Liev Schreiber was on Ellen last week to promote Ray Donovan, the sixth season of which just wrapped. It’s been renewed for a seventh season next year. (I watched the first three seasons but haven’t kept up with it as it got too depressing.) Ellen kept dinging a bell to make Liev take a shot on the table behind her. It seemed cruel but I think only one or two of the shots were tequila and the rest were water. Liev had to have signed off on it first. He told Ellen that his New Year’s resolution was to give up sugar for a week but that he blew it by taking a shot on her show.
What was your New Year’s resolution?
I said I would give up sugar for a week because that was all I was willing to commit.Did you do it for a week?
I guess alcohol is sugar so maybe I did make it for a week. I didn’t have ice cream for a week.You mean processed sugar
That was my resolution. I wasn’t doing processed sugar.Did you notice a difference? Did you get a headache?
No I just really wanted ice cream.But you’re going to continue with it?
I think so. *Takes shot* that’s the end of that resolution.How old are your kids?
Kai is 10 and Sasha is 11. They’re heading into that no go zone for me. I don’t want teenagers.Do they think you’re cool?
No, you’re never cool to your own kids.
After that he said that his kids don’t think he’s cool no matter what, but that everyone’s kids are like that. Even when he got voice roles on Isle of Dogs and Into The Spiderverse they were unimpressed. They were happy to meet Lil Wayne when he hosted Saturday Night Live though. He was pretty good on SNL! I liked the skits I saw on YouTube, particularly a Househunters one he did with Leslie Jones. I’m putting that below.
We’ve been talking so much about keto, but I don’t even want to give up regular sugar and ice cream. Keto and Atkins are way too hardcore for me. I try not to eat jellybeans every day. Even that’s a struggle for me. I’ll buy smaller amounts in bulk and try to trick myself by putting them in weird places in little tupperware containers around the house, like an alcoholic hides booze. I also eat ice cream almost every day. I’m ok with eating less of it though.
Oh and in case you’re wondering if Liev, 51, is still with his 26 year-old girlfriend, he definitely is. They were photographed out together earlier this week. He’s still friendly with his ex, Naomi Watts, and they seem to coparent well though.
Here’s the interview!
Here’s his bit with Leslie Jones doing ridiculous House Hunters. I laughed a few times.
You know he posted this to show off his abs. Nice
I’ve done it. I tried regulating total sugar intake for a month for medical reasons. Much of the food we eat contains sugar naturally. You have to retrain your body and you do crave crazy stuff but you do get used to it.
How was your mood? I fear for my loved ones when my blood sugar drops … totally relate to the snickers commercial
Grumpy, cranky, and stressed for the first week and a half. The stress came mostly from trying to figure out what I could and couldn’t eat. Eating properly is a lot of work.
I’ve had huge, lifelong difficulties with sugar/high-fat foods — that combo describes my favorite comfort foods, with salt/high-fat snacks (always with their own added sugar) claiming a good share, too. I’ve also had a fierce artificial-sweetener habit. I was always scanning ahead for my next self-medicating sugar hit and bridging those gaps with diet sodas and heavily sweetened coffee. I honestly don’t know how I haven’t weighed more than I have at times, but I can’t claim credit for that — must be genetics, because it’s certainly not been willpower and discipline for anything more than short periods of time. I’ve been mostly vegetarian and/or vegan much of my adult life (at times striving for a very low-fat diet) and know firsthand how easy it is to make any way of eating unhealthy.
Doing strict vegetarian keto for 3 months got me untethered from sugar, cravings, hard energy swings, and increasing abdominal weight gain, thank god. That first month was hard, and I felt like crap, but I can’t tell you what a relief it is to have experienced the wonders of this separation from processed sugar and be fitting into my smaller-sized clothes more easily. I’ve since reintroduced more healthy carbs — sweet potatoes, beans, quinoa, some fruits, etc. — and I’m really dedicated to not getting re-hooked on processed sugar, or, if I slip, working to nip it in the bud. That period of strict keto was the bridge that got me off of processed carbs.
Though I fought this idea for decades, believing that anything’s ok in moderation, the truth is that sugar’s a poisonous slippery slope for me that I best stay away from. Moderation’s perfect when it’s possible, but sugar & moderation have never coexisted for me. I don’t miss the cravings (understatement), and I find that getting fat from peanut butter, coconut oil, and the occasional avocado really help satisfy and scratch that itch when it comes up. I even enjoy my coffee without sweetener in it, and I never thought that would happen. I’m so, so grateful for this newfound food-freedom.
I’m trying at the moment but sugar is in fricking everything. Although I limit my son’s intake so I should show the same concern for my health. I also miss vodka. Dry January is pretty brutal.
Same here! Did Dry Jan + no processed sugar last year and doing it again this year, and you’re right, sugar is in EVERYTHING. I cook most of my meals from scratch, but did you know it’s almost impossible to find smoked salmon which does not contain demera/brown sugar??
For the first week/10 days, I’m absolutely knackered, and have migraines – same happened last year, but then after 15 days I was feeling amazing. Basically, as your insulin level doesn’t spike anymore, it also means it doesn’t go too low either, meaning I felt way more constant throughout the day.
I satisfy my sugar cravings by making fruit compote: apples, banana, plum, in a saucepan with a bit of cinnamon, goes really well on top of yogurt! I always assume I’ll keep up with it but then on the 3rd of Feb I’m like “WHERE ARE THE COOKIES”….
I didn’t know that about salmon, and honestly I wouldn’t have thought to look! I make sure I’m careful about bread (I just had a wholemeal roll at lunch and it tasted sweet), no tinned food unless chickpeas and nothing processed and none of the obvious things like chocolate but no way would I have thought that about smoked salmon. I have actually had some this year too. But yes it is everywhere and its a real issue, not just personally but the nation as a whole. What’s super annoying is shops have started selling easter chocolate ALREADY and I love caramel eggs soooo much.
A week without is about right-no more than that! Try giving up caffeine in the same week…I did that after my February birthday last year and I was slow as a sloth and kept having headaches (the caffeine).
I hope to try this again, but only processed sugar this time! Let’s see if I make it past a week.
I gave up caffeine years ago and it was a nightmare — headaches, insane irritability and fatigue — but only for about two days before it got better. I was caffeine-free for about 10 years.
Good luck with the sugar journey!
I eat ok. But caffeine is my drug. Tried quitting, got the worst headache had to call in sick and after three days got back to coffee.
I gave up caffeine at the same time I did went without sugar but I don’t drink coffee so it wasn’t too difficult except for having to avoid chocolate.
We are working our way through the whole 30 now so no added sugar or sweeteners for us. It’s hard mainly because sugar is in so much (so is soy!) so it’s one thing to avoid the cupcakes at work, it’s another thing to check every label because sugar (or sugar substitute) is in salad dressings, Mayo, non/dairy milks, etc.
Becks1, were also in Whole30, day 4. We spent the first two weeks of January putting together recipes we could do before starting, that really helped but I’m still worried about food fatigue! Are you in the US? I found primal kitchen and Tessamae are both Whole30 approved and delicious! Plus some Rx and Larabars items, which has been a huge help!!
I successfully did a Whole30 last January and I’m trying again. Today is Day 3. Mainly I miss milk in my morning coffee – almond milk just isn’t the same. And I miss wine. After a couple of days, I don’t miss sugar at all. And if I really need a treat, a little almond butter on a banana works wonders. Or dates rolled in coconut or almonds.
When I did it last year, I lost 15 pounds (I was running a lot and I’m sure the lack of booze helped greatly) and my skin was beautiful. It was definitely brighter (again, probably because of no booze).
Nom Nom Paleo and I Heart Umami are great resources. I definitely batch cook. Right now I have a fridge full of meatballs, chicken and salad. This weekend, I’ll pull out the slowcooker and make a pot of Thai-style curry and a pot of bolognese. I love it over cauliflower rice.
I’m on day 17 of the whole30. I second nom nom paleo (the app is great – try the instant pot chili). I have breakfast and dinners locked up but lunch is hard because I can’t get my act together to bring it to work. This week has been hard to stay on track. I want nothing more than a giant bowl of cacio e pepe and a large glass of wine :(. But I power through and eat another mashed sweet potato with ghee. Anyway, good luck to all of you working your way through it!
I like nom nom paleo but this round I have been obsessed with PaleoRunningMomma. I have not made a bad recipe from her site.
It is definitely hard because of all the meal prep (and I cook most of our meals anyway) but I think it has convinced me that I can go “low carb” after this (and I don’t mean super low carb, I just mean maybe not a pound of pasta for dinner.)
the first time I did it was 2 years ago and that was after I had an appendectomy, so it was easier in because for the first few days I didn’t “want” to eat anything really. this time I feel pretty good but I am dragging mentally. We’ll see how it goes!
Good luck everyone!!
Day 15 of W30 round 4 (or 5). It’s rough going… I meal prepped like crazy the first two weeks and now I’m super bored with it. Hanging in there because I feel great otherwise, and there are some great NSVs as well.
Solidarity, friends.
I’ve done this 4 years ago for a month, and my whole body changed for the better, it sped up my metabolism in such a way maintaining my weight became so much easier, even after introducing sugar again to my diet.
Kaiser you’re just like me! I too love jelly beans and eat ice cream almost everyday I stopped buying jelly beans because it was like opening Pandora’s box. There are jelly beans in the house, must eat them, lol.
I just ate a handful of gummy bears for breakfast. So, no.
I read this while eating a cinnamon roll, so ya, me neither
‘Yes’ to going without sugar – I had a similar resolution and am coming up to 2 weeks. I feel better for it and really only miss chocolate, so have some 90% cocoa dark chocolate tucked away for when I really need it…
Is Ray Donovan worth it? I just started the first episode and it’s…not great. But it seems like a lot of dude drama, and I’m not really here for that.
Maybe? I’ve watched all the seasons although I’m only halfway through season 6 and, to be honest, it’s only in season 6 where it gels properly. There’s a lot of drama and dude drama as it’s about a very messed up Irish Catholic family from Boston. Also, stupendous amounts of drinking. (Liev can do an absolutely stellar drunk walk)
The first few seasons are AMAZING. I gave up after the season Katie Holmes was first in (maybe 4 or 5, I don’t remember). It just got too extra and overdone for me. I do recommend watching at least the first 3 seasons. His character is really sexy in a shitty way.
I would say Ray Donovan is absolutely worth it. Not a fan of how they handled relationship with his wife, but the show is really good, he’s superb, and season 6 finale excellent. Dark stuff, for sure. And the Boston accents are awesome.
In fifth grade, our science teacher had a challenge to see who could go a month without it. I failed after a week after accidentally drinking 7up. I think in a class of 15, 3 kids lasted the month.
During lent, I give I some food. The year I gave up sweets, chocolate and candy of any kind, wasn’t too bad although that meant missing out on Easter candy. Giving up coffee proved much tougher.
I stopped eating sugar and any sweeteners of any kind (so no white/brown sugar, no honey, molasses, maple syrup, no sweetener substitutes, etc) in August of last year, as well as bread. I lasted until Christmas when I told myself I’d have a break between Christmas and new year’s…and fell off the wagon hard AF – was making Irish soda bread with cheddar cheese and scallions like it was going out of style, lol!! But now I’m back to my plan of avoiding sugar/bread so for 2019 it’s been about 1.5 weeks added to my 2018 five month total. So yay! I still eat fruit though – grapes, bananas, clementines – and starchy vegetables like buttered petite peas (yum!) or sweet potatoes, or sometimes potato chips as a treat.
I am/was a sugar fiend. A huge baker for all of my life and sweets and chocolate (and hot buttered toast) were like best friends lol. It was actually not as hard as I was expecting once I got over the initial week of cravings or just automatically reaching for things that I used to eat. Now I don’t really miss it at all and don’t care if others eat it in front of me or whatever. For me anyway, a lot of it was psychological so it’s having an alternative when I’m stressed and want to reach for that chocolate! Or just distract myself until the craving passes and try to figure out what’s making me stressed in that moment.
Can I ask why you decided to give it up? Weight loss? Health? Both? It must have been extra hard being a baker.
I’m trying to cut back for general overall health reasons but I’m not sure if I need to go completely off sugar. Seems like reducing my consumption would be enough, maybe not. We’ll see!
I gave up sugar for 2 weeks and I couldn’t believe how much my body changed. It took about 3-4 days for the cravings to stop but I experienced more energy, my sweat smelled different, I didn’t have plaque on my teeth, and I think a six pack appeared (I didn’t work out more than normal). Most of all, the thought of dessert made me feel sick. My diet was severely limited though because sugar is in almost everything. Baked chicken with salt and veggies with garlic and salt get old after a while. And not being able to have fruit sucked. I didn’t just give up processed sugar and added sugar but tried to eliminate sugar that was naturally occurring. I could only make it for 2 weeks.
I’ve done it for the last 3+ years. I had to do a complete diet overhaul for health reasons and it was reallyyyyy hard at first. I used to be one of those people that would get out of bed, first thing in the morning, and eat chocolate covered almonds or the frosting off of cupcakes. I cook everything I eat now and don’t eat out , at all, which makes it easier but I honestly don’t crave sugar anymore. I would never have imagined myself as one of those people that can walk by a candy store or cupcake shop and not “feel” anything at all. I think that my palette just changed and my brain rewired itself after I became aware of how much inflammation my body had because of sugar. Do I think everyone needs to be off of sugar? Nah. It just worked for me and helped me feel human again (and it has nothing to do with weight).
same here! 6 months off sugar for health reason and lost an extreme amount of inflammation!
This September will mark ten years for me not eating sugar. I don’t miss it at all at this point. This change came about when I was trying to manage a chronic health issue. Pain is an amazing motivator to ditch bad habits. I used to feel shitty if I didn’t have something sweet every day. And I know if I started eating it again, those same cravings would return. I think it is very much like a drug.
I’ve been off processed sugar (tho I use some honey and maple syrup from time to time) for a few years now (was having a lot of minor issues like headaches, rashes, stomach aches, and decided to try it). It refocuses your eating towards whole foods because so much processed food in our culture has it. I’m sure I still get some when I eat out, esp in sauces and dressings, but I try to get these on the side. It was only hard for the first month, because I think it truly is an addiction, like we’re feeding it not our bodies. But once it was out of my system, it was such a relief. I don’t mean to preach but I feel so much healthier (all of the minor issues are gone), and real food tastes so good to me — Japanese yams are like dessert for me now, and I love all kinds of fruits and vegetables. If I’m really craving chocolate, I get organic pure cacao and then put a bit of honey on top, yum. I also think btw that our bread has a lot of toxins (roundup etc) so I feel better when I stay away from that too. It’s not hard at all once you get used to it. One more thing — toothpaste — even Tom’s has so many chemicals in it. Turned out that was a major problem for me, so now I just use baking soda and coconut oil. Good luck!
I’ve done Whole30 several times, and you give up sugars and just about everything else for 30 days. I have a major pepsi addiction, so I do get withdrawal headaches those first few days, but they’re not as bad if you stay well hydrated and eat good foods too. My stomach always shrinks so much when I cut out breads and sugars. You feel good once you’re doing it. I have a hard time keeping that up when not on the strict Whole30 diet though. I’m not good with moderation yet.
Having a severe case of FODMAP intolerance, I can eat neither sugar, wheat no dairy in any noticeable amounts nor too much fruit. Guess what? You totally get used to it. I eat a lot of vegetables and legumes, coconut milk, fish and meat, nuts and seeds. It’s great for my skin, shape and overall health, and in some ways I’m almost glad that my body forces me to eat in this clean and simple way. My comfort food these days is home-made lentil soup with papadam or chicken with peanut sauce. Yum!
I have IBS to the point where it has an impact on my sosial life (a lot of pain and also fatigue from not digesting food properly). I cannot eat grains/starches, fruit or legumes. Sugar does not aggrevate my IBS but diabetes and blodsugar problems run in my family. Also sugar makes me hungry so I eat more – which does aggrevate it. So I do keto and I feel really good. I love bread and fruit and wish I could live on it but it is not worth the pain. Don’t Ask me to give up caffeine though, I can’t do it.
I’ve never done this, but I am doing a dry January and it’s been hard. I’m trying to detox from the holidays so no alcohol! The timing is the worst though, Im a teacher with LA Unified and we have been picketing all week. The constant rain and stress of this strike is making me crave a glass of wine everyday. Hoping this gets resolved quick!
Nine days into whole30 here. I am still having sugar withdrawal headaches. I have had dreams about eating cookies and hiding it from my husband, who is also doing the whole30. There are constantly treats, cookies, cakes, donuts, chocolate, muffins, bagels, etc. at work. It’s awful! And I just have no willpower especially when it’s 3pm, I’m bored or stressed, and there’s a giant jar of mini kit kats on the “treats” table or Corner Bakery cinnamon coffee cake in the break room. I don’t even think about it – I just start eating it. I’m really hoping this helps me kick my sugar addiction.
6 months now without processed sugar. I’m on a diet similar to Whole 60 (called the Auto Immune Diet) for health reasons (MS disease). I don’t have processed sugar, grains, dairy, no processed foods, and a variety of other things that trigger inflammation. I can on occasion have a bit of honey or maple syrup (I usually bake with them -using cassava or coconut flour). I was already Celiac and lactose intolerant so I was already used to not having some things but definitely the sugar, and anything that has sugar was really difficult at first. Sugar is in everything – dairy (and dairy substitutes), condiments, smoked salmon etc etc.) and I have had to learn to cook the majority of my meals from scratch. I think giving up starbucks lattes was the hardest but now I am used to it and those foods seem really foreign to me. Plus I lost a significant amount of inflammation, dropped down 3 sizes, and finally have the energy to do more exercise (due to my illness, I had low mobility and used a walker). I’m now able to walk faster, use an exercise bike, and I’ve limited flare ups. It’s my new way of life.
BRAVO👏👏👏
Adorable skit.
I loved it, too! I laughed out loud a few times.
Sugar is extremely addictive. Evidence shows that signs of sugar addiction in childhood can be a predictor of possible problems with alcohol in the future because many of the same neural pathways, neurotransmitters (i.e. endorphins) and brain parts are involved. Sugar also literally feeds certain types of cancers.
Anyway, on Keto, I get my “sugar” fixes through berries (yum) and by making sweet treats myself. I’ve perfected “Mounds” and “Peppermint Patties”. My “Reese’s” are fantastically delicious but not quite as close to the original as the other two. They taste more like a really rich peanut butter chocolate ice cream.
For anyone interested in trying it out:
My Keto “Mounds” bars (yields 18 using a silicone candy mold)
1 pack softened cream cheese
1 can coconut milk
1 tbs Vanilla (the real deal, not imitation)
2 or 3 tbs Swerve sweetener (I detest almost all sugar substitutes but love this one)
Shredded coconut (to taste)
Semi-sweet chocolate chips
Unsweetened cocoa powder
-Mix the cream cheese, at least half of the coconut milk, vanilla, Swerve, and shredded coconut well
– Fill the bottom half to two thirds of each cup in a silicone candy mold with the mixture and put in the freezer to firm
-In a double broiler (I actually sit a pyrex measuring cup in a pan of boiling water for this), melt chocolate chips and stir in a pretty good amount of the remaining coconut milk
– Once melted in add in a decent helping of the cocoa powder, add the rest of the coconut milk if you need more moisture to mix
-Pull the silicone molds back out of the fridge and top each cup with the chocolate mixture.
-Put back in the freezer to firm for at least an hour.
I promise you, these taste EXACTLY like Mounds bars. To make Peppermint patties, skip the shredded coconut (but keep the coconut milk!) and add a few drops of peppermint extract to the cream cheese mix (again, the real stuff, not a flavor substitute). OMG. You won’t believe how delicious.
So, yeah. I go severely limit and/or go completely without processed sugar all the time. That means making almost everything I eat myself though because sugar is added into virtually all processed foods in the grocery store.
p.s. Yes. There is a small amount of processed sugar in the chocolate chips. You could also go with unsweetened and Swerve it up to make it edible.
i don’t know what it is about him and i am aware his reputation is not great but damn he is sexy AF.
I’ve done it–a few years back I managed to do a full 21 days of the Clean cleanse (yes, the one Goop loves, though I promise if you read the book and do it properly it does NOT have to be a starvation diet). Post-cleanse I ate pretty minimal sugar for quite a while, then I had a baby and had PPD, sleep deprivation, went back to work FT at 4 months postpartum with what was initially a very unsatisfactory childcare setup (fortunately that got worked out quickly!), and healthy eating just went out the window. I did manage to get my sugar consumption down to a less crazy level once I stopped nursing, though not as low as it was previously.
I’m actually considering doing Clean again this year for the month of February this year (not January, I can’t deal with going on a super structured eating program in January!).
My experience was that the first 5-7 days were hard and after that it got much easier. My 2 big pieces of advice are
1) don’t try to do a big reduction in total calories right off the bat. Most people are eating way more sugar than they realize. I think I have seen stats that the average American eats close to 800 calories of added sugar per day (and remember, a lot of that is probably mixed in with things like unhealthy fats or super refined starches). If you need and are used to eating 2000-2500 calories/day to maintain your weight, and you suddenly cut 800+ calories out, you are cutting your daily calorie intake by a LOT. This will put you in a bad mood and make you more likely to quit! Focus on quitting sugar and junk food and then worry about total calories. When I did Clean, I ate SO many almonds the first week and even gained a little weight, but then I sort of stabilized and by the end of the 3 weeks I had dropped a net of 3 lbs (not bad as I was already fairly thin!)
2) make sure you are still eating plenty of HEALTHY carbs. I remember the first week I was probably eating 6 or more apples per day. I know some programs will have you quit fruit entirely, I have tried that at times and I find it too restrictive. Stick with relatively low sugar fruits. Apples are great, I know a lot of people hold up berries as the holy grail of low sugar fruit but they are so freaking expensive, and at this time of year they aren’t even very good! I can get apples for <$1/lb right now, so I can afford to eat plenty of them without worrying about blowing up my grocery budget. You will probably want to eat quite a few of them in the first few days, but as the junk and sugar cravings work their way out of your system your consumption will go down to a more normal level. I would also totally plan on having some starchy winter squash (kabocha, butternut, etc.). I loved doing things like a pureed soup with roast butternut squash, zucchini, spinach, and coconut milk.
Damn, now I want to do another round ASAP. I'm remembering how good my skin looked and how energetic I felt by week 3. At the very least, this has gotten me determined not to eat the cookies that are currently sitting in our break room!
I’ve cut out all grains and sugar for a week now. I’m just not an extremist, so there is no way I’m giving up bread and ice-cream forever. My plan is to eat bread, sweets, whatever, for one day each weekend and then the rest of the time, get into the habit of being low-carb.
I’ve done calorie-counting many times before this and it is so much work, and always peters out at a certain point. I’m hoping that by eating low glycemic-index foods, I will not experience so many cravings and will make better nutritional choices, since I really don’t “need” refined carbs and sugar on a daily basis.
Here’s the good stuff so far:
-the food is tasty AF and very satisfying
-I stay full for longer – I can eat lunch at 2pm and not be dying
-no hardcore cravings, since I mostly feel satisfied
-my workouts have remained quite good, and I’m not fatigued
-there’s so many damn nutrients in this food; it does feel healthy.
The bad stuff
-it is expensive AF. Holy hell, I spent like $50 more on my weekly groceries
-takes lots of planning and ingenuity. I spent most of a few days making energy balls, egg muffins, hardboiled eggs, and so on, just to have snacks and meals ready to go
-It’s not some miracle weight-loss trick for me at least – I hate being hungry and the food is very calorie-dense
I’m on the GAPS diet. I survive by eating Trader Joe’s riced cauliflower as my starch and lots of homemade soups with homemade stock. I make keto fat bombs with coconut oil and ghee, cacoa powder and swerve and keep them in the freezer. I’m supposed to give up caffeine too but so far just limiting it. Right now I’m taking Thorn formula sf77 to rid my gut of yeast and drinking 10 glasses of water a day. The water definitely keeps me feeling full. But it’s amazing because I’m eating less and yet my bloodsugar isn’t dropping.
We were on a vacation in Montreal a few years ago and nearly walked right into Liev and Naomi Watts with their kids down near the waterfront. This was just before they announced their split. I was surprised by a.) how tall he really is in person and b.) that I found him incredibly attractive in person vs. on screen. He has always come across a bit shady to me, but man, super good-looking up close.
Do you guys make everyone in the house go sugar/dairy/grain free or do you cook separately for your kids? It’s so much work already feeding us around schedules the thought of all that meal prep for just me… I don’t see that happening.
I do keep a sugar-free household, so when he’s at home, my kid (age 3) is sugar free. I don’t worry too much about what he’s eating at birthday parties, etc., as they’re typically only once a month or so.
What I love about Italy, from Venezia to Capri, is the importance placed on *good* food rather than convenience. It’s a social thing, and the supermarkets and markets reflect that: ready meals comprise about 1/2 of a small chiller cabinet, sweet items are few and far between… They also care about food health. Entire sections dedicated to gluten free, soy free, GM free, palm oil free, masses of choices for vegans and vegetarians, etc; and Bologna is the vegetarian capital of the world now. Anything sugary tends to be had at breakfast in the form of a brioche (croissant filled with almond paste, chocolate, Nutella etc) and in the espresso, but apart from that, by and large, they don’t bother about sugar: it’s not an issue. Contrast that to the UK – aisles and aisles of crisps, chocolate, ready meals outweighing fresh produce by a ratio of 10:1. I’ll stick with the Mediterranean diet, thanks!
I almost don’t even have words for how delightful I found that house hunters skit. I really don’t even know why. I just completely loved it. it’s possible it’s one of my favorites of ever.
Good luck and more power to everyone here going for better eating. Sugar hasn’t ever been a problem for me for some reason but I’m a total salt addict. I can easily skip dessert, no matter how delectable the cake or pastry looks (love a big serving of coconut or other non-dairy ice cream about once a month though) but I find it harder to turn down some salty hot chips (fries), soft pretzels, hot savoury pastries like pies, etc. However I don’t have refined carbs often; it’s the salt I’m semi addicted to. Touch wood it hasn’t affected my health; I drink a lot of water and will be cutting down from now on. I love spicy food so I will try to flavour my meals with more raw chilli, garlic, onions, etc., instead of salt.
JadedBrit, I agree with your post!
Thanks, @Virtuosity – I’m moving there in six months; can’t wait! – Definitely garlic in everything. Softened in butter, it loses its sharpness and pungency that makes everyone do an autoswerve when coming within ten paces of you… Ooh, or going to the other side of the world, Vietnamese food: delicate yet fiery, flavoursome beyond belief and, if you make it yourself rather than grabbing takeout (a good thing for me as I’m 40 miles from the nearest Vietnamese restaurant, currently) you can modify the salt to suit yourself… But a certain amount of salt in the diet is absolutely necessary: you end up hypokalemic without it, which can seriously affect your heart. A happy balance: that’s the best way to go. Much more important things to stress over.
Have always liked him but can’t help feeling a bit disappointed that he’s dating a woman young enough to be his daughter.
My high school friend was on house hunters international. The house she “bought” was actually the house she had lived in for two years. The other houses they “looked” at were friends houses. I felt so cheated