Take control
I am ashamed to say it's been about 8 months since I last posted a blog on here...but nonetheless. I read an article today that really pissed me off and that I nearly 100% disagree with.
http://health.nytimes.com/ref/health/healthguide/esn-obesity-ess.html
"the notion that Americans ever ate well is suspect. In 1966, when Americans were still comparatively thin, more than two billion hamburgers already had been sold in McDonald’s restaurants...The recent rise in obesity may have more to do with our increasingly sedentary lifestyles than with the quality of our diets."
OK...well, let me be clear. I don't completely disagree with this statement, but, it also leaves out a key factor...the portion sizes have dramatically increased since 1966! American's are typically eating 50% more food now than they did then! Go to McDonald's now...I haven't been to a McD's in probably 15 years, but nonetheless, my husband goes occasionally. Their small fries now is the size of their large fries then...
A cheeseburger now, may be the same size as it was then, but back then, most people would be satisfied with 1, perhaps 2 cheeseburgers at the most for a meal...now, they order a minimum of 2 cheeseburgers, often more.
To say that obesity has little to do with diet quality and more to do with being sedentary really irks me. I agree, EVERYONE needs to move more, and that would prevent a lot...but I can tell you this, as much as anyone exercises, it is very easy to out-eat what you burn up. Plus, most American's do not exercise more than 30 minutes per day...which is not "enough" to constitute lasting weight loss, UNLESS diet is also changed.
Besides that...the article goes on to discuss that the foods in the 1960s were cooked with butter, and whole milk etc. Yes, this is true, perhaps the "ingredients" were still high in fat, but again, portion size was a lot smaller, and additionally, food was real...food was whole...butter is a natural food. Margarine, which came later and was thought to be healthier, was not. And...foods that may be made with skim milk, may have more calories from sugar. So, substituting fat with sugar doesn't make any food better.
Anyway...I do agree with some of the assertions the article makes, where it discusses the misconception people have about the number of calories they burn v. the number they eat...but, to say that we cannot control our urges is too easy, it's a copout.
I wake up every morning and I either swim for 70 minutes (distance to be determined based on how fast I swim that day), or I go to spin class for 60 minutes, walk, or ride a bike...I exercise for an hour a day.
I choose to eat healthy foods whether that be salad, or fish, or sushi, or eggs. I choose healthy items and prepare them in a healthy way. But...I also eat dessert. I'm not afraid of it or the calories. I don't worry about getting fat overnight. I think it's a cop out to say, we have a set point. Our set point for weight is maybe 10% influenced by our genetics, but is 90% influenced by our behaviors...what we choose to eat, whether or not we get physical activity.
I'm tired of hearing that people cannot maintain a healthy weight, I think people give up to easily, I think people are not willing to work...heck, if I didn't need to work, maybe I wouldn't...(who am I kidding?), but, people will always try to take the easy way out. The path of least resistance, and sometimes you have to force yourself to take the path of most resistance for your own health.
http://health.nytimes.com/ref/health/healthguide/esn-obesity-ess.html
"the notion that Americans ever ate well is suspect. In 1966, when Americans were still comparatively thin, more than two billion hamburgers already had been sold in McDonald’s restaurants...The recent rise in obesity may have more to do with our increasingly sedentary lifestyles than with the quality of our diets."
OK...well, let me be clear. I don't completely disagree with this statement, but, it also leaves out a key factor...the portion sizes have dramatically increased since 1966! American's are typically eating 50% more food now than they did then! Go to McDonald's now...I haven't been to a McD's in probably 15 years, but nonetheless, my husband goes occasionally. Their small fries now is the size of their large fries then...
A cheeseburger now, may be the same size as it was then, but back then, most people would be satisfied with 1, perhaps 2 cheeseburgers at the most for a meal...now, they order a minimum of 2 cheeseburgers, often more.
To say that obesity has little to do with diet quality and more to do with being sedentary really irks me. I agree, EVERYONE needs to move more, and that would prevent a lot...but I can tell you this, as much as anyone exercises, it is very easy to out-eat what you burn up. Plus, most American's do not exercise more than 30 minutes per day...which is not "enough" to constitute lasting weight loss, UNLESS diet is also changed.
Besides that...the article goes on to discuss that the foods in the 1960s were cooked with butter, and whole milk etc. Yes, this is true, perhaps the "ingredients" were still high in fat, but again, portion size was a lot smaller, and additionally, food was real...food was whole...butter is a natural food. Margarine, which came later and was thought to be healthier, was not. And...foods that may be made with skim milk, may have more calories from sugar. So, substituting fat with sugar doesn't make any food better.
Anyway...I do agree with some of the assertions the article makes, where it discusses the misconception people have about the number of calories they burn v. the number they eat...but, to say that we cannot control our urges is too easy, it's a copout.
I wake up every morning and I either swim for 70 minutes (distance to be determined based on how fast I swim that day), or I go to spin class for 60 minutes, walk, or ride a bike...I exercise for an hour a day.
I choose to eat healthy foods whether that be salad, or fish, or sushi, or eggs. I choose healthy items and prepare them in a healthy way. But...I also eat dessert. I'm not afraid of it or the calories. I don't worry about getting fat overnight. I think it's a cop out to say, we have a set point. Our set point for weight is maybe 10% influenced by our genetics, but is 90% influenced by our behaviors...what we choose to eat, whether or not we get physical activity.
I'm tired of hearing that people cannot maintain a healthy weight, I think people give up to easily, I think people are not willing to work...heck, if I didn't need to work, maybe I wouldn't...(who am I kidding?), but, people will always try to take the easy way out. The path of least resistance, and sometimes you have to force yourself to take the path of most resistance for your own health.
posted by Dana M. Ellis, MPH, R.D. @ 1:10 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home