The Case for Real Food

I thought I’d continue on from last weeks Glycemic Information:

We have all heard that we need to eat more real, whole foods rather than the processed fake ones. It is so much easier to say than it is to follow because in our busy day to day lives it is much easier to fall back on the quick, packaged, processed stuff.  But if you think about one simple fact – we are what we eat, then it kind of puts a different perspective on the whole convenience theme.

What we eat helps build our body, from the cells, to bone marrow, blood, etc. So considering we are re-generating new cells absolutely every day (billions of them), replacing our entire body every 7 years, I think it is important to make sure we are feeding our bodies the correct ingredients to make healthy cells. Clean eating is slowly gathering momentum and it only makes sense because really if you think about it, our bodies are only as clean as the food we feed it.

Clean does not necessarily mean organic (although organic is very good). Clean foods are minimally processed and as close to nature as possible. Free of additives, colorings, flavourings, sweeteners, and hormones. Foods with one ingredient are the best. The longer the ingredient list, the more man made chemicals, salt, sugar, oils etc. will be manufactured right in the food. If you can’t pronounce it, do you think your body knows what to do with it?

I’ve not only read, but also experienced, that the closer to nature that you eat, the fewer calories it takes to feel satisfied. Real, whole foods are filled with fibre and water. Processed foods often have very low fibre, added salt, sugar and flavouring that can cause mixed signals to your brain.  Something about stimulating the Hypothalamus gland - its appetite control center – clean foods send full signals, chemicals can over stimulate the gland. (I had to look that up again – ever read YOU on a DIET? They describe this process in good detail) 

Think about how many whole natural almonds you can eat and feel fairly satisfied, then eat the honey roasted almonds – the sugar coating can spur you to eat a LOT more. Makes perfect sense to me.

So some things we can do to start practicing Clean Eating:
Start going through your cupboards and get rid of the products that have High Fructose Corn Syrup (see this weblink that  Losing Weight after 45 is a Bitch shared the other day), corn oil, or any thing really high processed. Don’t go nuts, but gradually get rid of it all.

Shop the perimeter of the Supermarket. Most whole, natural foods are on the outside aisles of grocery stores (produce, diary, meats). More towards the inside of the stores is the processed and packaged foods.
Read the labels. A head of lettuce has one ingredient (of course no label but you get the picture), while a bag of cheese flavoured Doritos has a list of ingredients a mile long. You don’t need to eliminate all packaged foods, just find the ones that have fewer ingredients.

Cook more meals at home. Many restaurants  can use highly processed products to create their meals.  When you cook at home, you know what is going into your choices. If you have to eat out, investigate where you are going, if that isn’t possible, ask the waiter questions, tell him how you want the food prepared. Most restaurants are willing to provide you with your needs.

It possibly can take some time to adjust your taste buds to a cleaner diet. Use half and half split between brown rice and white rice, slowly reducing the amount of white rice each time you make it.  You can do the same with whole grain pasta. Even canned soups, use half a can of low sodium with half a can of normal and slowly adjust until you have adapted to the low sodium taste.

They say use the 80/20 rule. If you try to do 100% clean all the time, you can get obsessive, and eventually worn out, tired, and abandon the plan due to frustration. Plan the 20% for when you travel, or social engagements. Makes life less complicated that way and your chances of sticking to it are greater. I am pretty sure this is where I fail. I try too hard, get frustrated, don’t allow room for movement and eventually go on a binge of all the wrong stuff. It then starts a cycle of cravings etc. I need to factor in that 20%.

There is a ton of information out there on eating clean. In September of 2008, after seeing a picture of myself, I found Tosca Reno’s Clean Eating book (she has a blog). She became my “goal” as she wasn’t quite 50, and was in fantastic shape. I wanna be like her when I grow up (more or less).

Now I just need to remember all of this when I fall off the wagon due to poor food choices like I did a couple of weeks ago. I know this stuff, have for some time now. I have read a ton of books, have felt very good eating clean, my body has changed in the last 18 months from unhealthy to pretty healthy. I just need to remember how good I feel when I am on track. Once I get everything under control, my weight should normalize quickly. Now that I’m exercising daily which now includes, Hot Yoga, Strength Training, Cardio and  lots of Stretching, I should start seeing results. This year will be different, I just forgot for a week or so.
I’ve just got to practice what I just wrote about :)

Thanks again for reading and have a FANTASTIC week.

ttyl
Sandra