What Is Food?

Posted by Brian - 07/31/08 at 10:07:01 am

There is a commercial on television right now for a body fat reduction pill, the name of which I can’t recall, where the spokeswoman talks about what the company claims as the leading causes of body fat.  They list them in the following order:

• Having Kids
• Stress At Work
• Lack of Exercise
• Poor Diet

Obviously, the marketing team for this product realizes that the average American doesn’t want to blame their health problems on themselves and their poor, Western diet, and so “poor diet” is listed last in hopes that the viewer will be too busy blaming their kids and job as they reach for the phone to order to devote any attention to the real issue.

Now, I have faith that any person of average intelligence knows that to achieve their health and nutrition goals, they have to maintain a proper diet, but I’m still amazed at the things people will put in their bodies in the name of healthy eating.

Let’s take a look at what is and isn’t food, and a few “rules of thumb” that you can use for your next trip to the grocery store.

Real Food is…

…grown and then picked.  It is (preferably) hunted and killed.  It is full of vitamins, minerals, some protein and carbohydrates and…wait for it…fats.  Yes, fats!  Real food is not light (or lite), fat-free, reduced this, that, or the other.  It is exactly how nature intended.  It is not processed, or created in labs.  It does not contain such things as: food coloring, aspartame, phosphoric acid, or potassium benzoate.  And, no, that is not a random list, but half of the ingredients in a Diet Coke⁽¹⁾, the others being carbonated water, citric acid, caffeine, and natural flavors (more on “natural flavors” in a future post).

Oh, by the way, did you know that the potassium benzoate in your Diet Coke is the same substance that is used in fireworks to make them whistle when ignited?⁽²⁾ Yummy!

Real Food is not…

…packaged in colorful boxes (the best is in no box at all).  It is not “sponsored” by cartoon characters or endorsed by athletes.  Yes, this includes the happy little sunshine with his two scoops of raisins and whomever they put on Wheaties these days.  If you can’t tell, I haven’t been down a cereal aisle in quite some time. Why?  There are many reasons outside the scope of this post, but suffice to say one reason is because cereal lives in the abyss that is the center of the grocery store.  Which brings us to the fact that…

Real Food doesn’t live in the abyss

You may have heard the adage that if you stick to the perimeter of the grocery store and avoid the center aisles, you’ll be fine.  This statement makes a lot of sense.  Just think of all the things on the perimeter of the store: fruits, vegetables, meats.

Now, of course, there are some exceptions to this rule.  The most glaring of which is that Kroger (and I assume other chains as well) has their bakery on the perimeter, just outside of the fruits and vegetables section, in most of their stores.  But there are other, less obvious, exceptions as well.  Several items in my pantry or refrigerator right now that have come from the abyss are: olive oil, nuts, El Pato tomato sauce, a large variety of spices, and almond butter.

Note: The almond butter I have is actually from Rainbow Blossom, but many grocery stores that stock this item do so in the abyss (just make sure you don’t buy the brands loaded with sugars and extra oils).

Food often does not have ingredients labels

If they have to tell you what’s in it, chances are you shouldn’t be eating it (especially when you can’t even pronounce what’s in it).

The only exceptions are, well, mostly those items I mentioned above (nuts, El Pato, almond butter, etc), and in every one of those instances, not only can I pronounce each ingredient, but I actually know what each ingredient is.  It’s hard to go wrong when the ingredients are almonds, cashews, tomatoes, and the like.

Additional items that may qualify as an exception are some beef, poultry, pork, and dairy products.

And have you ever noticed how it’s the foods on the perimeter of the store, outside of the abyss, that have the fewest labels and ingredients, while the ones inside have the most?  Funny how that works, huh?

Pay Attention

There are countless, quality sites floating around the ‘net discussing real food and great ways to prepare it.  You may be surprised by the number of simple, quality meals you can make with real food and a few spices.

There are also some good tidbits floating around in your own backyard.  For instance, check out Andy’s Gyminee post called “Don’t Eat Foods that Can’t Rot“, a review of Michael Pollan’s book “In Defense of Food: An Eaters Manifesto” as well as Susan’s “Eating Organic on a Budget“.  Andy and Susan (as well as Mr. Pollan) appear to be more crusaders, championing the cause of real food.

And next time you’re at the grocery store, think about what you’re putting in your cart.  Look at the ingredients.  Do you know what each one is?  If not, put it back.

What?  Oh?  Most of the items in your cart don’t have an ingredients label?!?  Then you’re already on the right track!

Citations:

(1) - Wikipedia: Diet Coke

(2) - Wikipedia: Potassium Benzoate

2 New Challenge Types!

Posted by Stephen - 07/30/08 at 12:07:17 pm

I have some good news! We have officially added two new types of challenges: Swimming and Total Weight Lifted. Both of these were requested right away when we first released Gyminee Challenges. You will find the swimming challenge as a new option when creating a distance challenge, while the total weight lifted challenge is a completely new animal.

Some Gyminee users have been hosting their own weight lifting challenge in the forums and having a blast doing so (see here). The new weight lifting challenge allows users to see who can lift the most aggregate weight over a specific time period. It’s a great way to motivate yourself and your friends to head to the gym when you don’t feel like it, and to push yourself a little bit harder while you’re lifting.

Enjoy!

Eating Organic On A Budget

Posted by Susan - 07/29/08 at 11:07:05 am

Organic foods have been proven to contain a higher percentage of nutrients, have no pesticide residue and, while this may simply be my opinion, taste better than their non-organic counterparts.

With that said, organics also cost on average 30% more than conventionally grown products which makes them un-attainable for many.

Take some time to evaluate the food products that comprise your core diet. It is not necessary to switch your entire pantry over to organics; make decisions based on what foods you consume on a daily basis.

Once you have pinpointed your core items, consider the following:

• Search for coupons. Spending a total of 10 minutes I was able to pinpoint several manufacturer websites that enable you to print coupons directly from your computer. These sites include:

• Join a local food co-op. Food co-ops are member run, non-profit organizations that provide you with access to quality, locally grown food at a good value. There are typically nominal fees to join (often based on your income level) and many accept food stamps. You can find a listing of local food co-ops at www.localharvest.org.

• Buy in-season and be flexible. While not necessarily certified organic, local farmer markets carry fruits and vegetables that may still be pesticide free since these foods are not traveling great distances.

• Be wary of the “dirty dozen”. Lastly, foods listed below have been found to be most vulnerable to the addition of pesticides, growth hormones and antibiotics. Considered the “dirty dozen”, if these foods make up a large portion of your daily diet, you should definitely consider organic purchases.

1. Beef, pork and poultry
2. Dairy products: Milk, cheese, butter
3. Berries: Strawberries, raspberries, blueberries and cherries
4. Apples and pears
5. Tomato’s
6. Spinach and salad greens
7. Coffee
8. Potato’s
9. Stone Fruits: Peaches, nectarines and apricots
10. Grapes (especially imported grapes)
11. Celery
12. Bell peppers

Train hard; stay strong.

Susan

www.catapultfitnessblog.com

5 Tips to Begin your Successful Weight Loss Journey

Posted by Scott - 07/28/08 at 03:07:46 pm

 Chances are if you need to lose some weight, you’ve probably tried (unsuccessfully) before. The #1 factor that will position yourself to overcome the many hurdles you will face trying to lose a significant amount of weight is your mental state. Here are a few tips to help get you in the right frame of mind.

1. Consult your physician. This sounds like the textbook cookie cutter line, but it’s the truth. Your family physician probably knows you pretty well. From your past weight fluctuations to your weekly alcohol consumption (assuming you were honest). Your physician will be able to tell you the right combination of exercise and diet that will work for YOU.
2. Believe that your weight is the result of your current lifestyle (true medical conditions aside). Once you convince yourself of this, the excuses you find yourself inventing to justify your weight will stop. Ceasing the excuses is half the battle, the other half is recognizing what you have to change to do better. The final half is following through and sticking with it. Yes, that’s 150% - losing weight is hard work!
3. Find a new activity or sport that you enjoy, and do it at least twice a week. Whether it’s golf (no cart, cheater), walking, biking, whatever. Finding an exercise laden activity that you enjoy can do wonders for burning extra calories during the week. If you enjoy it, it doesn’t seem like exercise, making you much more likely to continue doing it.
4. It takes two to tango. In this case, the two is both diet and exercise. You can work out 30 minutes every day, but if you’re eating at the Chinese buffet every night, you’re not going to get to your target weight that way. If you agreed that your weight is the result of your current lifestyle, then you would probably agree that your diet needs some tweaking. Get to know the daily calories your body would need to maintain your current weight. To lose a pound, you need to cut out and/or burn ~3,500 calories. So for a pound a week, cutting out 500 calories a day should get you there (other factors could come in, but this basic formula will get you started).
5. Track your results. There are numerous ways to do this, online (*cough* gyminee *cough*), in print (BodyMinder is a great journal that I use on a daily basis), or just in a spreadsheet on your computer. Results mean both diet and exercise though.  Tracking diet and exercise will give you the data needed to either help motivate yourself more (best case, as you see results) or make adjustments as necessary if you aren’t seeing the results you desire (worst case). Be sure to track your body fat % from the start, not just your weight; especially if you’re doing any kind of strength training.

These are just a few tips to get you started on this SLOW, but highly rewarding journey.

-Scott

Gyminee Sponsors Two Fitness Challenges

Posted by Andy - 07/21/08 at 06:07:00 pm

With the release of the Gyminee Challenges, we have created two special challenges. The winners will get a coveted Gyminee T-shirt. Let the games begin!

• In the Inaugural Weight Loss Challenge, Gyminee users can compete to see who can lose the most weight in the next month.
• In the Gyminee Running Challenge, compete to see if you can run the most miles in the next month.

One of the cool features with the new Gyminee Challenges is that you can get a widget for your blog or website to help spread the word. Here is a sample widget showing the current status of our weight loss challenge:
 

 

What are you waiting for? Get in the challenge and get motivated to reach your health goals.

Gyminee “Challenges” Go Live!

Posted by Andy - 07/21/08 at 05:07:00 pm

We’ve just launched Challenges, our newest feature that allows Gyminee members to join or create activity-based competitions with friends, family or co-workers. Challenges are a fun and interactive way to keep yourself motivated towards achieving your goals and even a great way to meet new people.

Whether it is a private challenge among a few of your closest friends or GymBuddies, a large group challenge at the office, or a nationwide public challenge, we provide the tools to customize, track progress and share with others. You can even place customizable My Progress and Leader Board Widgets on your website or blog to keep you updated with the competition and share with visitors.

Keep an eye out regularly for new Challenges as the list will be growing. Stay motivated. Have fun. Get fit.

Daily Journals Improve Your Odds

Posted by Andy - 07/10/08 at 04:07:00 pm

Did anyone else see the “Keeping a Food Diary Doubles Weight Loss” story on ABC? It’s a good read that highlights a study performed by Kaiser Permanente, and I think we can all really learn from the message.

I’ve been training on and off now for over 25 years - well before the internet and all the cool applications available today, but not so far back that I missed out on all those fabulous infomercials that guaranteed rapid weight loss and chiseled abs in only 14 days! In fact, if truth be told, my mother was a significant ‘investor’ in many of those devices, yet for some reason, was not able to replicate the results of those beautifully tanned spokespeople.

Someone once told me that everything is difficult before it becomes easy, and getting in shape is no exception. There are few obvious factors but one that is often missed - the importance of keeping a journal. The Kaiser Permanente study from the article showed that participants who kept a food diary lost almost double the amount of weight of their non-journaling counterparts and more importantly, they kept it off.

The same is true of exercise. Each day our emotions, state of mind, and energy levels fluctuate so without a journal, it is difficult to monitor progress and proactively establish targets for our workouts. Repeatedly ‘winging it’, just doesn’t lead to the progress we hope for and in my case, memory is an enemy, so ‘winging it’ has an even greater impact.

So while it may seem difficult at first, it does get easier and you will achieve your goals, perhaps faster than you imagined.

Hiking a 14er

Posted by Stephen - 07/06/08 at 01:07:00 am

I hope everyone had a great 4th of July! I must admit that I didn’t see any fireworks this year as I went to bed early so I could go for an early morning hike. If anyone is from the Rocky Mountain region, then they know what I’m talking about when I say the word “Fourteener.” The term Fourteener (or 14er) refers to a mountain with a summit elevation of at least 14,000 feet.

One thing you will learn as you hike these tall peaks is that elevation is definitely a factor in your performance. Personally, I really start to feel the effects of altitude as I get over 12,000 feet, but altitude sickness can start much lower than that. Altitude sickness can actually be quite serious, and if you’re interested in learning more here is a Wikipedia link.

Anyways, we hiked up to the top of Grays Peak, a summit elevation of 14,270 ft. Even though it is one of the easiest 14ers to summit in the Eastern Colorado region, it was a tough hike. From bottom to top, we gained about 3,000 ft. in elevation, and I could feel it every step of the way (Gyminee says I burned about 1,200 Calories and also let me track the elevation change!). It was definitely worth it, and the scenery was absolutely breathtaking at the top. You tend to forget how difficult the hike was when you are looking at a 360 degree panorama of some of America’s most beautiful scenery!

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