It’s the Holidays and many weeks have gone by since my previous post. I’ve had ample time to get teed off with many a nutrition conundrum (my new year’s resolution is to use big words BTW). So, I’m going to take a break from diving into my fridge for now – as riveting as it is – to bring you my latest “are you kidding me?!” moment.
So, I was recently informed of a new, “revolutionary” way of eating that will solve all of the world’s weight and digestive issues – Oh, THAT’s what I was missing. All those classes, tests, research papers, labs and clinicals for nothing. And I’m so relieved that they were able to let the world know in a mass forwarded email – whew. Its times like these when I’m grateful for Snopes – if nothing more – than to confirm my sanity. The media and popular opinion works against the Dietitian more times than not, in fact, the Dietitian has been known to work against the Dietitian when we begin to stray from research toward popular opinion and “rumor” or “fad”. The email shared with me had such literary and scientific scholars as Suzanne Somers and Mary Lou Henner backing its concepts. Oh, well that makes all the difference in the world, why didn’t you say so?! Apparently if you’re popular (for any reason) you can now give nutrition advice? What…oh…right – because the masses are dumb enough to buy it. Hmmm, dumb may be harsh… uuuh, nope, dumb it is.
I’m not going to sit here and tell you that I’m the last and official word on anything and everything nutrition-related. I’m also not going to ask you to only listen to my advice or instruction, nor could I even begin to know everything there is to know about nutrition – its HUGE and often-times is changing based on new research and discoveries, farming methods, economical conditions etc etc. What I AM going to ask you to do is – be picky. Do your own research and come to your own convictions and decisions regarding nutrition for yourself and for your family.
For example, I’ve mentioned this before, but I personally have no problem with sucralose (Splenda) and small amounts of aspartame (Equal), many of my peers do – Dietitians and non-Dietitians alike – MDs and non-MDs. There is absolutely nothing wrong with abstaining from artificial sweeteners for yourself and your family if that is the informed conclusion you’ve come to, Informed being the key word here.
As a Christian, I don’t just take my pastor’s word for it. I go to the Word and look it up for myself. If you’ve never done this, DO IT. The Pastor can help clarify and enlighten the Word for you. He can aid you in your “walk” and be there for questions as they arise. But, blindly following leaders is what gets us into trouble. Seek out credentials, publishings, bios, work history etc. Read legitimate, science-based, peer-reviewed and duplicated research on important topics. Google searches will only get you so far, and typically the first thing to pop up is the highest bidder – proooobably not the government funded, non-biased, grant-funded research. Proooobably the privately funded product discreetly being promoted – just a hunch.
As we enter the New Year, commit to educating yourself. Don’t do anything rash and don’t take anyone’s word for it. Not even mine ☺
Sunday, December 26, 2010
Sunday, November 21, 2010
The Fridge - Part 1
So, 1 anniversary getaway, 2 sick babies, 1 stomach flu, 1 out of town music thang with the hubby and a whole lot of catching up later...some staples in my fridge part 1…
Skim milk – essential. Post-workout recovery drink. Loaded with nutrients, easy protein/carb mixture for blood sugar. Mixed with Chocolate it can persuade the most stubborn of 2 yr olds to do juuuust about anything and cereal is just not the same without it. There are two things I get the most comments about and feel I “defend” often because of all the misinformation and non-scientific “research” (AKA opinion and ulterior motive driven vomit – yeah, I just said vomit), milk and artificial sweeteners. I don’t have the patience or time to talk about artificial sweeteners right now, plus, they’re not in my fridge – so here’s my word on Milk (incase you care). Pure, pasteurized, non-organic, non-fat cow’s milk: I’m assuming you’re reading this blog because you’re somewhat interested in my reasoning for such stringent, dare I say controversial bovine contributions to our complete nutrition, well, in the smallest “nut shell” this long-winded female can muster…
There’s more evidence to lend early puberty in girls to the dramatic rise in pediatric obesity (puberty can occur sooner if a girl is overweight) and higher consumption of soy formula/soy products than to milk. Milk has always contained a very small amount of BST (the cow-specific hormone in milk), or the synthetic form (rBST) to increase milk production – ALWAYS. Girls today, hands down, drink LESS milk than their mothers did. Now I’m no statistician but… well, I think you got it. Treated and non-treated milk has the same amount of the hormone and roughly 90% is killed in pasteurization (FYI what’s left is broken down and made inactive in the gut). All milk is tested for antibiotics and pesticides (pesticides that may have been used to treat the food they’ve been fed); with its strict safety standards milk is among the most highly regulated and safest foods available at the grocery store. Now, “Organic” has to do with the treatment of the cow and the food it was fed. If you can afford buying organic consistently – organic is just fine. I prefer to save my money for things myself (more like, my very little children) come in direct contact with, like produce etc. instead of trace amounts that you may vicariously get in milk – your prerogative. Now, if I can foresee some comments I may get… No, Soy is not the same but some soymilks are fortified with Calcium, behind other dairy products, goat’s milk, some vegetables and fortified items, its a distant 5th and always organic – another blog, another time. Pasteurized milk is unsafe and most definitely NOT okay to give your children in any capacity – I liken this to Russian Roulette by the way – it MAY have more nutrients since it has not been heated to such high temperatures to kill the bacteria…but, at what cost – seriously? And the ONLY difference in whole vs. skim vs. 1% vs 2% is the amount of saturated fat and calories – its like putting chicken broth in the fridge and skimming off the lovely fat that has accumulated in the fridge over night – mmmm. What’s left is 1%/2% and when done again – Skim. If it’s a taste thing…well – that’s YOUR problem, and your arteries, make it work. Lastly, there are those that like to argue that, “we are the only species that drinks milk past weaning…” Well, we’re also the most intelligent species; the only ones fighting cancer and aids. My opinion, my research readings, aaaaand my blog.
Butter – another controversial topic – oh I can already see the emails. We choose to do real butter – ingredients being cream, sometimes salt and cultures - In moderation – oh of cooouurse. I try try try to substitute olive, canola or peanut butter in all my recipes for better fat. But all fat has the same calories and calories/gram (9). I also have canola/butter/whipped so ½ good fat and less calories because its whipped. I use Pam spray for grilled cheese and anything else I can pan fry without a pool of fat, when you just need to keep food from sticking. A lot of recipes (like cookies) even taste good with peanut butter instead (remember peanut butter is a good fat – high calorie – but GOOOOOD fat – hgmm hgmm - eaten in heaven)
BUT, alas, sometimes “it” just calls for butter. All food has chemical properties, I’ll spare you details, needless to say, some things don’t bake “right” without butter, you lack a certain, how you say… “crispiness” and sometimes a specific taste - if you’re confused as to which items you should use only butter, consult your husband ☺. That “crisp” and specific taste needs to be reserved for special occasions, perhaps Holidays (like the actual DAY, not the entire 2 months before), and when you decide to go with Paula Dean’s recipe because you just need to get it right the first time – been there, definitely “done that”, I understand – not a daily occurrence!!
To be continued…
Skim milk – essential. Post-workout recovery drink. Loaded with nutrients, easy protein/carb mixture for blood sugar. Mixed with Chocolate it can persuade the most stubborn of 2 yr olds to do juuuust about anything and cereal is just not the same without it. There are two things I get the most comments about and feel I “defend” often because of all the misinformation and non-scientific “research” (AKA opinion and ulterior motive driven vomit – yeah, I just said vomit), milk and artificial sweeteners. I don’t have the patience or time to talk about artificial sweeteners right now, plus, they’re not in my fridge – so here’s my word on Milk (incase you care). Pure, pasteurized, non-organic, non-fat cow’s milk: I’m assuming you’re reading this blog because you’re somewhat interested in my reasoning for such stringent, dare I say controversial bovine contributions to our complete nutrition, well, in the smallest “nut shell” this long-winded female can muster…
There’s more evidence to lend early puberty in girls to the dramatic rise in pediatric obesity (puberty can occur sooner if a girl is overweight) and higher consumption of soy formula/soy products than to milk. Milk has always contained a very small amount of BST (the cow-specific hormone in milk), or the synthetic form (rBST) to increase milk production – ALWAYS. Girls today, hands down, drink LESS milk than their mothers did. Now I’m no statistician but… well, I think you got it. Treated and non-treated milk has the same amount of the hormone and roughly 90% is killed in pasteurization (FYI what’s left is broken down and made inactive in the gut). All milk is tested for antibiotics and pesticides (pesticides that may have been used to treat the food they’ve been fed); with its strict safety standards milk is among the most highly regulated and safest foods available at the grocery store. Now, “Organic” has to do with the treatment of the cow and the food it was fed. If you can afford buying organic consistently – organic is just fine. I prefer to save my money for things myself (more like, my very little children) come in direct contact with, like produce etc. instead of trace amounts that you may vicariously get in milk – your prerogative. Now, if I can foresee some comments I may get… No, Soy is not the same but some soymilks are fortified with Calcium, behind other dairy products, goat’s milk, some vegetables and fortified items, its a distant 5th and always organic – another blog, another time. Pasteurized milk is unsafe and most definitely NOT okay to give your children in any capacity – I liken this to Russian Roulette by the way – it MAY have more nutrients since it has not been heated to such high temperatures to kill the bacteria…but, at what cost – seriously? And the ONLY difference in whole vs. skim vs. 1% vs 2% is the amount of saturated fat and calories – its like putting chicken broth in the fridge and skimming off the lovely fat that has accumulated in the fridge over night – mmmm. What’s left is 1%/2% and when done again – Skim. If it’s a taste thing…well – that’s YOUR problem, and your arteries, make it work. Lastly, there are those that like to argue that, “we are the only species that drinks milk past weaning…” Well, we’re also the most intelligent species; the only ones fighting cancer and aids. My opinion, my research readings, aaaaand my blog.
Butter – another controversial topic – oh I can already see the emails. We choose to do real butter – ingredients being cream, sometimes salt and cultures - In moderation – oh of cooouurse. I try try try to substitute olive, canola or peanut butter in all my recipes for better fat. But all fat has the same calories and calories/gram (9). I also have canola/butter/whipped so ½ good fat and less calories because its whipped. I use Pam spray for grilled cheese and anything else I can pan fry without a pool of fat, when you just need to keep food from sticking. A lot of recipes (like cookies) even taste good with peanut butter instead (remember peanut butter is a good fat – high calorie – but GOOOOOD fat – hgmm hgmm - eaten in heaven)
BUT, alas, sometimes “it” just calls for butter. All food has chemical properties, I’ll spare you details, needless to say, some things don’t bake “right” without butter, you lack a certain, how you say… “crispiness” and sometimes a specific taste - if you’re confused as to which items you should use only butter, consult your husband ☺. That “crisp” and specific taste needs to be reserved for special occasions, perhaps Holidays (like the actual DAY, not the entire 2 months before), and when you decide to go with Paula Dean’s recipe because you just need to get it right the first time – been there, definitely “done that”, I understand – not a daily occurrence!!
To be continued…
Saturday, October 30, 2010
What DO I eat?
So I’ve ever so gently stated what you shouldn’t be eating. :) I was asked recently to tell you what you SHOULD be eating. GREAT IDEA! In the coming weeks, I will do my best to give you a glimpse into my Dietetic, yet oh so real, pantry, fridge, menu and life. I’ll be as “transparent” as possible .
Our main filter is to, “know what we’re eating.” Simple is key, real food an added plus! Let’s start with some essentials in my pantry – prepare, it’s a long one…
Whole grain pasta – I prefer Barilla yellow box. Its full of fiber, protein and my men will eat it (and I dare say, enjoy it).
Whole grain flour and yeast for pizza dough in a pinch.
Tomato sauce – any variety with limited salt and sugar added (at the bottom of the ingredient list, if on at all), no high fructose corn syrup (why? because it doesn’t occur in nature and its something I can live without – so I choose to – end of discussion) and extra virgin olive or canola oil (NO OTHERS – I’m a stickler on my fats here). She doesn’t make her OWN sauce - NO! WHY? Tomato sauce is meant to be a “gimme”. Why complicate if we don’t have to?
Side Note: The pantry is a place for non-perishable storage and items for meals when you need something last-min. If the bulk of your daily food is this category, perhaps its time to do some re-arranging. In a perfect world, I’d buy ingredients meal by meal at the local, affordable, organic market on the way home from my afternoon at Starbucks and the spa where I’ve relaxed all afternoon as my children are thriving academically, emotionally and socially with our live in nanny at home - yeah, okay, as I change a stinky and move on…
Low-sodium canned goods: veggies, beans, tuna, chicken, fruit, because I’m from FL and am always prepared for Hurricanes (or ice storms as are apparently the case in Murray, KY).
Smuckers Natural Peanut Butter - the bigger the container, the better because it’s a source of “good fat”, and protein. Ingredients = peanuts (and some salt). With of course, berry preserves of some kind – ingredients of “berries” – imagine that. A good assortment of black, blue, ras, straw, currant, you name it – but simply berries and perhaps sugar and pectin – vit C for preserving is ok too – no shortage of antioxidants (or PB and Js here!).
Extra virgin olive oil for cooking, canola oil for baking and some (SOME) vegetable oil for those baked items my husband insist on anything else making it “taste funny” (i.e. brownies)
Always a jar of no sugar added applesauce (organic if its on sale), because its part of the “dirty dozen” and it can be added to any meal, used to bake with instead of oil at times and even used for the 7mo old in a pinch.
Fritos. They are my husband’s favorite. Are they a “healthy” food? No. But have you read the ingredients? Corn, corn oil and salt. Still follows our rule of knowing what’s in our food, and in moderation it can absolutely be included as part of a healthy diet, perhaps more importantly…YOU try being the husband of a dietitian! I don’t mess with the Fritos.
Kashi’s Peanut Peanut granola bars – in 140 calories they are low in sugar, and for a little bar a great source of whole grain, a substantial amount of fiber, protein and fat. A perfect snack, quick breakfast (or sent to the church nursery for your two-year-old's dinner –“mom of the year” – right here!).
Lastly for now, Cheerios. Plain Cheerios are a very low sugar, whole grain snack or breakfast and I’m convinced, its own food group for any two-year old. They can also easily be mixed with trail mix, granola or slightly more sugary cereals for less calories and sugar per serving. There are other things in my pantry of course – but these are my most of my “staples.”
(More to come)
Our main filter is to, “know what we’re eating.” Simple is key, real food an added plus! Let’s start with some essentials in my pantry – prepare, it’s a long one…
Whole grain pasta – I prefer Barilla yellow box. Its full of fiber, protein and my men will eat it (and I dare say, enjoy it).
Whole grain flour and yeast for pizza dough in a pinch.
Tomato sauce – any variety with limited salt and sugar added (at the bottom of the ingredient list, if on at all), no high fructose corn syrup (why? because it doesn’t occur in nature and its something I can live without – so I choose to – end of discussion) and extra virgin olive or canola oil (NO OTHERS – I’m a stickler on my fats here). She doesn’t make her OWN sauce - NO! WHY? Tomato sauce is meant to be a “gimme”. Why complicate if we don’t have to?
Side Note: The pantry is a place for non-perishable storage and items for meals when you need something last-min. If the bulk of your daily food is this category, perhaps its time to do some re-arranging. In a perfect world, I’d buy ingredients meal by meal at the local, affordable, organic market on the way home from my afternoon at Starbucks and the spa where I’ve relaxed all afternoon as my children are thriving academically, emotionally and socially with our live in nanny at home - yeah, okay, as I change a stinky and move on…
Low-sodium canned goods: veggies, beans, tuna, chicken, fruit, because I’m from FL and am always prepared for Hurricanes (or ice storms as are apparently the case in Murray, KY).
Smuckers Natural Peanut Butter - the bigger the container, the better because it’s a source of “good fat”, and protein. Ingredients = peanuts (and some salt). With of course, berry preserves of some kind – ingredients of “berries” – imagine that. A good assortment of black, blue, ras, straw, currant, you name it – but simply berries and perhaps sugar and pectin – vit C for preserving is ok too – no shortage of antioxidants (or PB and Js here!).
Extra virgin olive oil for cooking, canola oil for baking and some (SOME) vegetable oil for those baked items my husband insist on anything else making it “taste funny” (i.e. brownies)
Always a jar of no sugar added applesauce (organic if its on sale), because its part of the “dirty dozen” and it can be added to any meal, used to bake with instead of oil at times and even used for the 7mo old in a pinch.
Fritos. They are my husband’s favorite. Are they a “healthy” food? No. But have you read the ingredients? Corn, corn oil and salt. Still follows our rule of knowing what’s in our food, and in moderation it can absolutely be included as part of a healthy diet, perhaps more importantly…YOU try being the husband of a dietitian! I don’t mess with the Fritos.
Kashi’s Peanut Peanut granola bars – in 140 calories they are low in sugar, and for a little bar a great source of whole grain, a substantial amount of fiber, protein and fat. A perfect snack, quick breakfast (or sent to the church nursery for your two-year-old's dinner –“mom of the year” – right here!).
Lastly for now, Cheerios. Plain Cheerios are a very low sugar, whole grain snack or breakfast and I’m convinced, its own food group for any two-year old. They can also easily be mixed with trail mix, granola or slightly more sugary cereals for less calories and sugar per serving. There are other things in my pantry of course – but these are my most of my “staples.”
(More to come)
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Purpose Driven Food
So, when exactly did calorie free, fat free, sugar free and tasteless become healthy anyway? You need calories to survive right? So why force yourself to eat trash you don’t enjoy. A woman in my office this week says she eats a Nutrigrain bar for breakfast – and because it’s title is nutri and grain its automatically healthy… (another blog, another time, trust me there’s enough ignorance to keep me writing forever!). Marketing at its finest right there. So, moving on… She eats a 100 calorie pack for a snack and states “I do good until I get home…” Where she proceeds to tell me of the binge she had from about 5:30 on. What exactly classifies starvation as doing good!? I hear it ALL the time. ALLLLLL the time. Of the roughly 200 calories she spent before 5 pm she got filler and sugar and was tired and cranky. Picture, if you will, a HUGE wall that you have to move, now, bend down, and pick up 5 or 6 pebbles and LAUNCH them at the wall. That’s a 100 calorie pack, the wall is your hunger, accomplish much? Does your food have purpose? I should write a book on that :). No wonder you binge when you get home, you're starving!
Take low-fat (“healthier”) peanut butter (this one really cheeses me off). You’re eating peanut butter FOR the fat (and protein). Why change a perfect thing? And yes, we will eat peanut butter in heaven – only peanut butter – others need not apply. Thank you Jesus. You need at least 1000 to 1200 calories MINIMUM throughout the day – let me repeat that –1000 to 1200 calories throughout the day. Starting with breakfast, hgmm hgmm, starting with breakfast. Plan on eating at least 250-400 calories at breakfast and at lunch, leaving room for planned snacks if needed. What you eat before 5:00pm drastically determines what and how much you eat after 5:00. Don’t set yourself up for failure. Limited for weight loss, yes, but the calories you are eating should be providing whole grains and/or fiber, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, protein, fats (good fats more often), calming a craving or providing an experience – “nostalgia” if you will. If its not serving any of those purposes, why bother? Save your calories for something of purpose.
Take low-fat (“healthier”) peanut butter (this one really cheeses me off). You’re eating peanut butter FOR the fat (and protein). Why change a perfect thing? And yes, we will eat peanut butter in heaven – only peanut butter – others need not apply. Thank you Jesus. You need at least 1000 to 1200 calories MINIMUM throughout the day – let me repeat that –1000 to 1200 calories throughout the day. Starting with breakfast, hgmm hgmm, starting with breakfast. Plan on eating at least 250-400 calories at breakfast and at lunch, leaving room for planned snacks if needed. What you eat before 5:00pm drastically determines what and how much you eat after 5:00. Don’t set yourself up for failure. Limited for weight loss, yes, but the calories you are eating should be providing whole grains and/or fiber, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, protein, fats (good fats more often), calming a craving or providing an experience – “nostalgia” if you will. If its not serving any of those purposes, why bother? Save your calories for something of purpose.
Monday, October 11, 2010
High Calorie Decor
The magical candy bowl. Somehow the calories from the candy bowl *Poof* magically disappear. I don't know how many times I've heard from clients, "I did everything you said, I wrote down EVERYTHING I put in my mouth...SOMEHOW I'm just not losing weight". Or this one...(this one's good)... "I don't have ANY idea how my blood sugar got that high". Yeah, yeah, okay. It only takes me a little querying (digging) to find... dah dah dah daaaaahhhhh - the candy bowl! For some, its the mixed nut bowl. When I say "keep track of everything you put in your mouth" I don't just mean the things you sit down and eat with a fork or things that take multiple bites to complete. I mean everything that passes by your teeth that contains calories.
I decided recently to make my famous...and by famous I mean no one knows of this trailmix but me, but it sounds cool right? Anyway, every fall I make a trailmix with dark chocolate, dried pineapple pieces, dried cherries, almonds, walnuts etc etc. The colors just look so "fallee" (yup, my word). Healthy? Absolutely. Pretty? Oh so pretty. Low calorie? Not in the least. It is the perfect example as to why we don't keep candy bowls or trailmix bowls or cookie dough or other sweets in our home (or especially not on the counter, in eye sight or arm's reach whatsoever). Whether I wanted it or not, every time I went by the darn thing I was coerced (and I do mean "coerced", audible voices even) to take some. I DO think I burned more calories from my numerous trips BACK off the couch to get some more. Only the dietitian starts to feel guilt over too much trailmix, sheesh. Anywho. Moral of the story: food, especially yummy, high calorie food, needs to be kept in cupboards and for some, better yet - at the store.
For you work-a-holics out there, "I keep some candy in my desk for low blood sugar or a pick-me-up in the late afternoon" Or "its on my desk for my clients." If you're getting drained by the end of the day - go get a real snack, not a mini candy bar you need to "sneak". Do your clients (and yourself) a favor, offer a sugar free mint or gum. Trail mix and candy is fine, in a controlled situation, not a grab and go one. I promise you, you're eating more than you think. ONE...oh who am I kidding...TWO handfuls of almonds a day - because you know you don't just do it once - can be about a pound in a little over a week if you're already getting your day's worth of calories from your meals. Do yourself a favor, put the bowl away and get it out of your desk.
By the way, pine cones, leaves and gourds are much lower-calorie fall decor :)
I decided recently to make my famous...and by famous I mean no one knows of this trailmix but me, but it sounds cool right? Anyway, every fall I make a trailmix with dark chocolate, dried pineapple pieces, dried cherries, almonds, walnuts etc etc. The colors just look so "fallee" (yup, my word). Healthy? Absolutely. Pretty? Oh so pretty. Low calorie? Not in the least. It is the perfect example as to why we don't keep candy bowls or trailmix bowls or cookie dough or other sweets in our home (or especially not on the counter, in eye sight or arm's reach whatsoever). Whether I wanted it or not, every time I went by the darn thing I was coerced (and I do mean "coerced", audible voices even) to take some. I DO think I burned more calories from my numerous trips BACK off the couch to get some more. Only the dietitian starts to feel guilt over too much trailmix, sheesh. Anywho. Moral of the story: food, especially yummy, high calorie food, needs to be kept in cupboards and for some, better yet - at the store.
For you work-a-holics out there, "I keep some candy in my desk for low blood sugar or a pick-me-up in the late afternoon" Or "its on my desk for my clients." If you're getting drained by the end of the day - go get a real snack, not a mini candy bar you need to "sneak". Do your clients (and yourself) a favor, offer a sugar free mint or gum. Trail mix and candy is fine, in a controlled situation, not a grab and go one. I promise you, you're eating more than you think. ONE...oh who am I kidding...TWO handfuls of almonds a day - because you know you don't just do it once - can be about a pound in a little over a week if you're already getting your day's worth of calories from your meals. Do yourself a favor, put the bowl away and get it out of your desk.
By the way, pine cones, leaves and gourds are much lower-calorie fall decor :)
Monday, October 4, 2010
Mayhem
So I've reached a blogging wall. I can only attribute it to one thing...mayhem! My house and schedule has been a disaster area. I don't exactly know when this obsession with organization came - definitely not in high school - you can ask my sister/roommate about that one...hmm on second thought - don't. But I've found that I can't think straight when things are out of place nowadays. My husband has become the tupperware nazi and I recently found myself desperately trying to organize my two year old. "No no sweetie, that's a train piece, it goes in the 'trains bin' not the 'legos'" - are you kidding me?! We recently moved and my life has gone on hold during the last 2 weeks of unpacking, cleaning, organizing, tupperware-ing (my word) and re-organizing. Workout time and dinner prep has been devoted to desperately trying to get my house orderly (I've learned unpacking with an infant and 2 year old takes A LOT longer with multiple diapering, feeding and cheerio breaks!).
Why do I share this utterly boring and neurotic part of my life? Because like organization, nutrition is a discipline. You'd be amazed at how discipline (or lack thereof) in one area of your life can seep into all others. When the house is out of control and your schedule is frantic you typically don't make wise choices regarding your nutrition and emotional "comfort eating" is at its peak. You may need to take some time to organize numerous areas of your life. My house is getting there, my schedule is a work in progress, and my nutrition is back on track. Its been a long 3 months of transition. But again, life happens. A couple months in a lifetime is but a blink - definitely not enough time to undo all that you've done toward better nutrition. If you find yourself in a tailspin - back up and evaluate. Try a schedule and/or organizing your home/workplace. Schedule time to sit down for meals. Plan your grocery list ahead of time. Throw the junk you've allowed to seep into your home out. Sit down with the family and talk over dinner rather than plop in front of the TV for a 10:00pm dinner (I've been there). Organization may not come naturally to you, but like nutrition, its a discipline you can work at. Take the power of your home, schedule, and food choices back. YOU determine what you put in your mouth, no one else. Plan ahead and most certainly throw stuff out! When you can't throw out - there's always tupperware. :)
Why do I share this utterly boring and neurotic part of my life? Because like organization, nutrition is a discipline. You'd be amazed at how discipline (or lack thereof) in one area of your life can seep into all others. When the house is out of control and your schedule is frantic you typically don't make wise choices regarding your nutrition and emotional "comfort eating" is at its peak. You may need to take some time to organize numerous areas of your life. My house is getting there, my schedule is a work in progress, and my nutrition is back on track. Its been a long 3 months of transition. But again, life happens. A couple months in a lifetime is but a blink - definitely not enough time to undo all that you've done toward better nutrition. If you find yourself in a tailspin - back up and evaluate. Try a schedule and/or organizing your home/workplace. Schedule time to sit down for meals. Plan your grocery list ahead of time. Throw the junk you've allowed to seep into your home out. Sit down with the family and talk over dinner rather than plop in front of the TV for a 10:00pm dinner (I've been there). Organization may not come naturally to you, but like nutrition, its a discipline you can work at. Take the power of your home, schedule, and food choices back. YOU determine what you put in your mouth, no one else. Plan ahead and most certainly throw stuff out! When you can't throw out - there's always tupperware. :)
Saturday, September 11, 2010
Fasting
Okay. Fasting.
"Intentional deprivation of something (almost always food) for the purpose of humbling yourself before God, repentance, spending more time with Him, seeking His will, and/or asking Him for something. It is meant to be uncomfortable and to emphasize our ultimate dependance on Him." -Rev. W. Jordan Richmond
Ummm, nope...most certainly didn't read "powerful weight loss and cleansing tool". Physically speaking, fasting is a deliberate abstinence from food. It doesn't magically clean out your system (that's why we poop - technical term), it doesn't rid your body of toxins (that's why God gave us a liver) and it's not a great weight loss tool (although you will lose weight if you don't eat). None of the listed "benefits" of fasting have been proven by medical peer-reviewed research.
Physically/technically speaking (feel free to skip ahead if you don't care much for this explanation):
The body gets its energy primarily from glucose and fat (in the blood) from the carbs and fats you eat. Both your brain and nervous systems use blood glucose for energy and proper functioning. Your body also stores energy in both the muscles and liver in the form of glycogen.
Within hours of starting a fast, when you run out of the glucose you've eaten, your body goes to its glycogen stores (these don't last very long). Your body then goes into an altered metabolic state = starts using protein and some fat (some... very little... okay I've lost most of you... SOME fat and PROTEIN did you miss the PROTEIN part or the SOME part, the protein you're desperately trying to increase with your exercise, the protein that will help BOOST your metabolism and help you look smokin' hot!!!) I digress, where was I... Oh... It uses PROTEIN and SOME fat to make more glucose for the brain and nervous system. Resulting in a considerable breakdown of lean muscle tissue and SOME fat tissue and the production of ketones. Ketosis, that state those of you that tried the Atkins diet strived for (and I do mean tried because none of you stuck with it - bacon-birthday-cake anyone?). This is NOT healthy and in fact over time the brain's consistent use of ketones for energy can be damaging. In the short-term, you may lose weight, but its mostly water loss, dehydration, muscle tissue wasting, hgm hgmmm - muscle tissue waisting, and you will be tired, fatigued and dizzy (downright unpleasant to be around and cranky in every sense of the word).
Your body craves proper nutrition. Ignoring hunger cues, or cutting out any essential food group completely in an effort to lose weight or "cleanse the system" is not a good idea. That aching growl you get when you're starving is not your body eating your love-handles, as much as you'd like to convince yourself of this phenomenon.
Back to the biblical:
There are 3 types of fasting referred to in the bible: ""Normal fast" or total abstinence of food (Luke 4:2), "Absolute fast" or no water and food in which it almost always lasted for only 3 days (Ezra 10:6, Esther 4:16), and the "Partial fast" in which diet was restricted (Daniel 10:3). The purpose of all fasting is to get to know God better--done privately (Matt 6:17-18)." --Rev. Samuel S. Rainer III
Let me repeat that last part - The purpose of all fasting is to get to know God better. An excellent thing. Highly recommended for this purpose. In fact, if you've never done it, DO IT, its powerful. But, not for the purpose of fitting into skinny jeans or "cleansing the system"... please.
Also, beware of the tendency to make biblical fasting a weight loss tool. You'll have to learn to lose weight and be healthy the "hard way" which also may be the slower way - there are no short cuts. Suck it up. Deal with it. Get to work.
"Intentional deprivation of something (almost always food) for the purpose of humbling yourself before God, repentance, spending more time with Him, seeking His will, and/or asking Him for something. It is meant to be uncomfortable and to emphasize our ultimate dependance on Him." -Rev. W. Jordan Richmond
Ummm, nope...most certainly didn't read "powerful weight loss and cleansing tool". Physically speaking, fasting is a deliberate abstinence from food. It doesn't magically clean out your system (that's why we poop - technical term), it doesn't rid your body of toxins (that's why God gave us a liver) and it's not a great weight loss tool (although you will lose weight if you don't eat). None of the listed "benefits" of fasting have been proven by medical peer-reviewed research.
Physically/technically speaking (feel free to skip ahead if you don't care much for this explanation):
The body gets its energy primarily from glucose and fat (in the blood) from the carbs and fats you eat. Both your brain and nervous systems use blood glucose for energy and proper functioning. Your body also stores energy in both the muscles and liver in the form of glycogen.
Within hours of starting a fast, when you run out of the glucose you've eaten, your body goes to its glycogen stores (these don't last very long). Your body then goes into an altered metabolic state = starts using protein and some fat (some... very little... okay I've lost most of you... SOME fat and PROTEIN did you miss the PROTEIN part or the SOME part, the protein you're desperately trying to increase with your exercise, the protein that will help BOOST your metabolism and help you look smokin' hot!!!) I digress, where was I... Oh... It uses PROTEIN and SOME fat to make more glucose for the brain and nervous system. Resulting in a considerable breakdown of lean muscle tissue and SOME fat tissue and the production of ketones. Ketosis, that state those of you that tried the Atkins diet strived for (and I do mean tried because none of you stuck with it - bacon-birthday-cake anyone?). This is NOT healthy and in fact over time the brain's consistent use of ketones for energy can be damaging. In the short-term, you may lose weight, but its mostly water loss, dehydration, muscle tissue wasting, hgm hgmmm - muscle tissue waisting, and you will be tired, fatigued and dizzy (downright unpleasant to be around and cranky in every sense of the word).
Your body craves proper nutrition. Ignoring hunger cues, or cutting out any essential food group completely in an effort to lose weight or "cleanse the system" is not a good idea. That aching growl you get when you're starving is not your body eating your love-handles, as much as you'd like to convince yourself of this phenomenon.
Back to the biblical:
There are 3 types of fasting referred to in the bible: ""Normal fast" or total abstinence of food (Luke 4:2), "Absolute fast" or no water and food in which it almost always lasted for only 3 days (Ezra 10:6, Esther 4:16), and the "Partial fast" in which diet was restricted (Daniel 10:3). The purpose of all fasting is to get to know God better--done privately (Matt 6:17-18)." --Rev. Samuel S. Rainer III
Let me repeat that last part - The purpose of all fasting is to get to know God better. An excellent thing. Highly recommended for this purpose. In fact, if you've never done it, DO IT, its powerful. But, not for the purpose of fitting into skinny jeans or "cleansing the system"... please.
Also, beware of the tendency to make biblical fasting a weight loss tool. You'll have to learn to lose weight and be healthy the "hard way" which also may be the slower way - there are no short cuts. Suck it up. Deal with it. Get to work.
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