Changing the Way You Eat

So you've decided to take some action and start getting fitter. You've taken the basic steps in last week's blog. You've started increasing your activity, and have cut out the obvious abuses. You're walking some on most days, increasing the distance and intensity. No more marathon Oreo-eating sessions for you. What's next?

The most important thing you can do for your fitness is to change what and how you eat.

Before I go any further, let's talk about diets. "Your diet" is whatever you habitually eat. It's what you eat most of the time. It's not some special eating plan. The concept of "going on a diet" implies that you are doing something unusual, artificial and temporary. I'm talking about changing your diet, not "going on a diet." Changes can be rapid, but gradual changes are more likely to be sustained.

One bit of background information, in case you this is new to you: all food can be divided into 3 categories, called "macronutrients"; protein, carbohydrate and fat. Proteins come from meat, eggs, dairy. Some veggies have some protein, but for various reasons (that will be the subject of a future blog) aren't as good a source. Carbs come mostly from plant products, grains, fruit, veggies, and in the form of "refined sugars". Fats come from animal foods and from grains.

Here are my "Rules to Eat By." I like rules to be short and simple, easy to remember. They shouldn't be technical. If anyone can suggest a better way to state #3, I'd be happy to change it.

1. Eat often, eat well
2. Eat lots of fruit and vegetables
3. Minimize other carbs, shift toward low-GI/GL carbs and don't eat carbs without fat or protein.
4. Don't fear eating fat, fear being fat
5. Eat plenty of protein
6. Occasional slip-ups aren't the end of the world
7. Don't drink calories
   

1. Eat often, eat well. Many people find that they lose weight better if they divide their food intake over 5 or 6 meals per day. Each meal should contain a mix of protein, carbohydrate and fat. Don't worry (at least for now) about exactly how much of each. Eat things you like. Please note that I didn't say "eat anything you like." But what you eat should be things that you like. Don't bother with food that you don't enjoy. I mean, isn't this obvious? Forcing yourself to eat something that you find disgusting just won't last long, no matter how "good for you" you may think it is. Try not to let yourself get hungry.

2. Eat lots of fruit and vegetables. This gives you your vitamins, fiber, flavor, refreshment and all the carbohydrate you really need. You don't like veggies, you say? Don't write them off without giving them a fair chance. Eat them fresh or cooked, whichever you like. Eat them in salads or singly. Adding fruit to salads can make them really good. Don't cover them up with creamy dips or dressings--that'll pile on the calories in a hurry.

3. Minimize carbs, favor low GI/GL and never alone. This one just sounds too technical, but I'm working on it. This means to cut way down on bread, rice, pasta, pancakes, waffles, biscuits, cookies, cake, pie, candy, jams and jellies, etc., etc. What carbohydrates you don't get from fruits and veggies should come in forms that don't cause a rapid rise in blood sugar. Glycemic index (GI) and glycemic load (GL) are ways of rating foods according to their tendency to raise the blood sugar. There are simple tables on line to help with this. Here's a link. And another. It's not nearly as complicated as looking up the nutrient content of foods. So another way of stating Rule Number Three is "favor low-GI/GL carbs." That's going to steer you to whole-grain bread rather than white, brown rice rather than white, etc. Eating carbs with protein or fat slows their digestion and absorption, thus lowering their effective GL.

4. Don't fear eating fats, fear being fat. The fat in your diet has much less impact on the fat on your belly than do the carbohydrates you eat. This is probably different than what you've been told, but some fats are actually good for you.

5. Eat plenty of protein. That's mostly meat and eggs.

6. Occasional slip-ups. This is inevitable. You have long-standing habits and preferences, and you probably aren't going to change those over night. And you live in a world filled with people, most of whom have never seen Jungledoc's Seven Rules for Eating. What do you do if you are invited to a friend's home for dinner, and the food that is served doesn't conform to the rules? Eat it, compliment your host/hostess on it, enjoy it. Try not to eat too much of it. Eat lots of the best of what's on the table. If there's a salad, take a large amount, ask for seconds, minimize the dressing. If there are veggies, take lots, ask for seconds. If there is meat, take a good helping. If there is rice, pasta, potatoes, take small helpings, but don't fuss about it. If there's desert, ask for a small portion, eat it slowly, savor every mouthful, and then call it quits.

But what if you really "blow it" and binge out? This should be the subject for a whole blog. Basically, forget it, forgive yourself, and go on doing things right. The only real serious problem is if you find yourself binging often. If it's happening more than once or twice a month you need to ask yourself serious questions about why you do it.

7. Don't drink calories. I decided a long time ago that sugary beverages were something that I could get along without. I drink water, black coffee and Crystal Light. A Coke is a very rare treat if I'm very hot, thirsty and tired. I haven't had one for a couple of months. When eating at friends' homes they usually offer a choice of beverage, and it's easy to ask for water. Ice and a twist of lemon can dress it up a little. Water also helps to fill you up, so drinking plenty of water with the first part of a meal will help you not keep going after you've eaten enough.

Ok! I think that's enough to digest (yeah, pun intended) for this week.

See you on the road!
Doc

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