Friday 6 January 2017

Out With The Bunting, On With The Banting!

Back from Norfolk, and busy with the job of taking down the decorations. Like my bunting [which I made in 2012 according to the handstitched label]
The garland on the staircase came down too, but there was a slight disaster
The little wooden motto which said 'Have Faith' broke.  It came with one saying 'Peace on Earth'  - from a Poundshop in 2010. 
I am obsessive about labelling the date of acquisition of decorations, no idea why.
But anyway, it snapped.
Have Faith has become Have Fat
It's a sign!! I know I need to lose weight - the GP and Physio both indicated that my knee pains are exacerbated by the excess pounds I have been carrying since moving somewhere beset by regular Church Lunches and Cream Teas.
Did you know that the victorians referred to dieting as "Banting" ? William Banting [1797-1878] was a very overweight undertaker in London, who went to his doctor because he was conscious that his size was making him ill.
His medic put him on a strict high protein/low carb regime.
Breakfast, 9am: 6oz of either beef, mutton, kidneys, broiled fish, bacon or cold meat of any kind except pork or veal; 9oz of tea or coffee without milk or sugar; a little biscuit or 1oz of dry toast.
Lunch, 2pm: 5-6 oz of any fish except salmon, herrings or eels, or any meat except pork or veal; any vegetable except potato, parsnip or beetroot, turnip or carrot; 1oz of dry toast; fruit out of a pudding, not sweetened; any kind of poultry or game; 2-3 glasses of good claret, sherry or Madeira. Champagne, port and beer are forbidden.
Tea, 6pm: 2-3oz of cooked fruit, a rusk or two, tea without milk or sugar.

Supper, 9pm: 3-4oz of meat or fish similar to lunch. For nightcap, if required, a tumbler of grog (gin, whisky or brandy, without sugar) or a glass or two of claret or sherry."
It was so successful [he shed 3 stone in a year] that Banting publicised this, with a "Letter On Corpulence" sent copies to the hospitals and did all he could to help those afflicted with obesity. 
The diet is very like the Atkins Diet - high protein/low carb, but unlike Dr A, Mr B did not seek to profit from his discovery.
The word 'banting' meaning 'dieting' remained in the OED until the 1960s.
I have decided not to go on a very strict diet regime. A couple of trips away this month will mean there are some days wen I will not be able to diet easily, as others will be preparing/providing my food. But I am trying to cut down on bread, cakes, pasta and puddings. That at least is a start...
I am certainly not planning on following the Banting diet- I couldn't face mutton and kidneys for breakfast, and I certainly couldn't manage all that alcohol.

6 comments:

  1. Happy new year, Angela. As always, such an interesting post! I'm so glad that you are still blogging, it's a real treat to find your new post every day. I'm going to have to do some Banting this year(again!) why is it so much easier to gain weight than lose it? Penny Lx

    ReplyDelete
  2. I recall reading somewhere that Banting was eating as normal and then vomiting later and used by some women to keep themselves slender.
    I too need to shed some weight, as soon as I can get back to walking it should go.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Vomiting is a dreadful way of dieting. But walking is a great exercise

      Delete
  3. You might be able to hot glue that sign together. Maybe glue a small flower or decoration to cover the join. Wish you well with the Banting!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Urhh, all that meat????!!!! Yuck!

    ReplyDelete
  5. I'm so glad to read this- bant here now denotes great banter, great craic, usually in the classroom. It really has become a phenomenon and I wonder is it a young male teacher's response to classroom dynamic. As a parent of teenage boys I can't abide it. However, this bant I can accept and should definitely enact!

    ReplyDelete

Always glad to hear from you - thanks for stopping by!
I am blocking anonymous comments now, due to excessive spam!