Inkwell: Authors and Artists

    

You mentioned sitting at the computer all day. Are you familiar with what
I call "nagware"? This is a product like RSIGuard http://www.rsiguard.com/
which tells you to take breaks every so often and can even enforce them
by locking out the keyboard and mouse. I allow myself to cheat but not
all that often.

This software makes it easy to up exercise just a wee bit by adding
several 5 minute or so breaks during the day. Not all the software in this
class has stretches built it but this product does. That does not of course
stop me from picking up the weights on the floor near my desk and doing
some exercises. Or I can go get a snack but as you pointed out, habit helps.
  

    
I've been reading the book this week and just want to say how much I
love the style of your writing, Darya.  It's light and approachable and
I love the touches of humor.  
  

    

I'll second what <lark> wrote. 

My wife skimmed your book one night after I told her I was reading it to
participate in this online discussion.  Her opinion is that your book
is the kind that could become very popular because of how you approached
the topic and your writing style.
  

    <scribbled by satyr Sat 4 May 13 21:47>
  

    
Is anyone checking the inkwell-hosts email?
  

    
If anyone is trying to e-mail a question and hasn't gotten through,
you could also send it to me at my well.com address (debunix at
well.com).

I'm finally getting to read the book--didn't get my copy until the
work week was in full swing--and it's going quickly, keeping me turning
pages.  Darya, it seems like you were as impressed as I was with Brian
Wanasink's Mindless Eating, and I see you put a number of findings
from his work into your recommendations.  I was impressed enough to
change my daily tableware--smaller dinner plates, soup bowls, and
drinking glasses, but was startled by how hard it was to implement the
recommended changes.  

I had some lovely solid stoneware soup bowls that retained heat
beautifully, but they were 3 cups plus and I decided to look for 2 cup
bowls.  I've been looking for 2 years and still haven't found a set I
like in that size, so I'm plain corelle again for soups.  I decided to
reserve my pretty pint-plus cobalt blue drinking glasses for plain
water, and to get 12 oz glasses for milk or the occasional juice with
meals, and it took months to find a nice set that were appropriately
tall & thin and not short & wide.  I think it's not just the fast food
serving that's grown bigger:  our household dishes have been supersized
too!
  

    

An interesting observation! And another recommendation for "old stuff."
  

    
jmcarlin,

Yep, I've never tried them myself, but I've heard good things about
Rescue Time and others that keep you from visiting certain sites too
often. I also like the Jawbone Up that vibrates on your wrist to remind
you if you've been sedentary for too long.
  

    
lark,

Thanks! That was my goal. I find that too many weight loss books are
either very technical or very preachy, or both. I've found that
rigidity isn't particularly useful in this realm, so try to use that to
make the message more approachable. I also wanted to make it
entertaining enough that people actually enjoy reading, in addition to
being educated.
  

    
debunix,

Totally agree. It's ridiculously hard to find decent looking and
feeling tableware that is appropriately sized. I've heard some people
have had luck at thrift stores, but personally I prefer a more modern
look. These days I'm using mostly Heath Ceramics, but they are pricey
and the dinner plates are still a little big. I've seen some companies
that make smaller plates for the purpose of maintaining portions, but
the ones I've seen aren't very high quality, made in China, etc.
  

    

Darya,

All the points in your restaurant chapter made sense to me. But one of
my weaknesses is bolting my food when out with friends so I can keep
my mouth free for talking. There's also an internal voice that tells me
"you're out to eat and the rules are out of the window". (Naughty voice.
Bad voice. Go stand in the corner.)

You did mention eating slowly and mindfully in that chapter but I need
to underline and highlight that when going out to eat. In fact, carrying
a small card with me and looking at it discretely before I greet friends
would be helpful.
  

    

My wife has been reading your book and we had a thought about farmer's
markets. First, they are wonderful and we hope your recommendation causes
more people to support them. But there are also food stands where you
can buy some food on impulse that might not be the best. If you buy some
wonderful kale and eat a burrito, there might be no net gain. So people
should be careful not to be hungry when they go shopping for fresh veges.

Also, my wife exclaimed in a voice of happy surprise: Darya's right
about adding a bit of lemon as a finisher.
  

    

We are fortunate to have two lemon trees in our yard and ripe fruit on 'em
365 days a year.  Rita uses lemons and lemon juice a lot!

That is a good point aobut the farmers' market. We have some wonderful
vendors at Grand Lake whose products I must reluctantly avoid.
  

    
jmcarlin,

Restaurants can be tricky. I try to view them as an opportunity to eat
even slower than normal, because your mouth is occupied with chewing
AND talking. I understand throwing diet rules out the window for
restaurants, but eating slowly shouldn't be one of them since it should
help you enjoy food more, not less.

I use my iPhone to set reminders to "chew 25 times" and it really
helps!
  

    
I eat at farmers markets all the time and don't think there's anything
wrong with it. Burritos are fine, and if it means you'll be eating
kale later in the week I think it is still a net gain. Plus, the local
stands often use local produce and meats, which makes it better than a
Del Taco burrito.

Sure, if weight loss is a goal then too many calories can be a
problem, but slightly more indulgent food now and then is welcome in my
book :)
  

    

> Plus, the local stands often use local produce and meats, which makes it
> better than a Del Taco burrito.

For sure!
  

    

When I began my new life of paying close attention to nutrition (approaching
my 50th birthday), I started with Andrew Weil's "Eating Well for Optimum
Health." One of the most important htings I learned from that book was that
it is okay to depart from the plan occasionally. What's the point of living a
long time if you're not enjoying your life?  So now I eat a rich sugary
dessert from time to time; I just don't bullshit myself about it.  Leaving
out the potatoes and rice and bread and cereal every day makes it possible to
eat the "wrong" things from time and still maintain a healthy life.
  

    
David,

Exactly! I really like Andy Weil's work, we have very similar
philosophies. 
  

    

Hey, tell us about that wonderful farmers' market bag you designed and where
our readers can get one. My wife and I have one and we love it.
  

    

> Plus, the local stands often use local produce and meats, which makes it
> better than a Del Taco burrito.

Sadly that s not necessarily so.

Another comment: my wife and I last night chatted about your recommendtion
to explore unfamiliar veges. We're not fans of unusual proteins that the
foodies on shows like Iron Chef enjoy, but bring on new veges creatively
prepared. There's a great world out there for those with a bit of a
sense of culinary adventure.
  

    
Mercado is the bag and it's amazing! 

It's designed to help you get ripe farmers market produce home without
it getting smashed, and it works wonderfully. More deets and ordering
info here:

http://summertomato.com/mercado-the-ultimate-farmers-market-bag-now-shipping/
  

    
It's too bad farmers markets allow food that isn't locally grown be
sold. That isn't the case here in SF, but I know the standards by the
market organizers here are really high. Hopefully this will improve
throughout the country as real food catches on.
  

    
I was very disappointed in the big Farmer's Market in St Louis--it was
a permanent installation with year round greengrocers who seemed to
specialize in produce just a few minutes from spoilage, and then in the
spring/summer/fall a quite excellent true local market.  I first went
on an off day when there were no local farmers, and was shocked.  Then
I figured out the system.
  

    
Welcome, Darya.  I just picked up the Kindle version of your book this
afternoon and have started reading it.  I've been following your
website and some of your social media posts for the last couple of
years.  I look forward to reading the book and to the discussion!
  

    

Darya,

My wife paid you and the book an ultimate compliment, of a sort. She
said the book would be a big hit as part of a KQED fundraiser. So you
need to have an agent contact PBS/KQED or whomever and sign up to
present the material you wrote about.

This came from my wife getting hooked on reading your book after deciding
not to read it. All I needed to do was leave it on the kitchen table and
she's kept reading it! Your book is addictive.