Breakfast A Dying American Pastime
According to a recent ABC News poll, Americans are showing a strong tendency of ignoring Mom’s advice by consistently skipping
breakfast. In fact, almost half of the population between the ages of 18 and 54 skip breakfast on a regular basis.
Skipping breakfast has been shown to guarantee lower performance at the workplace and in the classroom, ensuring tired brains, sluggish bodies and cranky moods. There is a center in the brain that registers when the body is missing nutrients. By mid-morning, many breakfast-cutters may indulge in a pick-me-up like coffee or a candy bar, but this is hardly enough to truly sustain the body until lunch time. Besides, we’re the most prone to making unhealthy meal choices and eating
larger-than-life portions when we’re super-hungry. Let’s keep it real. What would a growling stomach choose: a Big Mac with
fries or a Caesar salad?
Are You a Breakfast Bum?
If breakfast were a class, how often do you cut? Many of us that don’t eat breakfast happen to have very valid reasons as to
why (or so we think). Here’s our response.
“I’m trying to lose weight”
Skipping meals does not help you to lose weight. As a matter of fact, it appears to make weight control more difficult for reasons stated
above. Also, research shows people that eat breakfast regularly tend to be leaner than people who skip. Let’s put it
this way: to help the body to conserve energy as it goes without food, the body’s metabolism slows while we sleep. Feeding
your body in the morning gives your metabolism the jump start it needsgiving you more energy and allowing your body to burn more calories throughout the day.
“I’m not hungry in the morning”
Don’t get it twisted: breakfast doesn’t have to be a full spread, four course meal. A hard boiled egg (yolk removed) with some hummus or just a small cup of good cereal with some soy milk will do the trick.
“I don’t have time. I need my sleep”
Let’s put this in perspective: the 10-15 minutes it takes to prepare and consume a humble breakfast would give you much more mileage than that extra 10-15 minutes under the covers.
“No time-the kids make it impossible”
Stuffing your kids’ mouths with Pop Tarts or Dunkin Donuts is not instilling good breakfast habits in your children. Studies show that children perform better in school when they’ve eaten a healthy breakfast. We know it gets hectic, but breakfast should be a priority and don’t forget to partake yourself. Children who see their parents eat breakfast are more likely to follow suit. Besides, quality time with the family seems to be dwindling these days. How about you and the kids sitting down for cereal using this time to discuss plans for the upcoming day? Heck, you can even use paper bowls and plates!
“Breakfast makes me more hungry”
We guarantee you that a protein-rich, Zone balanced breakfast will do no such thing. Breakfasts consisting of simple carbs such as white bread, bagels, refined grains such as corn and white rice and sugary kids’ cereals puts your blood sugar on the high end of the Richter scale. By that we mean they have a high glycemic index, which means they are broken down into
sugars in the body quickly. When your blood sugar comes down from the high, you’re ready to eat every and any thing that isn’t moving. Cereal selection is very important. Remember that you are counting on it for your day’s foundation.
If you have used two or more of these excuses for not eating breakfast, then you should definitely reevaluate your
relationship with the first meal of the day and find a way to make breakfast a part of your daily routine.
Ryan Joseph is a writer/researcher. More Zone Diet Information can be found at http://www.stayinginthezone.com
Organic Eating Habits – Are They Attainable For Children
Some adults would say, “Well, of course they are” while others would retort, “you must not have children!” However it is possible to give them this healthy advantage but it does
take some effort. Many parents have children that scream at the mention of vegetables let alone the sight, or smell. A majority of kids are raised on fast food that is full of unhealthy ingredients. Of course they are possibly given a cucumber here and there, but will only eat it when dipped in ranch dressing that is full of MSG. These unhealthy eating habits are detrimental to our children’s health. These habits have to change.
Many parents have been frustrated while trying to encourage a healthy and organic lifestyle for their children. There is hope however in getting junior to eat broccoli, request cauliflower, and get second helpings of stir fry. Here are a few tips for you parents who are striving to give your kids a healthy future. First off if you have an infant make sure to introduce him/her to the wonderful world of solids without offering them bites of fast food. If they don’t taste it they won’t miss it. I’m always shocked when I hear a parent say, “I was eating pizza and I gave my son a bite and he LOVED it.” They say it as if it’s a wonderful miracle that he liked it. What’s happening is they are ruining his taste buds. He will become accustomed to the salty, fatty taste and when you try to offer him healthy foods that aren’t laden with salt he will refuse. The same goes for sugar.
By the time the child is two these same parents are saying, “My child just doesn’t like vegetables and there is nothing I can do about it”. This is not true, however your road will be much harder. The second tip is to try and find foods that are similar to the ones they are used too your. Many of their favorite snacks can be found in your nearest health food store or online, only a healthier version. Look for snacks that aren’t sugar laden and do not contain MSG or hydrogenated oils.
Thirdly presentation can be everything. Don’t toss the new crackers that actually contain whole wheat at them and say, “I know these aren’t the best but just try them.” Get excited to try the items with them. Arrange them on a platter with some hormone free cheddar cheese and sit down with them to enjoy an afternoon snack. Which brings me to my fourth tip and that is to lead by example.
Now for my fifth tip do not change every single item in your household at once if you are dealing with older children. If you change every single item at once they are likely to become bitter towards the idea of eating healthy. Remove your worst offenders first, such as items containing MSG, hydrogenated oils, and refined sugars. Use a variety of foods, don’t just continuously try to shove broccoli down there throats over and over. Have fun creating meals and enjoy watching your children grow into healthy young adults.
I am the owner of the Kalista Organics website offering organic, chemical free body care to you and your families. http://www.kalistaorganics.com
Holiday Eating Anxieties for Bariatric Patients
Most Bariatric Surgery Patients experience a wide range of Holiday eating anxieties which can actually ruin a perfectly good Holiday around friends and family.
Prior to surgery, Holidays meant family, friends, and lots of food to indulge in and enjoy – often at a glutinous rate simply because Holiday foods are “special” because they are only provided during the season and they are prepared so carefully which adds guilt if you don’t partake of it.
How many times do you hear these phrases said at a Holiday gathering?
“That’s ALL you’re going to have? I worked so hard on that dish”
“You better eat this now, because it won’t be here for another year.”
“It will hurt my feelings if you don’t eat this..”
“These are very special ingredients I ordered specifically for this dish”
“You can’t be NOT HUNGRY it’s a Holiday!”
“Just ONE LITTLE BITE, PLEEEEEZEEEEZ..”
“Have more, there’s plenty”
“Take some of this home with you if you’re not going to eat it now”
“Oh nonsense! You’re allowed to eat a lot today!”
“You should have worn your FAT PANTS to gorge yourself like the rest of us”
OH, how this list could fill a book, right? Such comments add enough stress to non-surgery individuals who carefully watch their weight, let alone those who have had the Bariatric surgery and have to be careful what they eat, how much they eat, and how often they eat. So you are NOT ALONE in feeling some anxiety about being around all of the special food at gatherings this season.
I’d like to offer some suggestions that have worked for me and others during this most stressful time when Holidays equates to special foods and the pressure to partake in them is way too much out of hand at times.
1. Prepare you mind for the event: Reflect on past Holiday experiences and evaluate what lies ahead this year for you. Have it in your mind what you will say and do when those food-pushers taunt you or down-right threaten you to eat during the “special occasion.
2. Anticipate the food: Reflect on past Holiday foods that are always provided to you within your social circle. Predetermine what you WILL eat and what you WON’T eat. Making a decision ahead of time will curb your gut-reaction to “cave in” to the urgings by others to eat what you shouldn’t eat.
3. Never try anything new at the party: Not knowing how you will react to the food carries the high risk of making you ill and calling for you quick retreat to the bathroom or feeling sick for an hour or so. This will draw attention to you, which is something you don’t’ want. The host and guest will feel badly for you, so don’t put them or you in such a situation. Only eat things that you are absolutely certain that you can tolerate.
4. Take baby-bites of the “special” foods: Literally, take a baby-bite if you absolutely must partake of foods strictly for the social expectations. If it’s too much for a baby’s mouth, then you’re putting too much on the spoon or fork.
5. No-Guilt in Tossing it: In a social event where you don’t’ want attention drawn to how little you are eating, take a small plate with small portions of food, then take small bites of each item, then TOSS the rest away when no one is looking. This gives the appearance that you’re “normal” and all will assume you have gotten your fill. This spares hurting the feelings of Great Aunt Gerdie who truly does cry if you refuse her special 60%-sugar/90%-fat/carb-loaded/stroke-on-a-plate pie. Tossing out the unwanted uneaten portions is just a “different” way of consuming so don’t’ feel guilty about it. All that matters is that Great Aunt Gerdie delights in seeing her pie disappearing.
6. Eat healthy before you go and bring your own essentials: Never go to a Holiday party hungry NEVER! This is self-sabotage in the worst way! Enough said? Take along your own treats and drinks that are RNY-Friendly to you. Don’t request an extra effort on your host. You know what you need, so take it with you. While they are eating pies and cakes, you can have the sugar-free fudge sickles you brought along or those sugar-free pudding cups. And if they are serving only sodas or alcohol and you cant’ do them, bring your own herbal teas or no-sugar-added hot chocolate packets. This will make you, the host, and the guests feel comfortable and nobody will feel that you are “suffering” as they eat your NO-NO’s.
7. Talk more than you eat: The Holidays should be about PEOPLE, not food. So be social. Focus on the people; laugh with them, tell stories, listen to their tall tales, play games, etc. If you do these things, you’ll be amazed at how well the gathering will go for you simply because you didn’t focus on food. And when the food-pushers come along, just glance by them off into the distance and make your exit because you “want to talk to so-n-so or your cell phone is vibrating and you’ve got to excuse yourself for the call. Perfectly acceptable to have a pre-planned “way out” when you need one.
8. Change the food-subject: Others may want to cry boo-hoo with you if you keep telling them of all the foods you’re missing out on this year. Don’t do that! Rather than mourn the loss of your favorite Holiday treats, brag on the fact that you’re feeling so much healthier, your clothes are getting baggier, and you’re dreaming again of all the great things that are in store for you now that you are slimming down. Don’t’ allow anyone to pity you for not eating like you used to eat.
9. Wear a “knock-out” outfit: WOW them all this Holiday season by wearing a special outfit that you feel very proud to be seen in. The food isn’t special to you anymore you’ve swapped that for the special outfits you can now wear! Let people whisper to each other how great you look rather than how little you are eating. The stress of not eating so much will be far away to you when you feel good about yourself and look good too.
10. Make your visit brief: if you are getting too much pressure from others or are experiencing too many anxieties, let leave the gathering earlier than you originally planned. Maybe you’re tired, the roads are getting bad, you realized you need to do something remember that “pre-planned” escape should be there for you if you need it.
I can attest that these are tactics that I’ve used and STILL use in social gatherings when it is expected to eat special foods during special times. Granted, I am three years post-op, so my anxieties are not as high as they once were but they certainly threatened my Holiday happiness not too long ago!
Remember this most of all. The more prepared you are ahead of time, the less you’ll feel nervous about those awful Holiday Eating Anxieties. Now go have fun!
Meloney B. Hall underwent the Roux-en-y Gastric Bypass Bariatric Surgery in September 2002 and lost a total of 170 pounds in a 19-month period. She is actively involved in helping others find success in achieving their goals along their weight-loss journey through her online support newsletter website and message board. She sells a variety of merchandise that she designed herself to help others celebrate and announce their achievements, whatever they might be in life. She is also available for Speaking Engagements. Learn more at http://www.rnyachievegoals.com