Why we keep gaining weight...

[kadee]

I'm not sure I will ever be able to eat another fast food burger or not!!!!!!

health.yahoo.net/experts/eatthis/truth-about-your-weight-gain

[dividend]

It's true. Several years ago I stopped eating pretty much all processed foods and lost 30 lbs without really doing anything else. I eat really well, too. CSA veggies all summer, a monthly meat and egg share from a local farm that raises pastured beef, pork, lamb, and actual free range chickens. I cook sensible portions of real food at home, and am often amazed by the poor quality and extreme quantity of restaurant/prepared food. Did you know that a single serving of pasta is 2 dry oz? Or that a serving of nuts or dried fruit is 1 oz?

[breezy]

I eat too many carbs - especially in the winter, when fresh fruit & veg's aren't as good. If I cut back on carbs - I'm sure I'd lose weight.

[motherto2]

How in the world can the Government continue to allow this? I understand for the businesses, it's about making money. But the FDA is supposed to be there to protect us. I think I need to start looking into finding more organic products. Maybe that's a new resolution I'll add to thie year. Thanks for posting this. Eye opener

[dividend]

Dec 29, 2010 9:51:04 GMT -5 @breezy said:

I eat too many carbs - especially in the winter, when fresh fruit & veg's aren't as good. If I cut back on carbs - I'm sure I'd lose weight.

Winter fruits and veggies can be delicious - roasted squash, all kinds of hearty stir fried greens, roasted brussel sprouts, every kind of citrus imaginable, apple season (which is just about over). They're not as easy as their summery counterparts, but they can be just as good, and packed full of nutrition. Today I snacked on clementines with spanish almonds, and sliced jonagolds with peanut butter. Try roasted fish with sauteed wintry greens (olive oil, garlic, crushed pepper flakes), and a reasonable serving of brown rice or some kind of grain blend. Here is a sample recipe I make all the time for dinner with no carb-y element.

How in the world can the Government continue to allow this? I understand for the businesses, it's about making money. But the FDA is supposed to be there to protect us. I think I need to start looking into finding more organic products. Maybe that's a new resolution I'll add to this year.

I'm not sure I want the government stepping in to make this right. After all, it was government subsidies for corn combined with government scientists promoting low-fat (and by implication high carb) food as healthy that lead to our poor eating habits fueled by cheap processed foods. And I wouldn't count on organic as a stamp of healthy either. Really the only way is to eat unprocessed, whole foods.

[Deleted]

I think the government's a little more occupied with pushing genetically modified food than organic...

[❤ mollymouser ❤]

I love that article!!! Why? Because TWICE he suggested eating real bacon! (happy sigh!)

[The J]

On the bacon issue, I'd note that Jennie-O makes an extra lean turkey bacon that's only 20 calories per slice (0.5 g fat). I used to use it because, with the almost non-existant fat content, you could cook up batches of it in advance and it stayed crunchy -- was great for making sandwiches and wraps to take to work.

If you want to read some eye-opening stuff about the food industry in America, I'd suggest Michael Pollan's books.

[thyme4change]

My husband decided to give up fast food, and as I result I also stopped going to fast food joints. But, on a recent road trip we stopped at McDonald's and grabbed something. After a year without having had McDonald's, I was absolutely blown away by how salty it was. It tasted like a salt lick. It was amazing that my body had changed at the food that I love (McDonald's) didn't even taste good.

I'm still for the occasional greasy burger - but I've found a local restaurant that makes a good one. Totally worth it!

[❤ mollymouser ❤]

Turkey bacon is evil. (Just sayin' ...)

[celticqueen]

Read "Fast Food Nation." That was an eye opener. Also "The Maker's Diet." Or watch the documentary "Food Inc." The problem with our food today is that there's no food in it anymore. It's just processed chemicals with additives of antibiotics and hormones. I think that's what's also contributing to the increase in cancer, heart disease, diabetes, IBS, fibromyalgia, etc. It's like that old computer adage...Garbage in, Garbage Out.

[ummboutthat]

Jan 4, 2011 15:21:16 GMT -5 thyme4change said:

My husband decided to give up fast food, and as I result I also stopped going to fast food joints. But, on a recent road trip we stopped at McDonald's and grabbed something. After a year without having had McDonald's, I was absolutely blown away by how salty it was. It tasted like a salt lick. It was amazing that my body had changed at the food that I love (McDonald's) didn't even taste good.

I'm still for the occasional greasy burger - but I've found a local restaurant that makes a good one. Totally worth it!

yea- girlfriend stopped drinking soda for..I think a month. Then a gave her a glass without thinking first and she tasted it (Pepsi) and she said it's too sweet

[thyme4change]

Oh yeah - pop tastes so weird! It doesn't taste like real food - well because it isn't. BUt it is weird!

[DebMD (banned)]

No one will look after your health better than you.

No federal agency not even some doctors.
Examples: It took Oprah to see 5 different doctors before they diagnosed a thyroid condition. Michael Jackson's doctor in my opinion did not do due diligence.

Just because it's edible doesn't make it food.

Mostly[~80% of store space] that's in grocery stores is edible but that does not make it nutritious.

My food has to come from the ground/earth and has to have had a mother.

[thyme4change]

Do carrots have mothers?

(I hope you meant "or" had a mother)

[HoneyBBQ]

Great article. ITA 100%. The "low fat" or "lite" versions of food sometimes are nothing more than chemicals and food coloring. It's really sad. If I want to eat something fattening (avocado, bacon, eggs) I just EAT it and don't worry about it. Don't get fake food to supplant REAL food. I stay away from HFCS and ingredients that I don't know what they ARE.

I also cut down on meat. It's better for me, and better for the environment. I only eat it a couple times a week. Beans and other sources of protein are better for you, leaner, and cost less, too.

My vice is that I still do eat whole grain pasta. I can't help it. But I always make a nice vegetable-laden tomato sauce to go with it. My other problem is breakfast. I try to eat "heavier" whole grain cereals and granola, but I know they are still mostly garbage. I top with lots of fresh fruit to compensate. I'd eat oatmeal every day if I had the 5 minutes to cook it.

[Deleted]

Here is some information on Organic Foods. Judging by what I have read when purchasing organics from retail stores there may not be much of a difference in what you get when you purchase regular produce (other than the price). Seems the best way to ensure you and your family are consuming safe foods is to produce them yourself. That way you know exactly what is in your food.

www.quackwatch.com/01QuackeryRelatedTopics/organic.html

[Artemis Windsong]

Suzanne Sommers was on the Today Show saying that puffiness can be a food allergy.

To see if the item is okay for you or not, put the test item in one hand and a food item you know is okay in the other. Have someone push down on the good food hand. It should be strong and not move. Try this with the test food item. If your arm is strong, it is okay. If not, then stop having it.

This can be done one handed if you don't have another person to help.

I don't know why or how the above works but it does and can be used for decision making. Just write the one question on a slip of paper for one hand and the other on another slip of paper for your other hand. Then use the same push down.

[jarhead1976]

I ate 2 apple pies one night after dinner...... lost 2 lbs! lol

[Deleted]

OK, I've bought my last jar of "low-fat" peanut butter.

Darn scary article, and I'm glad they slammed high-fructose corn syrup a couple of times. I'm tickled that some food labels now state conspicuously, "No High-Fructose Corn Syrup". Like just about every woman, I wish I weighed about 20 lbs. less, but at almost 58 years old, I can appear on a public beach in a bathing suit and feel pretty good. I don't even have to buy one with those little skirt thingys! I think it's because of the food I eat- DH cooks just about everything from scratch, we include lots of veggies in our meals, and we rarely eat processed foods. I can look at most of the cookies and cakes in the store and I'm not even tempted because I know they'll have a chemical aftertaste and leave a greasy film in my mouth. OK, I do reward myself with a pack of Zingers after a 14-mile bike ride, but that's not very often.

I'm also glad that they pointed out that sometimes the low-fat, low-sugar, imitation stuff is so unsatisfying we end up eating more. Better to have a smaller, more satisfying portion of the real thing. BTW, if you don't have blueberries to throw in plain Greek-style yogurt, add honey. It's heavenly.

[Frugal Nurse]

Jan 6, 2011 2:19:03 GMT -5 DebMD (banned) said:

My food has to come from the ground/earth and has to have had a mother.

Eeew... My food absolutely cannot have a mother! I can't make myself eat any food that I know an animal has died to produce! Dairy.. yes, because those animals keep on living. Meat? no thanks, eating dead animals just isn't my thing...yuck.

[Frugal Nurse]

Jan 10, 2011 14:04:33 GMT -5 Artemis Windsong said:

Suzanne Sommers was on the Today Show saying that puffiness can be a food allergy.

To see if the item is okay for you or not, put the test item in one hand and a food item you know is okay in the other. Have someone push down on the good food hand. It should be strong and not move. Try this with the test food item. If your arm is strong, it is okay. If not, then stop having it.

This can be done one handed if you don't have another person to help.

I don't know why or how the above works but it does and can be used for decision making. Just write the one question on a slip of paper for one hand and the other on another slip of paper for your other hand. Then use the same push down.

Yes...I'll be taking my nutritional advice from Susan Sommers...

[flopsy]

as long as the ingredients list is accurate i think the government's job is done. it doesn't take much extra time to scan the lists as you throw food into a cart at the grocery store. if you can't pronounce an ingredient then do you really want to eat it? if the government could end the low fat and fat free yogurt frenzy i'd be ok with that because it is getting hard to find 4% dairy products.

if you want a little less fat in your bacon try baking it. 1) lay the bacon out on a cooling rack stacked on top of a cookie sheet 2) preheat oven to 400F 3) pop the bacon in for 20 minutes or until crisp 4) find a use for the tasty bacon drippings

[kadee]

Bacon grease make really good bird suet blocks for the feeders! ;D

If you really want to find out about "organics" (and I've said this MANY times), go to the USDA web site & look up the requirements to put the word "organic" on a label! There isn't a whole lot of difference from any other product on the shelf...a little but not much. Now if it says "100% organic" that is another whole story. Or if someone who isn't certified for either sets up at a farmer's market (like me), they may tell you the produce has been "naturally" grown! That way they aren't claiming to be something that have to be USDA certified but they are generally growing organically!

The difference in "free range" chickens/eggs & "pasture raised" is that the "free range" are still penned but their feet touch the ground. "Pasture raised" is freely roaming and foraging for at least part of their foods.

If you really want to make yourself sick....look at the USDA site to find out what percentage of mice hair, feces, urine & bug parts are allowed into all products!!!

The GMOs (genetically modified o???[brain fart]) are slowly creeping into everything! The pollinators & wind are spreading them into the organic fields. And the head of the Dept. of Ag. just approved GMO alfalfa...a main winter food source for grass fed/pasture raised beef! Most of the bags of sugar that are just labeled "sugar" is made from GMO sugar beets. So far they haven't messed with cane sugar....read your labels & choose PURE cane sugar!

And I'll get off my soap box now or this will become a book!