Mending the Relationship with Food

There is good reason that “diet” is a four-letter word. It conjures a feeling of discomfort for anyone that utters or hears it. I also find the word flagrantly misleading. Diet in its most general sense is simply a system of eating that nourishes the body. However, it has been warped into a false meaning of deprivation, extreme change and slavery to food.

This is precisely why Americans need to stop dieting and start eating. That’s right – we need to start eating, because it’s time we learn to nourish our bodies instead of adhering to a system of pollute and deprive. This is what our current system is about. We pollute our bodies through overeating and bad choices, and we follow that pollution with systemized deprivation.

In order to change that system of eating, it’s time to change the vernacular we use to describe our nutrition plans. No, this isn’t about calling curtains “window treatments” or fancy cars “driving machines.” We instead must focus on what to put in our bodies rather than what to keep out of them.

How many times have we heard “Don’t eat that!” For years, I avoided foods like avocados because someone said, “they’re full of fat.” I also went several weeks not eating carbohydrates because – like millions of Americans – I jumped on the low-carb bandwagon. Yes, I lost 60 pounds, but I was miserable the entire time, constantly and wantonly gazing at a beautiful potato or plate of pasta. I believed I was being healthy. Of course, I put back on 20 pounds immediately after the “diet,” because I didn’t learn how to eat – I simply learned how to deprive.

Body pollution is easy – hit any drive-thru and order a hearty burger with fries, a soft drink (or a shake), and finish with an apple pie. Just as easy is the 700-calorie coffee drink we MUST have each morning to wake up. I’m not saying we stop our fast-food runs or trips to the coffee chain, but maybe we redirect our thinking to focus on foods we should be eating.

I love the “Eat this, not that” authors, because they can illustrate very simply what just a small portion of food really “costs” in the way of calories and fat. Any good dietician will tell you that it’s about inclusion of good foods rather than deprivation of “bad” foods that creates healthy eating plans that will stick. Replacing foods high in calories and fat with healthier alternatives means you aren’t depriving your body of foods. You simply are making choices that are easier on the body in the long run.

There is nothing wrong with a potato. It has fed generations of people in times of great strife and famine. What we have to realize is that those generations were probably a bit more active – working the land or having a job that wasn’t sedentary in front of a computer screen eight hours per day. And that pasta? Perfectly acceptable – especially when it’s made with whole grains.

It’s about including new foods that are healthy and full of vitamins. That pasta is perfectly acceptable when accompanied by fresh vegetables and grilled fish. The potato works as an incredible accompaniment to roasted chicken and squash. Ask yourself this – when is the last time you went grocery shopping and picked up something new that you haven’t eaten in months? Berries, endive, zucchini, salmon or artisan dark chocolate?

Nutritious eating depends on so many factors in your lifestyle. If you’re a generally healthy person getting vigorous exercise four or five times a week, the eating you do should reflect that through a diverse array or fruits, vegetables, proteins and carbohydrates. When you’re older, you need fewer calories, but that food diversity is just as critical for staying fit in mind and body. Children and teenagers especially should look at what to put in their stomachs rather than what to keep out.

This kind of ritualized eating takes planning and diligence. Spend at least a few minutes each day thinking about what you will eat tomorrow and the following day. Use a simple system of portion control to assist. Most dieticians recommend that people get more frequent, smaller meals (six per day). This isn’t realistic for everyone, but three medium-sized meals with a couple of snacks usually satisfy any eating plan.

Strive to eat a protein, carbohydrate, and a fruit or vegetable at every meal. Generally speaking, portion sizes are about the shape of your palm. This cuts out that need for calorie counting when you are too busy to set up a spreadsheet! Seek out leaner proteins and interesting complex carbs to balance with the more pedestrian steak and potatoes. The idea is for meal and food diversity, not exclusion. You might have that steak, potato and salad for dinner one night a week, but try a salmon, brown rice, and steamed veggie combo the following night. The next morning, eat your favorite whole grain cereal, and throw a banana in for good measure. A piece of bacon, why not? But keep it to a piece and not a slab.

The idea is to mix in new foods every day that keep you interested in trying out flavors you’re not accustomed to, as eventually, your eating habits will progress to a healthier combination of foods that really do nourish the body and accentuate gains made by fitness. It’s a system of inclusion versus exclusion, and you are guaranteed to end the cycle of pollute and deprive.