Diet starts... NOW!

[JCC]

Nobody on this board is poor enough for what you're saying to be relevant.

[KissMeDeadly]

Originally Posted by JCC

Nobody on this board is poor enough for what you're saying to be relevant.

Wow, you sound like a total douche. It may shock and disturb you, but poor people exist, and we have the internet now. I get my food via foodstamps, and yes, it is very hard to get enough fruits and veggies. This is why in the spring/summers I grow a large garden to help out with it.

[Ben Lahnger]

JCC, how would you know?

Was there a census that I wasn't aware of? Hell, you don't know what my income level is. I don't think anyone that has an income challenge would be advertising it here. And anyone who was working, got laid off 6 months ago and is collecting unemployment could be in that catagory.

And if you assume internet access is proof of income, you'd be wrong.

[Tam Li Hua]

Originally Posted by Ben Lahnger

Tam Li Hua, man, if you think having ramen noodles without the seasoning pack is a key to healthy eating, you are sorely misguided.

*headdesk*

Are you even reading everything I'm writing? I just finished saying that of course such things aren't the best things available, but that if you have a choice of whether to have ramen noodles WITH the packet vs WITHOUT, then it's healthier to NOT have it.

I'm well aware that ramen noodles in general aren't healthly, but that wasn't my point.

And you keep avoiding my point or denying it. So, let me help you out with some information.

Well, I'm trying to understand it, but there seems to be a breakdown of communication somewhere.

Below are some of interesting facts gleaned from this study by the American Dietetic Association titled "Is Price a Barrier to Eating More Fruits and Vegetables for Low-Income Families?"

* The dietary guidelines recommend 9 servings of fruits and veggies a day[
* People with higher incomes are more likely to meet these dietary recommendations
* People who make less than $25,000 a year eat only about 5 servings a day
* Low-income neighborhoods often have higher food prices since these neighborhoods often have fewer and smaller supermarkets, which charge more
* Studies show that it costs about 17-19% more to eat healthier choices (e.g., whole-wheat instead of white bread, nonfat dairy, etc.).
* On average, low-income families would have to devote 43-70% of their food budget to meet the fruit and veggie dietary guidelines.

...which is why I'm trying to show you that it -is- possible to eat healthier on a low income, even if you aren't eating the absolute healthiest thing possible.

As far as lower income families not going to bigger grocery stores, perhaps that's true in bigger cities, but down here in Dixie, even the lower income folks go to the bigger grocery stores. Hell, a lot of lower income families eat BETTER because of food stamps! [Yes, I've watched them purchase better things with food stamps than I could afford with an actual income.]

Not only that, but there are food pantries all over the place that offer groceries at discounted prices for people who can't afford grocery store prices. My mother-in-law works at one, and some of the prices she's quoted us are unbelievably low.

So, basically, what I'm saying is this: Where there's a will, there's a way. Even if someone has no income in this country, they can STILL eat well most of the time because of welfare.

I'm always irritated that I have to pay more for whole wheat bread, low fat low cholesterol margarine and other healthy choices.

So am I, my friend; so am I.

But, I can't imagine how frustrating it is for people whose budgets don't allow them those choices.

If folks are honestly trying to do their best to live well, then yes, I imagine that's pretty frustrating.

However, it's even more frustrating for me to watch someone pull up in a brand-new Bently or Escalade, then pay for their $150 primo grocery bill with food stamps.

Seriously, that annoys me to no end. And it happens a LOT down here.

[Tam Li Hua]

JCC is right; in general, I don't think there's anyone on Gnet that -can't- afford to eat healthy, if they can afford to eat at all.

Then again, we're talking about folks with low income, not folks who are homeless and on the street; obviously, the homeless folks have an entirely different set of worries that don't include being overweight. :/

Ok, I'm done for now. Time to go home!

[Cosmicgaunt]

I weigh 120, at 6'1''. And, my older brother is 117ish at 5'10'' so we're pretty sure it's genetic.

[Solumina]

Actually we did have at least one guy on here who was homeless for a few months, he used a computer in a library every so often.

[Ben Lahnger]

I have been that poor in the past and was told I didn't qualify for either welfare or food stamps. And I've heard that story from other people, including friends. I wish those local options you just mentioned were available to me then, but there are definite differences in what resources are available to low income people from one place to another.

Originally Posted by Tam Li Hua

If folks are honestly trying to do their best to live well, then yes, I imagine that's pretty frustrating.

Thank you for seeing my point.

Originally Posted by Tam Li Hua

However, it's even more frustrating for me to watch someone pull up in a brand-new Bently or Escalade, then pay for their $150 primo grocery bill with food stamps.

Seriously, that annoys me to no end. And it happens a LOT down here.

That's a different thread. Start it and I'll post there and agree with you. That is frustrating.

[KissMeDeadly]

Originally Posted by Tam Li Hua

However, it's even more frustrating for me to watch someone pull up in a brand-new Bently or Escalade, then pay for their $150 primo grocery bill with food stamps.

Seriously, that annoys me to no end. And it happens a LOT down here.

Oh god, I just want to slap them and take away their card.

[JCC]

Originally Posted by KissMeDeadly

Wow, you sound like a total douche. It may shock and disturb you, but poor people exist, and we have the internet now. I get my food via foodstamps, and yes, it is very hard to get enough fruits and veggies. This is why in the spring/summers I grow a large garden to help out with it.

I meant the regulars, bro, I don't know who you are.

[Solumina]

Ben I have to say that while I understand your point that it isn't easy to eat well on a tight budget but it isn't impossible, I have done it. I have managed to feed two people well for under $50 a month, no charity, no help. It took some time and planning but after the first month I got the hang of it. You just have to be really thoughtful about your choices.

[KissMeDeadly]

Originally Posted by JCC

I meant the regulars, bro, I don't know who you are.

Oh, how I yearn for the day that I will be accepted into what is clearly the highest social point - a 'regular' on Gnet forums. Sorry I don't have thousands of posts like you do, I'm getting there, though. I've posted pretty much every day since I started.

One day I'll be cool like you.

[JCC]

Originally Posted by KissMeDeadly

Oh, how I yearn for the day that I will be accepted into what is clearly the highest social point - a 'regular' on Gnet forums. Sorry I don't have thousands of posts like you do, I'm getting there, though. I've posted pretty much every day since I started.

One day I'll be cool like you.

Sure, okay.

[Wintermute]

Jesus christ. The amount of bullshit you lunatics are using as a defense for your obesity and slob-fuck diets is hilarious.

You're pretty lucky using food stamps as a defense because I doubt everyone on these boards knows how they really work, but that shit doesn't work on those who do.

I get food stamps every month and you're out of your mind if you're saying they don't MORE than pay for fruits and vegetables. Fruits and vegetables are the cheapest thing you can fucking buy in the store. Compared to high calorie diets and people who drink soda, eat chips, candy, ice cream, canned crap, eat tons of meat, dairy, and about 80% of what's sold on the market, a vegetarian diet is as cheap as it gets.

Maybe if you weren't such a fucking moron trying to buy your produce from Whole Foods or the goddamn organic grocery like every other dumbass hippy who's easily brainwashed by anything remotely naturalistic.

And holy fuck. 50 bucks a month? That's it? You must be making around 1200 or more a month at your job - or you're fucking lying, and I KNOW you are lying because I have photocopies of the paperwork right in front of me that explains how the budget works based on your income in every state. So don't play the 'you don't know how it works in my state' card either.

Whatever your financial situation is, if it's so fucked up that you can't even afford fruits and vegetables on a food stamp budget because you already make so much at your job and have to pay bills so fucking expensive - well holy shit my friend, that's another rant thread in itself isn't it? Maybe you should be bitching about THAT instead of your godawful weight problems.

Seriously, just stop. Stop eating so much fucking food, get off these forums, and go run some laps. You're a fatass slob and nobody gives a shit about your poorly contrived asshole excuses.

[Crying_Crimson_Tears]

Personally, if we are bitching about buying veggies and fruits you should grow them during the right time of year.

And Wintermute has a point, buying them at most health food stores can get very expensive. I'm not sure about most other places, but where I live discount food stores are pretty easy to find.

And most accept food stamps.

[Solumina]

Wintermute I'm really not sure what you are ranting about.

I was student as was Jake, our parents were paying for the school, we had to pay incidentals. Jake worked part time and made about $1000 a month after rent, utilities, insurance, and car payments there wasn't much left. We didn't qualify for food stamps as our parents were still supporting us and if we needed to we could have gone to them (and we did for things like car repairs) but we didn't want to burden them and we could have gone to food banks but we knew that their were people who needed the help much more than we did so we budgeted.

I never used that budget to justify unhealthy eating, I was saying quite the opposite. I said that as long as you budget and plan well that you can feed yourself well for very little. Now that Jake and I both have full time jobs our food budget is quite a bit more, the main difference in how I spend the money is that I don't really plan things out and we have more treats like wine and desserts.

[Wintermute]

Well thanks for clearing that up. I'm glad my post doesn't apply to you.

Your past financial situation could've been better handled, but that's water under the bridge at this point. I'm happy you're doing better.

[Solumina]

Eh it was a good learning experience to have while we could still turn to our parents for help. Something that a lot of my friends could have used before really living on their own as many of them have racked up a lot of debt because they simply have never had to live on a budget before.

[KissMeDeadly]

Winter... who exactly were you ranting about?

I mean, I manage to eat healthy on foodstamps, but it could certainly be easier, and fruits and veggies aren't the cheapest thing you can buy, and I get my groceries from Food City (like Kroger but waaay cheaper) and wal-mart. Trust me when I say it's a heck of a lot cheaper and easier to just buy ramen noodles, (less than a quarter each, and it's a whole meal) and flavor-aide (can't afford kool-aide) than fresh veggies, but they're certainly not completely unaffordable.

Of course, maybe if I hadn't lived off of ramen and frozen pizzas for so long I wouldn't be in the shape I'm in.

Ah well, c'est la vie, non?

[Still Jack]

This thread is still rolling? I didn't think fat people bitching about being fat and healthy food could be strung out for this long.

[Anarasha]

'course it can, we can do whatever the fuck we want.

[Tam Li Hua]

Winter: I'm with everyone else; I've no idea what you're ranting about. *confused_face*

[Crying_Crimson_Tears]

Originally Posted by Solumina

Eh it was a good learning experience to have while we could still turn to our parents for help. Something that a lot of my friends could have used before really living on their own as many of them have racked up a lot of debt because they simply have never had to live on a budget before.

I ask my parents for help. To me, it's alright thing. It helps when you have someone there to teach you how to budget and to give you some extra push when you need it. I just got a job, so for the few months I have been in school my parents have helped a lot.

[MollyMac]

Originally Posted by Anarasha

'course it can, we can do whatever the fuck we want.

Obviously you don't want to unroot your turnip ass from the chair. Maybe if you thought about the ramifications of your diet on the planet, or that your diet alone could feed three people. The resources to keep your obesity alive are not only food, but the energy it takes to transport that food, and the heath care needed to keep your insulin in check.

Your carbon footprint is probably your own personal ozone hole. Try not to mistake that for a doughnut.

.. you are a pig in more ways than one.

You say you are a good hearted person, and a kind person?

Stop taking more than your share.

[Catch22]

Goths should know by now how to eat healthy. It helps to eat only one big meal a day, and then dance it off. That's why I have such a healthy phisique. Not flat and stringie like some goths.

Maybe I will write a blog on healthy Goth eating.