What if obesity was NOT caused by laziness and gluttony?
What if it were caused by genetics, a virus, and/or chemicals they put in our food and vaccines?
What if the health problems "caused" by fat were in fact caused by poverty and dieting?
What if it were impossible to loose weight and keep it off?
How does this change your life?
I finished "Health at Every Size" by Linda Bacon a few days ago. She has degrees in health, nutrition, dieting, and psychology and presents the evidence in this book that all the above is true.
So how does this change my life?
I can now focus on how food makes me feel instead of how many calories it has. I can enjoy one or two cookies and know that I don't have to eat the whole box. I can be free to eat more tomorrow if I want to. I'm not cheating, I'm enjoying myself.
I am moving more because it feels good to dance and stretch, instead of movement being a chore "I really should do but don't feel up to."
I eat slowly and taste my food, enjoying its texture and flavors. I don't have to rush through the meal due to feelings that I should somehow be able to live without food. It's not sinful to enjoy the full experience of that food that God has provided. In fact, Jesus said He is the Bread of Life. This means He is the treat, the enjoyment, the spice that makes life worth living. If food is an object lesson for how much we need God and How much we should enjoy Him, then we really should slow down and take full pleasure in our meals. Only in this way can we begin to really enjoy what God is to us.
Hunger is the body's signal that you need food. It is not natural nor healthy to ignore that signal. In fact, why do we say a woman who journaled every bite she ate, exercised for an hour a day, never ate desert, and was always hungry, but weighs 100 pounds has an eating disorder, but if she weighs 200 pounds she is being "wise and disciplined"? This is a double standard. This behavior is just as destructive in a Fatty Patty as it is in Skinny Minny.
God made many different sizes and shapes of bodies. Why does our society think that half-starved scarecrow (or more disturbing- pre adolescent boy with boobs) is the only beautiful body? Curves are feminine. Curves are a sign of health and fertility and maturity (wisdom).
It's time we told our society to go "fry ice." It's time we embraced life, no matter what size we are.
Monday, February 20, 2012
Saturday, February 18, 2012
Chickies
After having all our roosters butchered, we are left with 12 hens. They are two years old now, so their production will perminantly drop next fall.
We decided to set up a permanant rotaion. We will buy 7 new chicks every spring and butcher 7 old hens every fall, keeping our flock between 14 and 21 birds.
We just bought 7 White Rocks and 7 Golden Sex Link chicks. Next fall, about the time these new ones begin producing, we will butcher all our current hens. Then the next year, half of these new ones. We'll buy 7 new chicks from completly different breeds every year so we can tell which ones to off. I think this will work great.
We decided to set up a permanant rotaion. We will buy 7 new chicks every spring and butcher 7 old hens every fall, keeping our flock between 14 and 21 birds.
We just bought 7 White Rocks and 7 Golden Sex Link chicks. Next fall, about the time these new ones begin producing, we will butcher all our current hens. Then the next year, half of these new ones. We'll buy 7 new chicks from completly different breeds every year so we can tell which ones to off. I think this will work great.
Thursday, February 16, 2012
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Book Review: Health at Every Size
The information in this book canbe life changing. I highly recommend it to everyone of every weight. The best way to tell you about it is from exerts from the book itself:
"THE HAES MANIFESTO Health at Every Size: The New Peace Movement We’re losing the war on obesity. Fighting fat has not made the fat go away. However, extensive “collateral damage” has resulted: Food and body preoccupation, self-hatred, eating disorders, weight cycling, weight discrimination, poor health. . . . Few of us are at peace with our bodies, whether because we’re fat or because we fear becoming fat. It’s time to withdraw the troops. There is a compassionate alternative to the war—Health at Every Size—which has proven to be much more successful at health improvement—and without the unwanted side effects. The scientific research consistently shows that common assumptions underlying the war on obesity just don’t stand up to the evidence.
"Assumption: “Overweight” and “obese” people die sooner than leaner people.
False! Almost all epidemiologic studies indicate people in the overweight or moderately obese categories live at least as long—or longer—than people in the normal weight category. The most comprehensive review of the research pooled data from 26 studies and found overweight to be associated with greater longevity than normal weight. Analysis of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys I, II, and III, which followed the largest nationally representative cohort of U.S. adults, also determined that the “ideal” weight for longevity was in the “overweight” category.
"Assumption: Being “overweight” or “obese” puts people at significant health risk.
False! Epidemiological studies rarely acknowledge factors like fitness, activity, nutrient intake, weight cycling, or socioeconomic status when considering connections between weight and disease. Yet all play a role. When studies do control for these factors, increased risk of disease disappears or is significantly reduced.5 What’s likely going on here is that these other factors increase disease risk at the same time they increase the risk of weight gain. Assumption: Anyone who is determined can lose weight and keep it off. False! The vast majority of people who try to lose weight regain it, regardless of whether they maintain their diet or exercise program.67 This occurs in all studies, no matter how many calories or what proportions of fat, protein or carbohydrates are used in the diet, or what types of exercise programs are pursued. Many studies also show that dieting is a strong predictor of future weight gain.
"Assumption: Weight loss will prolong life.
False! No one has ever shown that losing weight prolongs life. Some studies actually indicate that intentional weight loss increases the risk of dying early from certain diseases.
"Assumption: The only way for “overweight” people to improve health is to lose weight.
False! Most health indicators can be improved through changing health behaviors, regardless of whether weight is lost. For example, lifestyle changes can reduce blood pressure, largely or completely independent of changes in body weight. The same can be said for blood lipids. Improvements in insulin sensitivity and blood lipids as a result of aerobic exercise training have been documented even in persons who actually gained body fat while participating in the intervention.
Assumption: Health is declining as a result of an “obesity epidemic.”
False! While it’s true that we’re moderately fatter than we used to be, life expectancy has increased dramatically during the same time period in which our weight rose (from 70.8 years in 1970 to 77.8 years in 2005). That’s right, government statistics predict that the average kid can now expect to live almost eight years longer than his or her parents! Not only are we living longer than ever before, but we’re healthier than ever and chronic disease is appearing much later in life. Death rates attributed to heart disease have steadily declined throughout the entire spike in obesity. Both the World Health Organization and the Social Security Administration project life expectancy to continue to rise in coming decades.
Blame Economics
Why do these faulty assumptions continue to proliferate and why isn’t the reality more widely known? There can only be one explanation when science so blatantly contradicts popular thought: economics. There is a huge industry that benefits from widening the boundaries of what is considered a problematic weight, including weight loss centers, supplement makers, drug companies, physicians, and Even scientists benefit by getting research grants and serving as consultants, or by running weight loss centers at universities...
Trust yourself.
We all have internal systems designed to keep us healthy—and at a healthy weight.
Support your body in naturally finding its appropriate weight by honoring its signals of hunger, fullness, and appetite.
Adopt healthy lifestyle habits.
Develop and nurture connections with others and look for purpose and meaning in your life. Fulfilling your social, emotional, and spiritual needs restores food to its rightful place as a source of nourishment and pleasure.
Find the joy in moving your body and becoming more physically vital in your everyday life.
Eat when you’re hungry, stop when you’re full, and seek out pleasurable and satisfying foods.
Tailor your tastes so that you enjoy more nutritious foods, staying mindful that there is plenty of room for less nutritious choices in the context of an overall healthy diet and
Embrace size diversity.
Humans come in a variety of sizes and shapes. Open to the beauty found across the spectrum and support others in recognizing their unique attractiveness."
Bacon, Linda (2010-02-02). Health At Every Size: The Surprising Truth About Your Weight (p. 278). Perseus Books Group. Kindle Edition.
(BettySue again) Diets are unhealthy. God put hunger in our bodies for a reason. Hunger signals us that our bodies need food. Learn to eat healthy. Learn to enjoy moving. Learn to love the life and the body that God gave you. This is the way to health.
"THE HAES MANIFESTO Health at Every Size: The New Peace Movement We’re losing the war on obesity. Fighting fat has not made the fat go away. However, extensive “collateral damage” has resulted: Food and body preoccupation, self-hatred, eating disorders, weight cycling, weight discrimination, poor health. . . . Few of us are at peace with our bodies, whether because we’re fat or because we fear becoming fat. It’s time to withdraw the troops. There is a compassionate alternative to the war—Health at Every Size—which has proven to be much more successful at health improvement—and without the unwanted side effects. The scientific research consistently shows that common assumptions underlying the war on obesity just don’t stand up to the evidence.
"Assumption: “Overweight” and “obese” people die sooner than leaner people.
False! Almost all epidemiologic studies indicate people in the overweight or moderately obese categories live at least as long—or longer—than people in the normal weight category. The most comprehensive review of the research pooled data from 26 studies and found overweight to be associated with greater longevity than normal weight. Analysis of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys I, II, and III, which followed the largest nationally representative cohort of U.S. adults, also determined that the “ideal” weight for longevity was in the “overweight” category.
"Assumption: Being “overweight” or “obese” puts people at significant health risk.
False! Epidemiological studies rarely acknowledge factors like fitness, activity, nutrient intake, weight cycling, or socioeconomic status when considering connections between weight and disease. Yet all play a role. When studies do control for these factors, increased risk of disease disappears or is significantly reduced.5 What’s likely going on here is that these other factors increase disease risk at the same time they increase the risk of weight gain. Assumption: Anyone who is determined can lose weight and keep it off. False! The vast majority of people who try to lose weight regain it, regardless of whether they maintain their diet or exercise program.67 This occurs in all studies, no matter how many calories or what proportions of fat, protein or carbohydrates are used in the diet, or what types of exercise programs are pursued. Many studies also show that dieting is a strong predictor of future weight gain.
"Assumption: Weight loss will prolong life.
False! No one has ever shown that losing weight prolongs life. Some studies actually indicate that intentional weight loss increases the risk of dying early from certain diseases.
"Assumption: The only way for “overweight” people to improve health is to lose weight.
False! Most health indicators can be improved through changing health behaviors, regardless of whether weight is lost. For example, lifestyle changes can reduce blood pressure, largely or completely independent of changes in body weight. The same can be said for blood lipids. Improvements in insulin sensitivity and blood lipids as a result of aerobic exercise training have been documented even in persons who actually gained body fat while participating in the intervention.
Assumption: Health is declining as a result of an “obesity epidemic.”
False! While it’s true that we’re moderately fatter than we used to be, life expectancy has increased dramatically during the same time period in which our weight rose (from 70.8 years in 1970 to 77.8 years in 2005). That’s right, government statistics predict that the average kid can now expect to live almost eight years longer than his or her parents! Not only are we living longer than ever before, but we’re healthier than ever and chronic disease is appearing much later in life. Death rates attributed to heart disease have steadily declined throughout the entire spike in obesity. Both the World Health Organization and the Social Security Administration project life expectancy to continue to rise in coming decades.
Blame Economics
Why do these faulty assumptions continue to proliferate and why isn’t the reality more widely known? There can only be one explanation when science so blatantly contradicts popular thought: economics. There is a huge industry that benefits from widening the boundaries of what is considered a problematic weight, including weight loss centers, supplement makers, drug companies, physicians, and Even scientists benefit by getting research grants and serving as consultants, or by running weight loss centers at universities...
Trust yourself.
We all have internal systems designed to keep us healthy—and at a healthy weight.
Support your body in naturally finding its appropriate weight by honoring its signals of hunger, fullness, and appetite.
Adopt healthy lifestyle habits.
Develop and nurture connections with others and look for purpose and meaning in your life. Fulfilling your social, emotional, and spiritual needs restores food to its rightful place as a source of nourishment and pleasure.
Find the joy in moving your body and becoming more physically vital in your everyday life.
Eat when you’re hungry, stop when you’re full, and seek out pleasurable and satisfying foods.
Tailor your tastes so that you enjoy more nutritious foods, staying mindful that there is plenty of room for less nutritious choices in the context of an overall healthy diet and
Embrace size diversity.
Humans come in a variety of sizes and shapes. Open to the beauty found across the spectrum and support others in recognizing their unique attractiveness."
Bacon, Linda (2010-02-02). Health At Every Size: The Surprising Truth About Your Weight (p. 278). Perseus Books Group. Kindle Edition.
(BettySue again) Diets are unhealthy. God put hunger in our bodies for a reason. Hunger signals us that our bodies need food. Learn to eat healthy. Learn to enjoy moving. Learn to love the life and the body that God gave you. This is the way to health.
Saturday, February 11, 2012
Amongst Lovely Things: Why I'm No Homeschool Superstar
Amongst Lovely Things: Why I'm No Homeschool Superstar
Oh so ditto!!!
We are not all crafters. It takes everything out of me for an entire day to even try most crafts. So I don't.
Oh the kids do an occasional craft at Grandmas (christmas ornaments for church for example). But not a lot.
I wouldn't mind if they could do more, but not with me. Toooo much for mamma.
And to tell you the truth, I'm not all that convinced that crafty stuff is all that educational. They are fun, to be sure. But so is running around in the yard playing cowboys. I know I remember learning a great deal more from the textbooks than from any of the crafty things we did in public school. Of course it's possible I'm just a boring booky person. But I'm that kind of teacher too. I can get an idea across way easier by reading selections to the kiddos than by building, uhhhh, messes.
Another thing to remember when reading about homeschoolers doing so many neat things is that you are often reading an entire 15-20 years worth of craft ideas. With my oldest at 20yo, if I were to list our craft projects from every other year, it would sound very much like we were doing neat things all the time.
Here's the truth about our school: We do Bible study together every morning, practice our poems, memory verses, and memorizing phone numbers and addresses. Than each child does their math, grammar, science, history, health, geography, penmanship, phonics (where the child is the right age), art, music, literature and spanish alone. I begin at my second youngest (4.5yo) and work through her kindegarten workbooks. Than I correct my 7yo's work, give her spelling and reading lessons. Than I do the same to my 8yo, 10yo, 12yo, 13yo, and 17yo (skipping the reading lessons, lol). I end with my 20yo telling me what she has been studying (She often does all the spelling lessons for me and I allow the older dc to correct most of their own stuff with me just spot checking once in a while so this time with the older ones is usually only about 10 minutes or less each.) This takes from about 9:30-2:30 with an hour or so out for lunch and a 20minute break mid-morning. Then I have the rest of the day to do my things and they each do their own things. They are learning lots and I have time to de-stress. Works great for us.
So, if you aren't the kind of mom who wants to build pyramids out of sugar cubes, ear canals you can crawl through, or 3D models of the solar system, you can still homeschool. I do.
Oh so ditto!!!
We are not all crafters. It takes everything out of me for an entire day to even try most crafts. So I don't.
Oh the kids do an occasional craft at Grandmas (christmas ornaments for church for example). But not a lot.
I wouldn't mind if they could do more, but not with me. Toooo much for mamma.
And to tell you the truth, I'm not all that convinced that crafty stuff is all that educational. They are fun, to be sure. But so is running around in the yard playing cowboys. I know I remember learning a great deal more from the textbooks than from any of the crafty things we did in public school. Of course it's possible I'm just a boring booky person. But I'm that kind of teacher too. I can get an idea across way easier by reading selections to the kiddos than by building, uhhhh, messes.
Another thing to remember when reading about homeschoolers doing so many neat things is that you are often reading an entire 15-20 years worth of craft ideas. With my oldest at 20yo, if I were to list our craft projects from every other year, it would sound very much like we were doing neat things all the time.
Here's the truth about our school: We do Bible study together every morning, practice our poems, memory verses, and memorizing phone numbers and addresses. Than each child does their math, grammar, science, history, health, geography, penmanship, phonics (where the child is the right age), art, music, literature and spanish alone. I begin at my second youngest (4.5yo) and work through her kindegarten workbooks. Than I correct my 7yo's work, give her spelling and reading lessons. Than I do the same to my 8yo, 10yo, 12yo, 13yo, and 17yo (skipping the reading lessons, lol). I end with my 20yo telling me what she has been studying (She often does all the spelling lessons for me and I allow the older dc to correct most of their own stuff with me just spot checking once in a while so this time with the older ones is usually only about 10 minutes or less each.) This takes from about 9:30-2:30 with an hour or so out for lunch and a 20minute break mid-morning. Then I have the rest of the day to do my things and they each do their own things. They are learning lots and I have time to de-stress. Works great for us.
So, if you aren't the kind of mom who wants to build pyramids out of sugar cubes, ear canals you can crawl through, or 3D models of the solar system, you can still homeschool. I do.
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