Why do we get fat?
Thank you Beckster!
Why do we get fat?
Obesity is not an American disease - its not even a Western only phenomena - it is becoming a global problem. During the time that obesity has spread, consumers have been offered more and more healthy alternatives - diet sodas, sugar free drinks, skimmed milk, low fat dairy products and spreads, low cal soups, slimmers meals, low carb substitutes. We have been educated on the evils of frying with saturated fats, we are offered more and more alternative products, and more recently - more products laced with supplements. So how come obesity is increasing?
In my opinion, it is - as often is the case, a result of a number of different factors.
Less exercise - yes, thats one reason. Years ago, more people walked to do their shopping - and they walked around their town centres to visit the butchers, the grocers, the fishmongers, etc. I remember my Mum's huge shopping bags - none of this disposable plastic rubbish either. They were more likely to walk or cycle to work - or to walk to the train station. We sit still for much longer - watching TV, DVD, Internet, video games, etc - We've never had more incentive to be sedentary.
Junk and convenience foods. I have to admit, that until this Spring, we were convenience food junkies. Typical junky evening meal for this English working class family - deep fried chicken nuggets from the freezer, with oven chips, and some baked beans, smothered with tomato ketchup and salt. It wasn't even enjoyable - it always fired up my heart burn (indigestion), and I felt greasy, bloated, unhappy. Why did we eat this junk so long? The smotherings of ketchup and salt were there to disguise its awful taste. Habit - lazyness, lack of self respect, maybe all of these things. Perhaps its also because its so in your face - on TV, cinema, and everywhere that you go and shop. This sort of junk is becoming a social norm - and obesity marches on.
Funny thing is, I am still a lazy cook. I don't sweat in the kitchen, I cook minimal, simple, and quick - but I can still do this and chuck up a simple but nutritious meal. For example, I often chuck a fillet of fish, and some quickly chopped fresh vegetables into my cheapo electric steamer. Boil up some wholemeal pasta or brown rice - add a fat dob of cottage cheese or hummus - I have a tasty nutritous meal in the same time, with no more effort than it took for the junky meal. A salad - even easier.
If I want to take use a little more effort - homemade soups, stirfries, stuffed vegetables, curries etc. The healthier meal might mean that I need to shop more often (but I could perhaps use my freezer more sensibly), it might mean that I spend more money on food - but nutrient dense foods mean that I have to buy less. I have to be more careful on storing food. I do sometimes buy too much fresh food, some of which waste - but with a little effort I can improve my shopping skills, and learn to store excess food long term.
Actually, shopping and eating are both more pleasurable! Shopping becomes more of a challenge - I want fresh, sometimes even local produce, I want healthy options, I want organic (when I can justify the expense), and I want more and more variety.
Getting back to the question, how about processed foods? Look at the ingredients on that ready meal - yes, even that 'diet meal', that bottle of ketchup, that soda. All of those e-numbers, and what about the sodium, the sugar, the 'sweeteners', the trans-fats (partially hydrogenated fats/oils), the palm oil, etc. You think that none of that is going to affect your health? - While you're at it - read up about . My daughters told me about it - my 11 year old was watching TV a few days ago, and saw a commercial for a 'healthy and natural' cereal bar "sure, thats great for nature - its got palm oil in it, very natural!" she complained.
Sorry if I'm sounding too political, but it is my diary. The point is, don't trust the processed food industry - even those whose products are promoted as healthy, slimming, or natural. Check out the ingredients, then use a search engine - decide for yourself - choice is the key to losing weight. We can choose not to live badly anymore.
Finally - there is the way that we eat - we do it so badly! I used to skip breakfast. I snacked on chocolates, junk food, crisps (potato chips). I had a big evening meal - you know, the oven fries, nuggets, etc - big portions, followed by a sweet dessert from the superstore. Then three or four cans of beer, scoffing chocolate digestives, brie, crisps, or a late night 'snack' - all in the hours before going to bed.
Now I break fast with a meal, I eat several times through the day, balanced foods, smaller portions. I avoid big meals during the evening, and stodgy foods and drinks. Its a bad feature of our culture - skipping early meals, snacking uncontrollably on bad foods, then wolfing down mega meals during the evening.
At least thats my take on the problem - and the signs are that its going to be a much bigger problem for future generations. But its going to be profitable for the slimming industry, more people to con with their useless products.
Diary
Porridge oats and honey + whey shake for breks.
Wholemeal pasta, lentils, canned red salmon, flax oil, a yellow bell pepper, and some broccoli. An apple.
Snacks: beef jerky, a banana, orange juice, a cereal bar.
Exercise: Dog-Jogging. 3 mile run through the forest with Wolfy in 24 minutes. Heart rate peaked at 164 bpm, average 155 bpm. When I returned home, 60 crunches.
Post workout whey shake.
I am now going to have a fresh turkey breast steak, steamed vegetables, some nuts - maybe some brown rice or even a few potatos.
Before bed, probably some cottage cheese or crab meat.
