Opinions?

[MacRS4]

The funny thing is that the food we eat has evolved over the last 150 + years, and obesity is really only been around for this sort of period.

'Low Fat' food is a bit of kick in the guts - it might be low fat but my god check out the amount of crappy stuff in it, I.e. sugar based additives (Ok, carbs - but then you'll think I'm on about having a low carb diet, which I'm not).

The issue with 'feeling full' is a lot related to your blood sugar. Keep your blood sugar steady and generally you won't feel the need to snack etc. on sugary/carb loaded food. What happens is you eat chocolate (for example), you get a massive sugar hit, followed by a big insulin hit, followed by a sugar drop, followed by bugger me I want some more chocolate. Or rather in my case I'd get as far as the chocolate and fall over, lol.

Processed food is NOT good, especially low fat ones. The balance in the food is upset and unfortunately our bodies are used to a 'natural' balance.

Low Carb/Low GI diets DO work if the people trying them have the stamina to get through the initial couple of weeks and the sugar cravings.

Oh by the way I'm not advocating going into full on Ketosis here - that would involve avoiding *all* carbs, however limiting your processed foods (going natural) and eating low-GI index food is, in my humble opinion, the way forward.

I have a 100KM bike ride on Sunday - bugger me am I looking forward to being able to eat chocolate !!!

 

[cowprintrabbit]

I read an article the other day that started me thinking- which led to a little experiment...

The premise of the article is that the majority of Americans have weight issues due to a couple of factors:

1. We eat too much, too fast.

2. We consume a lot of processed, fat free, "psuedo food"

3. we don't get enough exercise.

In the article, it chronicled the eating habits of an average American woman and an average Frenchwoman, then had them trade places. Guess what- though she was consuming full fat cheeses, dessert, etc. the American lost weight on the Frenchwoman's diet and the Frechwoman gained on the American's. Some stragtegies put forth were to do the following:

1. eat real meals, with courses (especially a salad course) of fresh seasonal foods. Have a glass of wine. Enjoy the meal and eat slowly, at the table. No between meal snacking.

2. skip the processed, fat free, "psuedo food" in favor of the real deal. The idea being that you will consume less as it is more satisfying.

So.... I decided to try a little experiment myself. Instead of my usual routine, I've been eating this way the last week- I don't know if I have lost anything- but I'm eating a LOT less (even with my cardio intensive workouts).

A good example was yesterday :

Breakfast:
1 crumpet with real butter and some strawberry preserves, 2% milk (sorry- I just can't stomache the "real" real thing- it tastes weird to me!)

Lunch:
A palm of the hand sized chunck of whole wheat french bread and fontina cheese and an apple.

Dinner:
salad of feild greens, cherry tomaotes, cucumber, kalamata olives with a bit of olive oil; beef ravioli (like 3 raviolis are all I can eat!) with marinara sacue and parmesan, a glass of Cabernet Sauvignon.

No snacks, tea and water to drink. Now, contrast this to my usual, protien shake breakfast, Lean Cuisine lunch and chicken or something dinner with a mid morning and mid afternoon snack. Eating the "usual" way I am ALWAYS hungry. I haven't been hungry betwen meals, and I could probably have an even smaller portion at dinner.

So what do you guys think? Is this nuts? I'd love to hear some opinions from non-Americans too!

Thanks,
Heather

Sounds good to me! Although you might want to switch that crumpet for something whole wheat... Since my doctor told me to stay away from white flour and refined sugar, I have lost weight and gained energy! She said the fewer times anything is processed, the better it is for you. I do eat veggies and fruit between meals, but I just have a really high metabolism.

 

[Mako Mark]

I have to admit every time I travel to United States I’m amazed as to how much larger the portions are and how people actually manage to consume all the food. .

I have to agree. Last time I was in Miami, I went to a fish resturaunt and ordered a bucket of shrimp. I left absolutly chokka. I went back a couple of days later to discover that it was an appetizer. As for South beach, I ordered a burger there that had enough grease on it to make me name it the Lard burger. It was immense and I couldnt finish half of it.

BTW I nomally eat only one meal a day, but make it a good one. I believe that many people confuse the feeling of thirst with the feeling of hunger, and since eating makes you more thirsty, this makes it worse.

m2c

 

[dbulmer]

MacRS4

I agree with you mostly except for you opening statement:

"The funny thing is that the food we eat has evolved over the last 150 + years, and obesity is really only been around for this sort of period."

I think that the food industry hasn't helped us in some respects but I think the problem of obesity isn't just connected to the food we eat.
150 years ago we didn't have the car our legs were the primary method of getting us from A to B - we didn't have engines on boats for the most part so you had to expend calories hoisting sales or rowing oars.

We didn't have 24hour shopping - never in history has the availibility of food been greater through improved transport(ie cars,lorries, aircraft), better forms of distribution, more disposable income to buy etc., refrigeration

Then again, we didn't have the range of foods available to us nowadays:- mangos, grapefruit, bananas - wheat, aubergines, red peppers, yams, grouper, tuna,cod,sardines etc. In some countries foodstuffs would have been readily available but in others food would have had to have been imported - without modern inventions some of the good food we take for granted would not be available.

As for portion size, I agree with Mark that American size portions are enormous. Also, when I was In Miami International airport last year I was amazed that there were at least 2 burger bars in the departures lounge and by god the grease was wafting in the air!
Until countries like the US, UK and others change their dietary habits and exercise we will continue to have the obesity problem - personally I'd like the UK government educate people more on food issues - we have adverts on smoking, cars speeding etc why not have some showing the positive and negative points of the food we eat?

 

[MacRS4]

Yep I did make it sound like I was blaming food for all of it but of course other factors make a major impact - especially as we move to a more convenience based society.

It's funny you mention cars etc. and getting around. I sold my car a couple of months ago and was in the process of getting a new one. Anyway, I was real busy with 'stuff' and here I am 3 months later with no car....Now, what have I learned:

1. I don't need a car living in central London
2. The tube is far better than I thought it was.

and....the main bit being that I've lost over two stone in the last couple of months and I'm fitter than I've ever been.

Result

 

[dbulmer]

Mac,
As someone who broke a leg in March, I've been trying to get my leg back to reasonable fitness so I can resume diving so walking is my thing right now plus the extra weight I put on is almost off.

 

[ArcticDiver]

and....the main bit being that I've lost over two stone in the last couple of months and I'm fitter than I've ever been.

Result

Couldn't agree more, with one caveat: Don't confuse weight loss with health gain. Nor, being thin with being healthy.

For many who are not grossly obese proper nutrition and exercise will in fact result in weight gain; but size redistribution. Its' the old thing of muscle weighing more than fat.

Also, a person can, and from observation many do, have an acceptable weight but are so out of condition that they are still at risk. Plus, although the body fat percent is better than before it still is way out of range.

The key is for a person to be honest with themself and to want to be healthy.

 

[paolov]

well here in the philippines, you can forget dieting. Most resorts especially around Anilao would be Buffet.... hehhehe,

i tried dieting and wondered why i still don't loose weight, then i realized, diving everyweekend was the culprit. 4 BUFFET MEALS EVERY WEEKEND ON DIVE RESORTS!!!

)

 

[tracker]

I think every one is different. Some of us can eat as much as we want, and some of us really have to watch it. I have always used the false hunger aproach. When you think you're hungry, give it an hour. If you're still hungry, have a rounded meal only big enough for you not to be hungry, but, you have to eat slow to realize that. Eat slow and be relaxed when you do.

 

[scuba-punk]

Rofl- there are days I could use that. Wonder if champagne and orange juice counts as a breakfast beverage?

Only if you mix them together Better than Tang(TM)!

-Frank