Latest Moan From You and Me 2024

I certainly feel fitter since I've had Ben, I've walked at least a mile every day in the last 6 months and it's definitely made a difference.

 

I wouldn't even consider half an hour as 'a walk' @simone_in_wiltshire !
I think there's a lot of emphasis on 'good' and 'bad' food, whereas if people just ate a generally decent variety, and didn't exclude things, that would help. All these diets that cut out food groups are a bad idea, because they aren't sustainable, and it's really a case of moderation. Too much of anything isn't great -fruit isn't either as it's full of sugar, and when many people started having smoothies a while back, they were laden with it because they were largely fruit, but they thought it was a good idea as 'it was fruit -and surely that's healthy?'. They have to be more veg based because of the sugar levels, but that wasn't clear at the time. Having some frozen veg to hand is also a simple thing - it's often better than some of the fresh veg on offer too. Most people have a freezer.
No reason why folk can't have a fish supper or a pizza now and again, or a bar of chocolate or packet of crisps etc. It's when you're eating those things too often, and in too large a quantity, that it causes problems. One of the really awful things to happen was that rise in the costs of utilities. People on a very limited income were buying ready made microwave meals, as it was cheaper than batch cooking in a conventional way. That's horrific, but I can understand why they resorted to it.
Getting some exercise, preferably outdoors, is also needed alongside diet, but even if people make small changes, to those, that all helps, and most importantly - is easier to sustain long term.

Of course - being fit and healthy doesn't stop you becoming ill. Chris Hoy anyone?

 

I think if you are lucky enough to have good digestion and are able to eat lots of different things without adverse consequences, you should appreciate your good fortune and enjoy a varied and interesting diet with lots of flavours and textures.

 

Keep that up @pete - it'll really pay off

 

That's really great @shiney . A small intervention can last for a very long time, although in your case - a big intervention.
My daughter is now experimenting with her food a bit, as she moved into her own flat earlier this year. She has some difficulties in that regard, but is enjoying it. She's doing something that I've always done, by blending various foods [veg] together that she might not really enjoy separately, then adding them to a bolognese, chilli or casserole. It's exactly what I did when she and her sis were little, so that they were getting plenty of veg. She knew I'd done that, but laughed when I reminded her recently about it. Full circle

 

Yet another long phone call re having a Smart Meter fitted. The latest reason being that the old meters "could be giving incorrect readings and therefore you could be paying more than necessary which we, as your supplier, want to avoid". No evidence of any problem and not much response when it was pointed out that if the meter was giving incorrect readings, it could also work in the consumer's favour just as easily as working against them.
The 2nd generation Smart Meters which were introduced 3 or 4 years ago are, apparently, the Bees Knees provided landline/mobile phone/ wi fi connections/news outlets/governments and the rest behave themselves - or so I understand

 

I keep getting e mails telling me my economy 7 one needs replacing as they are turning off the radio system that is supposed to be controlling it.
It doesn't work off a radio signal and never has.

 

Strange how this stuff workes well enough for the various suppliers to keep charging for usage. If I was into Conspiracy theories, I'd be wondering if the suppliers intentions were simply to gain a bit more control - as well as making their systems cheaper to run of course without passing on any benefit to their consumers.
Silly me.........surely not

 

I think its obviously about more control, how smart meters save you money is a mystery to me, now start selling the electric and gas at a cheaper rate all the time and the customer might gain, but all the time its about them controlling your lifestyle I cant see what is in in for us.
Apparently about 3 million of the bloody things are not working properly anyway, another example of something that is experimental being tried out on the public.

 

I refuse to have one and I don't mind doing a manual reading once a month. Actually Octopus are not very pushy. Not sure they even have our phone number. Once we all have one the gov will be able to control us with pricing.

 

It’s not only private customers, the whole country needs a shake up…

The streetlights going out over Britain tell a brutal story: austerity isn't over – it's getting worse | John Harris