Conference rocks::weight_control

    I don't do that now, but I used to.  And I think I figured out 
    why (in my case).  I was raised by parents who survived the Great 
    Depression of the 30's.  Then, if you didn't stuff yourself when 
    you could, there'd be _nothing_ else later.  This was especially 
    true in my mom's household.
    
    So I wonder:  how many of us with "clean the plate fever" were raised
    by deprived parents who could not, because of bitter experience,
    think of anything else?  If that's true, we should not beat ourselves
    up about it, just recognize that it's now a maladaptive behavior,
    and set about patiently changing the attitude.
    
    Marcia

    I also get the same overwhelming urge to eat anything in sight,
    but it originates in the fact that my parents were broke constantly,
    and so are we. We seem to be very bad money managers, or unlucky,
    or plain dumb - let's face it - but the fact is we are never sure
    what money we will have for the shopping. So, it's really a "starvation
    complex": I'll stuff myself today, because I may go hungry tomorrow
    ... Even though I know it is untrue, as, broke or not broke, I have
    never suffered from hunger in my life - my extra kilos are witnesses
    to that!!!
    
    Well, I hope to grow out of this one day, maybe it's already happening
    as I behaved very well at the DEC Outing, and haven't splurged for 5
    weeks now (since I started WW).
    
    Joana
    

    I have heard that said soooo many times.  I, however,, had the oposite
    problem.  Everybody in my family was overweight from an early age
    except me.  I was a truely skinny and athletic kid (wonder what
    the milk man looked like ;^}).  My entire childhood I heard about
    "don't eat this or you'll get fat" ... "don't do that or you'll
    get fat".  Two outstanding examples are - "popcorn is just pure
    fat!" and "if you drink any sort of liquid - even water - with your
    meals you'll get fat!"  I am not talking about ignorant people.
     My mother was a Registered Nurse and my father was a college
    professor.  They were just totally obcessed with being fat.  As
    a result I just always believed that I was fat.  Probably because
    I did eat popcorn now and then and I would drink water or milk at
    lunch in school.  I assumed that it would naturally follow that
    I must be fat.  In fact I was shocked when I saw pictures of myself
    at age 10.  I was not the least bit over weight.  At the time, however,
    I know that I had a *VERY* fat body image.  Sort of a self fulfilling
    think I guess.
    
    Marion

    Al,

    Have had the same problem re: all you can eat, but now try to avoid such
    situations. The bigger problem for me is the "I paid for this food & I'm
    not going to see it go to waste" syndrome. My kids, who in general are
    pretty good eaters, on occasion will get into a picky mood, and no matter
    what threats I use (they've learned that I don't really mean it when I
    tell 'em they'll eat it for breakfast!) just won't finish their dinner.
    (They're not at all overweight). In the past, dad has become the "human
    garbage pail" when it comes time to clean the table. Since I've been
    dieting, I've learned to give them smaller portions (if they want more 
    they'll ask for it), and if there are any leftovers it isn't as painful
    to toss them into the garbage. I was raised with the "finish everything 
    on your plate" and the "there are starving kids in India" mentality. 
    (Always told my mother to put the food into an envelope & send it to 'em).
    She never did, though. (Funny, my kids say the same thing to me!)
						    -Dom

    This topic came up at my Weight Watchers meeting last night.  I'll
    share a few bits of advice that were discussed, which hopefully
    will help someone out there:
    
    	The first is one already mentioned by Dom in .4; try to avoid
    	"all you can eat" restaurants.  (I know that I've set the 
    	lunchtime buffet at Shakey's in Nashua as "off limits" for 
    	myself for now).
    
    	If you're at a wedding or function where the meal is served
    	buffet style, look over the entire buffet table *before* you
    	fill your plate.  This will let you determine which foods among
    	those being served are the better choices.
    
    	Take everything you intend to eat on one trip through the line;
    	DON'T return for a second trip.
    
    
    Paul

I think I've gotten a lot better in my attitude towards buffets.  I no longer
feel like I have to get my money's worth, at least.  And after eating more than
I should a couple of times and feeling really sick afterwards, I think (hope!)
I've learned some restraint.  I was mostly well-behaved at our last potluck
lunch here at work.  I just should have gone away before I even saw the dessert
section!  At least I didn't go back for seconds of anything, and I did try
to make a well-balanced selection, and kept away from all the mayonnaisey
pasta salads.

I think I might make one exception to the "only one time through the line"
suggestion.  If you can fill your plate with garden salad the first time, and
sit down and eat that, you won't feel as hungry through the second time, when
you can get more salad (maybe) and the rest of your dinner.  This also has the
added benefits of a) letting you have a good view of your choices before you
have to make your selections (which can be hard sometimes depending on the
situation), b) letting you go up for seconds with everyone else so you won't
feel left out, and c) taking more time away from the time you can spend
eating!!

The only "good" all-you-can-eat situation is a salad bar, and, yes, you have
to watch yourself there, too.  But I've been able to get my "dessert" of
fresh fruit from the salad bar quite a few times, by making a final trip after
dinner.

Jill