birthday this year & that makes me sad. What I realise now is that its not actually that I want to eat the cake, I just want to have one and give a piece to other people, which is what I am going to do.

As for mre I know again I won't feel it's actually my birthday unless I do something different from what I do everyday& eat something different, which is why I am going to see what diabetic chocolates there are out there. I'd only needone or two the rest can go to hubby or friends

I suppose I know myself well enough to know I need a plan.food is not just food, but what does it mean to me specifically?it means family, sharing, love, generosity. How does that fit in with a vlcd? It just means I will have to learn to cook and not take part, or learn to eat smaller portions

I suppose I realise I have to do things differently from now on. I can't keep losing weight only to put it back on. I am going to have to practice eating mindfully.

I suppose if in a parallel universe there wasn't such a thing as food, then we would have other traditions other ways to celebrate. I'm going to think on that point.

This morning I just couldn't think about a birthday without birthday food. Now I am thinking that I may just be able to start to believe that a birthday without cake can still be real, can still be fun

 

[Shos]

It is strange how food can be so central to life for some people.... i'm exactly the same, we celebrate everything with a meal out and part of doing something as a family nearly always involves food... a picnic with a dog walk, a bbq or just a sunday roast. Food as part of celebration is central to me... in fact food as a normal way to pass time is central! I had an hour to spare today and thought to myself, i'll just pop to the cafe for coffee and cake whilst i wait... doh!! I suddenly remembered taht thats not me anymore, i cant just keep eating.

Oh and dont get me started on alcohol! I managed a night out on water, even a drink at the pub today after a crap day at work and though i was desperate for a glass of wine, i just had water as i did not see the point in ruining everything for one glass, but i just keep thinking how relaxing it would be to have one!!

Let us know how you get on with your birthday... mines in 2 weeks and if im honest there is no way i will be able to stick to plan and not eat all the celebration food xxx

 

[Lynn_]

Ive seen some great Atkins recipes for chocolate cake, here is one from teh Atkins website. I havnt actually made this myself, so i cant vouch for it, but it should be doable. It wont be low in calories of course with the butter in it, but it will be low in carbs so shouldnt do too much damage if you really want a birthday cake that wont do too much harm and wont take you out of ketosis unless you indulge in the crisps you wished for. And why shouldnt you have birthday cake on your birthday? Birthdays are great celebrations, you should make the most of them

Ingredients:

• 4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped (diabetic chocolate could be used, but good quality plain chocolate such as Green & Blacks could be used, the amount of sugar in it isnt that bad)
• 8 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons water
• 3/4 cup granular sugar substitute
• 2 tablespoons cocoa powder (use proper cocoa powder not drinking chocolate powder)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 6 large eggs, at room temperature

Directions:
Heat oven to 325F. Grease an 8-inch springform pan and line the bottom with parchment paper; grease paper and set aside.Melt chocolate, butter and water in the top of a double boiler set over simmering water, stirring to combine. Remove from heat and transfer to a large bowl; cool to room temperature. Add 1/4 cup of the sugar substitute, the cocoa powder and vanilla extract to chocolate mixture, stirring until combined.In a medium bowl, with an electric mixer on medium-high, beat eggs until mixture forms thick ribbons when beater is lifted, about 6 minutes. Reduce speed to medium; gradually add remaining 1/2 cup sugar substitute and beat until combined, 1 minute.Stir one-third of the egg mixture into the chocolate mixture to lighten. In two additions, fold in remaining egg mixture until well combined. Pour batter into prepared pan, smoothing top. Bake until evenly risen and almost set, 40 to 45 minutes (it will look like a brownie). Cool completely on a wire rack. To serve, run a knife around edge of pan and remove rim.

Recipe goes on to suggest serving with whipped cream, which you can do on Atkins, but hey lets not go too mad lol

 

[angie-bum]

Many thanks Lyn!

I completely go with the idea, 'why not it is your Birthday', but the last time I was doing a vlcd and it coincided with my birthday, I had cake and wine etc put on 4 lb and Sts for 2 weeks, struggling to get back to pre birthday weigh in weight. I don't want to do that this time.

I'll give a good thought to the atkins cake, my hubby has issues with a swinging blood sugar level, so it wouldn't do him any harm & at least 2 other people who might want some cake are diabetic, but don't control it very well. And of course there's my sister who has joined me doing exante just yesterday. It would seem there are more than a few people in my vicinity that should stay off the sugar

 

[rose1987]

Food was always important to me its what i used to make me feel better when i was down and also when i was happy i didnt relise myself how important food was to me untill i joined exante . Im still struggerling but i know i will get through this . Hope you enjoy your birthday sweetie .

 

[angie-bum]

Thankyou! I still have just over 4 weeks til my birthday & I want to lose another stone by then. It's just that I can see it approaching fast, as I can Xmas, I don't want bad planning keeping me from goal

I've probably exhausted this topic for me at this point. Though I am sure I will revisit it at Christmas, when I will have the dilemma again about what & how much to eat.

 

[rose1987]

Enjoy your self at xmas thats what i plan to do because i love xmas food and im going to have a week of to eat and drink whatever i like in control !