I watched a show this weekend that motivated me to no end.
It was a broadcast about the American Diet and how we are basically eating our way to obesity. Most of the stuff I could share is stuff you already know. We need to eat healthier, yadda-yadda-yadda.
However, they shared some interesting stats on the way we eat that really stood out for me.
- 90% of the vegetables eaten by children are potatoes
- An average 8 year old eats 8lbs of sugar a week.
- There are 400 calories in an Extra Large Coke, nearly a quarter of all the calories an average woman should consume in one day.
- Soda also accounts for 10% of the total calories in our diets.
- Foods with High Fructose Corn Syrup and partially Hydrogented Soybean Oil are the devil.
Basically, all of the processed, convenience foods are killing us. Get back to eating fresh vegetables, lean meats and proteins. Read the labels. The basics.
Giving up one ingredient alone (stop eating anything with High Fructose Corn Syrup) and you may see a difference of ten to twenty pounds a year.
Another reason to give up the donuts!
I eat pretty healthy but after attending a wedding recently and seeing members of my family who used to be skinny now struggling with their weight…this message is more pertinent than ever.
What are you eating for lunch today? Think about it.
WOW, 8lbs of sugar!?!?!?
8lbs! They poured the 8lbs in a bowl and showed the kids. Crazy right?
I saw Dr. Oz and nem show similar to the one you speak of last year. It had the SAME effect on me as well. I do well in this department due to personal digestive issues and the like. I wrangled my entire clan into eating my way or the highway to hunger – if they didn’t like it. They obliged, but still want the pantry to include those fatty sweets and salty stuff. I’ve long since let my guard down and am now paying for it royally. Just reading this is yet another wake up call to do better because my behind KNOWS better. Then maybe I wouldn’t have to work hard, but instead smart at the gym or during my regular fitness regime. Today, I was a Chipotle chicken salad. Yum.
Special K Yogurt and Nuts Cereal (3/4 cup) with 1/4 peach and 1/2 cup milk. I am trying the special K diet. Two weeks in have lost 6lbs and can feel a difference in my jeans. Actually lost an inch in my waist. But less to none in other measurable areas.
I am telling you ….watch that show and you will never eat fast food again. UGH.
They showed the ingredients in a Twinkie and deconstructed it….whew. All chemicals.
This is why I gave up fast foods around a year ago. I only allow Mikaela a Happy Meal (with apple slices), once a month! LOL So now after seeing this post, I don’t feel like the mean momma!
So true…if you want to take it to the next level. Fast Food Nation is a great book to read. I read it like 2 years ago. It will make you boycott Fast Food for about…err…um two years.. *hanging head in shame*
Seriously, I try to eat well most of the time. I ofcourse like to get my junk food on every once and a while…I usually feel yucky after, so it helps me to stay on track.
LOL its so funny.. that’s why I went back to BAKING my own treats for the kids instead of buying things from the store.. I substitute yogurt as an ingredient in my cookies/cakes and I use splenda vs. cane sugar and my kids don’t mind.
Fast food Ha.. that’s a joke.. like Erica B.. that’s a treat LOL and its to the point now that MY KIDS dont’ even want it so I’m happy about that..
We have to start at home making HEALTHY choices and the kids will learn by example.. Especially when a life changing situation happens at home.. that is what did it for my kids..
fab post!
no donut!
I actually have kind of an eating disorder that is purely psychological I know. See…when I eat something I don’t consider “clean” food…I get sick to my stomach pretty much instantly. It started a while ago when I was sitting down at a restaurant waiting on some people. There was this very large woman eating a huge hamburger. She was gripping the burger so hard that it was dripping and I had to go to the restroom immediately.
Ever since then…all I can think about when around “bad” food is that if I put that inside of me…I could end up looking like that lady one day and I can’t do it. I just can’t.
My husband sometimes complains that we never have REAL snacks at our house because I buy things like raw almonds, olives, cheese, berries and LOTS of fruit. That fool says he feels like a dang squirrel sometimes. LOL! Because of this…I make him fresh salsa (very easy to do and doesn’t have all that sodium in it) and buy him some whole grain chips.
He’ll love me later in life for doing this I’m sure. But right now he wishes he could have buffalo wings to watch the game and I’m like nope…that’s for the Superbowl only. LOL!
I am BIG on this. Although I am struggling with my weight right now, I look at ALL labels and try to get only organic or all nartural foods. You will be surprised at how hard it is to buy things without partially hydrogenated oils (Just about EVERYTHING has this) and without high fructose corn syrup. Just buying bread was a 5 minute thing when I first started X-ing these things out of my diet.
I will probably pick up a salad for lunch. I’m trying desparately to change my diet. I did a detox last month, but old habits die hard.
I’m getting dizzy imagining 8lbs of sugar in my body. yuck!
*Step away from the donut*
OSAG homie!!!!
.
I have always had an almost neurotic fear of “death by diet”. I watch people eat large amounts of food and sweets, and I feel faint! I really think that if i eat certain foods, I’ll die in my sleep or something… I really could survive on a liquid diet.
I’m about to try the Master Cleanse…pray for me!
I’m having coffee for lunch.
Bill Maher always talks about High Fructose Corn Syrup, but also how the government is paying all these farmers to grow corn, which is more than we can eat, thus…HFCS for everyone!!! That’s why all the kids in the hood love purple stuff aka grape drink.
“Juice, nigga what’s juice!?!? I want some grape drink baby!”
I am not a big fan of processed food personally… I’ll rather cook it myself (which doesn’t prevent one from overdoing it
)… But it’s always a good reminder to see how bad the food we are presented with can be…
It makes it worth it to have spent 1hour hunting down Mason jars in WalMart this week-end…. now I have homemade strawberry jam! Yay!
Ohmygoodness, the idea of 8 lbs of sugar makes me nauseous. It amazes me how much people rely on fast food, and have no idea what it’s doing to their bodies. What a good post, it really makes you think.
Alright, you’ve definitely motivated me to to rethink my lunch.
This October marks one year that I gave up red meat and pork. I want to start the year giving up something else. Watching that show has made me think.
I don’t drink soda or use sugar, I prepare most of my meals at home, and mainly shop the perimeter of the grocery store to avoid processed foods. Additionally, I’ve reduced my intake of beef and pork. I keep a food journal to monitor my caloric intake. Today for lunch I had homemade udon noodle soup with bok choy and about five other vegetables.
It’s good to see so many sisters concerned about their health. Because I’m so small, people act like their offended that I care about what I put in my body. Dr Oz always has some pearl of wisdom. Love him!
I’m with you! I’ve learned a lot with my nutritionist. One thing I can’t stand – watching parents give their kids soda and/or juice. It’s just filled with sugar that has an adverse affect on the cognitive development of children at an early age. Why not sit them in the smoking section of a restaurant while you’re at it?!?! UGH!
I gave up meat for the most part. Last time I had a burger, that mess stayed in my stomach for like a week, hijacking my system! I stick to fish. Chicken only once every blue moon.
The thing that sucks is that it’s so much cheaper to eat sh*tty. And people wonder why healthcare disparities are so interconnected to socioeconomic status. DUH!
I think its not only what you take in but how much exercising you do as well..
ice cream is my weakness I can work out, eat healthy all day long with veggies, and lots of fruits but then I top it off with a bowl of ice cream if I could stop that and my daily diet pepsi I’d be good *sigh*
High fructose corn syrup is the devil. I’ve given up the Soda and I’m easy on the fast foods. I think this HFCS may be responsible for my extra twenty.
i think one of the best things about having a health food freak for a mother i have never been a junk food junkie. my idea of a sugar-snack is a Tofutti Cutie, I don’t eat fast food except for occasionally when I am hung over on the road, which is about once or a year.
I rarely eat red meat, and only high grade organic free-range meat with no antibiotics.
I don’t drink soda because it has no nutritional value and luckily I live in LA where healthy organic good is as easy to come by as anything else. What I find difficult is traveling and having to figure out what to eat when I’m in the Mid-West or South and health food is not as popular!
You guys are doing well. Ice cream is my achilles heel but I eat HIGH QUALITY ice cream. I really am an ice cream snob. I will only eat Haagen Dazs or Ben and Jerry’s. Does that make it better? LOL
lol on being an ice cream snob…i’ve just found blue bell pralines & cream…why oh why??
Never go anywhere near Coldstone Creamery. Just typing the name makes me crave it!
food out of a box. i really try and if stuff at restaurants had more health in it (fast food), i would try to gravitate toward it. they always charge more for healthy stuff which is outrageous. at chickfila, a whole wheat bun is 20 cents more. what?!?! it used to be extra at most fast food places to sub out your fries. i saw this thing about sodas that if you have one per day, but the end of the week you’ve had something like 16oz of sugar. they showed all that sugar and i instantly drank less soda. geez!
My diet been some shyt since I left for Miami. Between Liquor and French Fries (and no running whatsoever) I have fallen completely off the health bandwagon. I’m back to my running tomorrow and I am afraid…very very afraid.
And Ice Cream makes me cramp like hell and fart like shyt…Ice Cream is the DEBIL!
is there anything that doesn’t have hi-fructose corn syrup in it that also happens to be sweetened, and not artificially? The only things I can find that fit that category are imported products like D&G soda. It has can sugar.
GC…good question. Yes, D&G has cane sugar in it. That’s why it tastes so good …LOL
I guess there are natural sodas out there…probably at health food stores. I believe that Jones soda also uses cane sugar.
Not as bad but still a lot of empty calories. However, if a soda is your guilty pleasure but you are eating lots of vegetables and exercising……it might not be as bad.
I am far from a nutritionist though.
guess i won’t be eating that leftover cheese cake=/
You don’t have to tell me twice- I am seriously looking into becoming a vegetarian for this very reason- I was always on the slim side but now I getting chunky…
Good lord that’s a lot of junk! Potatoes?? Potatoes? Poor kids, heh.