What Are you Eating Right Now?

[Mimi]

Sounds like you're already there from a dietary standpoint.

Ha! I don't wanna brag, but I could do a death march.

I mean this in the most polite way...your diet as described by you is depressing.

I just imagine canned soups and grilled cheese sandwiches as your holiday meal

I have a very utilitarian attitude toward food. I wish I loved it the way most people do, but it just doesn't arouse much passion in me.

I wish I was like this. I'm like this with alcohol - I could take it or leave it. But food? I have major issues.

I was looking through a box of old pictures over the weekend and I found my soccer team picture from when I was in 2nd grade (I am pictured at the top with the terrible bangs). My mom put me on Weight Watchers shortly after this picture was taken. I mean, I guess I was a little chubby, but I certainly wasn't obese or anything. Thus starting me on a lifetime battle with self-image and food. Thanks, mom!

Just recently, I became aware of how my mother's bizarre fears around food has given me disordered eating. To my mother, everything (food) causes cancer. Imagine going through life being afraid to eat the ends of bananas because you were told if you ate them you'd get cancer. That was just one of many examples. Thanks, mom.

I'm sorry you have to go through this. And I'm with Flex. The idea of putting a child into WW, especially one who looks healthy and normal, is insane.

[JennyB]

I wish I was like this. I'm like this with alcohol - I could take it or leave it. But food? I have major issues.

I was looking through a box of old pictures over the weekend and I found my soccer team picture from when I was in 2nd grade (I am pictured at the top with the terrible bangs). My mom put me on Weight Watchers shortly after this picture was taken. I mean, I guess I was a little chubby, but I certainly wasn't obese or anything. Thus starting me on a lifetime battle with self-image and food. Thanks, mom!

The missus has a pretty similar story. I recognize that my mother in law, herself, is dealing with a lot of the same issues with food and body image but it still really upsets me the way she STILL treats my wife when it comes to food and her body at times. Very much a "multi generational trauma" type thing. My wife was relieved when we had a boy to hopefully help break some of the cycle around these things that has seemingly been going on 3+ generations now (her grandmothers are still alive and her maternal grandmother is a real piece of work about food).

Even leaving aside that you look totally "normal" and healthy in that photo, the idea of putting any kid on weight watchers (or any kind of stigmatizing diet) is completely insane.

I mean, aside from the hair, I look normal. That's actually a whole other issue. She hated my curly hair, so would blow dry it straight. It would have looked so much better curly. I may have been the one to cut my bangs, though. That one's on me. And you can see why I relate so much to my avatar!

It's amazing how similar our stories are. Multi-generational trauma, still dealing with this (I still can't eat anything "bad" in front of my mom). I'm also thankful I had a boy precisely because of this issue. VH, Jr. got a little chubby after he broke his leg and arm a few years back, and my mom didn't say a word. That wouldn't have been the case if I had a daughter. She's constantly talking about my niece's weight. And she is constantly talking about how fat SHE is (she's a size 4).

Putting me on WW at such a young age is borderline abusive, but she will never see it that way. I love my mom, but sometimes I sure don't like her.

[JennyB]

Ha! I don't wanna brag, but I could do a death march.

I mean this in the most polite way...your diet as described by you is depressing.

I just imagine canned soups and grilled cheese sandwiches as your holiday meal

I have a very utilitarian attitude toward food. I wish I loved it the way most people do, but it just doesn't arouse much passion in me.

I wish I was like this. I'm like this with alcohol - I could take it or leave it. But food? I have major issues.

I was looking through a box of old pictures over the weekend and I found my soccer team picture from when I was in 2nd grade (I am pictured at the top with the terrible bangs). My mom put me on Weight Watchers shortly after this picture was taken. I mean, I guess I was a little chubby, but I certainly wasn't obese or anything. Thus starting me on a lifetime battle with self-image and food. Thanks, mom!

Just recently, I became aware of how my mother's bizarre fears around food has given me disordered eating. To my mother, everything (food) causes cancer. Imagine going through life being afraid to eat the ends of bananas because you were told if you ate them you'd get cancer. That was just one of many examples. Thanks, mom.

I'm sorry you have to go through this. And I'm with Flex. The idea of putting a child into WW, especially one who looks healthy and normal, is insane.

Ugh. I am so sorry. That is just terrible. I hate that so many of us, especially women, have to deal with this.

[gkbill]

I mean this in the most polite way...your diet as described by you is depressing.

I just imagine canned soups and grilled cheese sandwiches as your holiday meal

I have a very utilitarian attitude toward food. I wish I loved it the way most people do, but it just doesn't arouse much passion in me.

I wish I was like this. I'm like this with alcohol - I could take it or leave it. But food? I have major issues.

I was looking through a box of old pictures over the weekend and I found my soccer team picture from when I was in 2nd grade (I am pictured at the top with the terrible bangs). My mom put me on Weight Watchers shortly after this picture was taken. I mean, I guess I was a little chubby, but I certainly wasn't obese or anything. Thus starting me on a lifetime battle with self-image and food. Thanks, mom!

Just recently, I became aware of how my mother's bizarre fears around food has given me disordered eating. To my mother, everything (food) causes cancer. Imagine going through life being afraid to eat the ends of bananas because you were told if you ate them you'd get cancer. That was just one of many examples. Thanks, mom.

I'm sorry you have to go through this. And I'm with Flex. The idea of putting a child into WW, especially one who looks healthy and normal, is insane.

Ugh. I am so sorry. That is just terrible. I hate that so many of us, especially women, have to deal with this.

Hello,

I am continually surprised at how we deal with such issues - and that Weight Watchers would deal with a 2nd grader. The fact that you were on a youth soccer team indicates the solution to the perceived problem. Obesity is rising among children for a number of reasons (sedentary lifestyle, processed foods, high sugar/fructose and fat content of snack foods, etc.) and is concerning but I don't feel Weight Watchers is a viable solution.

[JennyB]

I have a very utilitarian attitude toward food. I wish I loved it the way most people do, but it just doesn't arouse much passion in me.

I wish I was like this. I'm like this with alcohol - I could take it or leave it. But food? I have major issues.

I was looking through a box of old pictures over the weekend and I found my soccer team picture from when I was in 2nd grade (I am pictured at the top with the terrible bangs). My mom put me on Weight Watchers shortly after this picture was taken. I mean, I guess I was a little chubby, but I certainly wasn't obese or anything. Thus starting me on a lifetime battle with self-image and food. Thanks, mom!

Just recently, I became aware of how my mother's bizarre fears around food has given me disordered eating. To my mother, everything (food) causes cancer. Imagine going through life being afraid to eat the ends of bananas because you were told if you ate them you'd get cancer. That was just one of many examples. Thanks, mom.

I'm sorry you have to go through this. And I'm with Flex. The idea of putting a child into WW, especially one who looks healthy and normal, is insane.

Ugh. I am so sorry. That is just terrible. I hate that so many of us, especially women, have to deal with this.

Hello,

I am continually surprised at how we deal with such issues - and that Weight Watchers would deal with a 2nd grader. The fact that you were on a youth soccer team indicates the solution to the perceived problem. Obesity is rising among children for a number of reasons (sedentary lifestyle, processed foods, high sugar/fructose and fat content of snack foods, etc.) and is concerning but I don't feel Weight Watchers is a viable solution.

Absolutely not. This was in 1979, so I guess they thought it was OK then? I doubt WW would today.

[Flex]

The missus also did weight watchers as a kid, which would be in the 90s.

I listen to the podcast Maintenance Phase which is an incredible show that takes deep dives into different "health" and "wellness" topics from scam diets to broad misconceptions about health issues, and they did an episode on weight watchers which is worth listening to: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/w ... 0513244613

Cohosted by Aubrey Gordon and Michael Hobbes, the latter of whose profile has risen quite a bit recently, I think.

[JennyB]

The missus also did weight watchers as a kid, which would be in the 90s.

I listen to the podcast Maintenance Phase which is an incredible show that takes deep dives into different "health" and "wellness" topics from scam diets to broad misconceptions about health issues, and they did an episode on weight watchers which is worth listening to: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/w ... 0513244613

Cohosted by Aubrey Gordon and Michael Hobbes, the latter of whose profile has risen quite a bit recently, I think.

Interesting. I will check it out!

[revbob]

So I had sort of the opposite experience of Jenny, Ms. Flex and others. I was always told I was too skinny (often said with a grimace of sorts) and it was presumed it was because I didn't eat enough. Skinny was the nickname one of my uncles gave me. I used to hate it when I would see him and avoided him as much as possible. My mom would try some things to boost my weight (milkshakes with breakfast and/or dinner, weight gain powder to add to said milkshakes), probably some other stuff too that I don't recall. I mean I basically ate what the rest of the family ate (minus some of overcooked stuff my mom would make). Friend's parents were amazed by how much I would eat when I had dinner with them but basically every thing I ate just made me taller. So yeah dont fuck kids up people, no doubt I do (how can a parent not in some way) but I really try to be mindful of this kind of thing.

[Mimi]

So I had sort of the opposite experience of Jenny, Ms. Flex and others. I was always told I was too skinny (often said with a grimace of sorts) and it was presumed it was because I didn't eat enough. Skinny was the nickname one of my uncles gave me. I used to hate it when I would see him and avoided him as much as possible. My mom would try some things to boost my weight (milkshakes with breakfast and/or dinner, weight gain powder to add to said milkshakes), probably some other stuff too that I don't recall. I mean I basically ate what the rest of the family ate (minus some of overcooked stuff my mom would make). Friend's parents were amazed by how much I would eat when I had dinner with them but basically every thing I ate just made me taller. So yeah dont fuck kids up people, no doubt I do (how can a parent not in some way) but I really try to be mindful of this kind of thing.

My niece had this problem. She was so tiny, skinny as a rail, and even had to go to a doctor to figure out why she wasn't gaining weight. She ate like any normal kid, but everyone was hounding her to eat more and wringing their hands with worry, wondering what was wrong. She developed an eating disorder as a young adult. Now I wonder if this had something to do with it.

Kids are sponges. They internalize everything.

[JennyB]

So I had sort of the opposite experience of Jenny, Ms. Flex and others. I was always told I was too skinny (often said with a grimace of sorts) and it was presumed it was because I didn't eat enough. Skinny was the nickname one of my uncles gave me. I used to hate it when I would see him and avoided him as much as possible. My mom would try some things to boost my weight (milkshakes with breakfast and/or dinner, weight gain powder to add to said milkshakes), probably some other stuff too that I don't recall. I mean I basically ate what the rest of the family ate (minus some of overcooked stuff my mom would make). Friend's parents were amazed by how much I would eat when I had dinner with them but basically every thing I ate just made me taller. So yeah dont fuck kids up people, no doubt I do (how can a parent not in some way) but I really try to be mindful of this kind of thing.

Yep. Doesn't matter which end of the scale - let kids own their own bodies.

[Dr. Medulla]

[revbob]

This doesn't look like a pizza joint so fuck off turtleman.

[Kimmelweck]

"Well, on second thought….maybe just a light sprinkling of crack on a couple slices, if you please."

[Kory]

Turtles are potentially entirely to blame for my generation thinking that anchovies are bad. A net loss for food culture.

[tepista]

Turtles are potentially entirely to blame for my generation thinking that anchovies are bad. A net loss for food culture.

OK, we can order one with half anchovies, half Angel Dust.