What we eat. (more of a rant than a question) (Page 2)

I'm sitting here eating a snack pack of cheez-its (I forgot to bring my afternoon snack from home) and they aren't' as good as I remember them.  As I have chewed a bite down to get ready to swallow it I realize it feels like GLUE in my mouth!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  This is just gross.  bleh!

I can only imagine that working it's way through my body.  yuck.

Junk food is yummy!

I could be thinner if I tried, but the amount of work involved doesn't suit me.

I lost weight last year when I started swimming and switched to diet soda.  I look pretty good.  I could look better, but right now I am mostly content that I can eat what I want now.  For the most part, with little effort, I eat as much as I can shove in my mouth and don't gain weight anymore.

My workout load and some slow shifts in my diet has brought me to a happy plateau. I'm not losing weight lately, but I often eat everything in sight and don't gain either! (Usually. I did go up a bit since Easter...)

The hardest part of getting to this point is STARTING.  One needs to work hard enough, long enough to see results. Once you can see the results it is WAY easier to increase the efforts or to maintain whatever you have gained. The problem is that is takes a while.

Many people give up too quick when trying to lose weight or get in better shape.  Little happens overnight!

I do make an effort to watch what I eat, but not all-out.  Sometimes I have to intentionally fill up on rice or fruit so I wont pig out on something worse, but it comes with practice. 

-eric

What about "what we drink"?
I can understand the appeal of fried food and I indulge occasionally but I just don't get soda.  What could be more unhealthy than water with tons of sugar?  Does it really taste very good?  Does anybody actually crave it?  How did it become a staple for millions of people?  (Because it's cheap?)

If you're a soda drinker do yourself a favor and give it up.  You probably won't even miss it.

Don

I found it interesting when I volunteered down at the local food kitchen that the "patrons" were super excited because it was their favorite meal of the month.  The meal:  Jumbo Hot dogs on a white bun, au gratin potatoes,  green beans out of a can (declined by most), and chocolate chip cookies.   It really is a question of habit (and cost as well. They can go down to the local store and get cheap food but it tends to be unhealthy.  Fresh fruits and vegetables or even a fresh boneless skinless chicken breast is expensive.)  and with years of eating this way they like this food and so it continues. 

Sadly, I AM a diet coke addict. It's something I've tried to give up without much success. I've always drank diet coke (and told myself "Hey, at least it's not regular coke!") since I was a teen. I honestly do not like the taste of regular coke, but do crave diet coke.

And my job really doesn't help the situation one bit, since I'm around free soda fountains 50-60+ hours a week. A GOOD day for me is one like today, where I won't touch one until after noon or so...a normal day is 3-4 cups of diet coke before 11am

I successfully gave up diet coke completely when I started drinking seltzer. Now I do not miss the diet coke at all but I have become a seltzer addict. I'd be interested to know if there are any cons to drinking tons of seltzer as opposed to regular water. I am speaking specifically of health and nutrition-related cons; I already know it is an environmental con (buying bottles instead of pouring from the tap) and a financial con (again, buying the bottles.) Thanks.

Why are people adamant about the fact that eating healthy is more expensive than eating crap?

We spend the same amount whether we get processed crap for a week (sometimes more) or we get fresh items that we can "marathon-cook" on a Sunday for the rest of the week.

You need less fresh food to satisfy your body since there are more vitamins and minerals in the food vs. the processed crap.  And it will give you more energy to work out, which means you're less likely to sit in front of the TV and want more food. 

Caffeine mostly I think is the reason.  I wonder how many people slam soda drinkers and and yet drink coffee?  Or beer?

Some things are consumed because, surprise surprise, they actually have drugs in them.  

Then I really wonder about the strength of such addictions when people start drinking non-alcoholic beer or decaffeinated coffee.  What's the point?

As a young person I never got enough beer in me to get a buzz. I never developed a taste for it.  I doubt those 2 facts are purely coincidental.

People get hooked on things. Some are actual drug addictions, others more force of habit. Food and drink routines I think intersect both circles sometimes.

-eric

I agree about the cost of eating heathily, but it can be done on a reasonable budget.

I moved our heathy eating, eco-friendly, vegetarian family to the midwest from the UK and although it took some adjusting, we have found products and a shopping ethos that fits our mentality without breaking the bank.  In fact, many of the prepackaged junk products are more expensive that what we put together from scratch.  Junk food is taught... it is not a must.  Eating out however, generally does seem more expensive to do heathily.  I'm 36, my son is 5 and neither of us have EVER eaten a product from McDonalds.  Neither of us feel that we have missed out nutritionally or socially because of our lifestyle choice and we are the healthiest, most energetic father and son in the street.  As for my wife, yes she does put extra effort in preparing the meals rather than buying a bag of food from Wendy's, but the point here is family, and the time spent together preparing and enjoying the food.  Every evening meal is eaten together around the table - that is one food "habit" I'm very proud of.

Didn't know he was doing an american one.
He got the system changed nationwide over here ...  

I drink water. Usually 3L a day or so. The only thing i drink otherwise is the odd glass of fruit juice at breakfast, and maybe a couple of drops of lemon juice added to a glass of water for a change

That made a huge difference when i started doing that within days I felt much more vitalized etc and I think it has been instrumental in my fitness.
The problem you get with caffeine is that people have developed a culture of havin to drink caffeine to work, and a culture of "if you dont drink coffee you must be uncool" 

I am 5'8" and was over 205 pounds three years ago.  I got tired of going up a pants size every year and changed my work out routine and eating habits.  I lost over 50 pounds and now I maintain a weight that I feel good at (165).  It is not really a lot of work, lay off the fried food and junk.  I now eat about five times a time but it good food that goes into my body.  I take in plenty of good protein, fruit and veggies.  I will take in a good burger every now and then but it is not my main course anymore.  People tell me I must eat like a rabbit but I eat more now then I did 3 years ago but the food is better choices and I am never hurry.
I love to work out and that is why I started doing triathlons this year and I am having a ball.

I'm a coffee addict so I guess I'm one of the ones that slams soda drinkers while indulging in my own bad habit.  As a coffee drinker I know that kicking a caffeine habit is very hard.  So point taken - I'll admit that I coming down too hard on soda drinkers when I say that they probably won't miss soda if they give it up.

What I think is totally idiotic is a system that subsidizes the production of high fructose corn syrup and thus ensures that total garbage is available at bargain prices.  And this at a time when obesity is rampant.
Don

I agree.

But I think some people feel "ashamed" about their obesity and they know it's their food choices... so instead of learning how to eat... they feel less ashamed if they laugh at the "healthy" people and they make jokes about the "healthy" people... because it deflects off their low self esteem and how they feel about themselves.

http://www.sodastream.com/

You need one of these.  Its the most fantastic invention - make your own seltzer. 

I have one and its the most-used appliance I have.  You wont have to go buy seltzer by the case anymore and have to haul it around.  Saves on plastic bottles too.

A sign that the apocalypse is upon us. pulled from the Eat this, not that website

1. Worst Beverage in America
Cold Stone PB&C (Gotta Have It size, 24 fl oz)
2,010 calories
131 g fat (68 g saturated)
153 g sugars
Sugar Equivalent: 30 Chewy Chips Ahoy Cookies

In terms of saturated fat, drinking this Cold Stone catastrophe is like slurping up 68 strips of bacon. Health experts recommend capping your saturated fat intake at about 20 grams per day, yet this beverage packs more than three times that into a cup the size of a Chipotle burrito. But here’s what’s worse: No regular shake at Cold Stone, no matter what the size, has fewer than 1,000 calories. If you must drink your ice cream, make it one of the creamery’s “Sinless” options. Otherwise you’d better plan on buying some bigger pants on the way home.

Wow, that's terrible/impressive, all at once. 

They had something along those lines on Dateline on Sunday, about childhood and ongoing US obesity rates. One pediatrician said that if things don't change soon, in the near future heart disease will also have to be classed as a pediatric illness.

Speaking of skyrocketing medical costs, Type II diabetes costs an average of $50,000 US a year (Also according to the Dateline show) per person, and kids are overwhelming their systems and developing things like this at earlier and earlier ages.

John

I could go on and on about this and I'm really starting to resent the shift in American culture to the acceptance of obesity.  There is no way to candy coat it being overweight is a bad thing;  my in laws are all overweight and now they've just realized their eating habits will probably cost them 15 years of their lives,  This isn't even going into my nieces and nephews who are borderline diabetic and still in grade school.

Most people cannot think for themselves, taking out unrealistic home loans, drug problems, lack of retirement planning, and now food consumption has proven that we really need to regulate things to keep people under control from themselves.  I never thought I would come to this opinion but many just don't take responsibility for their actions.

One of the main problems is its accepted now.  Amercan Sports has stars like Ryan Howard, Shaq, and alot of guys in the NFL who are over 300 pounds.  While these guys are specimens, alot of 'big' people make comparisions to themselves as a linebacker, 'Shaq', Rampage, etc.  Whenever who see a big guy on TV they're always cast as former football players.  Of course physically, these guys have nothing in common with football players, but big guys in sports has made it acceptable for men to be over 300 pounds.

In addition to culture, I don't think food manufacturers help.  Stuff is made to be more addictive, and produce chemicals that support addiction.  Sadly, they actively seek this as it makes their product more desireable. 

Here's what I would do to fix the situation:

- Put mandatory warning labels on any meal at a restaurant over 750 calories.
- Restrict food companies from adding chemicals used for addictive or other body altering (such as making your hungry).  Some leniency will have to be adopted for caffeine though.
- Food Labels on products used for one serving have calories for whole pack; who exactly eats a single serving of those small potato chip bags?

Realistically, the culture has to change, and I'm not sure what's going to do it.  Its at the point now that the healthy people are the ones mocked, and thats sad.

I say to all those people.... EAT UP!
It's all about natural selection. You can be an alpha or you can not be an alpha. Generally, all things being otherwise equal, healthy people will exel in and outperform the unhealthy people in EVERY aspect of life, in my opinion.

The funny part is that the people who complain the loudest about their health insurance being expensive are the people who are overweight and don't do anything about it.

There's a correlation between sky-high medical and insurance costs and the rates of Type II diabetes, heart disease, cancer, and other major maladies in the US.  Switching to a "European" system of medicine won't reduce risk or costs.  Neither will Universal Healthcare.

Only prevention will help us now.  And there's no sign that things are turning around. 

3 weeks ago I switched from all frozen meals to all fresh. I eat veggies, fruits, Geek yogurt, Englis muffins, and some nuts.

And you know what? My grocery bill is still $100 a week. For one person. Didn't change my bill at all. Just my experience. And yes, I get the same amount of measl out of it.

A couple of years ago I noted that the Vikings running back Adrian Petersen was 6'1" tall and weighed 225. I am the same height, and at the time I also weighed 225.  However when I took off my shirt there was a striking difference in the way we looked. That guy is ripped like nobody else I've ever seen.  The only ripping I had going on was in the seat of my pants.

I'm now 25 pounds lighter. There's still a striking difference.

here is where this theory breaks down for me.

I am the son of two chefs, i have been cooking since before i could read, and i grew up fairly poor. so i know how to A- cook very well, and B- know how to cook and shop on a very tight budget.

now. here is the issue. healthy food can be bought very very cheap if you know what to look for and where to find it. in fact if can be cheaper than fast food. the issue for me and many, is that once you start training more, you eat more, a lot more. the healthy foods and most of hte good ones out there are lower in cal than fast food.

when i am training 14-18 hours a week, i go through a LOT of food. this is where it gets costly. there are times where i simply cannot eat enough with healthy foods to keep up.