people who have no clue about nutrition/calories

[BlaqueKatt]

not talking about the huge meal and a diet coke people- they generally just prefer the taste of diet soda-not "trying to cancel out the meal", at least in my experience.

I'm talking about those that are totally oblivious to what they're eating.

I generally eat an actual meal once a day(no lectures please, doctor says it's fine for me-as I do have a few small healthy snacks), so since we were on our way to catch a movie(Priest, in case you cared-yes it's good), we stopped at macca's.

I ordered my standard fare:
Crispy ranch snack wrap
Small fries
Medium Iced vanilla coffee

There were two women in line waiting on their items, and they commented on my HUGE caloric intake. They got their items-one had a large caramel frappe, and the other had a mocha frappe, also large. I mentioned they had almost as many calories in their beverage as I had in my entire meal, they laughed and said I must be joking.

calories for my entire meal=760
each of their beverages=680 calories

How deluded are people about nutrition and caloric content of foods and beverages?

[muses_nightmare]

A lot of people don't bother to look up how many calories are in the foods they're eating, especially with drinks. I've developed a habit of looking at the nutrition facts before I buy or eat something, many people just don't. Also, they figure "it's a drink, it can't have that many calories!"

People also don't realize how much sugar is in things. For example a local radio station was talking about the sugar content in different foods and how some things have way more than you'd expect they used a bran muffin, and a plain doughnut as examples, a lot of people figured the doughnut had more sugar, when the muffin had about 2 - 3X more.

It's amazing how uninformed people can be about this type of stuff.

[patiokitty]

What usually blows my mind are the people that go on about how healthy they are eating when they eat green salads with loads of oily, fatty dressing on top. No, no the calorie-wise version of the dressing either - the regular stuff. Or instead of going with one chicken breast eating two or three...AFTER frying them in oil and some sort of coating.

I know somebody like this and it drives me nuts! She constantly brags about how healthy she is eating but when she starts going on about what she eats I have to bite my tongue because she is undermining the healthiness of the food with either how much of it she eats, how she prepares it, or what she slathers on top of it. And she wonders why she keeps gaining weight instead of losing it? Not mention that she very rarely eats anything that doesn't come out of a box or a can - nothing is labelled low-fat, low-sugar, low-sodium, etc.

Me, I have to watch all that stuff. I'm a type-2 diabetic that has been lucky enough to avoid having to take meds simply because of what I eat and how I prepare it. I just had my last round of bloodwork done and everything is doing just fine so obviously my careful attention is working. I'm also losing weight, but when I tell my friend what I'm having for supper or whatever she tries to tell ME that I'm not being very healthy. Huh, a small grilled chicken breast, steamed fresh veggies (no butter), and a half-cup of brown and wild rice isn't healthy compared to her box of Krap Dinner, and ceasar salad loaded with dressed and croutons? And of course there is her huge bowl of cookie dough ice cream she has with dessert while I skip dessert completely. Yeah. A bit of a pet peeve of mine -_-

[blas87]

I can't get through to my one friend that if she'd quit guzzling a case of beer a weekend (or at the bar), she'd have an easy time losing those pesky extra pounds that keep haunting her. She'll crash diet and do unhealthy things with foods and exercise, but won't quit drinking beer. That's why you're fat, hun. So quit it.

[Andara Bledin]

It's usually the drinks and toppings that people seem to think have no caloric or fat content.

Take Jamba Juice, for example. Sure, the stuff's fairly healthy, but one of those is practically a meal all by itself.

As for toppings, I've never really understood people who bury their food under a ton of dressing or sauce. I'm finding that as I get older, I like the taste of the fattier types of sauces less and less, and the sugar-shock foods I adored as a kid are just too much for me these days, which is just as well, since I'm far less active now.

^-.-^

[muses_nightmare]

Uhg I have a friend who constantly tries these fad diets, or those stupid "cleanses", then complains when she can't lose weight but has "tried everything!". Yeah, everything but eating healthy and exercising.

Now her and another friend of mine are on some diet that cosists of taking some sort of drop (or I think a shot? I can't remember that part exactly but it's a supplement of some sort) and eating 500 calories a day. And that diet even starts out telling you to binge for the first 2 days or somesuch. Yep, that sounds healthy. I'd rather stick to healthy filling meals rather than starving on 500 calories a day!

(on further research I believe it's this diet: http://www.doctoroz.com/videos/hcg-diet-fact-vs-fiction)

I'll admit to eating more than I should sometimes, and not eating so great, but I've been trying to eat better, and to just not buy as much junk (hard to do when you live with a guy that loves junk and doesn't see why he shouldn't eat it ) I'm trying to improve my willpower when it comes to junk (especially sweets), and cutting out all of those calorie laden drinks, like pop, and fake fruit juice (I really only drink apple and Orange now, and usually only one or two glasses a day if that). It seems a lot of people just aren't willing to do that, they want a quick fix where there isn't really one.

[RecoveringKinkoid]

I'm still trying to get my head around people confronting a total ass stranger about his food choices.

I'm surprised that hasn't happened to me. Although my husband has had an overweight SMOKER with a plateful of french fries tell him he had unhealthy eating habits.

He doesn't, by the way.

[AdminAssistant]

I'm still trying to get my head around people confronting a total ass stranger about his food choices.

I don't get that either. I'm overweight, I don't have a good diet, and I'm the first person to admit that. Luckily, I've never had anyone give me a dirty look or a nasty comment when I order a chicken strip basket and Blizzard from Dairy Queen (oh. so. good.) I'm not sure how I'd handle it, honestly. I'd probably just ignore them. Or cry. I never was any good at confrontation.

[Greenday]

I can't get through to my one friend that if she'd quit guzzling a case of beer a weekend (or at the bar), she'd have an easy time losing those pesky extra pounds that keep haunting her. She'll crash diet and do unhealthy things with foods and exercise, but won't quit drinking beer. That's why you're fat, hun. So quit it.

I gained about 30 pounds in college. There's one main difference in my diet from high school and college: alcoholic beverages. I did tons of walking around in college so I wasn't completely active. Even when I went to the bars, I had to walk quite a few blocks to get to them. But yea, I went from 165 beginning of freshman year to 195ish at graduation (198 was the highest I hit).

Now I've been in Afghanistan for four months today. About a month and a half ago, I weighed myself. With no change in diet and no change in exercise, I weighed 180. Down from the 195 I weighed the week before I came here. Two and a half months of not drinking and I dropped 15 solid pounds. Imagine what could happen if I actually exercised a little.

[Boozy]

Imagine what could happen if I actually exercised a little.

You'd have to make a point of eating more, probably. I used to eat about 2000 calories a day, and then I started going to the gym. Now I have to eat 2400 calories a day to maintain my weight.

If I feel like a salad for lunch, I usually put shredded cheese and nuts on top. Everyone needs to eat more vegetables, but a plate of greens doesn't provide enough energy for me. So I fatten up my salads a bit. I've never had anyone comment on it.

People's diets are their own business, and more often than not, there's a reason why they're selecting the things they do.

[IDrinkaRum]

For those who don't know, and those who do (and are getting a refresher), Mr. Rum has, in 15 months, dropped a total of 196 pounds. He used to weigh 476 pounds.

Through determination, bullheadedness, exercising 5-6 days a week, and cutting back on what he eats/drinks, he's actually thinner than his brothers. (And you think they'd be happy for him, but they have been so used to him being the fatter brother, it's making them bitter - especially BiL#1 - Mr. Rum wears a 2XL [down from a 6XL] and BiL#1 was like "I can't wear a 2X no matter what, my shoulders are too biiiig!" Waaaah).

Mr. Rum, every day for lunch @ work has 1 can soup (low-sodium variety), 2 pieces of fruit, water.

For Breakfast, he'll eat a Fiber One bar, a thing of cheese (you know, those string cheese things) or cottage cheese (in single serve containers) or a yogurt, maybe a hard boiled egg or a few slices of luncheon meat, some coffee (creamer & splenda).

For dinner, he has what I call Dagwood Salads (instead of Dagwood Sandwiches). He uses one heart of romaine lettuce for himself. Then he throws in a few croutons (if he feels like it), a 1/4 cup of nuts/berry mix, any leftover meat we might have in the fridge, some shredded cheese, and always the light version of whatever salad dressing he's got in the fridge (9 times out of 10, it's also a vinegrette, so a light balsamic & walnut vinegrette - that's what he normally buys).

He goes to the gym. Does water aerobics, does swimming, does weight lifting, is even using a personal trainer.

He's doing fantastic, but it tires me out just to type it up!

[kiwi]

Rum that's awesome! Your husband gets major props from me!!!!!

[insertNameHere]

I think the general response is "Just give me a pill so I lose this damn weight, there is no way in hell im going to excerise, eat right, AND give up my beer, their needs to be a pill!!!!!"

i am gaining weight and at least understand i need to stop drinking my beer and eat a little bit better but if i get fat, whatever it my choice to eat delicious food, but i don't freak out when I need to lose weight to keep the military happy. Actually my co-workers are pissed off I said I need to start losing weight because im not fat, but according to AirForce regulations I am.

[blas87]

I hate beer, that will never be my problem. Alcohol breaks me out, so I no longer really indulge (don't really go out anyways, if I drink anything it's like a daquiri or a mudslide when I'm out with my Mom and Dad....and oddly enough, those super fancy drinks aren't what break me out....it was always plain old Rum and Cokes and Dr McGuillicudy and Everclear that did it for me).

I've also come to the realization (don't ask how it took me so long to find out) that eating McDonalds makes me break out. How else would I have a fresh breakout or two on Saturdays when I eat McDs every Friday? Sure, they were eventually going to break out, but it makes them pop up faster.

And of course, milk breaks me out also.

A lot of people feel the need to rip on my diet.....which I don't get, because I'm in alright shape. I don't like my body the way it looks right now, but I'm far from in any sort of real weight trouble. I hate hearing diatribes about high fructose corn syrup from my bf and his family, and the anti-carb bandwagon.

Carbs are bad for you if you do not exercise. If you are active, you need them. You may not need an entire box of spaghetti at once, but you can't perform without sufficient carbs. And then protein also for muscle health. I am active. These people are not.

[AdminAssistant]

I'm decidedly not active, but you will pry my carbs from my chunky, dead, hand. I love bread and pasta and rolls and did I mention bread? I would rather be overweight than to give that up and be miserable.