Could you really believe that Special K for breakfast with double cream and jam is healthy?
Secret Eaters is one of those weight loss shows that I actually quite like. It manages to remove the smoke and mirrors that people either wittingly or unwittingly put in place when it comes to eating…so I like it. Except when I read the headlines about a chap who thought that the aforementioned breakfast was healthy…all because it had Special K in it. This makes me both sad and mad.
I don’t like to criticise people who struggle when it comes to food education. You aren’t born with nutritional knowledge. It is something that you need to learn. Being able to ask for help is crucial – deriding people is not the way forward and won’t encourage anyone to seek this help!
At what point though, when the weight is piling on, do you think that you might be doing something wrong and need to ask for that help?
My situation was chosen. I chose to eat myself to 43st 5.5lbs. It was not a lack of nutritional education in the slightest. I knew that eating six sausage rolls, a multipack of McCoys, a tub of Ben & Jerry’s, two scotch eggs, a giant bag of peanut M&Ms, two packet sandwiches, and a Chinese takeaway with sides was not an evening of healthy eating…it was an evening of punishment.
Education is easy to come by. The NHS, for example, are able to give healthy eating advice – in person, in print, online. The British Dietetics Association have free online resources. The information we have available regarding healthy eating is greater than ever before. So if it is a simple educational issue – such as believing that double cream and jam is a good breakfast accompaniment to Special K – which in itself is not a good breakfast choice – then for me…and shoot me if you want…there is no excuse. Really, there is no excuse.
Again, I am not referring to those who have the knowledge and choose to ignore it – as I did. I am referring to a lack of knowledge…and how easy it is to get that knowledge.
It’s rather contradictory of me to say that derision is not the way forward…but then to state that there are no excuses.
I genuinely believe in both of those sentiments though. I get a lot of requests for help and support…and I answer each and every one of these without a hint of derision – if someone has reached out for help, why would I treat them with anything but respect? Not a single one of the hundreds – probably thousands actually – of messages I get has ever been from someone who has no idea of healthy eating though.
Yes, we have issues in following a healthy eating plan. We struggle to deal with emotions. We struggle to manage life issues. We struggle to organise and plan properly. We struggle to see light at the end of the tunnel. We struggle to avoid the BOGOF offers on junk food. We struggle to focus on enjoying life as it is now. All of these things drive you to the fridge…to the junk food…to the unhealthy options.
When it comes to the difference between healthy eating and unhealthy eating I do feel that it is a little fecking silly to claim a lack of knowledge. Now don’t get me wrong, there are foods out there that catch us out – such as muesli and breakfast muffins which have loads of bloody calories. In most cases a huge breakfast of grilled bacon, scrambled eggs, mushrooms and tomatoes contains less calories and nasties. But if you ate a breakfast muffin, or a bowl of muesli, with double cream and jam on top…I really do think that there is a serious issue.
Can you claim a lack of education…or are you burying your head in the sand(wiches!)?
So what I am trying to say…and treading on eggshells about…is that I don’t want to take the piss out of people with a real and genuine lack of knowledge…but that some people just need a kick up the arse!
I am not sure if this chap and his wife were of the genuine and serious belief that double cream was ever a suitable option for a breakfast topping – it just seems a little bit outrageous really. But then again, so were my old eating habits. Who is more silly? Me with my knowledge yet ignoring it, or someone claiming to have no knowledge and struggling!
Some of the things I write about create mixed feelings and it can be hard to communicate these concisely and accurately. As I said, I don’t want to deride a lack of knowledge…but I do think it is a very poor excuse.
I was chatting with my Dad about this earlier actually. He told me that a friend of his had recently chosen to eat a giant Cornish pasty instead of a standard sausage roll – and his reason for this? Because the pasty had vegetables in it and must have been a healthier option. Let’s ignore the fecking masses of extra pastry and the fatty meat! 
Whilst I don’t want to come across as a cow-bag over a lack of food education, I don’t see the responsibility for this education sitting with anyone other than the person with the weight issue. Unless you have learning difficulties (I am aware that there may be a more PC term for this…but I am not sure what it is!) then I personally struggle with the fact that someone hasn’t made the effort to seek out suitable resources. Reasons other than education obviously need support – binge eating, emotional eating, bulimia, anorexia…in my experience, people with these issues are more than well-aware of the foods that they eat – too much information and education in some cases!
I am going to stop there I think. Last time I wrote about Secret Eaters, I ended up in hot water…which is actually a better topping for a breakfast cereal than double cream!
Today had been fabulous-ish! I woke up in a bit of a tired and ratty mood…which improved when I managed to get tickets to see Paulo Nutini. I dragged myself to the gym and had a good workout. Then I went and sorted out my horse trailer as I am moving my Mums horse tomorrow morning…please keep your fingers crossed…it took over five hours to load her last time I tried. But she has had ‘help’ since then and I am hoping for a nice and uneventful morning. My two horses had the last dose of wormer and enjoyed some pears and parsnips as a little sugary treat. Then I went over to have a catch-up with my consultant which was great – nice to have a decent chat outside of group when we are both busy. An evening in with Mr WLB is all I will be getting up to this evening.
Breakfast: Banana porridge (5 syns).
Lunch: Jacket potato, baked beans, cottage cheese, and salad.
Dinner: Grilled veggie pittas with cheese and garlic hummus (2 x HEA, 2 x HEB, and 2.5 syns).
Snacks: Cherries with Greek yogurt and a Nakd bar (7 syns).
The meal of the day was dinner – it was amazing. First up though was brekkie – my water made porridge and bananas. Lunch was a jacket potato with baked beans, a bit of cottage cheese, and some salad. Dinner was immense! Homemade hummus – a can of chickpeas, garlic, cumin, and some Hellmans lighter than light mayo – the syns come from the mayo and depends on how much you use. You can use fat free yogurt and fromage frais…but I prefer the taste and texture from mayo. I grilled some red and yellow pepper, red onion, and courgette and aubergine slices. I heat some pittas, added my cheese into those, and stuffed them with grilled veggies and dolloped on the hummus…it was gorgeous! And my snack tonight was a berry Nakd bar – lovely – with cherries and Greek yogurt.
Exercise: 15 minutes elliptical machine, 50 minutes weights, and 13 minutes hand bike!
Thank you for reading,
Weight Loss Bitch xxx
WeightLossBitch
On a health and fitness driven journey to lose over 32st / 448lbs / 203kgs – yes, it is a considerable amount – I am committed to losing my excess weight without the aid of weight loss surgery, diet pills, or quick fixes…as there aren’t any! Changing my eating habits and building up my fitness levels, along with addressing the ‘head issues’ will be crucial in order for me to achieve my goal. Living in England as a 31 year old super morbidly obese woman can be challenging to say the least. I have been shouted at in the street and verbally abused far too many times to mention; hence the name ‘Weight Loss Bitch’…the day I am just called a ‘bitch’ instead of a ‘fat bitch’ will be the day that I know I have cracked my weight loss! With many reasons to lose this weight I am documenting my journey for a number of reasons. Firstly, I would like to keep a record of the ups and downs, the highs and lows, and the challenges I face with such an enormous task to tackle. Secondly, I would also like to inspire and encourage other people who are in a similar situation and to show them that significant amounts of weight can be lost naturally…with a bit of motivation, hard work, dedication and will power. Thirdly, all of the blogging, Facebook-ing, Tweet-ing, Pinterest-ing and YouTube-ing keeps me occupied and keeps my fingers out of the fridge!
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