It’s Because We Became Lazy – US Obesity Problem

The American diet as it relates to calories has actually changed very little over the past 80 years.  There has been a switch from a high carbohydrate and animal fat diet in the past, to a high vegetable fat based, higher protein diet in more recent years.  We also have the addition of increased fiber, understanding of healthy fats, as well as an increase in raw vegetable and fruit consumption.  This shift, specifically over the last 40 years, does not proportionally match the increase in the obesity problem. So what is the cause?

Due to the breakthroughs in technology, the average calorie expenditure of individuals has DRASTICALLY decreased, especially starting in the 80’s.  A reduction in jobs requiring manual labor, new modes of transportation, and a huge increase in the tech. industry has wiped out the need for the population to get their hands dirty, focusing more on computer skills and less on physical activity, as well as the use of things like the internet, TV, and video games.  (For the record, I love the internet, TV, and video games.) This basically means that the diets of the average person has remained relatively unchanged (with a slow and steady caloric increase,) while our way of life has drastically reduced general physical activity.  In the 60’s over half of the private jobs required some kind of manual labor, but now it is less than 16%.

Although red meat still reigns supreme in the US diet over the past years, chicken consumption increased drastically since the 1970’s as did the average fruit and vegetable daily intake.  Although the vegetable and salad oil use has increased a good amount over this same time period, most likely due to the availability of fried foods and snacks, the use of butter and margarine spreads at meal times has decreased along with a huge swing from whole milk to lower fat varieties.  There has been an obvious increase in carbohydrate consumption over the years due to things like HFCS as well, but as stated before, this does not proportionately reflect the skyrocketing obesity rates. Also, the diets of previous years had a larger portion of calories coming from carb. sources like breads, pasta, white rice and potatoes.

Americans have drastically increased in eating out as opposed to cooking at home, but the options available at restaurants have shifted to healthier options, even if a good portion of consumers still do not choose them.  The American consumer also forged the path to larger portion size.  They demanded greater value and their purchasing habits reflected this, however the actually content of the food has remain steady of the years, which supports the fact that the food industry should not be directly to blame for this obesity epidemic, but the US lifestyle should.  Just like any industry, it reacts to the purchasing habits of its consumers, and the food industry is no exception. That being said, the food industry could defiantly do a better job in promoting low calorie, fresher foods.

I just want to leave you with one more interesting fact…the average person is now 33 pounds heavier then they were in the 60’s and also burn almost 200 less calories a day, which can account for almost 60% of those extra pounds.  Add just a bit more of physical activity, we can start shedding the weight.

 

More Food Shenanigans – a.k.a Pictures

Honey Dijon Farro Salad with Sun-dried Tomatoes, Fontina Cheese, Flat Leaf Parsley

This is how you make a real bacon bowl!

Gruyere and Caramelized Leek Couscous Stuffed Tomato with Porcini Mushrooms and Fennel

Arugula and Red Cabbage Salad with Maple Vinegrette, Roasted Pears, Caramelized Pearl Onions, Candied Walnuts, and Cheddar Chip

BACON!!!!!!!!!

Grano Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette, Baby Kale, Red Onions, Diced Cherry Tomatoes, and BACON!

Stuff I cooked this week…

Here are a few highlights from the things I cooked this week:

BACON BOWL!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Quinoa Crab Cake, Confit Tomatoes, Hemp Heart Pesto Aioli

 

 

 

 

 

Sunny Up Eggs, Avocado, Tomato and Red Onion Hash

Better-for-you options at your favorite fast-food chain

Don’t shoot the messenger.  Some people need to satisfy their craving for fast food, but if you must, there are some better for you options if you know where to look.  Although nothing would beat making your own meals, these would be decent options for people who are on a calorie restrictive diet, looking to eat small meals throughout the day, and need their fast food fix.  This also does not include the obvious salad choices, because lets face it, you are most likely not craving a fast food establishments salad…

• Subway – 6 inch turkey on wheat with everything, no cheese, no sauce, add vinegar without any oil, plus salt and pepper (280 calories, 4 grams of fat, 46 grams of carbs, 5 grams of fiber, 18 grams of protein)
• Taco Bell – 3 fresco chicken soft tacos (420 calories, 10.5 grams of fat, 48 grams of carbs, 6 grams of fiber, 30 grams of protein)
• Sonic – Grilled chicken wrap w/o light ranch (360 calories, 8 grams of fat, 39 grams of carbs, 2 grams of fiber, 31 grams of protein)
• BurgerKing – Tendergrill chicken sandwich w/o mayo (400 calories, 11 grams of fat, 43 grams of carbs, 2 grams of fiber, 31 grams of protein)
• McDonalds – Premium grilled chicken classic sandwich w/o mayo (300 calories, 3.5 grams of fat, 41 grams of carbs, 3 grams of fiber, 27 grams of protein)
• Arby’s – Roast beef classic (360 calories, 14 grams of fat, 35 grams of carbs, 1 gram of fiber, 23 grams of protein)
• Chipotle – Barbacoa burrito bowl w/ brown rice, fajita veggies, tomato salsa and lettuce (375 calories, 11.5 grams of fat, 42 grams of carbs, 5 grams of fiber, 29 grams of protein)
• Wendy’s – Ultimate chicken grill w/o sauce (330 calories, 3.5 grams of fat, 40 grams of carbs, 2 grams of fiber, 34 grams of protein)
• Chick-fil-A – Grilled chicken cool wrap (330 calories, 12 grams of fat, 28 grams of carbs, 15 grams of fiber, 38 grams of protein)

Tips for a weight-loss challenge

This post will not involve lining your pockets with bricks or chugging water right before your initial weigh-in.  If you are planning on doing a weight-loss challenge at work, school, gym, or just for yourself, why not try and do it right.  I will also not be talking about tricks for your final weigh-in to nudge past your competition.  That being said, here are a few points to have a successful and healthy weight-loss competition:

• Have fun and be a team – Even though you want to destroy Sally in HR or make Steve in Accounting cry, you will not be successful unless you and your fellow participants are working together to achieve the goal for the greater good.  Some appropriate, motivating smack talk and competitive strategy is great, but if there are people lagging behind in the contest, motivating them will be beneficial for them AND for you.  Leading a weight-loss charge makes a fun and exciting challenge right through the final weigh-in and beyond.
• Plan ahead – Do you have a big lunch meeting scheduled and feel obligated to eat? Plan ahead by reviewing the menus online to find an appropriate meal that fits within your diet restrictions.  Will you not have time to run out for lunch tomorrow?  Make sure you have a supply of healthy and readily available foods at home to bring for lunch or if you are traveling.
• Read your food label or menu – Nutritional callouts like ‘low-fat’, ‘low-carb’, or ‘cholesterol-free’ don’t necessarily mean LOW-CALORIE.  Make sure you are eating the appropriate type of foods for whatever your dietary goals might be.  Do a little research into the ingredients used to make your choices.  Understand what a real portion size is as it relates to the ‘per serving’ ingredient and nutritional labeling.  Some choices may be better than others in some circumstances, however it might not be appropriate for YOUR diet.   For instance, olive oil has more health benefits compared to butter, however both are fats which contain about 9cal/gram, meaning they both have the same amount of calories, and if you are on a calorie restrictive diet, supplementation is not as good as reduction.
• Keep Eating – Metabolism is a tricky thing, however if you don’t eat enough calories, your body will shut down and you will not lose any weight.  Take a look at my previous post on metabolism to understand how  it works.
• You have time to work out – Anyone who says they have no time to workout is lying.  In the morning before work, at lunch, right after work, while traveling, with your family or co-workers are all possible as long as you plan accordingly.  When you have limited time, a quick, high intensity workout is going to separate the losers from the real-losers.
• Weight-loss diet is temporary, weight-maintain diet is permanent – There is nothing worse than losing a whole bunch of weight, only to put it back on after the competition.  You have to remember that once you reach your weight-loss goals, your diet needs to evolve into a weight-maintain diet.  Read my previous post about the weight-maintain diet and make sure you adjust accordingly so you don’t bounce back.
• Write it down – Keeping track of your food and beverage consumption can really put into perspective what your calorie and nutrient intake is like.  Writing down meal plans, exercise schedule, or list of appropriate foods for your diet allows you to stay on track without losing focus on your goals.

What are some of your tips for a successful weigh-loss challenge???