Let's Just Give Them Cigarrettes, Too

Lately I have been so puzzled by the whole "school lunch" thing.  Why wouldn't a school want to feed kids healthy fresh food?  I have assumed it was about the almighty dollar, but the info I learned from the Slow Cook blog made me mad as hell.  Yes, you heard it right.

This blog explains the 10%-15% (or even 50%!) rebates that food service providers receive from the big food companies because they buy food in huge quantities.  The companies that run food services in many public schools are then supposed to pass those rebates right onto the schools.  So school "Learn A Lot" hires "Serve a Lot" to run their food service.  Because "Serve a Lot" is serving hundreds of students in each of hundreds of schools, they receive these rebates, making food service cheap.  Schools are always needing to save money, right?  So this looks like a winner of a program to them.  (And for the record, I'm totally in favor of schools having more money to put toward learning.)

There are some problems, however.  One problem is that the food service companies don't return the rebates to the schools in a timely manner.  The bigger problem is that the whole unsavory business is shrouded in secrecy, probably because the companies realize that we would be mad as hell if we knew.  The bigger problem leads to an even bigger one:  We are not talking about produce companies selling lettuce here.  We are talking about Apple Jax and fatty muffins. 

If this weren't bad enough, the really insidious nastiness is this:  Big food companies have spent millions of dollars and years of research learning what makes food irresistible.  Rest assured, these companies are not accidentally  providing tantalizing foods to school kids.  They are very certainly doing it on purpose.  If they can hook 'em when they're young, they'll have customers for life.

It reminds me of when the tobacco companies provided cigarettes free to soldiers stationed abroad in World War II.  The government distributed them, for heaven's sake.  And those soldiers came home hooked.

I know someone will accuse me of being overly dramatic.  But is it really that different?  Cigarettes kill, there is no doubt.  And guess what?  Obesity does too.  The diseases that are expected to cost our country enormous amounts of money in the next few years are greatly impacted or exacerbated by obesity.  Yep, it's sickening.

Until we as citizens -- whether or not we have kids eating school lunch -- start to wake ourselves up and decide to put a stop to this craziness, things are going to get worse.  I predict they are going to get a lot worse.

Bye, bye Pyramid - Friday Tips, Tricks and Inspiration

Woohoo, the US government (actually the USDA) has revised it's food pyramid scheme and now it's a plate.  It has gotten a little bad press but being your "look on the bright side" gal, I think it's a move in the right direction. Cut them some slack, bloggers, it's a large and slow bureaucratic machine; they're doing their best to catch up!

The New York Times wrote an interesting article about it last week. 
You can check the "plate" out for yourself at the easy to remember, www.choosemyplate.gov
If you are not familiar with this website or it's predecessor, MyPyramid.org, it is actually an amazing resource.  I have used it on several occasions to print out nutritional information based on the age of  each of my 5 kids.  Do you know the difference in the serving sizes of green beans for a 1 year old, a 4 year old and a 12 year old?  This is the place to find out.  Also, when my teens complain I gave them too many green beans, I just blame the USDA.  So I guess the "My Plate" information now qualifies as a tip and  a trick.

So here is the inspiration:
“Action springs not from thought, but from a readiness for responsibility.”

Dietrich Bonhoeffer

I can think about losing weight all day long; until I actually prepare myself for the responsibility of my own weight and activity, it just aint' gonna happen.  So be it.

Idling at the Top of the Hill

Weight loss is not a super highway.  It's more of a mountain track with detours, switchbacks and some uphill portions.  In the past 88 days, I have gained two pounds, yet I am still on the path.  I've fallen off a time or two, I've struggled with exercise, and I have been on track the vast majority of the time.  I know what it will take to speed up my loss and hit a big downhill stretch, and I have been idling at the top of that hill waiting for the right time.  School is mostly out as of today -- one child has 8 more days -- and the leisure that will afford gives me the opening to rev up my engines and refocus my energy on myself.

My goal for the summer is to get well below 200 pounds.  Keeping my calories low is not enough, I need to step up my exercise big time.  To maintain a high level of exercise, I am helped by keeping my intention firmly in place.

In no particular order, here are my motivations for getting back to my pre-1998 weight over the summer:

I already have greater ease of movement  and I want more of that!  More fun with the family!
I want to live a long and healthful life for the enjoyment of it.
I want to be in the family photos (as opposed editing myself out because I don't like my appearance).
I want to be proud of how I look.
I want to buy clothes I really like - to dress like myself.
I want to continue on my path to a long and healthy life.
I want to complete it because it is something I am doing for myself, a commandment I made -- my word to myself -- I want to honor and complete it.

To get there, I will:
Visualize myself reaching my goals every day
Step up my exercise to 6 hours per week
Stick to my eating plan 100% until I meet my goal

Wait, what's that sound?  It's me, revving my engines.  Tomorrow, I throw off the brakes.  Look out, world!!

Photo credit:  Graphics Fairy

News of the Day - Schools - Arghhh

And now for something completely crazy!  If I had 2 million dollars to reform school lunch, how would I spend it?  I would hire extra staff to prepare fresh fruit, cook actual potatoes (not fries, hashbrowns or tater tots), and prepare food that is fresh and wholesome.  Here is how San Antonio Schools are spending the money!

 (Thanks to Weighty Matters for the news brief!)

A couple of years back, Jamie Oliver worked to reform the school dinner program in England.  There were news stories of parents standing outside the school-yard fence to hand their kids fish and chips.  Since then, people love to blame parents for the trouble with what kids eat at school.  I think that is a bunch of bologna.

I can tell you from my own experience of parenting children who have been parented by others that kids eat what you serve them.  At home, the kids are thrilled for a "snack" that is an orange, an apple, watermelon, carrots, or some baked good that is made from whole grains and little or no added sugar.  Yet when they were visiting weekly with their bio-mom, they were also thrilled with the french fries, soda and pastries she brought to the visits.  I am under no illusion;  if you put a pop-tart and an apple in front of my kids, they'd probably choose the pop-tart.  But if you give them a choice between an apple or melon, they do not say, "No, I want a pop-tart!"

School is a huge part of a child's life.  Why can't schools model healthy eating?  In fact, I daresay that if we do not redeem our school food programs, we will not defeat the obesity epidemic in this country.  I agree that children need choices.  But that choice can be between an apple and an orange, it does not have to be a choice of pastries. 

Yes, it will cost more, in the short term.  We have to be able to look at the long term.  What will be the cost of all the obesity related health issues and diseases our country is facing and that continue to expand exponentially year after year?  Get real, San Antonio!

Trip of a LIfetime

I have been on this weight loss journey a long time and sometimes I get really focused on the "long time" and forget about the journey.  I am finally losing again after a long plateau followed by a small slow regain of 15 pounds.  It is so easy and so tempting to be totally focused on the goal and forget that I am in the midst of a learning process.

I am learning how to eat for optimum health.  I am learning what "full" and "hungry" feel like -- things I'm pretty sure I did not know before.  I am learning how much exercise both my lifestyle and my 53-year-old frame can accommodate.  I am learning to turn to people for emotional support, not food.  (It never worked that well anyway).  I am learning that I am worth taking the time to care for myself.  Yep, it's true.

When I get to goal, I will still be on the journey.  I cannot then forget all that I've learned and return to thoughtless eating.  Instead, I am now building habits and practices I will maintain for a lifetime. I guess you could say this is the trip of a lifetime.  Might as well enjoy the scenery!

Tips, Tricks and Friday inspiration - Special K again

Several weeks ago, I did a blog on the Special K diet.  Here is a well thought out blog on the same topic, including some nutrition data. 

And here is some good news about a "big food" company who is going to wage battle in the war on obesity.  Although, when I read the article, I almost cried. 

Finally -- not seeing the success you'd hoped for?   I came across this Spark People article lately that gets to the root of the problem.

I realize I have been neglecting this blog a bit!  Back at it now!!  Happy Friday!

Performance Eating 101

This is my first ever blog in response to a request.  A reader wants me to talk about nutrition for teenage athletes.  First, the disclaimer.  I am not a registered dietitian.  I have a degree in the humanities.  I have no certification in anything nutrition related.  What I am is a chronic researcher.  It’s in my genes or something – I just can’t stop learning.

What follows are some suggestions on how we can use fuel (a.k.a. food) to optimize our workouts, speed our recovery and lessen the likelihood of injury.  These recommendations are based on years devouring the current science on nutrition and fitness, as well as recommendations from my nutrition text books and a couple of websites, all of which I will reference.  Please pay attention to this part:  This is not meant to be specific instructions for any individual.  Instead, I am merely suggesting that there are ways we can really use our food and benefit from all it has to offer.  Specific advice for you, as an individual, can be sought from your health care practitioner or a Registered Dietitian.

Let’s begin with a very simplified view of how the system works.  We take in fuel (in the form of food) and the nutrients are then put to work in our body.  Protein is used for building muscle; carbohydrates are stored in the liver as glycogen which is made available to the muscles as a source of energy; calcium ( a mineral) adds strength to our bones.  Fruits and vegetables (which are also sources of carbohydrates) contribute vitamins, minerals and fiber which are crucial to maintaining the health of our organs and helping us fight infection and disease. Fats play important parts too but I have to shorten this discussion somewhere.

The other important thing you need to know is how the process of muscle building actually works.  When you are building muscles, you are actually causing tiny breaks or tears in your muscles. Because the muscle you had “on hand” was not sufficient  for the task, your body not only rebuilds the muscle damaged but adds on for good measure.  Therefore, what we think of as “building” is actually breaking apart and then building.  We help this rebuilding process by eating healthfully during the rebuilding phase.  If you want to learn more, here is an article on the topic written in plain English.

These days, we tend to talk about food as being either protein or carbohydrates (“carbs” for short).  We hear a lot about carbs “making us fat” and also about “good carbs” and “bad carbs.”  Really there is no such thing.  We can make healthier choices or less healthy ones, but carbs themselves are not “bad.”  In fact, they are an essential part of our living and growing and certainly an essential provider of energy for training.  Just as you wouldn’t expect a car to run without gas, you can’t expect your muscles to work without fuel!

For everyday exercise (less than 1-1/2 hours duration), the glycogen reserves we have from a healthy, well-balanced diet are plenty.  For athletes who are performing at a high level (cyclists, distance runners, endurance athletes), these stores may not be enough.  For an endurance task or one requiring a LOT of energy, loading carbohydrates beforehand will help increase these stores in the liver, making more available for the task at hand.

What this means, simply, is that before an endurance task, loading extra carbs can really help.  Many athletes eat a diet of about 70% carbohydrates for 3 days before the event.  They also reduce their training during this period, not only to allow their muscles to rest and heal, but also to help build the glycogen stores in the liver.

Dr. John Ivy of the University of Texas has done tons of research on how food and drink impacts performance.  Articles about his research are widely available but I have linked one here.   He has also co-written a couple of books if you are really serious about making the most of your workouts; the best known is The Performance Zone. In this book he gives specific information for various sports as well as charts for specific nutrients based on weight and activity.

30 minutes or so before working out, make sure you drink plenty of water, about 2 cups.  When you are low on fluids, or dehydrated, it stresses your body and that affects performance.  You need to keep drinking throughout, about 1 cup every 15 to 20 minutes.  Dr. Ivy recommends a sports drink that is 4 parts carbs and 1 part protein.

After you work out (again, we are talking about long periods of exercise – 1-1/2 hours or more) you need to replace those carbs and some protein, as well as replenish your fluids.  Most researchers say you need to eat and drink within about 30 minutes of completing your work out.  Replacing the fluids is essential and so are consuming some carbs.  Carbs won’t repair muscle, though, so you need some protein.  Some people drink a glass of 100% fruit juice with a peanut butter sandwich.  I am more inclined toward a piece cheese and whole fruit.  Find a combination that works for you and remember to get it in right after that workout.  Dr. Ivy’s window for this refueling is 15-45 minutes after the event.

We know that muscles actually break down during exercise.  Dr. Ivy’s research has shown that the muscles are most receptive to rebuilding in the first 24 hours after exercise.  There is a lot of science behind this claim that has to do, in particular, with insulin receptivity in the muscles.  What’s most important for us to remember is that muscles need to repair and rebuild!

So to reiterate the basics:
·    Before a big meet or event, eat extra carbs for 3 days.
·    Start the event well hydrated and drink lots as you go.
·    Eat and drink within 30 minutes of completing exercise
·    Eat a healthy diet with extra carbs and good quality protein in that important 24 hours after exercise.
·    A healthy, well-balanced diet through all of your life is your best bet for improving performance and preventing injury. 




 Additional sources (others are linked in the body of the blog):
This is an article on current thinking about carb loading – read the whole thing, there is an evolution that isn’t obvious in the first page!
Understanding Nutrition  by Whitney.  I love this text.  I use it all the time.