How to Talk to Your Chubby Friend – a guide for the thin

Posted by Sue

Eighty percent of Americans over the age of 25 are overweight. Obviously, relating well to your chubby friends and co-workers is going to become a very valuable social skill in the future… Because I’m nice like that, I’m gonna help you out with a few tips:

1) Do not share weight loss tips with your chubby friends. My gosh people.  We know how to lose weight.  If there is one thing chubby people know how to do its DIET.  Do you KNOW how many diets I’ve been on?  I’ve lost a TON of weight.  And then regained it.  And lost it and regained and lost and regained and lost and regained.  And lost it again.  I’m not lacking knowledge about weight loss methods, believe me.

2) Don’t tell me how to keep it off either.  I know all about that too.  I know WHAT I need to do, I just struggle with actually doing it.  I could probably write a BOOK about how to eat healthy, maintain a healthy weight, eat a balanced diet, etc.  I just don’t especially like living the behaviors that make all that happen. 

3) If your chubby friend says, “I am SO FAT,”  do not ever attempt to be honest, straightforward or tactfully helpful. Just say, “You look great.” Repeat after me. “You look great.”  That’s it.  That’s all you need to say.  Trust me.

4) Don’t complain about being fat in front of me if you are more than four sizes smaller than I am.  Just DON’T.  Because, what are you trying to say, that I’m Gargantutron or something?  I know, I know - if I were a good friend, I would listen and try be supportive and would not read anything into what you are saying.  And then right after that I would turn into a magical fairy and sprinkle my happy pink sparkle dust all over the universe.   

How ’bout you – you got any tips?

Love the Fluff

That’s right–for a moment, just love the fluff. Go here and feast your eyes on some major fluffines. (Yes, this is the second time I’ve stolen post content from my sister Nancy. It’s not my fault she isn’t a contributor here!)

If only our rolls and pudgy knees were as adorable!

A good book for all of us to read

If you haven’t read the book French Women Don’t Get Fat, I encourage you to do so. Or, re-read it if it has been a while.

The author discusses at length how eating good food, but doing so in reasonable portions, can result in a trim figure and a happy life. There’s virtually no mention of calories or worries about “bad carbs”. Instead, Guiliano tells about how, as a teen, she returned to her native France from a year studying in Massachusetts overweight and unhappy and how she ultimately slimmed down.

She did this by adapting the tenets of French eating:

• eating three substantial meals a day
• consuming smaller portions
• eat lots of fruits and vegetables
• taking the stairs instead of the elevator
• drinking plenty of water
• not depriving herself of treats every once in a while

In other words, Guiliano listened to common sense.French Women also contains recipes, including a Cauliflower Gratin that is just delish.

As we all face a month of parties, receptions, baking cookies, and large celebratory meals, we all want to be able to enjoy ourselves but also not gain weight. If you have time (ha!), I recommend this book.

Are y’all sick of me posting all these articles yet?

An article about curbing your hunger while you’re trying to lose weight.  Good advice — I have four boxes of popcorn in the pantry .

A very healthy trend

Small portions are now all the rage in restaurants in the U.S., a new survey reports.  It’s about time!

Staying healthy

We all know that fighting the fluffy involves exercise and good eating habits.  I think that a positive attitude is also very important.  One thing we haven’t talked about here though is  staying healthy, especially now that we’re in cold and flu season.  It’s hard to stay on track when we’re dealing with a cold or the flu or (heaven forbid) a stomach bug.

One of the magazines I read is Health and I went to their website and found a couple of helpful articles.  Read here about tactics to outsmart the flu and read this for food that help fight colds.

The Fluffy Crew is working hard to lower the statistics….

An interesting article in Yahoo News.

If more people read Fight the Fluffy, we could totally wipe out obesity in this country.

I need to wire my jaws shut…

… because today is one of those days when I want to just inhale every sweet thing in the house.  And, no, I’m not even hungry.   It wouldn’t be a problem if I worked in a regular office, but my office is in my house — mere steps from my kitchen.   Time to chain myself to my desk.

Ooops…

That last post was me.

bonthemama

The Case of the Disappearing Fluff

Had my weigh-in last night…. and what I said about not caring about the numbers? Well I must have LIED! Because I am DANCING with joy… I have lost my 10% and then some.

As of last night I have lost a total of 30 lbs. Yeah… you heard me, I lost 7.8 lbs over the Thanksgiving weekend. Freaky, I know! It’s like those day dreams you have of magically dropping the fluff with no effort. Only there WAS effort…. just not THAT much effort. ‘Cause, I’m here to tell ya… I ate every point PLUS this past week.

I am recommitted! Wooooooooo!