One thing I'm contemplating doing is ONLY recording the good stuff I eat. Things that I think will work well for fueling my body. Why is this? Well, recording everything isn't working for one. For another, it may be a challenge to make recording my food diary a positive experience. Also, if I don't want to record it, maybe I'll ask myself why I'm eating it. Will that perhaps result in more reflective eating? Eating for fuel and health vice out of despair? I dunno. Then, of course, there's the challenge of (hopefully) watching me increase my intake of good, healthful food.
I'm seeing a mixed message in the article about gluten-free, but I think that message is more for the bandwagon gluten-free foods vice naturally occurring gluten-free foods. As with fat-free and sugar-free, gluten-free makes up for it with other things not necessarily healthful. The other message is, unless you have celiac disease, gluten-free isn't necessarily beneficial, and, if not done right, can actually be harmful. I have an aunt who has chosen to be gluten-free, and it works well for her (she had problems that gluten-free has alleviated).
His five recommendations in the article were:
- Drink water (or black coffee -- just not frappacinos, etc)
- Eat high protein
- Eat vegetables (fresh ones, I'm sure he means)
- Stay away from sugar
- Stay away from wheat/gluten.
Unlike the author who mentions he'd eaten without thought of what he was doing for most of his life, I've spent most of my adult life being "educated" by the military on what their view (the government view) is of healthful eating -- a large part of that was the low fat bandwagon. That and the food pyramid that apparently one of the authors referenced in the article debunks.
To revisit the wheat and gluten issue, one person has mentioned the "Frankenwheat" discussion of genetically engineered wheat. Sadly, that appears to be becoming a greater portion of the food selection available to us. So frustrating.
3 comments:
I know I'm late to this week's posting/commenting party - I really do hope to get caught up later tonight or tomorrow, but life has just been soooo BUSY lately!! - But I'd really like to say I liked the article quite a lot, even shared it w/ my online WW FB group. I like thinking of food as things GOOD for my body (easy to say, much tougher to do) and, other than crunchy/salty stuff and the occasional drive thu, I do pretty good on most of it. Usually. Today was a drive down to DM (2 hours), run a couple of errands, get the granddaughter, visit my mom (an hour or so), then drive back (another 2 hours). Three trips to the drive thru. Bad, I know, and I even packed fruit! GAH! I have a really bad habit of not eating healthy in the car. It's one of my trouble 'spaces'. Also my mother stresses me out most of the time. Plus this week or so has been crazy busy (and I'm in an upswing, almost manic phase) so there's been some food issues for me in general then today's noonish until almost 7pm car trip was bad bad bad.
There I go. Blabbering. GAH!!
ANYWAY, for me and the whole point of this comment - and I certainly can't speak for everyone - I avoid 'gluten' not so much because I have issues with it, per se, but because there's some additive/preservative/chemical in packaged pasta and bread that screws me up. I bloat (with accompanying digestive issues, either loosening things or clogging them), my joints hurt, my weight leaps up 7lbs overnight, and my rosacea flares really, really bad. But if I have home made bread or home made pasts I have no problem at all. Zippo. So I know my problem isn't gluten itself but something in our standard wheat based foods.
And, yeah, the genetically engineered franken corn, wheat, and beans are in just about EVERYTHING that comes in a package at the grocery store. Plus cans are coated with BPA plastics (can also contribute to weight gain, among other lovely things) and every stinking thing has chemicals on it or in it. Gotta scrub, scrub scrub the produce. Mercury's in the fish (I read part of an article just last week that says rich people are having mercury poisoning issues because they're eating so much fish since it's 'healthy'), hormones in the milk, superbug creating antibiotics in the meat, illness inducing bacteria on almost everything, bees are dying from the chemicals or bacteria or a fungus or who knows what... and it's all getting so crazy expensive.
Our whole food system is such a mess, and nutrition guidelines are ultimately controlled by BigFarma so what are we truly supposed to DO?!? We can't all go back to being self-feeding farmers or hunter gatherers.
Wish I had better answers. I just know I really like cheeseburgers and they're hard to drive past after 2 hours on the interstate. ;)
It all looks reasonable to me. I didn't explore the links; it's getting late and I wouldn't be able to "digest" it all.
Re: gluten. I started reading Wheat Belly by William Davis last night. I haven't gotten very far into it, but the gist of it is that wheat is so genetically modified that it's not the same grain it was 50 years ago. The modifications cause Celiac and other wheat issues. We are making a concerted effort to cut wheat, and we're starting with the big pieces--bread, pasta, baked goods. We do have some gluten free stuff in the house. If you're careful you can get good GF foods that aren't full of chemicals. They just use other types of flour. It's too soon to say if it's doing any good, but you're right, Frankenwheat is in everything. Eric's boss can't have gluten. Period. She has to be careful about make-up. OTOH, she said since they've gone GF, they've never eaten better. FWIW, modern wheat is an appetite stimulant and can cause inflammation. You might find you have less joint pain if you cut back.
I can see where recording only the good foods would be beneficial if it helps you make better choices, especially as you see the list of foods getting longer and noting that you're feeling satisfied. If you're counting calories it won't be as effective, but I'm guessing that doesn't work well for you.
When we did South Beach, we cooked meat and veggies for the family with a small pot of pasta/rice/potatoes for the kids. Eric and I didn't eat them, but the kids gave us flack if there weren't carbs. :) I assume you've tried that route with Mr. L? I can kind of see why he would only support you so far. He's never been heavy a day in his life, has he? Is he German? He reminds me of my dad, who can be a cranky old goat. I mean that in the most loving way, of course!
I'm almost gluten free now. Rarely bread, rarely pasta, etc. This is those are fairly high carb. I had two pieces of dry toast Saturday night because I needed to take some medicine. That was my first bread in six months. I had a spoonful of mac and cheese tonight at dinner. It's hard for me to say that going gluten free has made my healthier; I am healthier (despite what happened Saturday) but that mostly because of the diet focusing on greens, veggies, and protein.
I have read "The Happiness Project" and thought it was very good. I've also read "Fat Chance" and thought it was okay. Nothing really new in it. I've not read any of the others he mentions.
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