I picked up a copy of TIME's September 12th issue yesterday. Ironically, I was at the grocery store when I came across the periodical. Initially I thought, "Great! This will help me figure out what to eat".
Dr. Oz, a famous cardiac surgeon, i.e. the roto-rooter of the heart, admitted that fad dieting may take off the poundage, but it's all too easy to pack it back on. He goes on to say, in a world of 'eat this, not that' and things like 'the cabbage-soup diet' or 'the South Beach diet' constantly bombarding the general public, "it's no wonder we're all confused about what a healthy diet should look like-the rules keep changing"(Pg. 50). Hallelujah! I have found a friend!! He acknowledged that most patients come to him because of 'what they eat' and what it has done to their heart.
A few weeks ago my nutritionist friend, T, had mentioned that the American diet got really screwed up right around the early 70's. She shared that American's began flocking to 'low fat' products. To earn some coin, many companies came into being because they capitalized on the fear of fat. Low fat, but chock full o' super nasty other crap! Low fat usually tastes like card board, so the companies, who wanted to peddle their 'card board', loaded their products up with things like sodium and sugar, to help their 'spoonful of crap' go down with greater ease. But of course, these products did not advertise 'low fat, lots of sugar'. Dr. Oz points out the difference between good and bad fat. Things like olive oil, eggs and nuts have their place in our diet. He also touched on the benefits of dark chocolate and wine. No wonder Oprah is a fan!! Ok...he had me at wine and chocolate!
His article is definitely worth a read. It's interesting, but it really didn't tell me exactly what to eat. He did reveal a trick he uses to keep himself from over eating. He'll eat a few nuts before a meal, so as to load up on good fats and proteins to help fill his tummy instead of gorging on pasta. I can so do this!
His bottom line: "Eat in moderation; choose foods that look like they did when they came out of the ground (remember, there are no marshmallow trees); be an omnivore (there are multiple food groups for a reason); and get some exercise. Don't let the food control you." (Pg. 58)
Are you one of the people who does the old -- 'I'll put my head in the sand because I'm too afraid to look at the nutritional facts on the back of the box'? I'm calling your bluff! Walk into Dunkin' Donuts or Starbucks and most have now been required, by law, to reveal their food facts. It'll blow your mind to learn how much fat is in a zucchini muffin, for example. You think you're being good, but the hard truth is you'll consume as many calories in that muffin as you would in a McDonald's Big Mac!! CRIMINAL!
Pull your head out of the sand, put your big girl/boy pants on and be prepared to toss your low-fat cookies.
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