We’ll lets see, food is good, but watching the food network in not advised. Just watching all these “super” dips for the super bowl is making me feel like I’ve had enough calories to last a week…

lol - too funny! I always say that if I look at something deliciously decadent enough my hips/thighs will grow without even taking a bite!

I actually love watching the Food Network while I’m excercising because it motivates me to train harder...the more calories I burn means I can try some of the goodies I see on TV! Plus there’s a show called Calorie Commando with great low calorie recepies and how to “lighten up” your favorite high-fat recepies, like baking chimichangas instead of frying them.
Adri

I was actually listening to a guy on XM radio and he was going on and on about how the food network shows are making American’s obese!  While I think that a lot of the shows on food network aren’t nessacarily calorie friendly I think the food network has made our soceity a lot more conscious of the quality of food we eat.  I think that’s very important.  People are now beginning to demand fresher, cleaner produce.  Stores like Whole Foods are popping up everywhere!  What do you guys thing? 

I should give you some background.  This newbie to the message board just graduated from the Culinary Institute of America last September.  I’m a cook at a resort in the panhandle of Florida.  So this topic is one that I’m very passionate about.  Of course as soon as I finished culinary school, and realized I was way too big, I decided to lose weight and get into shape.  I was talking with a cousin the other day and explaining that everyday I go to work I feel like what it might feel like if an alcoholic was forced to tend bar.  I mean I am a foodaholic!

It’s funny that you bring up Calorie Commando.  Juan Carlos Cruz, who is the host of the show, is going to be on my podcast sometime next week.  If you all have any questions maybe you can post them here in the forum and I can do my best to ask him them???  I was talking with Chef Cruz the other day on the phone and was excited about how much we had in common because he was working as a pastry chef when he was trying to lose his weight.  I think he lost something like 100lbs. 

Anyway, being the foodie that I am, I’m sure I’ll comment on this topic alot! 

Hope the night is finding you all well. 

Ron

well i don’t know about other people… but i can’t watch the food network. i mean, i love the channel but I like cooking (i’m no chef, but i enjoy it) and maybe i’m too visual or something because looking at the nice food on tv makes me automatically hungry. i can be sitting there after eating a big dinner and i see nice food on tv and my stomach will growl just to convince me to go get something! its totally phsychological but i need to know my weaknesses and this is one of the worst ones.

same thing happens with food adverts!!! specially pizza adverts! darn Domino’s and their 3 mediums for 5 each offers!!!!!!!!!!!!

so what i try to do is… do not watch food network channel, do not watch cooking shows and try to do something on the computer or get distracted some how and if that doenst work get an excuse to get out of the room whenever adverts come on…

Hey Gaby,

I have an idea you might like to try that has helped me, when a food commerical comes on TV.  As a college student we used to play a drinking game when watch a movie or tv show.  That when ever a specific word was said, or a character did a certain action, we would all have to do a shot or chug a beer.  Oh the dumb things we used to do.  I don’t remember then end to so many movies.... 

Anyway, I was sitting at home watching TV a few months back and I saw one of those pizza commercials (Pizza is my weakness too).  It made me very hungry.  Now from coming to this forum and other forums a lot has been said how water can ease hunger pains.  So I thought to myself what if I made watching TV a perpetual drinking game.  I decided that every time a food commercial came on I would drink a 8 ounce glass of water.  Now if two came on in the same commercial break, I would still only drink one glass of water. 

So far so good.  I usually end up drinking about 4 or 5 glasses of water a night.  It has really help ease the hunger pains.  My wife has been looking at me like I am crazy, maybe I’ll actually let her in on what I am doing.  She’s not a night snacker like me though.

If anyone has heard of anything like this please feel free to share.

All the best,
Stu

I like this idea!!!
I’m going to try it out starting tonight!
I’ll have to pick up some more bottle water, though.  I’m out at home, and I refuse to drink tap water.

Hey Stu

I agree with Nick. That sounds like a great idea! I’ll try it tonight while i watch My Name is Earl and The Office. Thankfully I don’t watch as much TV as I used to but there are some shows I’m just addicted to! Will let you know how it went… but if I miss a good part cause i needed to go pee it’s going to be your fault lol

Thanx for the tip;
Gaby

Hey that’s not fair… Those shows are not on here, because of the Olympics. 

I will say that it doesn’t work for some people.  My wife says that water doesn’t curb her appetite.  You could also only take a sip for each food commercial this way you don’t end up drinking 10-12 glasses a water a night.  Adapt it per your needs and let me know how it goes.

All the best,
Stu

Hey Stu

No, you’re right… the olymics are here as well. No Earl or Office . Was well dissapointed when i checked the tv guide. So i guess i wont be trying the water drinking game tonight. But will let you know when I do.

For me water doesn’t really take away real hunger but it does calm me down when it’s just cravings. Unless the cravings are too powerful lol.

But we’ll see what happens when you combine vast ammounts of water with pizza adverts lol…

Hey Stu,

Great idea!  I think I might use this at work too.  Maybe every time I read/write an email I have to drink some water.  Thanks for the idea.

Thanks for the tip Stu.  I have doubled my water intake these days! I don’t watch tv much (except for Lost), but I have made more of a concious effort and it’s been paying off.