It's a Train Wreck, but I can't Look Away

[amykhar]

The other day, I took a mental health day from work and stayed home. I put on a show on BBC America called 'You Are What You Eat'. It featured a Episcopalian Vicar who needed to lose weight.

Now, the show is totally But, somehow, I have ended up Tivoing the thing, and watch it when I've depleted my playlist.

Basically, there is a very British nag who ambushes people who have been nominated by 'friends' or family. She tells them they are fat and disgusting. She piles all the food they've eaten in a week on the table and makes fun of them about it. She then makes them poop in a box and she inspects it and smells it. She seems quite 'poo' obsessed. It seems to be one of her favorite topics. She then gives them a new diet with all sorts of fresh fruits and veggies - especially juices and weird teas.

She tells the people that they don't have to like the food - they just have to eat it. (Now, you've all heard how bad British food is, and these are Brits turning up their noses at it. It must be awful )

Then, they get an exercise program, and a few more insulting visits from the woman. Oh, and for added fun, they get to stand in their underwear while the camera spins around them and the narrator makes fun of them.

Finally, after 8 weeks, they show how much weight the people have lost.

Like I say, it's a total train wreck. So, why do I keep watching this thing?

[pippadaisy[$]]

Same reason I keep watcing "How Clean Is Your House?" The woman? With the birds? And the bird poop? OH DEAR GOD.

And I imagine any of the British would turn up their noses at a fresh vegetable, having never SEEN one before.

[theworm[$]]

I don't care how overweight I am and how disgusting the foods I eat are, there is no way, no how that I would ever Poop in a box and let someone else sniff it on or off TV. Heaven forbid I'm ever bed-ridden and have to use a bedpan - I'll have to learn to deal, but thats just repulsive!

[thinkerlady[$]]

Ditto to what Wormie said. Ewwww.

[amykhar]

Good Grief. I just looked up the website for the show. Some of the recipes mentioned did look interesting, and I was going to see if there was anything posted.

Check this out:
You Are What You Eat

How on earth anybody could follow that is beyond me.

[theworm[$]]

I would eat that ick for a week if it meant I didn't have to poop in a box on tv!

[amykhar]

The thing that gets me is that it seems to be some sort of food preparation every 15 minutes. And warm water for breakfast? Ick.

The food itself looks fine - except for some of the blender concoctions.

[theworm[$]]

Yeah - not easy to live with that regime and have a life. Jobs, kids, life doesn't always let you go for a brisk walk at 10:15. Drinking warm water with lemon juice is supposed to be good for pooping.

[magenta321]

She had me barfing at rice milk.

I'll pass. That's not a diet anyone can follow long term, especially if they have to... you know... work.

[pippadaisy[$]]

Except for the prunes and the quinoa, which we never WERE able to find when the kids were all gluten-free, that's actually not that different from what we eat. Half of us drink rice milk. The other half drink soy.

[lynnzop[$]]

amykhar said

Like I say, it's a total train wreck. So, why do I keep watching this thing?

Same reason I've been known to watch "Rock of Love" for more than 20 seconds.

But I'm with Wormie. Do NOT ask me to poop somewhere even remotely public. eewww

[hadassahchana[$]]

Having eaten in the UK way too much, I am wondering a) why can't I get food like that while we're there and b) where do they get fresh fruit and veg? And why isn't there someone hovering over them trying to steal the fresh veggies and cook them?

[theworm[$]]

Pippa - your family isn't glutton-free anymore? Mazel Tov!!
I made quinoa once. I know its good for you, but I don't like the little "pop" when you eat it.

[pippadaisy[$]]

We are definitely not glutton free.

I still do a lot of gluten-free stuff because it's easier to avoid the boys' other allergens, but it's nice having some wheat!

[theworm[$]]

Yay!
I thought of you. There is a really great pizza place in town and they have a glutton-free crust on the menu. I thought how fun for you to be able to take the whole family out for pizza. Of course getting them from Rochester to Bloomington might not be fun, but the pizza is good!

[magenta321]

Soy milk I can swallow. It just tastes like "oily" milk. Rice milk? Yick. It tastes like liquified paper. Then again, I don't even really like real milk very much. I can't really drink it unless it's chocolate, or, I'm just eating it with something like cereal. I hate trying to drink thick liquids.

I like quinoa bread, but I have never tried to cook with quinoa. Thanks to trader joe, I even know how to pronounce the word now, lol.

I don't remember a lack of produce at Tesco when I was in London. I'm going to poke my friend who lives in London later to ask him about it.

[magenta321]

Denny says:
my flatmate is a vegetarian
he'd be in trouble if they didn't sell vegetables in the UK
princess says:
fruit too, right
Denny says:
yah

Yup, fruits and veggies are fully available in not just London, but the whole UK, lol. He pointed me here, too Sainsbury's online groceries

[hadassahchana[$]]

Oh, athey're available, just overcooked if you have to eat out. I bought a ton of produce ($$$$$) but my SIL cooked it all, even the apples. And my entire family are vegetarians- which translates to 'eats tons of cheese' in the Queen's English.

[Helen_B[$]]

Tons of cheese, that's just charming. Of course, that's what I thought vegetarians ate before I learned that milk and cheese are from the devil, LOL. I mean, how would you get your PROTEIN? I remember reading books that described exactly how to combine grains with beans and legumes, and when, in order not to die of kwashiork or or something. It seemed so complicated. And apparently it was a non-issue.

[theworm[$]]

I'm a vegetarian. I think that cheese is a gift from the gods.
And you can get protein from tofu, nuts and beans.

[hadassahchana[$]]

I love cheese. I love vegetables I even love vegetarians. I just don't love people who boil broccoli until it's light yellow.

[drmomentum[$]]

I heart Broccoli. And it's so easy to cook at work.

A half inch of water in the bottom of a Pyrex 4-cup measure, microwave until it boils, throw in the broccoli so that it is mostly out of the water, cover with whatever is handy (Chinette plate, for example) microwave until bright green, or a little longer if you don't like it crunchy. 4-6 minutes depending on microwave.

Pour out the water, eat the broccoli.

My pyrex 4-cup is my all-purpose work food vessel. Great for heating and eating hot soup, like a big bowl but with a conveniently cool handle.