Recognizing my own bias or prejudice .....

@ayeshasharma I have to wonder here, does being overweight cause depression, or does depression cause a person to eat and become overweight? I think often it's the latter.
JK

Thanks - but a lot of it was by necessity, and the bread baking was mostly because there was no “decent” bread - like dense dark bread, or crispy baguettes - available in the town we live in. Still, old habits - or is it hobbies? - die hard. No more bread baking, but I just put in my fall crop of radishes, kale, lettuce, sugar snap peas, and dill.

@contentandwell Last night we all went out for dinner at Bucco,s De Peppo an Italian rest. We had eggplant parmesan and spinach artichoke dip enough so I brought some home for dinner tonight . I know a lot of people love there red meat but this was enough for me . You can always top it with meatballs. So there,s you meat .

@contentandwell
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18164938
This study gets at what you're talking about–depression being strongly associated with less physical activity and a higher caloric intake among middle aged women. And the one I referenced in my previous comment discusses the link between self-image and suicide. So the literature suggests it may go both ways.

The production and accessibility of processed breads have made it too easy to over-consume carbohydrates. I've been trying out low carb lately, experimenting with lettuce and kale wraps instead of flour tortillas/bread. I'm not sure I've found satisfying alternatives yet. When I realized how much bagels, pasta, etc. was upping my carb intake, I was shocked.

@lioness yum, sounds really good

Has anyone tried out alternatives to the daily starches? I've heard of cauliflower rice, I've tried spinach pasta, etc.

@contentandwell I was a vegan for 3-4 years before my recent switch to eating meat again. I think companies like Beyond Meat are taking a step in the right direction by providing in-demand alternatives to meat. But my experience with veganism wasn't great. My white blood cell count dropped, and it was clear I wasn't getting the nutrients I needed even though I was eating mostly non-processed, diverse food.

@ayeshasharma
Hi,

The best alternative for me for daily starches is to just avoid them period or limit to one a day. There are carbs in almost all foods but the unhealthy white refined starch is the worse. So I consciously limit my daily intake of potatoes or bread. I use lettuce wraps and mainly have protein and a veggie for main meals. I don’t miss it. I’ll order a burger outside, discard the top bun and knife and fork it or just ask for it bunless. It’s a conscious effort and the best defense is not to have it in the house. I avoid wheat as much as possible. This morning my gluten free chia waffle with blueberries is my conscious carb for the day. I’m not buying as much gluten free bread as I use to because a lot contain sugar. I am no longer a sandwich eater.
Some carbs are essential for a healthy lifestyle. Be mindful of what you eat and learn about your body and the fuel it needs and it becomes second nature. But don’t deprive yourself...that’s no way to live....I’ll never pass up a pizza lol.

@imallears
Ooohhh lettuce wraps, I'm salivating uncontrollably.
Chia waffles? I thought that was some animal-shaped thIng you watered and it grew out some sort of flora.
I think I'll stick to my kind of health food.
Jake

@lioness. You didn’t have to say it was Italian with a name like that!
😁.
I love eggplant parm, but with all that cheese it does have a lot of sodium. That’s enough for me too. I also make a delicious 😋 dinner, lasagna roll ups stuffed with ricotta, spinach, and chopped mushrooms. I usually put a meat sauce on it but it’s easy to customize it by using marinara when I will be serving my son-in-law. Although he does now eat chicken, he won’t eat red meat at all. He was born in this country but I think the Indian culture is a strong one.

@ayeshasharma I think it’s a vicious circle - depression leads to eating, gaining weight causes more depression. This is an area where I am experienced having been about 90 pounds heavier at one time. Frankly, as much as I absolutely love my son and daughter, I never should have given up work entirely. It was much more difficult in those days to work in a professional field part-time, and virtually impossible to work off-site.
JK

@imallears seems like you've got a system worked out for yourself. It's really smart to keep temptations out of the house if you're looking to decrease your intake of something. For me, there are MANY temptations, but the main ones I've intentionally stopped buying are chips.

Something I heard the other day, which I agreed with, is that many trendy diets have been proven to work for weight loss, but the real key to changing your diet (in whatever way, not necessarily just for weight loss) is creating a diet that you know you'll stick to. For me, that means making sure everything I cook is flavorful.

@jakedduck1 lol I think you're referring to a chia pet!

@contentandwell your son-in-law must have been raised Hindu, as was I. Our families don't usually eat beef, as respect for the cow is a part of Hindu belief.
Muslims generally eat beef, as long as it's halal, but adhering Muslims don't eat pork.

When my parents were raising my brother and I, they weren't too strict on not eating beef themselves, so we ate it every once in a while. I've grown to have a complicated relationship with beef, mainly because of the US meat and dairy industry.