Yay, I walked down the chocolate aisle looking the other way this morning… 
I was talking to my daughter last night about my illness and she said that I needed to detox. She said that I was eating toooo many poisons and that I needed to drink more juice. She sounded like she knew what she was talking about and I was too scared to ask her why it was not so good to eat the vegetables rather than put them through a juicer, throw away the pulp drink the yukky juice made of spinach, kale ginger and stuff.
I’m sure she is right after all she is my child and should know it all, she always has done. However, can anyone here tell me the benefits of drinking the juice from vegetables and throwing away the pulp?
Cate darlin’ - your daughter is taking things to the extreme. By all means drink more juice. Personally I buy litre cartons of juice from the supermarket. In my fridge I have several cartons of Blueberry juice and a couple of cartons of Mango.
Juice made from pulped vegetables I don’t think is going to taste very nice - you need fructose - the natural sugars contained in all fruits to make it palatable.
Sorry Cookiecate, I think your daughter is wrong, if you only have the juice you are losing the fibre. I’m sure Rueben will be able to tell you better than me but but most nutritionists say to eat the whole fruit or vegetable. Our bodies already have efficient detoxing methods, for instance our kidneys. 
Between me and you Nuttygran it will not be the first time honourable daughter has been a bit over the top with her advice. I just listen now and agree.
Cate darlin’ That sounds like patronising, but in your case obviously warranted.
Hi Cookiecate- I think what your daughter is suggesting is cleansing when solids are not eaten for a day or two and liquids pass quickly through the body as this is referred to as de-toxing. It wouldn’t do you any harm to do a veg, fruit juice and water only for one day each week but claims for benefits are exaggerated. Personally I believe it is just another unnecessary gimmicky fad. A good healthy diet should include whole foods containing both soluble fibre and insoluble fibre for good digestion and bowel heath. Whole foods help by slowing digestion which puts less strain on liver, kidneys and pancreas The body is quite capable of detoxing itself on a balanced whole food diet.
Taxes proposed on “bad” foods
Rather than start a new thread (!!) I thought I’d ask what others make of the apparent proposal to put extra tax on “unhealthy” foods in a doomed attempt (in my opinion!) to try to tackle the ever-growing (oops - a pun - sorry!) obesity problem.
I think that this is totally wrong as it is another “stealth tax” and is probably the reason why it’s been suggested!
Everyone these days is aware of the precarious state of the economy and the impact on not only incomes but on also services. Consequently many people buy the cheapest simply because it is their only option because the real, healthy stuff is almost always more expensive, particularly for a family of four or more.
We shop carefully using major supermarkets, foreign-owned, smaller supermarkets and local town suppliers for everything that we need and I think that we eat well, even on our reduced budget and furthermore, what we do eat is not stuffed full of fats, additives and colourings - for two people it’s not that hard, especially when you can use some ingredients to make your own meals.
However, for a family of four or more it’s not that easy and it is the younger generations that are the real cause for concern I think.
What amazes me is that obesity is across the board, not just certain social groups and that was painfully obvious to me the other night when we were at A&E in the local hospital. I’d say that 70% of the staff that I saw in the 8 hours we were there were obese and a good 10% of them were in the severe category - and these are the ones that advise us!!!
It really does counter the often heard argument that it’s the lower, “chattering” classes which are the worst offenders as a quick count-up in a High Street visit will prove that that assumption is wrong.
What are your thoughts? stevmk2
Steve, it is off topic a bit, but I really agree with you. When I was in and out of hospital earlier in the year, my friend who was with me and I were astounded at the number of nurses who were very overweight, some verging on obese! And the people in the waiting rooms also; and as you say, a look at the sidewalk passersby! Appalling!
Hi stevmk2- More taxes:-(No thank you.
Unfortunately people have become to dependent on manufactured foods full of junk. I would go as far as to say a vast majority of people haven’t got a clue what they are eating. Education is what is needed in schools on the subject of food, health and fitness. It would at least inform them on how to prevent a life of illness and weight through unhealthy eating habits because of ignorance. Jamie Oliver tried to do his bit but it needs a bigger push than one personality chief. How many of the younger generation can actually cook a meal out of recognizable food:!: On the whole we have become lazy about food because it is so easy to have pre-made meals or take-aways instead of cooking from scratch. I think too many have gone too far down the road of convenience to change their habits now. I prefer to choose the food I am going to eat and cook it myself that way I know what I am eating.
Right you are Rueben! I believe in cooking from scratch, always have. Not only better for you, tastes better too.
I too cook from scratch, however people say they won’t eat my Zebra or Kangaroo steaks.:-(:-(
On a friends recommendation I bought some Morrison’s Prime Beef beefburgers, £2 for four from the frozen aisles. They are 99% beef + salt. They are quite nice but I still prefer my own.
Happy weight loss all…
Onwards & downwards.
Sorry not reporting this week got my first weigh in at Fat Club on Thurs since my op 10 days ago so will report in next week:-)
Jeanette
Good luck for Thursday Geordiegirl, hope you’re feeling better.
I wonder how Rockrider is, has anyone heard?
I really miss him; hope all is well and that it’s just computer problems, not that he’s unwell or gotten tired of us!
I’m sorry to say the wife is starting to put back on some weight again, I dare not mention this to her for fear of being put to the sword, the daughter won’t say it to her either. The extra pounds seem to congregate around the buttocks area, I notice this in the morning time when she struggles into her cord trousers, 'tis not a pretty sight to watch the Woman you love struggling and cursing at the same time. She’s back on the dreaded CHOC’S again, taking a few out of the box and smuggling them into the living room to eat while watching TV. I tried to drop a hint this morning saying, “I weighed myself in the bathroom dear, and I’m still the same weight…are you?” I was given the deaf ear, a sure sign she knows she’s over doing it. Lets hope a friend tells her.
You can follow her progress on Waistbook.
I’m not sure it would be a good thing to mention it really, Jem, to be honest. She’s probably more than aware of it herself and may feel a little self-conscious but, without knowing the lady, if she is aware of it, the last thing she’ll want is somebody in her ear about her weight gain.
You obviously love the bones of her and perhaps she’s got something on her mind right now which is making her turn to the choccies. If, as you say, she’s “smuggling” them so that you don’t see, that may be an indication that something is worrying her.
If that be the case, be sensitive toward her for the time being and just be there if she needs you, as I know you will.
One thing that I vowed to myself was if I saw someone I really cared about gaining weight I would tell them. This is why.
When I was nineteen I was really gorgeous I had what they call now an hour glass figure which in the days of Twiggy was a no no. Looking at my pictures I cannot believe how good looking I was and how I suffered with low self esteem because of a 38 28 38 figure when we all strived for either 36 22 36 or tiny even tinier and tiny.
When I had my first son I began gaining weight and because no body had ever told me that I was gorgeous and my self esteem was low, I wallowed in mumsy fat and eating for two. After each child I gained weight that I never lost and eventually became a grossly overweight lady.
My husband who had never told me I was gorgeous only complained that I resembled a large sow pig. No body told me to lose weight would be to get lovely again. I was ugly at the start and now I was ugly and fat.
Many years later and now with a supportive husband I look back with horror. The diet pills, the daft diets the struggle against the scales.
Tell your wife that when she is a few pounds lighter she is gorgeous, tell her that you really fancy her fat or thin but she is much happier when she is not eating the chocs. Offer to go for a walk with her or jogging or whatever she likes to do. Don’t say nothing at all. Don’t judge she is smuggling from you so she is feeling guilty ask yourself why?
Love her enough to tell her that you think that the cord trousers have shrunk in the wash (they do you know). Love her enough to share her unhappiness and for goodness sake don’t make fun of her.
I suggest an easier eating plan where the two of you could share a treat of chocs or a glass of wine. Losing weight and keeping it off is hard. I know that being overweight is also the symptom of unhappiness as yourself are you unaware of your lady so that you don’t know what it is that makes her unhappy and want those damn chocs