What are we eating?
I have read many articles in magazines in the past few years that have advocated a high-fat, high-protein, low-carb diet as a means of shedding bodyfat while gaining muscle. The Atkins Diet (along with others promoting the same low-carb idea) has been one of the most successfully marketed dietary approaches in recent memory, and is backed with some legitimate scientific evidence to support it. I currently do not follow any carb-cycling program and I am not going to debate whether or not low-carbs/high-protein is a good or bad nutritional approach. I honestly haven’t put that much effort into finding out. I am not a nutritionist. I do, however, take a commonsense approach to my diet. I do not think that I could be easily convinced that someone who is committed to looking and feeling healthy can claim that meals consisting of chicken wings or bunless hamburgers have any place in such a person’s diet.
Those of you who are more knowledgeable on the subject will say that Atkins is not about eating hotdogs and skipping vegetables. Unfortunately, this is not how it was marketed by large resturant chains and pre-packaged food producers to individuals jumping on the latest health fad. Low-carb went from reasonable (thiner crust pizza) to ridiculous (low-carb beer?). Low-carb has since given way to a variety of new trends that to anyone wandering down a grocery asile can’t miss: organic, 0 trans fat, less sugar, probiotics, omega-3, etc… In and of itself, these are signs of a positive shift towards a more health conscious society, however, they are also signs of consumers being misled by products claiming to be ‘healthy’ while distracting from an ingredient list that could only be explained by a chemist. Sure Twizzlers are low in fat (as is clearly labelled on the package), but what else is in it… I mean besides sugar.
Cereal advertised and high in fiber (no mention of loads of sugar), cheese packed with omega-3 (and saturated fat) and pretzels that have no trans fat (but tons of sodium) may give someone the impression that they are making healthy choices when they are obviously not. My fear is that someone who is serious about making a lifestyle change and wants to take care of their body will become discouraged when they make no progress in becoming leaner and healther due to being conned into swaping one diet trap for another.
Most of the people on bodyspace.com appear to be discerning and informed about what they eat and probably like myself, attempt to stick to foods in their most basic form (unprocessed, no-additives, etc). I’m as guilty as anyone of purchasing packaged food because of convienience but I’ve also stopped to ask, is my orange juice better if I add, I dunno, fish oil?
October 27, 2008 at 2:56 pm
Eat a medium orange instead of the glass of OJ. 1/3 less cals, less sugar & carbs, much more fiber. You basically will eliminate about 3lbs of calories over a year doing this. Easy way to drop weight!
October 27, 2008 at 3:08 pm
I feel your frustration…..I have never been an organic, ingredient conscious person, but I am slowly changing my ways. I believe the problem with our overweight society is we are addicted to taste. We have an insatiable appetite for flavor. What happened to just using basic ingredients to prepare fresh foods. I have even begun to try to shop in the outer ring of the grocery store, where more of the basic foods are. The middle aisles are chalked full of literally tons of ingredients that I can’t spell or pronounce. I like basic foods preferably from local sources, and I will go home and spend the time to make them into something healthy to eat. The hardest thing is to go out to eat. We have no idea of the ingredients in the food. We also don’t know how they were handled. I think there is plenty of science available on how to evaluate your macro and micro nutrients, the hard part is how to find those nutrients without all of the other synthetic chemicals that go with them.
October 27, 2008 at 3:18 pm
I agree entirely, using fresh ingredients doesn’t take that much more time but it ensures that your are not eating an additive that was only meant to extend the shelf life of the product. I belive that a person should not eat anything that doesn’t rot.
As for eating out, even healthy choices like chicken breast are packed with enough sodium to cause a stroke. Fortunately, many resturant chains are releasing nutritional information online and making it available to patrons. this doesn’t always mean that they food is any better for you but at least one can make adjustments to their diet knowing how much fat, salt and sugar that trip to Subway, Wendy’s or wherever cost them
October 29, 2008 at 5:29 pm
Wow! Very impressive blog. The problem I come across with food is I LOVE FOOD. It’s been very difficult finding foods that I like that are "healthy" or preparing foods that the family will enjoy. I hate preparing separate meals I don’t have the time nor do I have the will power to stay away from foods I shouldn’t eat. Although, I have been good about staying away from the sugar it’s those dang Cheetos I'’m having problem with. Then those stupid machines at work UGH!