Food Philosophy 2.0

How does one survive in a nation obsessed by food? A society where FOOD is constantly there to knock you down. It takes a conscious effort to find a path of normalcy in our food hysterical land.

In a previous post I talked about “What do you eat?” I discussed 8 simple elements of what I called my food philosophy.

• Eat for performance
• Plan meals
• Make a shopping list
• Pack a bag
• Be willing to change
• Reduce carbohydrates and sugar
• Talk less about diet
• Read more

In following my own advice of “be willing to change” I’ve expanded my philosophy into a newer version, Food Philosophy 2.0.

The goal is to provide a sturdier foundation towards healthier food habits.  These are the five pillars of 2.0. The goal is to inspire creativity. Take one piece or two and build your own unique school of food thought.

Food Philosophy 2.0

1. Eat real food
2. A calorie is not a calorie
3. Never go on a diet
4. Get involved with your food
5. Forget about the latest study

Eat real food

I believe there are two ideas that could change our nation’s obesity problem. Eat real food and eat real meals. Real food requires planning, making a grocery list, shopping, cooking and having the whole household involved in putting meals on the table. It’s a team effort.

Eating real food requires a frame of mind that believes time spent on food, both cooking and eating is rewarding. The present gratification is more energy, fun and productivity, with a future benefit of less illness. At the end of the day it’s a choice, invest now or pay later.

Real food is food, not in a box, processed or manufactured in a laboratory. It does not have a long list of ingredients, additives or chemicals. It is what it is pure and simple.

The real food components that work for me today consist of very few carbohydrates and sugar. I found this nutritional path gives me the most bang for my buck. Here’s a short list of improvements I gained from a low-carb, low sugar, high fat path:

• No more hunger cravings throughout the day
• Increased energy physically and mentally
• Arthritic joint aches and pains dramatically diminished
• Lost extra 10 pounds that no amount of exercise could shed
• Plain and simple feel outstanding for 56!

The vastness of opinions on diet is overwhelming. My choice of a low-carbohydrate food philosophy solidified after years of experimentation. As a young child I grew up with home cooked meals consisting of all types of food. Somewhere in my 20’s I became a vegetarian, which lasted 20 years.

This vegetarian lifestyle that worked for me as a young adult took some very negative turns later in life. Somewhere in my early 40’s I experienced extreme bouts of arthritic pain and debilitating movement restriction. During this period of approximately 2 years of doctors, examinations and endless trials of different medical solutions I decided to change my diet.

It was not an over night change but certainly within a couple months intense changes started to occur. Simply by reintroducing meat and additional fats into my diet I gained more energy, less inflammation and my nagging backache improved.

Don’t count calories

The second big food philosophy change for me came in my early 50’s. I became interested and started following the work of Gary Taubes. His seminal work Good Calories Bad Calories was a complete game changer for me.

I had to rethink many beliefs not only about food but also about exercise. First on food, understanding that “a calorie is not a calorie.”  That a calorie of sugar is not processed in the body the same as a calorie of protein. That it is what you eat, not the caloric content of food eaten.

On exercise, this new thinking meant the concept of energy in vs. energy out didn’t mesh. For decades, in fitness and nutritional sectors, common thinking was weight gain or loss is simply a question of caloric intake and exercise output. In other words, tip the scale of eating more calories than you “burn” in exercise will cause weight gain.

This mantra of “eat less, exercise more” is out of date. Can we just say we tried it for 50 years, with little success and let’s move on? I have. You don’t have anything to lose, except maybe a few pounds.

I also find not counting calories liberating. Food becomes pleasure, not a number.  Counting calories to me feels like standing on a scale and feeling miserable. I’m sure many folks have found great success in limiting caloric intake. If it works for you keep at it. If not maybe it’s time to let it go.

Never go on a diet

I am 5’2” and weigh the same as I did in high school, 105 pounds. However, this was not always the case. There have been heavier periods in my life.

Shortly after graduating from college, in what I call my “thicker” years. I continued to eat like a college co-ed. What is that? Suffice to say an overabundance of foods such as, pasta, breads, diet sodas, sports drinks and baked goods.

While my exercise routines never faltered my waistline expanded. Then I had the glorious idea to go on a diet.

That “diet” subsequently packed another 10 pounds on my small frame. Thus, I became more frustrated, less motivated and heavier than when I started. Meanwhile I began exercising like a fanatic to try to lose the weight and that was just making me hungrier. I gave up.

Then something clicked in me. I noticed my eating patterns reflected a schedule I was no longer on. In other words my school routine of a late night snack to assist with studying was out of date. I was eating out of habit not hunger.

I was also skipping breakfast, grabbing something sweet and sugary mid-morning to replace the missed meal. I needed a change. Two simple modifications, bring back breakfast and ditch the late night snack.

These two alterations kick started a new mindset. A belief of food for high performance, not food as “diet”. For me being on a diet drove me to eat more. Once this pressure valve was released, I started to lose those extra pounds.

It took some months but it eventually came off. Since that time I’ve never tried another diet, nor do I own a scale. They both sabotage my efforts to be fit.

Get involved with your food

In our house, grocery shopping occurs 2 times a week. This forces us to plan out our meals and buy accordingly. On most days lunch is leftovers from the night before. There are a few staples that are always on hand in our house, eggs, avocados, cheese and nuts. These items supplement lunch on days when there are no leftovers.

Get involved with your food means experiment with creating basic items. For example, my husband spearheaded our household efforts to make yogurt. As a cookbook aficionado he found recipes and just started trying them out.

Not only was it a cost savings, the product was even more delicious than many brands available in the store. Then from yogurt we moved on to making cheese and sauerkraut. Each of these explorations brought new appreciation and understanding of the essence of our food choices.

Our homemade adventures brought an even larger clarity on the enormous amount of additives in products. For instance, many yogurts sold in the store hold additives to increase the shelf life of the product. Not in our homemade yogurt, cheese or any other food we make, additive, preservative, sugar and chemical free!

These creations also inspired a swapping of recipes within our circle of friends. This added to the discussion, enthusiasm and even deeper appreciation for cultural differences in cooking. It also encouraged others to be food adventurers.

There is nothing revolutionary about cooking and making one’s own food. These traditions have slowly been slipping away from our fingertips. It’s easier than you think, find a recipe and give it a whirl.

Forget about the latest study

There will always be a next, the greatest, the one you’ve been waiting for, etc. etc. However, will it really change your life? Will it fit your lifestyle? Will it even consider all the complicated elements that make you YOU? I think not.

As I mentioned my diet needs and requirements have changed over the years. I adhere closely now to a low carbohydrate, high fat diet because it works for me. I tried for long periods of time other agendas but they no longer sustain my body.

Science is not going to change how you live your life. You are in charge of that. A new study, new research or a new pill will not alter dramatically your nutritional course at the present time.

Certainly I don’t dispute that maybe sometime in the future resources that can determine a particular individual’s exact nutritional needs might be discovered. I for one am not holding my breath in anticipation of that moment.

I don’t for one second underestimate the extreme challenges living in the USA has in terms of eating a healthy diet. It’s brutal out there. However, if you take the time to ponder what is your food philosophy, you might find some calmness in the madness.

Closing thought

For centuries cultures and individuals did not need scientists to tell them what to eat. They flourished and cultivated into prosperous societies. Maybe it’s time to return to a simpler way of thinking on food, more philosophical. Food for thought.