To wonder what posh Mums cook for dinner…

[Primrosecottagelover]

I have just seen Pippa Middleton’s bikini photos on the DM. Three different bikinis so far, washboard abs & nothing jiggles as she chases three kids. She could easily pass as a fibreglass mannequin. I’m wondering why it is that the Middleton women and affluent women (even middle class at my child’s school), always seem to be so impossibly slim. I struggle with my weight and I would love to see the groceries, fridge contents, packed lunchboxes and dinner plans of the other half. Obviously I know what healthy eating and cooking is but, the bodies of Mothers these days is next level. Why am I struggling to keep my tummy from flopping out while women in their 40’s pull off wearing linen mini shorts (not in UK) and high waisted jeans.

People’s idea about weight and their correlations to it are like anything, a swinging pendulum.
In previous history people would bash fat people for being fat and lazy, and here we have a perfect example of people bashing skinny people for being miserable and disordered.

I said it before, can we not accept that we’re all different and it’s not hard to change your habits if you are either way, skinny or fat.
It is, once again, a matter of willpower. That’s it.

@BrightYellowDaffodil The comments have been in response to far more detailed comments where people have a very restricted diet that does sound joyless.

@Comedycook I know!!!

No one is bashing anyone for being slim.
I do think there is a lot of disordered eating in the UK though. One the one hand you have people who can not go more than a few hours without eating and are constantly offering their children snacks. And on the other hand you have people who have such restrictive diets that eating out or eating with others must be extremely difficult.

In most things in life moderation is best.

It is, once again, a matter of willpower. That’s it.

I would disagree with that to a degree. There is increasing evidence that UPFs (sorry to keep banging on about them in every post but it is a really important health issue!) change not only our gut microbiome, with effect on our physical and mental health, but also change our weight set point. When the brain thinks you're being starved, because you try to lower the set point too fast, it will drive you almost literally insane in a desire for food. No amount of willpower is going to override that.

There's an excellent book called Why We Eat (Too Much) by Dr Andrew Jenkinson.

I developed an autoimmune illness after one of my kids - symptoms = pain and exhaustion.

It's a bit like that TV show, super size, super skinny that used to be on years ago. Both were usually dreadful diets

Willpower has got nothing to do with it if you love eating healthy food and being active. That's just a natural state of being. Not everyone is addicted to sugar snd upf

I've seen those comments and the descriptions of the "diet" (if you refer to diet as a way of eating rather than a weight loss plan). It's how lots of people eat, including me, and it's anything but joyless. But of course, it's far easier to paint it as "joyless" than accept that it's how people actually should aim to eat most of the time.

It's like the people who push food on you: "Go on, it's just an extra slice, what's the harm, you're not on a diet are you, what's wrong with you, you've got to treat yourself sometimes!" when what they really want is not to feel bad about their own choices.

Disagree totally, the posters outline making healthy food from scratch and making homemade ‘treats’ such as cake.

Just because a lot of people couldn’t break their habits to eat like that (me included) doesn’t mean there is anything wrong with it.

Unhealthy diets are the norm in the UK and anyone who breaks from it is seen as somehow being in the wrong.

@Comedycook true! I have a lot of sporty friends and the slimmest woman I know lives on chocolate, the occasional ready meal, coffee, and cigarettes. Although she has her own issues she is dealing with.

I do think eating such a restrictive diet even if "healthy" that you can not eat with family or friends or eat out is a joyless way of living.

I agree there’s a lot of disordered eating in the U.K. - but what’s strange about this thread is that, so normalised has overeating become, the subset of people with “normal” eating - ie in moderation - are being painted as the abnormal outliers. Slim people are all rich, ED, restrictive, miserable etc..

Unhealthy diets are the norm in the UK and anyone who breaks from it is seen as somehow being in the wrong.

Exactly!

What I take from this thread is that overweight people eat totally ‘normal’ diets because you cannot possibly be slim unless you have an eating disorder.

Gosh I had better get to the doctor, who would probably piss themselves laughing at my assertion that I must have an eating disorder because I’m not fat, actually enjoy eating healthy food, only eat junk in moderation and make time to exercise.

exactly this

“normal” eating - ie in moderation

moderation has become one piece of cake/chocolate bar/pudding per day, rather than per week

Except in this thread they are, some calling PM the shape of a teenage boy?

I agree tho, moderation is everything and that’s not hard to achieve if you’re skinny or fat

I do think eating such a restrictive diet even if "healthy" that you can not eat with family or friends or eat out is a joyless way of living.

I don't think any of the posters have said they don't eat out or eat with friends/family, or certainly the majority haven't anyway. Much as you might want to believe that in your condemnation of a "joyless" life.

What they are saying is that every day eating is non-UPF ingredients used to cook largely from scratch. Treats, be it cake or a packet of crisps or a takeaway, are occasional. Eating with friends and family would probably be on the same basis when you're doing the cooking - because contrary to popular belief, natural ingredients can make delicious food - and when someone else is cooking (whether friends/family or eating out), that counts as a treat.

It really is very simple.

@CuttingMeOpenthenHealingMeFine no one is talking about those kind of comments.
Life is difficult for many people. For many families getting everyone up and dressed, out to school and work, a full day at work, and then getting everyone fed and ready for bed takes up a lot of time and emotional energy.
My mother went from serving up processed food every night when in her forties working full time and three teenagers at home. To when she retired cooking everything from scratch.
For many people other things take priority. And yes there are some quick meals you can cook from scratch, but you can not do that every day. We often have fish or chicken and veg as a quick meal once a week. I also make chilli, curry, spaghetti bolognaise regularly from scratch. But we also have bread, yoghurt, muesli, cakes, pakoras, ice cream, fish fingers, chips, pre prepared salads. I am not making everything from scratch.

because you try to lower the set point too fast

Simply do it gradually like any persons should, anyone who restricts their diet to the point of feeling starvation has an ED…
Willpower is an actual want to change and that doesn’t mean quickly necessarily.

@PoliteTurtle the posts about Pippa are inviting people to judge what she looks like. If you post something saying a celebrity looks wonderful, you are inviting people to make their own judgements. Personally I would just ban those posts, but I am not in charge.

For many people other things take priority.

That's their choice. But if someone else prioritises being healthy, eating well and being fit, there is nothing wrong or "joyless" about it.

And yes there are some quick meals you can cook from scratch, but you can not do that every day.

Bollocks. Lots of people cook from scratch almost every single day. I certainly do and I hardly believe I'm the only one. Besides, there are such things as batch cooking which mean you can still cook from scratch but don't need to do so each day.

Are you me? I’m the same - six 6, always have been, same habits and diet.

Only difference is - I have a weakness for Dairy Milk/ Galaxy chocolate and eat disturbing amounts of the stuff. I’m also not strict with vegetarianism and probably eat meat or fish every 1-2 weeks.

I also scratch cook every day, not by choice but because it is in every way cheaper.

You cook everything from scratch?
I batch cook. I do not make yoghurt, bread, cakes, muesli, etc etc from scratch.