A Short Thesis | It is Not You, It is Them

Greetings,

Let’s get straight to the point shall we. 

America has become a toxic food environment.  I have chosen this description with the utmost earnestness. 

The Webster’s dictionary defines toxic (adj) as having the effect of poison.  Poison in turn is defined as a substance with an inherent property that tends to destroy life or impair health.

Take a moment and reflect on the food options available to you right now.  Look at the food that is being served at your office and/or school cafeteria.  Pay closer attention to the boxes of food products that are featured along the aisles of your local grocery store.  Next time you stop at a service station, go inside and pay special attention to the food products that are being sold at the counter.  Look at which items are most prominently displayed and which items seem hidden away in the back of the store.  Go even further and pretend for a second that you only want to eat something non-toxic and see how difficult it is to find those items when compared to finding the abundantly displayed toxic options.

It should not take long for you to also realize that we are surrounded by foods products instead of real food; and that these food products contain substances that if eaten regularly will definitely impair health and potentially destroy life.

The understanding that we now live in a toxic food environment can begin a revolutionary breakthrough in the way that you approach the goal of healthy eating. More specifically, our ability to consistently eat healthy food while living in a toxic food environment requires a strategy which is very different than those pursued in traditional low-calorie diets.

Up until now, people have been taught that the battle against obesity was an intimate battle to overcome indiscretions, such as lack of will power, lack of education and/or lack of discipline in order to improve their relationship with food.  The logic went on to suggest that only after a person corrects these indiscretions can they successfully lose weight and become healthy; like the majority of other Americans. 

In essence, the message is, “There is something wrong with you; which is being reflected by your above average size and poor health.”

You have heard them. “All you got to do is eat in moderation”.  “You are just lazy and lack self discipline.”  “Kids won’t eat healthy food; they only want to eat junk food”.

Check out this video:

http://video.foxnews.com/v/1785933652001/fast-food-going-healthy/?playlist_id=86892&intcmp=obnetwork

Well, I got some news for you and the so-called experts;

“IT IS NOT YOU; IT IS THEM”.

This blog is dedicated in-part to debunking the ridiculous notion that somehow our unprecedented and skyrocketing national obesity epidemic is the result of Americans suddenly becoming lazy and wanting to over-eat. 

Once you accept that we as humans have not fundamentally changed from our ancestors, you can begin to critically look at how our food environment has drastically changed and what impact that has on you.

Next, I will remind you of five simple rules which will promote your health and provide the necessary tools to protect you and your family against the toxic food environment that we live in.

I am neither a dietician nor a nutritionist.  Not only am I not a doctor, but I have not studied any form of medicine or worked in the medical industry under any capacity.  As a matter of fact, it was only a short while ago that I began giving the subject of diet and nutrition serious thought. Up until now, my primary professional interests have been in the areas of finance and economics; which are both industries that I continue to work in today.

Ironically, it is this background along with my international travel, which I believe make me superbly qualified (and in some cases; more qualified than the so-called experts) to remind you of the simple truths of healthy eating.  Truths which have been passed down from generation to generation.  Lessons and oral traditions that I am sure you learned from your parents and/or grandparents everyday during childhood.

Said plainly; I haven't drunk the Kool-aid of nutrition science and I don't have a financial incentive to see you enter a perpetual cycle of over eating; then becoming obese and then buying expensive medicines and diet programs to control the symptoms that result from; you guessed it; your over eating and becoming obese.

I also, cannot with a clear conscientious try to convince you that eating a healthy meal is a complex process fraught with thousands of rules and potential dangers which can only be avoided by consulting the so-called experts and purchasing overpriced specially packaged miniature processed meals.

While I can't prove it empirically, it has become abundantly clear to me that the titans operating in the areas of Big Food, Big Government, Big Farm, Big Diet, Big Retail and Big Scientific Research have all intentionally and unintentionally contributed greatly to the toxic food environment that exist in America. 

What is certain however is that we have reached an environmental tipping point in the American diet and food environment.  This means that when a typical person goes through life eating what is considered a typical American diet they will likely become overweight. 

In other words, no longer can overweight Americans be described as a group of individuals who routinely eat considerably more than their peers.  We now live in a society where the bar has been pushed so far to the right, that eating only a tiny bit more than average or roughly the same as your peers, depending on which part of the country you live in; is enough to become overweight or obese.

Simply put, obesity in America is quickly becoming the new normal.

My economics and finance experience has taught me that people are not as unique as they like to think that they are.  While it is difficult to predict with any degree of certainty exactly how individuals will react to certain situations; it is very well accepted that environmental factors and the presence of incentives are reliable predictors of broad behavioral phenomena. 

With 1 out of 3 American children likely to be diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes at some point in their lives and the adult obesity rate set to reach nearly 45% by 2030; I think it is safe to say that the obesity epidemic in America has become a broad behavioral phenomena.

So what does all this mean? Does all of this "toxic food environment" talk mean that individuals are powerless against becoming obese?  Does this mean that since we are victims; those second helpings of hot wings, bear and pizza are not our fault?

No, it doesn’t me any of those things. 

It means that you must begin to realize that American's who have a poor relationship with food are actually behaving as expected; considering the toxic food environment that we live.  The flip side is that American's who exhibit a good relationship with food are actually going against the grain in many ways.

More importantly, this means that most obese people aren't obese simply because they lack discipline. They are not obese because they are lazier than the rest of us.  They are not obese because they were born with below average will power. 

They are obese because they lack the awareness needed in order to adopt an eating strategy which takes into account the fact that we live in a toxic food environment.  In an environment where you are surrounded by high calorie processed foods, traditional low calorie diet programs in which the person becomes hungry are impossible for most people to adhere to.

I liken an obese American trying to stick to a low calorie diet to an individual unwittingly driving their car on a narrow path within a thick wooden forest. Regardless of how hard they try to stay on course, or how experienced a driver they are; if they don't understand that they are actually in the middle of a forest; they will eventually crash into a tree. 

Sure, there will always be a few drivers who manage to drive perfectly through the forest and remain unharmed.  But the vast majority of the drivers will crash and burn.  It is a simple fact. 

To make matters worse, imagine that while driving; more and more trees were being planted onto the very path that you are trying to navigate.  If that wasn't enough, imagine that the new trees were intentionally being grown to be bigger and taller yet more deceptive. Finally, imagine if the cost of planting the trees was being subsidized by the government.  You would not stand a chance.

Well this fictitious story is an accurate illustration of what is happening to Americans who try in vain to select healthy food options in our shops, grocery stores and restaurants. 

Most of us are trying desperately to become better drivers, while not realizing that this effort is futile in the long run because we are driving in a forest of cheap toxic snacks, cheap toxic processed meals and billions of dollars of misleading and false advertisement.

There is hope however.  What if I told you that there is a relatively easy way to avoid the entire forest all together?  That’s right.  Would you believe me if I told you that not only is there a safer alternative path, but it avoids nearly all of the trees.   If you don’t believe that, I am sure you won’t believe that there are actually numerous safer alternative paths.  I understand that many of us have not considered that there is a safer alternative. Some of us do not even know that it exists.  

While easier to follow, cheaper to travel on and much safer than the forest path, there are a few reasons that the alternative road has lost much of its luster.  Firstly, Big Diet constantly spends billions of dollars to make this alternative road seem like a daunting, elaborate and unyielding maze of twisting roads and pitfalls which can only be successfully navigated with the help of expert consultation and expensive processed meals.  Big Retail is not to be outdone, because they are constantly trying to block your view of the safer alternative path by stacking more and more trees in your way.  Even big government has gotten in on the act by subsidizing the production of more and more trees. Finally, Big Scientific Research is changing the road map every few years.

I am here to tell you the good news that there is an alternative path which is actually very simple to follow.  As a matter of fact, it was the only path that humans used for thousands of years.   Once you get on it, you will wonder how you managed to survive all those years aimlessly traveling in the forest.

The Five Rules of Healthy Living will provide the foundation for avoiding the forest all together and living a healthy life.

Below are the simple rules that healthy people observe.  Throughout the rest of the blog I provide insight to better understand the rules and help you begin your journey.

Rule #1 NEVER eat a meal that does not include at least 2 vegetables (fruit substitutes are

allowed) 

Rule #2 SURROUND yourself with an ABUNDANCE of snacks SNACKS that you can eat
              AROUND THE CLOCK and not detract from your weight management goals.
              NEVER allow yourself to become hungry!

Rule #3 EXERCISE at LEAST 20 minutes a day 4 days per week. 

             If 20 minutes is too much; start at an amount that you feel comfortable with and

gradually build-up Consider starting with 2 minutes per day 5 days a week and add ONLY one minute per day per week.  For example;  Week 1: 5 minutes of walking per day per week; Week 2; 6 minutes of walking per day per week and so on.

Rule #4 NO sugary drinks including 100% fruit juice for the next 30 days. Only introduced them
              back into your diet once you understand that sugary drinks are an occasional beverage
              that you should enjoy on special occasions and/or with friends.

Rule #5 When eating meals at home or prepare at home; NEVER eat more than 8 ounces per
              meal for the next 60 days.  Eat as many meals as you like in order to never get hungry/





Happy Eating

Frequently Asked Questions

1.      How much food am I allowed to eat?

Many participates assume that the requirement to eat meals weighing no more than 8 ounces also means that they should drastically reduce the total amount of food they eat per day.
You must release yourself from the “Diet” mentality.  Remember that “HUNGER IS UNDEFEATED AGAINST WILL POWER”.  Hence you should NEVER allow yourself to become hungry.  It is recommended that you eat 4 to 5 meals per day. 
More importantly, you should carry an abundance of small snacks that you can eat throughout the day.  Lowering the caloric intake from meals without ramping up your snacks is a recipe for disaster.
When I first began the Five Rules for Healthy Living I ate 5 meals per day plus 6 to 8 snacks.  These included things like, apples, oranges, grapes, celery, carrots, cucumbers, whole grain crackers, mixed nuts, raisins, non-butter lightly salted popcorn, low-fat yogurt, dark chocolate, small salads and the occasional fiber one bar or granola bar.
I actually had to eat MORE before I was able to eat LESS.  Gradually, as my diet became more fiber and protein rich, I began to naturally crave less food.  This is when I began to notice weight loss and more energy.

2.      Do I need to weight my food for the rest of my life?

There are four ways to measure and control the portion sizes that you consume.

1.      Count Calories

                                                              i.      I find counting calories to be unnatural, tedious, potentially misleading and devoid of the true essence of how we were meant to fuel our bodies.  Calories are a scientific measurement of heat-energy which has been loosely tied to food.  Besides it being difficult to monitor the calories of every single piece of food you eat; most of the unprocessed foods, like fresh produce, that we should be consuming don’t fit into a convenient calorie calculator.  Moreover, not all calories are created equal, which often leads to confusion.  For example, eating 100 calories worth of banana is going to give you a lot more banana than 100 calories of a candy bar.  The banana, which is packed with nutrients, will also do a better job of staving off hunger than the candy bar.  Visually, however, the portion of banana will look larger than the portion of the candy bar because the candy bar is much more calorically dense.  Finally, notice that I had to compare a whole food (the banana) to chemically manufactured processed for (the candy bar).  Counting calories really doesn't make much sense when comparing too modestly portioned unprocessed whole foods.  Both will contribute to proper nutrition in their own way.  There is no need to view either through a bad vs good paradigm. Simply put, when was the last time the chef at your family cookout asked you if you wanted 500 calories worth of ribs or 750?

2.      Listen to Your Body

                                                              i.      While this is a bit more natural, the problem is that you body also listens to you.  If you continuously give your body large portions it begins to tell you that it requires large portions and vice verse.  Think about it as if a company were to give all their employees a 10% raise each year.  The employees will begin to expect the annual 10% pay increase.  Do you think they will eagerly give up the annual raise? Of course not.  It is the same way with your body.  Your body initially doesn’t want to give up the large portions.  However, unlike the employee/owner relationship, you and your body are on the same team.  There is no conflict of interest.  Once the normal more healthy portions start to make your body feel better; it will begin telling you to lay off the super-sized meals.  It will do this in the only way it knows how; fatigue, gas, belching and of course weight gain (along with all the risk factors that come with it).

3.      Trust Your Eyes:

                                                              i.      Using your eyes to visually prepare a healthy portion of food is by far the most natural way for individuals to monitor the portion size of their meals.  The problem in America is that we have been conditioned by Big Food to view normal healthy portion sizes as too small.  This phenomenon reminds me of people who automatically add salt to a meal before they even taste it.  It also reminds me of a time not so long ago when I would order a meal based solely on maximizing the volume per dollar.  I used to ask the servers, “How filling is this entre”; that was restaurant code for, “I am looking for that dish that will have me staggering out of your establishment having suffered from food comatose.”  During the first 60 days of healthy living you will calibrate your eyes so that it begins to recognize what a normal portion should look like.  Understanding what a normal portion size looks like does not mean that you never over-indulge.  It means that you understand and enjoy those occasions when you over-indulge.

4.      Weight Your Meals

                                                              i.      Weight is the cousin of your eyes.  Weight is also a universal standard unit of measurement that everybody understands.  Weighing your food for 60 days serves as the boot camp for the long term goal of Trusting Your Eyes.  In short, commit to weighing your food for 60 days.  Afterwards your eyes will guide you to correct portion sizes.

3.      Which foods am I not allowed to have?

This is the second most common question put to me; especially from the so-called Yo-Yo dieters who are trying the Rules for the first time.
Let’s be clear.  I am 100% confident that you already know (for the most part); which foods are good for you and which are not so good for you.  You already know which preparation methods are better for you than others. 
Yes, most of us do not appreciate just how toxic our food environment has become; but we still know that a McDonald’s burger has more fat than a lightly seasoned grilled salmon.
To that end, no food, with the exception of sugary drinks, is off limits.  Eat anything that you like.  However remember, each meal must include two vegetables and weigh no more than 8 ounces.  The Rules provide the framework which will allow you to make the smarter choices that you already know you should be making.

4.      Do I need to weigh my food even when eating at a restaurant?

The Rules never ask you to observe a restriction which is harder to follow than the habits of millions of healthy people.  Since healthy people enjoy dining out as an occasional pastime shared with friends; why shouldn’t you?
I don’t recommend weighing your food at a restaurant because you are there primarily to have fun and over indulge.  I just need you to remember that a restaurant is the Supreme Treat Factory. Despite their convincing marketing, there are very few if any healthy options on most American menus.  The food and drinks that are served should be viewed as a “complement to the entertainment and company” not as subsistence in any way.
Restaurant food has no more functionality to your body than a roller coaster has to your commute to work.
Once you understand that, it is perfectly normal for you to occasionally enjoy the high sodium, sugar-laden, high fat delicious TREATS served at most restaurant chains.
Note however, just like you wouldn’t ride a roller coaster every day to get to work; if you want to be healthy you shouldn’t eat at a restaurant every day to fuel your body.  This includes your work cafeteria and other lunchtime and breakfast fast food joints.
I know what people who don't live in the South are thinking. Everyone at my job eats lunch in the cafeteria and they look alright? 
Consensus forecast suggest that by 2030, over 40% of Americans will be obese.  Any further questions?

5.      What if I need to frequently eat out because of my job?

I am a swimmer.  I swim no less than 4 days per week.  All swimmers know that the first few seconds in the water are the hardest because the water temperature is always colder than the temperature of our bodies. 
Because I swim regularly, I have decided to begin every swim with the same routine. I walk to the deep-end of the pool without touching the water and jump right in. I don't come up until after my body has become fully submerged.  Within seconds I become acclimated to the water and begin my swim. 

I find this routine easier than hesitantly sticking my foot into the water, feeling the cool water and then slowly climbing into the pool.  Simply put, because I have become so familiar with the pool environment, there is no mystique making it easy for me to make all the necessary preparations before I reach the pool.  If only swam every once in a while the environment would strongly influence how well and how long I swam.
The same should be true for people who have jobs which require them to eat at restaurants regularly.  The regularity of the experience should remove most of the experience’s luster and allure from your mind.  This should allow you to implement one or two Affirmative Habits in order to rationally prepare for your meal. 
To that end, I recommend examining the menu before arriving and then placing your food order as soon as you arrive at the table.  Don't open the menu that is provided at the table and don't consider the so-called specials.  Remember to observe the two vegetables rule ordering an extra side of healthy vegetables if necessary.  Never, under any circumstances arrive for dinner hungry.
Finally, eating at restaurants regularly is the ONLY time that it makes since to consider the calorie count of the food.  Most restaurants publish the nutritional information of their menu items.  Decide your range and stick to items that fit within it.  Also without looking at the menu you could ask the server to suggest a dish which is within your calorie range.  The server will obviously recommend the least unhealthy options that can possibly be produce in a Supreme Treat Factory.

Again, these suggestions are not for the people who enjoy a nice restaurant as an occasional treat.

6.      Why are sugary drinks prohibited; and don’t healthy people drink sugary drinks especially juice?

The elimination of sugary drinks (including so-called 100% fruit juice) is non-negotiable for the first 60 days. 
Scientists at Princeton University along with countless other researchers have proven that sugar has many of the same addictive properties as drugs which are commonly abused.  More specifically, animals that were allowed to binge on sugar developed signs of sugar cravings and relapses, both critical components of additions.  When denied sugar, for a prolonged period after learning to binge the animals worked even harder than they ever had before to get it once it was reintroduced to them. 
Most surprisingly, animals drank more alcohol than normal after their sugar supply was cut off, showing that the binging behavior had forged changes in brain function. These functions served as "gateways" to other paths of destructive behavior, such as increased alcohol intake. And, after receiving a dose of amphetamine normally so minimal it has no effect, they became significantly hyperactive (And we wonder why so many kids suffer from ADHD). The increased sensitivity to the psycho-stimulant is a long-lasting brain effect that can be a component of addiction, doctors concluded.
Big Food knows this.  So they pump anywhere from 6 to 10 forms of sugar into these sugary drinks.  The nature of liquid consumption means that people have a tendency to consume much more of them than solid foods.  Thus our sugar intake has increased dramatically.  This means that more people, especially children become addicted and Big Food is there to collect the money.
Big Food is also very cleaver in marketing.  They even pump additional sugar into so-called 100% fruit juice (see the video section of the blog).  Yes they “fortify” it with a few nutrients and always position it with healthy food options which makes people think that fruit juice is a naturally healthy beverage equipped with essential vitamins and minerals.  
To be clear, fruit juice is the close cousin of alcohol. The main difference is that one is fermented just a little longer than the other.
I estimate that it will take about 60 days of detox before for you can completely kick the sugar addiction.  At which point you may introduce sugary drinks back into your diet within their proper context. 
Even more can be said for the so-called “sports drinks”.  These drinks can have as much sodium as a small fry and equal amounts of sugar.  Big Food has convinced Americans that a 20 minute workout is not complete without a 20 ounce bottle Gatorade.
Repeat after me; “Like alcoholic beverages, sugary drinks, should be considered an occasional TREAT which is enjoyed among friends and/or special occasions”.

7.      What about corn on the cob or bread?

Each piece of corn on the cob and each slice of bread should be considered one once each.

8.      I am not overweight. Do I need to observe the Five Rules?

Being the appropriate weight is not an accurate indication of good health.  Many people who are not obese still suffer from a poor diet which leads to symptoms like lack of energy, high blood pressure and poor overall fitness.
Moreover, most Americans consume too much added sugar (especially from sugary drinks) and not enough fruits and vegetables.  The Five Rules address this.
Even if you are at your ideal body weight, I still recommend that you weight your food for 60 days.  Weighting your food forces you to take a moment to reflect on what you are about to eat before.  This is a critical first step in the Self Discovery process.
You may however eat more than the recommend 5 eight ounce meals per day.  In the old days, there was nothing wrong with accepting “Seconds”.  I still remember my grandmother telling my mother, “Give that child seconds, he is a growing boy.”
The problem now is that many Americans are piling First, Seconds and Thirds onto their plates at once; everyday.  This habit is driving our obesity epidemic through the roof; especially among children.

9.      What about Diet Soda? It has no sugar and little calories?

Would you recommend that a recovering alcoholic drink non-alcoholic beer?
No. Why not? Because non alcoholic beer tastes like beer, looks like beer, smells like beer, feels like beer, is processed in your brain like beer and purchased and consumed in the exact same places as beer is.
Addiction (in this case to sugar) has both mental and physical attributes.  For 60 days, you need to completely reverse the craving for sugary drinks.  The next time that you are in the grocery store, look at the aisle that is dedicated to sugary drinks and see if there is ANYTHING in the ENTIRE aisle that have any redeeming nutritional value.

According to the Mayo clinic, studies show that people who drink sugary drinks whether diet or regular are at a higher risk of obesity.  I think this correlation results from people thinking that they can “game” the reality of health and nutrition.  I am sure you have seen people like that.  They order Big Mac meal at McDonalds along with a diet soda.
If you ever hear a recovering alcoholic say, “Well, I never stopped drinking, but now I am sure that I can stop at one or two beers”; you know that they are not yet on the road to successful recovering.  It doesn’t work that way.
Mild sugar addiction is not as severe as alcoholism, but the similarities warrant a 60 day ban in order to prove to yourself that you don’t need these chemically processed drinks that your body barely recognizes.
Afterwards, you may choose to reintroduce them back into your diet as an “Occasional TREAT that you enjoy among friends and/or on special occasions”.

10.  Doctors recommend a minimum of 30 minutes moderate-intensity physical activity, five days a week, but this is higher than the 20 minutes of exercise four days a week recommendation in the Five Rules?

If I asked you to do 30 minutes of exercise five days a week would you stick to it? If so, get started.

For the rest, the Five Rules for Healthy Living is the first chapter in your personal journey of improved health and nutrition.  You should start slow and build. If a 20 minute walk is too much, drop the time down to a level that you feel comfortable.  The most important thing is that you are active, which could be as simple as walking, no less than four days per week.

Also, I want to dispel the myth perpetrated by Big Fitness that you need to endure a Rocky Balboa-style P90-X workout in order to be healthy.  You just need to get consistently active.  Over time during the Self Discovery process you will naturally begin to increase your activity.  Trust me.

11.  I don’t like vegetables. What should I do?

Red Auerbach, legendary coach of the Boston Celtics once said, "You can't teach height".

The same can be said about your desire to be healthy. 

One thing that Big Food has done relatively well is expand access to a variety of fruits and vegetables.  Walk down the aisle of almost any grocery store’s produce section and you will be surrounded by nearly one hundred different fruit and vegetable varieties. 

Not to be overlooked, the frozen food section also has a bountiful selection of out-of-season and in-season fruits and vegetables at a fraction of the cost.

Big Food and Big Box Retail have also developed several products, such as the microwave, the slow cooker, the steamer, the indoor grill, the mini convection oven and the pressure cooker which have masterfully enabled the novice cook to reduce cooking times from hours to minutes.

Video sharing sites like Youtube and Videojug offer five minute cooking tutorials for any dish imaginable.

While I have told you that you can prepare the vegetables any way that you like them, I can’t make you explore a few vegetables until you find a few that you enjoy.  I can’t force you to noticeably infuse a few vegetables into your favorite dishes.  You have to decide to be healthy on your own or it won't work.

12.  This week I “fell off the wagon”. What should I do now?

The Five Rules of Healthy Living is not a diet in the tradition sense.  It is merely the realization of the five core habits that healthy people regularly observe.  Therefore they are constant.

The intent is for you to implement these habits into your daily routine.  There is however, no scorecard or set timetable. 

Ironically, the fact that you recognize that you have “fallen off the wagon”, indicates that you have not actually “fallen off the wagon”.

Healthy people understand when they overindulge and accept it an enjoyable part of life.  This is in contrast to unhealthy who unknowingly overindulge every day at places like their work cafeteria, the Bo ‘Jangles breakfast drive-in and countless vending machines.

Unhealthy people tend to only count the occasions when they grossly over eat, but fail to realize that the daily intake of processed food-like chemical concoctions are indeed what is making them obese; not the occasional splurge.

You now understand this concept; so it is impossible for you to “fall off the wagon”.

13.  What about coffee and tea. Do I need to give those up for 60 days?

Yes and no.  You are not to drink any sugary drinks for the next 60 days.  I define sugary drinks as drinks where sugar or artificial sweeteners have already been added or drinks which are created by extracting sugar from a food source (including 100% fruit juice). 

Not included are drinks which have no sugar.  To that end, just like cooking any recipe, you are allowed to add sugar and other spices to taste.

I know the so-called experts hate this advice, but I know that through the Self-discovery process you will begin to reduce your sugar intake and find a number of all around healthier alternatives to refined sugar and chemical sweeteners.