THE REAL SKINNY... ON HEALTH & NUTRITION IN AMERICA

Welcome to The Real Skinny... where I will dissect some of the myths surrounding the health, nutrition, food & fitness industries in the United States. I started this blog because I am exasperated by all of the misinformation and propaganda we are fed (pun intended) by the government and the mainstream media about our food supply and the fitness industry here in the U.S.

Like many of you, I have long considered myself to be a healthy person. I regularly followed the advice of so-called experts in the nutrition fitness industries about the latest diets and exercise regimens. I exercised almost every day - sometimes for several hours at a time – and I ate what most people consider to be a very healthy diet. I always ate whole grains, low fat dairy, veggies, fruit and lean meats. I counted “calories in” vs. “calories out” religiously. Despite all of my efforts, I was still plagued with a host of issues including excess body fat. My frustration with this predicament – some might call it my obsession – led me to dig a little deeper into the nutrition/health advice I was getting.

My research began with a few magazine articles and websites. Gradually, as I did more independent research, I started to believe strongly that much of what passes for mainstream thinking on nutrition and fitness is complete nonsense. I now spend a big chunk of my free time reading everything I can on this topic – and the more research I do, the more convinced I am.

I am not big on conspiracy theories. I don’t think the CIA introduced crack cocaine into the inner city, and I don’t think George Bush had a heads-up about 9-11. But I have come to believe that the federal government and the agribusiness community have so dominated the debate on this issue that the American people are not exposed to any other line of thinking. And where has this gotten us? Americans are unhealthier and more overweight than ever.

I would like to share some of these concerns with a wider audience outside of family and friends - the poor souls who have already been subjected to my rants these past few years. For their sake and yours, I decided to take my rants to the masses. I look forward to sharing some of what I learn along the way as I attempt to educate myself and anyone who will listen about what it truly means to be healthy in America.

Tuesday, November 20, 2012

It Is A Wonderful Day For Pie!

It’s a wonderful day for pie!

 
This Family Guy clip got me thinking about how Thanksgiving is certainly a wonderful day for pie! It is also a great day for turkey, gravy, stuffing and mashed potatoes. Do you see anything wrong with this spread? I’m not trying to rain on your Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade folks, but I don’t see one vegetable in sight! And my apologies to all of my green bean and sweet potato casseroles’ fans but it’s hard to justify those as actual “good-for-you” vegetables.  

I totally get it – for many people, Thanksgiving is just as much about long-standing family traditions and recipes as it is about giving thanks and watching football. But I do think it’s possible to have our pie and eat it too (so to speak).

While celebrating with family and friends makes this a festive and wonderful time of the year, it can be hard on our waistlines and downright hazardous to our health. Did you know that half of the annual weight gain in the United States occurs during the Holiday period from Thanksgiving to the New Year? Even more sobering is the fact that most of this weight is retained indefinitely. No one likes watching the ball drop five pounds heavier, but knowing you are likely to carry it around for the rest of your life is really frightening!
So how should we then navigate the Holidays – with all of our traditions intact - in order to avoid the dreaded weight gain? I certainly don’t want to offer you any more useless advice.  We all know about portion control, and we’ve all seen articles telling us to water down wine with seltzer.  (I don’t know about you but I see no holiday cheer in watered down wine). 

I do think there are a couple of things you can do, however, to take care of yourself during this hectic time. If you are just a little bit careful, you won’t have to begin another New Year in which your #1 resolution is to lose weight.
Holiday celebrations should not change the basics of eating fresh, whole, REAL foods. Sure, your recipes might call for more sugar and fat than you typically enjoy but indulging on the major Holidays won’t kill you. It’s the in between days that will get you if you are not careful. After all, the grocery stores are filled with really good options all season long! I, for one, am going to try to keep my in between eating to mostly protein and lots of veggies. That way, it won’t be the end of the world if I indulge in some stuffing, mashed potatoes and pie on the Big Day.

I also think adding green vegetables to the menu is a must. I was just reading a review of a book for novice Thanksgiving chefs highlighting the essentials for cooking up a fantastic meal. The author sets out rules that must be followed to guarantee success, one of them being “salad is always an unwelcome guest.” As you can imagine, I totally disagree. I think adding a salad to your spread is a great idea. For one, throwing some fresh greens into the mix is a perfect way to occupy precious plate space and might lead to less overeating. Two, it’s just plain good for you.
Finally, crammed calendars and family obligations should not prevent us from staying active. In fact, it is quite the contrary. Perhaps instead of sitting on the couch watching the big game in a food coma following Thanksgiving dinner, you can play a little touch football with your cousins. You’ll feel better and have some room for dessert.

Personally, I always start Thanksgiving Day with a Turkey Trot of some sort! You can find races and family friendly activities in practically every town and city all across the country. They are a fun way to get some exercise and will help keep the guilty feelings at bay.
Thanksgiving is a special time in our country – we gather with friends and family simply to give thanks for all of our blessings.  That is exactly what I intend to do… I am going to enjoy this Holiday season, give thanks for the health of my family and friends AND step into the New Year feeling like myself. I think it is absolutely achievable. Now I have to hurry home to bake a few homemade pumpkin pies for my own turkey day festivities – after all, it is a wonderful day for pie!

I wish you all a very Happy Thanksgiving!
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