I read a great article in the Globe and Mail titled Supersized servings, supersized people that had me nodding my head in agreement.
So much is said about our National Food Guide and its guidance for healthy living, but the truth is the guide is a joke. It is backed by every "big" industry you can think of. The furthest thing it accomplishes is helping us eat healthier. In the article it talks about how following the food guide recommendations will only help you gain weight, due to the number of recommended servings. As a side note it also doesn't truly educate a reader about food.
But the real kicker in the struggle against obesity is serving size. Our World has become this sea of massive plates, up-sized fries, cups of soda large enough to drown in and our brains have come to understand that no matter how much we are served it is a regular serving. From the article I learned studies have shown
"Statistics Canada estimates we are consuming nearly 20 per cent more calories each day than we did 15 years ago because of bigger portions."
The same is true in the USA,
"According to research in the United States, portion sizes have grown dramatically over the past 20 years. Two decades ago, a coffee-shop muffin weighed in at 2.5 ounces (71 grams) and had 210 calories. Today, the average muffin weighs four ounces (113 grams) and delivers as much as 500 calories."
This is a significant increase that has created a very difficult pattern to break. It is socially acceptable for one person to eat an amount of food equal to 3+ servings! I think the biggest problem is our inability to only eat what we need as opposed to eating as much as we THINK we need.
The supersized foods of our World are loaded with fat, sugar and sodium. It isn't any wonder why we struggle with obesity on this continent. The article went through some very good tips to try and get a handle on serving control. I also think the ideas about listening to your stomach and to stop eating when you are signaled by the stomach, combined with only eating when you are hungry the portioning and serving sizes go down naturally. Our stomaches are only so big, sure they will expand to fit all the extra stuff you force in there, like those new Glad stretchy garbage bags, but it isn't good for you.
Scale down the servings and the portion sizes to reap the benefits of your hard work at being healthier. Listen to your body, it won't ask for more calories than you can burn. It is fined tuned machine that knows when it needs more fuel and when you can stop providing it. Remember your stomach CANNOT see the size of your plate or how much food you have left, all it knows is you have filled it to capacity...so put down the knife, the fork and BACK AWAY from the table!!
My Two Cents
Jamie
Thursday, June 12, 2008
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Society Makes Us Fat
There is no shortage of information about healthy eating and ways to improve your overall health. All hail the Internet! The Internet can provide an endless source of all things good and bad. But what I have found is the Internet provides me the opportunity to empower myself by gaining knowledge. I can read many articles about any given topic, both good opinions and bad. I then can make an educated decision about something.
As I mentioned in the opening our health is becoming a very big topic early in the 21st century. Obesity is a serious problem in North America. I for one have become very aware of my own health. I am not unhealthy per say, but still had some additional changes to make. But having finally got my act together I have lost about 30 pounds and a couple pants sizes. It wasn't an easy process. No wonder drugs or diets. It was common sense, exercise and education about how my body works with the fuel I provide it.
I honestly don't know how anyone can be confident about their approach to healthy living. We are enveloped in societal 'norms' that are anything but healthy. Especially the with regards to food and how we eat. Also, we are surrounded by so much poor information; the worst possible information is the easiest to get our hands on it is compounded by the fact it has such a powerful influence over us. And of course, like anything else, if it is too easy it is perhaps not the best course of action for 95% of people. To find the good information, what I have been relying on has been diligent hard work. Searching for information that wasn't filled with hype and empty promises is, to say the least, like finding a needle in a hay stack.
I can understand the frustration and continued disappointments others have when trying something new someone told them about when all the information they receive regarding this miracle is hype and non typical results. My favorite of the last little while was the "soup diet". For starters it contains the word diet so it can't be good. Dieting is for people not willing to do the work it takes to change your lifestyle in order to become healthy. But how can anyone believe a diet consisting of only soup is a viable option? Our bodies need better fuel than that. Our bodies should be treated like a Ferrari, not a busted up '83 Ford Ranger missing a headlight and McGiver like skills to start.
My advice is always education. Educate yourself and take action based on education. Now let's be clear. I don't mean educate yourself regarding the 'diet' because you will only find hyped up baloney regarding the diet itself, I mean educate yourself about how the human body works. How biology holds the answers on how to be healthy. Our bodies are a series of complex systems all running with synergistic precision. Learning about how our body talks to us and tells us what it needs is key. Think about children, especially before they can talk. Their brains listen to their bodies signals and react accordingly. It isn't until the outside influences they experience growing into adulthood create so much interference they can no longer 'hear' what their bodies are saying. Over eating is the best example. Watch a kid eat; they will shovel it in and suddenly (like a switch) they are done, regardless of how much food is left on their plate. Why? Because their stomach sent a signal to their brains saying "you are full, stop eating". As adults we eat with all the distractions in the World and never listen for the signal. So we eat until all the food is gone or my personal favorite...once we have cleaned our plates!!
Bottom line is this. If you want to be healthier and gain the benefits of healthier living (losing weight, having more energy, sleeping better, etc, etc.) then educate yourself about how your body works and work really hard at listening to what it is trying to tell you and then of course don't ignore the instructions or override them. Without a doubt, the hardest part is listening to your body and NOT the outside influences around you. People WILL look at you strange when you start leaving food on your plate and will think you are starving yourself when you only take an ACTUAL portion of food instead of enough food to fill your plate. If you have to; take a smaller plate and it will look more full for all the critics analyzing your quantity of food.
Well I could ramble on for days about the subject of food and societies role in making unhealthy living easier than healthy living!
My Two Cents
As I mentioned in the opening our health is becoming a very big topic early in the 21st century. Obesity is a serious problem in North America. I for one have become very aware of my own health. I am not unhealthy per say, but still had some additional changes to make. But having finally got my act together I have lost about 30 pounds and a couple pants sizes. It wasn't an easy process. No wonder drugs or diets. It was common sense, exercise and education about how my body works with the fuel I provide it.
I honestly don't know how anyone can be confident about their approach to healthy living. We are enveloped in societal 'norms' that are anything but healthy. Especially the with regards to food and how we eat. Also, we are surrounded by so much poor information; the worst possible information is the easiest to get our hands on it is compounded by the fact it has such a powerful influence over us. And of course, like anything else, if it is too easy it is perhaps not the best course of action for 95% of people. To find the good information, what I have been relying on has been diligent hard work. Searching for information that wasn't filled with hype and empty promises is, to say the least, like finding a needle in a hay stack.
I can understand the frustration and continued disappointments others have when trying something new someone told them about when all the information they receive regarding this miracle is hype and non typical results. My favorite of the last little while was the "soup diet". For starters it contains the word diet so it can't be good. Dieting is for people not willing to do the work it takes to change your lifestyle in order to become healthy. But how can anyone believe a diet consisting of only soup is a viable option? Our bodies need better fuel than that. Our bodies should be treated like a Ferrari, not a busted up '83 Ford Ranger missing a headlight and McGiver like skills to start.
My advice is always education. Educate yourself and take action based on education. Now let's be clear. I don't mean educate yourself regarding the 'diet' because you will only find hyped up baloney regarding the diet itself, I mean educate yourself about how the human body works. How biology holds the answers on how to be healthy. Our bodies are a series of complex systems all running with synergistic precision. Learning about how our body talks to us and tells us what it needs is key. Think about children, especially before they can talk. Their brains listen to their bodies signals and react accordingly. It isn't until the outside influences they experience growing into adulthood create so much interference they can no longer 'hear' what their bodies are saying. Over eating is the best example. Watch a kid eat; they will shovel it in and suddenly (like a switch) they are done, regardless of how much food is left on their plate. Why? Because their stomach sent a signal to their brains saying "you are full, stop eating". As adults we eat with all the distractions in the World and never listen for the signal. So we eat until all the food is gone or my personal favorite...once we have cleaned our plates!!
Bottom line is this. If you want to be healthier and gain the benefits of healthier living (losing weight, having more energy, sleeping better, etc, etc.) then educate yourself about how your body works and work really hard at listening to what it is trying to tell you and then of course don't ignore the instructions or override them. Without a doubt, the hardest part is listening to your body and NOT the outside influences around you. People WILL look at you strange when you start leaving food on your plate and will think you are starving yourself when you only take an ACTUAL portion of food instead of enough food to fill your plate. If you have to; take a smaller plate and it will look more full for all the critics analyzing your quantity of food.
Well I could ramble on for days about the subject of food and societies role in making unhealthy living easier than healthy living!
My Two Cents
Friday, June 06, 2008
CBC = Clearly Braindead Corporation
What the hell is the World coming to! I am stunned, appalled, stupefied, and madder than a wet hen (whatever that means)!
Does the CBC actually have people running the show over there at HQ? Or is it a bunch of retarded monkeys? It was reported yesterday that the CBC is planning on dumping the hallowed Hockey Night In Canada theme song! Are they nuts!?! Somebody has been eating stupid pills down there at HQ. It doesn't matter what the cost is to the composer, it is all that is sacred and holy about hockey in Canada. I suppose the new price might carve in to the fat cat salaries down there at the CBC. Hey boneheads, without viewers you have no job at all! Have a little vision!
I suppose CBC is rolling up shop, closing the doors and shipping everything they every stood for over to TSN. They lost the Grey Cup to TSN, why not give up hockey too. I just can't wrap my head around what went on in the board room to think dropping the HNIC theme song was a good idea. Are they thinking no one will notice?
I can clearly remember my children's reaction when they were young to the Saturday night tribute to a Canadian tradition. I would turn the TV way up and nanoseconds after the first hint of the widely popular HNIC opening ditty, I would hear those little feet motoring over to the living room. They would drop everything and anything they were doing to be in the room while the theme song ran its course. Before they evening knew what the significance of what they were hearing was they were mesmerized. I too still love to hear that song, it gives me goose bumps every time I hear it. It is a shame there are no hockey fans in the board room of the CBC. Anyone older than 5 years old can INSTANTLY tell you what song is playing even if they don't watch hockey, why? It is a part of our culture. Sounds stupid, but it is reality. It is a very popular ring tone too! Every time my phone rings in public someone makes a comment and smiles. The HNIC theme music brings feelings of joy, family, happiness and fun. Many can tie heart felt memories to HNIC and the theme song brings it all back with each and every instance we hear it.
With Bob Cole stepping down and the theme song potentially dead, what is the point to being set in your big-ass recliner 15 minutes before puck drop? Perhaps I will simply join the game already in progress. This is a sad day not for hockey or the HNIC, but for how easy it is to dismiss tradition and how money can eliminate people's vision in the blink of an eye.
Let's hope someone down at the CBC and the composer of the theme song get their collective heads out of their asses long enough to hammer out a deal that is fair. Thus, keeping HNIC building memories for many more years to come.
My Two Cents
Jamie
Does the CBC actually have people running the show over there at HQ? Or is it a bunch of retarded monkeys? It was reported yesterday that the CBC is planning on dumping the hallowed Hockey Night In Canada theme song! Are they nuts!?! Somebody has been eating stupid pills down there at HQ. It doesn't matter what the cost is to the composer, it is all that is sacred and holy about hockey in Canada. I suppose the new price might carve in to the fat cat salaries down there at the CBC. Hey boneheads, without viewers you have no job at all! Have a little vision!
I suppose CBC is rolling up shop, closing the doors and shipping everything they every stood for over to TSN. They lost the Grey Cup to TSN, why not give up hockey too. I just can't wrap my head around what went on in the board room to think dropping the HNIC theme song was a good idea. Are they thinking no one will notice?
I can clearly remember my children's reaction when they were young to the Saturday night tribute to a Canadian tradition. I would turn the TV way up and nanoseconds after the first hint of the widely popular HNIC opening ditty, I would hear those little feet motoring over to the living room. They would drop everything and anything they were doing to be in the room while the theme song ran its course. Before they evening knew what the significance of what they were hearing was they were mesmerized. I too still love to hear that song, it gives me goose bumps every time I hear it. It is a shame there are no hockey fans in the board room of the CBC. Anyone older than 5 years old can INSTANTLY tell you what song is playing even if they don't watch hockey, why? It is a part of our culture. Sounds stupid, but it is reality. It is a very popular ring tone too! Every time my phone rings in public someone makes a comment and smiles. The HNIC theme music brings feelings of joy, family, happiness and fun. Many can tie heart felt memories to HNIC and the theme song brings it all back with each and every instance we hear it.
With Bob Cole stepping down and the theme song potentially dead, what is the point to being set in your big-ass recliner 15 minutes before puck drop? Perhaps I will simply join the game already in progress. This is a sad day not for hockey or the HNIC, but for how easy it is to dismiss tradition and how money can eliminate people's vision in the blink of an eye.
Let's hope someone down at the CBC and the composer of the theme song get their collective heads out of their asses long enough to hammer out a deal that is fair. Thus, keeping HNIC building memories for many more years to come.
My Two Cents
Jamie
Wednesday, June 04, 2008
It’s Amazing How We Miss Them
I couldn't resist another short blog today about my kids, humor me to ensure I remain sane!
My kids have been out in the wonderful World of Mickey and Goofy for the past week with their Mom. I have been very excited for them as this trip approached. I expect to hear all kinds of stories of fun and craziness. I didn't expect I would miss them so much! DAMN! They return today and I am beside myself.
I find myself tracking their flight back and impatiently awaiting their return. I know they will be home later this evening, but I am not sure how to get from now to then without going nuts! It isn't like I haven't been away from them for extended periods of time or something or that I am worried about them. Perhaps their age has something to do with it? They are at that cusp age for truly enjoying Disneyworld. Not too old to not be able to be a kid and not too young to not remember any of the great things they will experience.
But needless to say I am excited they are coming home and can't wait to hear about their trip.
My Two Cents
Jamie
For The Health Of It
I am happy to announce I have finally got something through my thick head! Exercise completes the puzzle.
I spent the better part of the last two years making some serious lifestyle changes regarding my eating habits. The goal was to be healthier overall and improve my ability to be a positive role model for the two sets of VERY BIG eyes that are always watching. It is like living in the movie Lord of the Rings, the eye is always watching, except I have 4 four eyes watching. For the most part the major changes included eliminating unnecessary calories, nothing drastic, just obvious empty calories. Over time it became easier, but I never really looked at portions or listened to my body very well. I felt healthier, but my weight never changed, so I was frustrated.
It wasn't until a few months ago that I finally took the plunge and started exercising at least three times a week. I always rested on my once a week hockey as my exercise, but once a week isn't enough. For a year I thought about more exercise and always had a reason I couldn't do more, be it not enough time or money or energy or whatever. Excuses are crippling to progress. Finally I dove in and the first week was hard. I felt terrible, like ten miles of bad road! During the work out, after the work out, day after the work out, my goodness, who knew exercising, was such hard work!! But of course, I turned a corner in the third week and then I felt great; better than in a long time.
My body has been changing over the last few months and it is now becoming noticeable to others around me. I get asked all the time "have you lost weight", "you are looking good" and of course "what did you do?" I think most people are looking for some miracle answer like a special diet of rocks and twigs or a wonder drug that instantly melts fat away. But, honestly it is nothing more than changing my attitude about food and exercise. The exercise I added a few months ago and eating habits has been a long process, which I tweaked again when I added the exercise. I try to always think of food as fuel for my body and I only eat when I am hungry and stop when I am full; sometimes that means leaving food on my plate. If I am leaving food behind, it means I need to be better at how much I put on my plate. This hasn't meant depriving myself of food, on the contrary. I love food and can eat loads, but I have to listen to my body, it won't ask for more than it can use. It has been a learning curve and certainly not one that has been simple. I guess it was a retraining of the brain. Learning to let my body, NOT my emotions, decide when and how much I eat. Just so you know, boredom is an emotion; who knew?! I have eaten everything from pizza to ice cream to french fries and even fast food. I have lost about 30 lbs in three months. But it isn't about the weight for me, being healthy is way more important; giving my body the best possible shot at working properly. I still have more work to do, but it is a process that involves a change in my lifestyle.
I have done an enormous amount of reading over the last six months which has led me down the course I am on. I am starting to compile some of source material and in the weeks/months to come I will slowly add the links to my blog. Perhaps something in those pages will inspire someone to take back control of their health.
I say, don't make your goal to lose weight; make your goal to be healthier. I say, don't make your goal to eat less; make your goal to stop when you are full. I say, don't make your goal to join a gym for exercise, I say make your goal to simply get more exercise (walking is exercise too). Get active and think healthier and the weight and portion sizing comes as a side effect of healthier living. As I have written before, if you don't enjoy the lifestyle you live while you are "losing weight" then you will not stick to it. Instead make lifestyle changes that you enjoy and won't want to give up, this way you are healthier long term and the side effect will be losing weight.
Make YOUR health your #1 priority above all else.
My Two Cents
Jamie
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