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Lauren Muney at age 40:
Wellness coach and featured in
"Fit Over 40: Role Models for Excellence"
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NUTRITION: Food 101
by Lauren Muney
"Once, if I remember
correctly, my life was a feast at which all hearts opened and all wines
flowed."
-Rimbaud
Questions covered in this article:
- "Nutrition"
is really just a matter of eating whole, unprocessed foods... and
eating them frequently enough so your body doesn't lose energy.
- "How do I decide
what is best for my body; better yet, how do I UNDERSTAND it all?"
- "I'm confused!
What are the tricks about understanding what to eat?"
- "How can I read
the label on the package of food to see if my food ratios are correct?"
- "What about what
I am supposed to drink?"
- "But I have my
own particular issue in my life to consider. How can I follow
these rules?"
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We are all different, and there is no one nutritional plan which covers
everyone. If you visit your local mega-bookstore and look at
the diet/nutrition section, you'll see the vast amount of options of
"diets" available.
It's very important that everyone
realizes that fitness STARTS with your
eating. You need to fuel your body with healthy, beneficial
foods and also move your muscles (exercise). That's
really ALL. No gimmicks. No miracle pills. Just eating whole,
unprocessed foods.
Yes, this takes dedication. As I said
in my introduction, you
have to WANT to improve your health and fitness. You have to want things
which benefit you. I'm not here to beg you to WANT
to . . . I'm here to help and encourage you AFTER you decide
to.
You have to decide
that THE CHANGE IS WORTH IT.
Just know you want to do actions which
will benefit your health and fitness, and you don't want to
do things which will harm your health and fitness.
THE SIMPLE PLAN:
"Nutrition" is really
just a matter of eating whole, unprocessed foods... and eating them
frequently enough so your body doesn't lose energy.
"How do
I decide what is best for my body; better yet, how do I UNDERSTAND it
all?"
 Here's
my opinion, and the opinion of many educated, clinically-testing,
real-world testing professionals out there (see below for explanation):
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1. Eat whole protein sources
(chicken, fish, eggs, lean meats),
2. Moderate your dairy products,
3. Eat plenty of whole vegetables and fruit,
4.
Eat a small bit of whole grains
5. Add healthy fats like olive oil, flax seed oil, fish, and nuts.
That's all you have to do. REALLY.
If you do this for 4 weeks plus add exercise,
you will start seeing fitness results.
This is the secret that the 'gurus' don't want you to
know.
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 The
BENEFICIAL habits:
Whole grains, raw fresh vegetables and fruits, yogurt, eggs, red meats,
chicken, fish, and as much fresh water as you can stand. Supplement
with extra nutrients which cannot possibly be taken in by our daily
diet. Dairy in a limited way, and not if you are intolerant or allergic.
 The
NON-BENEFICIAL habits:
White bread, white rice, excessive pastas,
refined sugars, refined cakes, fruit juices, and most things which say
'enriched' anything, sodas, excessive caffeine, and alcohol.
Pretty easy, huh? Not hard to remember
these, right?
"But wait", you say, "This
sounds like the Food Pyramid. I know all this. We learned this as
children. I eat similar to this and I still feel sluggish, have extra
fat, and my muscles don't look like the guys on the covers on
the books or magazines."
Aha. That means there's some sort
of technique . . . perhaps there a particular WAY of eating these
things which needs to be uncovered. . . . and yes, this is quite right.
Here's
the truth about food: it's really
just a pile of chemistry, mixed together so that when it enters your
body: it has a job to do.
The hard part is, each particular food
can help or harm you, depending on:
- what your body needs,
- who you are (your genetic makeup:
history, DNA, and allergies included), and
- what activity you have to accomplish
in the next 2 minutes to 7 hours.
The experts argue for hours and years
about exactly what nutritional habits you should follow.
 "I'm
confused! What are the tricks about understanding what to eat?"
There's no trick: the best thing you can do for your body
is to understand what BECOMES of these foods inside the body.
Whole books, websites and volumes are
written about these factors, but for the average American, sitting
at the breakfast table with the bagel half-raised to his/her mouth,
a glass of orange juice next to the plate, and 4 cups of coffee later,
what does it mean?
Let's review them again:
The NON-BENEFICIAL
habits:
White bread, white rice, excessive pastas, refined sugars, refined cakes,
fruit juices, and most things which say 'enriched' anything,
sodas, excessive caffeine, and alcohol.
All of the above (except for caffeine),
actually turn into EXCESS PROCESSED SUGAR in your body, even if you
say, "Hey, Lauren, my spaghetti dinner isn't sugar".
Well, actually, yes it is. Most regular pasta is really just white
flour and water, which will wind up in your body like sugar and glue.
Oops. However, now the food industry has created whole-grain
pasta with high-protein sources, you have a chance for some better
pasta choices.
Those white breads, refined sugars,
cakes, pies, donuts, pastas, sodas, even juice boxes, etc? They
are making your body go absolutely haywire! Your blood rushes
to and fro from the sugar, like a child on . .. sugar cereal.
Not a pretty picture it is, controlling
a child on Captain Crunch, right? That's what your body is trying
to do with the Harmful Habits list. The sugars run around and
cause the body to function abnormally, and then . . . get this . .
. the sugars are left to be deposited in your fat cells. So,
not only do you feel off-kilter, but those foods are actually helping
you to BE fat, EVEN if the label says "fat free" or "low
fat".
Your body really does need fat. Healthy
fat - and there is a such thing. Contrary to what the food-marketers
say, "fat" (really, "essential fatty acids") is
truly needed by every cell in your body. That's why the MACRONUTRIENTS
are:
- protein,
- carbohydrates, and
- fat.
 Each
of these "building blocks" are needed by your cells to perform
a function: building cells, energizing cells, or carrying vital cell
messages... not only that, but if you do NOT intake any of these building
blocks (ie: cutting too many carbs or fat),
your body gets confused and starts doing odd things: like
running out of energy, making you feel woozy or spacey, or gaining
fat -- especially when you think you are eating so little.
- protein = bulding blocks
of the body, needed for making new cells everyday as well as recovering
from exercise
- carbohydrates = energy, especially
when using the slow-burning (non-sugary) kind
- fat = needed
for cell membranes as well as ennergy
Carbohydrates are NOT the villains
that they are touted to be. Carbs truly are needed in the body
for fuel and fiber -- but in small amounts, no bigger than your closed
fist. Carbs are needed to fuel
the body when extra fuel is needed -- for ACTIVE, energetic people.
We were meant to be active!
If you are sedentary ("non-exercising"),
then filling up with 'fuel' is like overfilling your gas tank in your
car... except instead of spilling over the sides, the 'fuel' spills
over your waistline -- "fat".
Everyday you need all three of these
macronutrients in your diet: I recommend that you get all 3 in every
meal. That sounds so much harder than it is: an example if a carb/protein/fat
meal can be as easy as chicken salad with olive oil.
It's a little complicated in this one
small article to describe each macronutrient and what it does. However,
there are quality books you can
read which go into the principles or you can be coached
to learn about your nutritional needs and learn new habits to find
your best energy and fitness.
"How can
I read the label on the package of food to see if my food ratios are
correct?"
Simple: "If
it has a label, it's probably not that good for you". Wow.
My life changed when I heard that. It certainly reduces the above
Beneficial List to component parts.
How often do we read an egg label?
Or a green bean label?
Never. There are no labels on these
foods. You see, "food products" which have labels of extra
ingredients (like preservatives) can actually hurt you because your
body is not meant to be eating presevatives. Those preservatives are
actually meant for the FOOD INDUSTRY to help SELL you the food.
Your body cannot and does not fully
process food which has preservatives and other non-food items in them.
The non-food items include the articifical colors, flavors, smells,
and materials designed to make the 'food' taste creamier,
fluffier, lighter, or more delicious. These are non-food items - most
of them are the items on the labels that you cannot pronounce.
What happened when a body eats "non-food"
items?
- The body can get
fat because it cannot process
those ingredients.
- The body can feel
sluggish because it is not
getting real nutrients.
- The body can lose
energy from not ingesting nutrients,
because those food products are not real food.
- The body can age
faster because its processes
can get blocked from trying to process preservatives and other additives.
- The body can create
mental disorders, such as depression,
due to insufficient nourishment.
- The body can keep
from losing weight because
it doesn't have proper nutrients to feed itself, and start the processes
of losing weight.
Once again, by having REAL WHOLE FOODS,
a body can nourish itself to be fit, trim, and lose fat naturally.
"If it has a label, it's probably not that
good for you".
"Then
what AM I supposed to do about my eating? I'm still confused!"
Here
is that simple list again:
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1. Eat whole protein sources
(chicken, fish, eggs, lean meats),
2. Moderate your dairy products,
3. Eat plenty of whole vegetables and fruit,
4.
Eat a small bit of whole grains
5. Add healthy fats like olive oil, flax seed oil, fish, and nuts.
That's all you have to do. REALLY.
If you do this for 4 weeks plus add exercise,
you will start seeing fitness results.
This is the secret that the 'gurus' don't want you to
know.
|
Here's the straight dope:
Of course not - none of this
feels good. I was there, and I know what you are feeling. Our
aim is to live, to live well, and to get out of our graves when
it's not time yet.
Don't worry . . . it really
does get easier, and second-nature really is just as easy as
first-nature. So what's a body to do?
I did it easily, once I put my mind to it, and I dropped
body fat like it was going out of style - which I hope one day
it will be.
So let's discuss those again:
The
BENEFICIAL habits:
Whole grains, raw fresh vegetables and fruits, yogurt, eggs, red meats,
chicken, fish, and as much fresh water as you can stand. Supplement
with extra nutrients which cannot possibly be taken in by our daily
diet. Dairy in a limited way, and not if you are intolerant or allergic.
And . .. to make sure we are clear
. .. drink WATER - not
sodas, not pots of coffee.
Ignore when the magazines say, "As
long as it's liquid, it's good enough to be hydrating". They
are just trying to sell you something - turn the page, and they WILL
be trying to sell you something.
WATER
is the only thing which will cleanse and rehydrate you as
your body craves. You need to flush out toxins and fortify yourself
with energy. Believe it or not, we are about 75% water . . .
sometimes, that 'hunger' pang you feel is actually thirst,
but you don't feel that 'parched' feeling.
 Have
a glass or bottle near you at all times.
Shown left is a brand-new water bottle
called Hydracoach
which helps you your correct water you need by creating YOUR exact
water needs, reminding you what fluids you've drunk, and reminding
you to drink again! Read
about this product --I'm now endorsing it after seeing it in action!
It's only $30 which could save your life!
As for "bottled or tap"?
I know in my heart that filtered water is the best, that tap water
has incredible dangers and impurities (really, the studies would curl
your toes). . . but honestly, if the choice was to see you NOT drink
water at all because you can't get to the store for bottled water
OR because you don't put in a reverse-osmosis filtration system (the
best for purifying), I'd say drink tap water.
Just DRINK water, and drink A LOT,
please . . . and know that the colder it is, the better it is for
your body AND the less you can taste it -- which many people can't
stand the 'bland' taste of water.
"But I have
my own particular issue in my life to consider. How can I follow
these rules?!"
These aren't "rules", and
they don't remove individual lifestyle. Everyone has their own patterns
for living and issues to consider. If you are saying you can't
make changes in your habits because your life is so difficult, that's
not true. You can make simple, yet powerful, effective
changes to give you more energy, get you healthier, and cut
the fat on your body.
Read the many
articles
to help you think about your current life, including:
Lest you think that food is simply for
food and nothing else, there are some tremendous fun you can have with
a minimal amount of treat food: one of my favorites is pure dark chocolate
(70% bittersweet) melted, with strawberries dipped in. Mmmm. Good for
you (anti-oxidants in the chocolate, vitamins in the strawberries) and
delicious!
You should DEFINITELY allow yourself
a treat meal every once in a while, no matter what nutritional plan
you follow! It's good for the body to splurge and it keeps you from
going crazy.
So on this note, I'll let you
think for a while.
Pemmican
. .. read about it. One of the world's oldest and most perfect foods.
Think about it. This nutrition stuff
isn't hard, and actually rather fun...
Want to see another
opinion about nutrition? Read below!
5 Diet Myths Debunked
by Lia Huber
You watch the sweets and never super-size. But you still may be
falling prey to some common diet myths. Here's how you can outwit
them.
MYTH:
Cutting carbohydrates helps you lose weight.
TRUTH:
Doing it the wrong way can also make you feel rotten and unhealthy.
Carbs are to this decade what fats were to the last: food demons.
Truth is, though, you need them for energy. And, like with fats,
some are better than others. Experts suggest a minimum of 130
grams of carbs a day—a far cry from low-carb diets that start
with 20 grams or less. Short-term effects of such diets include
fatigue, constipation and irritability; long term, you could be
putting yourself at risk for heart disease and colon cancer.
Fad diets aside, what may matter most is how refined the carbohydrates
are. The best idea is to cut back on refined carbs such as soda
and foods made with white flour, while loading up on healthier
carbs like whole grains, fruits, and vegetables.
MYTH:
Diet foods help you drop pounds.
TRUTH:
They can actually do the opposite.
You may be doing yourself more harm than good by scanning labels
for the lowest calorie and fat counts. Prepackaged diet foods
can have a lot of sugar and trans fat.
As with carbs, it's the quality of the fat, not the amount, that
makes the difference. Monounsaturated fats (found in nuts, olive
oil, and avocados) and the polyunsaturated variety (in corn, soybean,
and safflower oils) help your cardiovascular system, improve weight
loss, and are crucial for absorbing beta carotene from vegetables
like carrots. Trans fats, on the other hand, have been linked
with heart disease and even cancer.
A recent study found that replacing just 30 calories of carbs
a day with the same amount of trans fats nearly doubled the risk
of heart disease. Replacing the same ratio of carbs with monounsaturated
or polyunsaturated fats, on the other hand, lowered the risk of
heart disease by 30 to 40 percent. So consider boosting your good
fats by adding nuts to your morning cereal or avocado to your
salads. Just watch your daily calories to keep them in check.
MYTH:
The more you cut calories, the more weight you'll lose.
TRUTH:
That can actually hurt you. Cut your calories too far—below 1,200
a day—and you'll end up with a double whammy that quickly decreases
your metabolism and muscle mass. To get the most out of the calories
you do eat, choose whole foods such as produce, fresh meat and
fish, and whole grains that are as close to their natural state
as possible. They have a higher “nutrient density” than refined
foods, because they pack more vitamins and minerals into fewer
calories.
MYTH:
Dairy makes you fat.
TRUTH:
Cutting dairy just shoots you in the foot (and fat cells).
Combined with calorie control, a dairy-rich diet can nearly double
body-fat reduction and weight loss and help prevent weight gain.
Part of the reason is the hormone calcitriol, which helps conserve
calcium for stronger bones while telling fat cells to convert
less sugar to fat and burn more body fat. The result is leaner
fat cells and a leaner you. Stick to the government's latest dietary
guidelines, which recommend three servings of low- or nonfat dairy
a day.
MYTH:
Brown equals whole-grain.
TRUTH:
There are lots of whole-grain poseurs out there.
Look for labels where "whole-wheat" or "whole-grain"
top the list. It's worth the extra effort: More and more research
is finding that whole grains reduce your risk of many chronic
ailments, from obesity and diabetes to cardiovascular disease.
The extra fiber in whole grains is key: It makes you feel full,
which means you eat less. It also helps level out the peaks and
valleys of insulin that a meal produces. An added boost: Whole-grain
foods tend to be higher in vitamins B and E than refined grains. |
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Is all this nutrition stuff simply nuts?
...food is really just
a pile of chemistry, mixed together so that when it enters your body,
it has a job to do.
 |
more articles