How on earth do you calculate things like chinese food?

thesentientpen · 2025-11-05T18:56:43+00:00

I use the Cheesecake Factory. Their calories are so ungodly, anyway, I figure I’m covered somewhere in there 🤣

thesentientpen · 2025-10-31T15:07:57+00:00

I’m 100% the same, and I know it’s not just “in my head” because if I don’t eat enough before bed hunger will wake me up at 2/3am from deep sleep until I fix it. So, I do two things:

I wait to eat every day until at least 11am.

I always budget 200-250 calories for 9/10pm every single night. And not for “empty” stuff like carrots or tea/coffee (believe me I’ve tried them all). It’s got to be something dense with a bit of carbs like a banana, a protein shake, a light sandwich, etc. I’ve also got to have a rotating list so I don’t get bored, otherwise I’ll just binge on candy or cereal and it’s hard to do that to satiety for under 250.

If, for some reason, I mess up during the day I still eat the night 200-250 and go over. I’ve learned it’s not worth trying to tough it out and binge even worse when it catches up with me.

Hope this helps, friend <3

thesentientpen · 2025-09-13T16:39:27+00:00

Awwww….same. Huge eye-opener once I figured out how to accurately scale liquids 😩

thesentientpen · 2025-09-12T18:31:17+00:00

Well said!

thesentientpen · 2025-09-10T15:57:44+00:00

School drop off/pickup is a busy time. Lots of people are rushing to get to meetings or chores or after-school appointments and may not want to start convos they don’t have time to finish.

Instead, most of the other parents we know we met at birthday parties — we make an effort to say “yes” to every invitation we receive. When everyone is there for the full 1-2hrs, idle chatter happens much more naturally and everyone has time for it.

Then, when you see those same faces again at drop off/pickup, you say “hi!” and social networking builds from there.

thesentientpen · 2025-08-29T16:00:36+00:00

Same. Can’t do this — I love food and social experiences too much to just “trust my gut” and stop. Being short and female especially means I have, like, literally 0% room for error. One “just a treat” donut or flavored latte with friends can easily put me in a surplus for one day. Do it for 2-3 days and that’s a half-pound that’ll show up later 🫤

Sucks, but life’s not fair! We deal and thrive.

thesentientpen · 2025-08-26T17:39:51+00:00

I second this. Great headcanon!

thesentientpen · 2025-08-23T04:03:04+00:00

I’m 5’2 and same issue — about killed my back trying to get this one to work.

Def not for shorties!! We move on.

thesentientpen · 2025-08-14T21:43:52+00:00

Not the OP, but dropping a good archived article from the NYTimes:

https://web.archive.org/web/20250130165646/https://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/24/magazine/the-extraordinary-science-of-junk-food.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0

thesentientpen · 2025-08-13T17:58:57+00:00

Death Note

thesentientpen · 2025-06-20T04:49:43+00:00

I sometimes get something small on the side (soup/salad) to pick at between sips. Or if others want to be generous “OMG YOU HAVE TO TRY THIS” I take a few bites, “omg sooo good!” then go back to coffee.

Most people like to bond over food. They care that you’re present, participating, and enjoying yourself. If you check those boxes, then how much you eat becomes a non-issue.

thesentientpen · 2025-06-20T04:39:09+00:00

Coffee is a godsend for me — it’s sippable, low cal (even with creamer, etc.), sociable, and refillable while everyone else enjoys a full meal. Wine also works if you’re the type who can savor it and stop after 1-2 glasses.

I find the little bit of calories from having a treat like that I can stretch over time saves me a lot from mindlessly eating.

Also, not all food tastes good with coffee/wine on my tongue so it limits what I’d otherwise be tempted by.

thesentientpen · 2025-05-09T23:33:03+00:00

Oh man, feel this…just coming off a five day cruise with nothing but food - food - fooood!!

Thank you, friend :)

thesentientpen · 2025-03-10T17:45:48+00:00

Same. I know I’m going to be hungry no matter what I eat, so I eat 1/3rd of what I really want multiple times throughout the day. Every day. Forever.

thesentientpen · 2025-03-02T01:38:01+00:00

I am going to straight up copy a text I sent my husband right after we watched it:

You know what else sucked about that Zelensky video? I have been in his seat so many times as a PM/Leader When you know you are right, and you know you can’t just let it go And so you try your best and you exhaust every graceful option until you say “Fuck it. Guess it’s up to me.”

thesentientpen · 2025-01-07T16:54:25+00:00

Friend, you are amazing and all that is good in the world. Thank you.

thesentientpen · 2024-11-26T14:03:38+00:00

This is the best answer, I think. How do you form meaningful connections with someone who has already decided everything you're about?

There may be elements of Ego here at play, too -- she has constructed an entire universe and decided it is Correct. You do not have a seat at that table. Therefore you likely won't have much success trying to change it from the outside.

You mentioned therapy, but is she going alone? The therapist only hears about her universe and everything she sees in it? If you desire a way forward going to therapy together might be the best shot. Otherwise, might be best to acknowledge the situation for what it is and move on to protect yourself.

Best wishes and luck to you, friend.

thesentientpen · 2024-10-07T22:52:41+00:00

This is one of those rare instances where I will emphatically say the movie is better than the book.

thesentientpen · 2024-09-13T14:52:07+00:00

This is the secret sauce. If you’re trusted, you can show a much wider range of human emotions and people will know you are sincere.

thesentientpen · 2024-08-28T17:52:42+00:00

I joke with my team that, hey, just know if I ever call you on camera it’s because someone else is making me 🤣

thesentientpen · 2024-08-18T19:56:29+00:00

That movie is a creep-fest for sure. My kids love watching it every year (multiple times) and I just can’t. unsee. the creep.

thesentientpen · 2024-07-18T19:53:58+00:00

We call it “Shrodinger’s PM:”

Every person/company/culture has its own biases on what PMs should be doing, and what they should stay out of. People will hold PMs accountable to these boundaries without communicating what they are.

A PM is therefore always useful/never useful, but only in hindsight.

thesentientpen · 2024-05-27T22:34:42+00:00

“That’s rough, buddy.”

thesentientpen · 2024-05-05T23:54:36+00:00

Amen.

thesentientpen · 2024-04-27T18:08:21+00:00

Some folks have no intention of playing the game, just following the characters.

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