Day 117

What is the "right" amount to eat?

Thoughts: An interesting food for thought by Earth Diet reader and friend Dwayne Peachey "That the conditioning to overeat begins as a loving gesture. Parents prepare meals for their children, and plate up what they believe to be a "proper portion" for their growing child to eat, and then make them eat it all. How many times have we heard parents say to their children "finish whats on your plate please" or, when everyone has finished eating "Come on guys, there is only a little bit left here, someone may as well eat it." The fact is that throughout our lives, our body knows what it needs and will tell us, if we listen. But we are conditioned to feel that unless our stomach is completely full, we haven't had a proper meal. Because this conditioning starts from such an early age, this thinking feels completely natural. This way of thinking combined with Television, computers and playstations occupying more and more of our childrens days, leading to them becoming less and less active, can only point to a health disaster for future generations if something isn't done.

Maybe the next generation of parents should try to break this cycle, by filling the house with only good wholesome foods. Go back to the days when desert only happened once a week and takeaways was an occasional (once a month) treat, not an easy option for a busy lifestyle. Teach our kids to eat a balanced diet and that, within reason, if you feel like you've eaten enough, you probably have eaten enough. And help and encourage our children to find physical activities they enjoy doing. Remember, If it is fun, it doesn't feel like excercise. A good healthy lifestyle with SUFFICIENT wholesome food is, I believe, is the best basis to get the most from our life."

Perfect. Thank you for contributing Dwayne. I absolutely agree. There is no "right amount".

Challenges: Obviously some people disagree with the amount of food quantities. I really think we need half of what our Western Culture eat. I mean people in 3rd world countries survive on much less.

Triumphs: Yvonne Dale says "They are many more approaches to dieting, and eating the right food, in the right amount, in the right combination, at the right time, is a difficult art, that can only be learned by experimenting to find out what works best for the individual." I am getting the "shoulds" and "should nots" out of my thoughts and listening to my body and experiementing. Yes everyone is different and requires different things.

What I Ate Today:

Breakfast: Walnuts. 2 nectarines.

Lunch: Chickpeas with Indian spices

Dinnner: mmm the best salmon ever at Georgia's in Musselsholls, Alabama. With brocoli :) and the most cooked brocoli I have ever eaten hehe! I actually enjoyed the mushy dead organic matter! Haha



Dessert: no dessert.

Snacks: 1 apple.

Cost: My salmon dish was $29.95 at the restaurant, and thankyou "The Man In The Maze" for the beautiful meal :)


"The Man In The Maze" some cast and crew...from left to around the table (if that makes sense!)...Josh DOP, Erik playing PT, myself, lead actor Andrew, and Steve the UPM. :)

Exercise: a run around Florence in the crisp Alabamian air! I could smell pancakes cooking in the air the majority of my run!

248 days to go!!!