“Healthy” = Not So Healthy

[I apologize right now for neglecting this blog -- I recently became the happy (and exhausted) owner of an adorable and rambunctious puppy]

I always kind of knew that the “healthier” items on fast food menus weren’t necessarily healthy, which is why I generally went ahead and ordered the not-even-remotely-close-to-healthy items that I really wanted. This confirms it.

I think Subway’s sandwiches can be especially deceiving. The amount of sodium in the sub from this article is shocking.

Attack of the Cravings

Normally the holiday season isn’t that huge of a problem for me and food. Yes, I indulge here and there, but I generally make up for it another day by eating healthier or avoiding some of the regular season indulgences (Mountain Dew, namely). For whatever reason, this holiday season has just been a gorge-fest for me. I feel like I am never full, most likely because I’m eating one kind of crap-food after another and crap-foods are known for not filling you up. Usually when I hit a phase like this, I allow myself a certain length of time to indulge (one week, two weeks), then I pull myself out of it and guilt myself into eating better.

Apparently I’m not on-board with that idea this time around. The guilt is there, but I’m able to shrug it off and move on to my next uber-disgusting snack of the day.

I think part of my indulgence-binge this time is that I recently started a new job and have been quite stressed with it. In the past, my stress-induced binges have lasted a short time and I’ve been able to snap out of it. This time, it seems like I got used to the eating habits for the stress phase and have decided to hang out there for awhile. My brain tells me to stop or tells me, “Hey, Lindsey, you just had a snack an hour ago, you really don’t need another snack,” but my stomach says, “Shut up, Brain, I want food.” And somehow my stomach wins every time.

I’m crossing my fingers that I get out of this mess, or that I at least come up with some healthier snack alternatives so I don’t have to feel quite as guilty.

Article: Yogurt ‘Says Something’ About Food Demand

In an article from Feedstuffs, author Rod Smith reported on a study from the NPD Group (a market research organization). The study measured what consumers have increased in and removed from their diets, and the trend was heavily leaning toward convenience. One of the biggest changes was the increase of yogurt consumption. Harry Balzer, chief food industry analyst and vice president of the NPD Group, said that yogurt works as a meal or snack, doesn’t require any prep work and doesn’t require any clean up, making it a popular choice among those aiming for convenience.

Another change in diet came with the consumption of sandwiches. Sandwiches are the No. 1 food prepared in the home, but between 1984 and today, the number of sandwiches eaten in the home that are prepared in the home has dropped from 98 percent to 88 percent. The No. 1 food prepared in the microwave is the frozen package of veggies (which I love), mostly because more vegetables come in packages that are also cooking ware.

Another observation was the decline of the use of the toaster, attributed at least partially to the number of restaurant meals consumed in the car increasing because of the power window. “If you push this toaster button down, you get toast, but if you push this power window button down, you get a meal,” Balzer said.

How interesting! I have to admit that I have started eating yogurt on a more regular basis—it’s a quick and easy after-workout snack—and I eat tons of those microwavable veggie packages—again, quick and easy lunch for work. I do, however, use my toaster more now than I have before. Toast is another one of my favorite after-workout snacks, and sometimes a lazy afternoon snack, that is so easy to make and requires little clean up. Now I’m hungry.

Article: Why You’re Fat, and You’ll Stay Fat – 13 Reasons

This article by Melanie Thomassian made me laugh. Out loud. Not because the author was trying to be funny, but because the author was honest and not sugar-coating it. If you eat crappy foods, don’t exercise and make excuses, you will not see the health results you want to see.

A few of my favorite points:

• You skip breakfast.
• You don’t plan ahead.
• Your home is packed to the brim with unhealthy foods.
• You’re too lazy.
• Other things take up your time.
• “Tomorrow” never seems to come.

The author also ended the post with this great quote, “People often say that motivation doesn’t last. Well, neither does bathing — that’s why we recommend it daily” – Ziglar.

The author also has a post about developing a positive attitude. One of the author’s tips was to focus on what motivates you. I’ve read in a few behavior change books and articles that your motives (spending quality time with your children; living a long, quality life in order to spend time with children; believed susceptibility to a particular disease; etc.) is often a huge component to your impending action toward changing your behavior. The other major component? Your belief in yourself that you can achieve your goals (also called self efficacy), which directly correlates to having a positive attitude.

Problem solved.