About Us -Ken & Patty Little
UNNECESSARY SCIENCE OF THE DIET BOOK
My interest and study of food was unintentionally birthed some 45 years ago through my severely Type1 diabetic mother.
She taught her daughter everything she knew about natural quality food, the dangers of chemical additives, carbohydrates, calories, vitamins and minerals. There were recipes to match.
A vegetable garden in the back yard producied our magnesium, iron and vitamins A and B greens.
Meals always came programmed and planned to meet protein, carbohydrate and fat requirements according to the calorie needs of a 150lb adult. The school tuckshop was out of bounds, to be used in dire emergencies only and therefore was probably visited no more than 5 times in 10 years.
The living room bookcases were crammed with every food and diet book known to mankind except any by a man named Horace Fletcher. From a very young age I was taught through stringent household rules what was to be purchased or not purchased on grocery shopping trips.
We thought we knew it all.
It wasn't until my mother had passed away that I had total change of focus on health and vitality.
Her teaching, although relevant, contradicted these new "Rules of Fletcherism". It was the unintentional quiet table manners practised by my dour Scottish father and learned from his mother that brought the youthful vigor.
CONTROLLED OR CONTROLLING DIET
From the age of 7 the compulsive craving for something sweet resulted in secret trips to the local corner store for the half pound chocolate block. This would be consumed in one hit usually under the bed or in the garage.
After a contradiction of traditional household fare I felt ghastly, and had trouble eating my sivlerbeet and was adding to my already large frame.
Following Fletcher I would even reduce the the chocolate cravings. Very occasionally I may have one Lindt chocolate with a cup of nice coffee.
As I moved toward mid-life my weight had increased to 160lbs which was nearly 40 lbs above my ideal weight.
A long drawn out erratic menopause was an excellent excuse as was the presence of a robust young man who was a guest in our home for eight years as part of our Christian Ministry.
His needs for restoration included a passion for huge regular meals as well as a desire to 'help' by loading the weekly shopping cart with 'treats'.
DARK SIDE OF THE 'CONTROLLED’ DIET
Living once again as a 'childless couple' I took on a carefully constructed calorie controlled diet of deliverance. Over a period of 6 months I lost 38 pounds and determined never to be fat again.
A new serious challenge emerged. I developed an obsession with counting every calorie, was often hungry and had frequent bouts of low blood sugar all in the interests of maintaining my 'ideal weight.' My husband and I rarely shared the same meal.
He had also become bigger with our special tenant but did not have the focus of maintaining a size 10.
TREASURES FROM SECRET PLACES
We both had a totally unexpected introduction to the principles of Horace Fletcher one wet Friday night in the atmosphere of an untidy, old city bookshop. We had been busy ferreting through the multitude of old cardboard boxes and unstable shelving hoping to unearth 'something special'.
This little gem spoke to both of us. The author had successfully recognized, explained and guaranteed youthful vigor, good health, happiness and weight loss around the Godly principle of peace and provision. And even better it was targeted at our age group.
Our new learning would now be focused on how to know what to eat, how to eat it and when to eat. It totally broke away from the complexities of the scientific diet.
There was nothing in the vast collection at home quite like it. Grabbing a hamburger 'on the run' was only half out of the question. It wasn't the hamburger that was sinful it was the fast, careless way it was consumed.
Although at times infuriated and frustrated the success of this venture had given him a new sense of importance. There also came a new level of acceptance and warmth from the small rural community.
The antagonistic councillors now treated him as a force to be reckoned with.
A simple but delicious lunch was presented. The biggest surprise was still to come. We had planned to practice our new manners at all times and noticed that we all finished our meal at about the same time, for the first time ever.
As children at home we viewed his eating style as a sign of impending old age and to be avoided at all costs. He was in his late 30's. He chose to enjoy the 6pm news the next morning in print over a cup of tea.
REAPING HIS HARVEST
There was both a wellness of body and mind that could easily go to a hundred without much change. Although my father had unintentionally embraced the lifestyle of our new role model he was reaping the benefits of my mother's 50 years of scientifically based nutrition.
This, however had been combined with his mother's still remembered demand for manners at the meal table.
Horace was promising this new health and strength in 5 months beginning in midlife with a list of simple rules available for everyone.
MY GOD SHALL SUPPLY ALL MY NEEDS
Ken and I diligently maintained our new shopping, eating and walking regime for the next 2 months, encouraged by the assured success.
With new eyes we couldn't help but notice the natural evolving Godly provision through a vast array of colorful fresh fruit and vegetables. The seasonal abundance also ensured best quality and price
These items were accompaniments to a wide variety of chicken, tuna and sometimes lamb or beef curries and casseroles with brown rice or wholemeal pasta recipes.
GOOD VALUE FOR MONEY
There has always been an assumption 'healthy' food is more expensive than 'rubbish'. The Fletcher Principles cancel this myth completely and furthermore prove the opposite. Because of the economy we can eat like kings.
Work on our changes began almost straight away. The principles were so simple and in accordance with our Godly creation we did wonder why we'd not even heard of it before through a sermon or seminar.
DIETARY DECEIT
Only a small portion of pre-learned text knowledge was used to work and succeed with Horace's simple rules.
Good health of body and mind should be a simple process available to everyone and not a tedious, expensive exercise understood by a minority.
Youthful vigor will continue to be a major life focus but thankfully there will be no need to carry on with the uncertified science degree to ensure a healthy end.
We had been practicing our new head management and respect for our food for nearly a month and were already noticing significant change. At the forefront was the delight in being able to enjoy the same meal and usually not in front of the TV.
There was a gradual but growing awareness that less food was needed to fill our stomachs and energy levels had increased. A new clearness of head was also emerging.
An additional unexpected benefit was a decline in the grocery bill.
SEEING IS BELIEVING
Feeling healthy and keen we organized a tour of duty up to the family farm to visit my elderly father. He had just celebrated his 80th birthday, now lived alone but had assured us he had absolutely no intention of ever moving into one of those ghastly "friendly community lifestyle villages".
He wasn't interested in hearing stories of failed businesses or the latest pill for arthritis. Initially we thought this could be a major challenge!
Life was focused on the farm. The extension ladder was ready for action beside the old shed and the avocado trees were regularly scaled for a delicious dinner or good neighbor gift.
A dated and structured 'shopping list' with a pen that worked rested against the teapot on the kitchen bench.
A POSITIVE LATTER END
There had been a recent vocal and victorious one man battle with the local council to organize a small subdivision within the farm.
Instead of taking 12 weeks he fought his case for 2 years with an angry bunch who initially had taken him to be just another 'silly old farmer'.
As our taste buds grew to appreciate and look forward to a simpler provision I invented a multitude of recipes to suit the humble potato.
Warm onion tart with buttered wholemeal bread and salad with French dressing was becoming a favorite for a Saturday lunch.
The recipes may sound impossibly slimming but the amounts consumed to satisfy the 'true appetite' required only a
portion of earlier 'gluttony'.
SOME ESSENTIAL DISCIPLINE
This promise of fresh youth and vigor will require a discipline demanding initial concentration but over time will become second nature.
This process of 'correct chewing' requires just a few more minutes over the meal but will be a major investment toward better health.
As with all major truths skeptics will come forth.
Especially over the last 50 years there has been a serious decline in the respect given to our bodies through food consumed and the way meals have been grabbed.
Fast, busy, speed, haste, now and instant have wrongly become words that lead our lives.
Not only through Horace were we made aware of the Natural provision but the plan of the Provider to bring health and strength through the treatment of that food in our mouths.
We have been created as God's highest creatures created in the image of the Father. This brings with it a level of responsibility that He would not ask for without providing the 'needs' and the bodily machinery to match.
RECEIVING THE PROMISE
A major challenge for me after the diet had been sticking to and working out the daily 1200 calories required to maintain my 'recommended' weight.
I was also trying to feed a husband who wasn't keen on regular steamed vegetables and grilled fish. The preparation of separate meals had become a tedious and time- consuming task.
I initially noticed that Ken was getting smaller when I went to give a full frontal hug. I could not only get my arms around but also feel my wrists. He was feeling smaller but got the biggest surprise on the bathroom scales. Sixteen pounds had fallen away with a small amount of discipline but without the pain.
We were both conscious of eating less more by the decrease in the grocery bill than any dietary weakness or 'habit hunger.'
After a month on the program I stopped counting the calories., was feeling mentally sharp and energetic and enjoyed sharing the same meal with my husband.
We were both conscious of eating less more by the decrease in the grocery bill than any dietary weakness or 'habit hunger.'
His long term challenge had always been speed and size to express appreciation of a good meal. Both these issues have now been dealt with, Previously a large main course plus dessert disappeared in minutes. The same time is still taken but with a smaller content and minus the dessert.
The Fletcher Principles are not based on a pre-prescribed diet and therefore cannot give a list of meals or contents to be consumed each day.
Families still eat together based on the principle of eating 'what is available' but the amount is determined by desire.
Every body is unique and therefore will need to be aware of their inborn special body signals. Once again time is an issue.
We must take time to observe and learn our signals.
In closing it's interesting to be reminded of the health, vigor and long life of the American Red Indian. These dear people were 'literally' not' aware of the necessary vitamin A content of the available avocado.
How did they 'know' what to put in their mouths?
Did they all have Type 1 diabetic mothers like mine?
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