The Dollar Menu

What a buck gets you calorie-wise.

Check it out here if you're having a hard time reading it.

Selfish Giving

From the annals of completely ridiculous comes this:

Get that???? Buy a super huge cup of a sugar-laden cola and KFC will donate $1 to fight juvenile diabetes.  

Now, according to the blogger who posted this, that cup of cola you're buying to donate to this cause contains a whopping 800 calories and 56 spoonfuls of sugar.

Am I living in some kind of alternative universe?   Is it, or is it not, unbelievable that some company would encourage it's patrons to buy a product that will likely lead to their someday being diagnosed with diabetes to support a group that funds research on diabetes?

Now I realize that Juvenile diabetes is different from Type 2 diabetes in that juvenile diabetes isn't caused by excess sugar intake or obesity, but, the two conditions are related.  It just looks bad to slap a "diabetes" fund-raiser promotion of a mega huge cup of sugary chemicals.

And, what, may I ask, would ever induce people at the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation to sign off on this????  Are they really that desperate for funds?  

The blogger states it well:

I’ve said this before: I don’t have a problem with nonprofits and fast-serve chains doing cause marketing. What I do have a problem with is when fast serve chains like KFC encourage consumers to buy products that directly contribute to the health conditions – in this case diabetes – they are supposedly trying to prevent by partnering with the cause in the first place.

I'll have to clarify again that juvenile diabetes is not caused by excess sugar intake, but what the blogger missed is that someone with juvenile diabetes cannot drink this caloric disaster because of the sugar.

Wouldn't it have been nice if the promotion was actually on a product that those affected with Juvenile diabetes could have partaken in?    Or, even better, on a product that was actually healthy for the entire customer base of KFC?  

Mental Health Break

Hat Tip to thewwchick over at Leading the Weigh.   

I always appreciate how comedy often gets the point across better then actual reasoning does, and this cartoon clearly hits the nail on the head.

You can't take things too seriously, although I do believe that obesity in America is a serious problem.   And, as this cartoon highlights, the problem is caused by overeating of over-processed foods.

Well done.

No Envy Here

Just a reminder that, despite what Sarah Palin says, our health-care system is not the envy of the world.    

The conservative prime minister of Great Britain is promising citizens that the British socialized medical system will not be converted to an "American style" insurance based system.  

Seems that talking changes to the British Medical system to make it more like ours is akin to talking about converting our Social Security system to 401(k)-like savings accounts--sure to get you voted out of office.

I'm bringing this up as just a reminder about how our perceptions of ourselves don't always accord with reality.  

In my "real life" I actually spend a lot of time writing and researching about health care systems both here and abroad, and I'm always shocked out the blatant misperceptions that Americans have about our health care system.   I'm also always shocked at how they perceive health care systems in other countries.

The reality is that we have the most expensive health care system in the world that delivers some of the worst outcomes for a broad range of ailments.   Our waiting times for most procedures are no better then in other countries.  You'll wait just as long to get an MRI here as you would n Canada.

Furthermore, it's a myth that Canadians travel to the US for medical care, and the fact is that one of the biggest sources of fraud in Canada is Americans pretending to be Canadians to Canada to get health care services there.   

If you don't believe me, check out stats from the OECD and Canada. 

We tend to think that our system is "the best" because there are a lot of financial interest who want to keep our system as it is, and they spend a great deal of money on propaganda.

Propaganda tends to rule the day over reality, and realizing that propaganda is propaganda is the first step in losing weight.

Health care claims on food is nothing but propaganda.    If something claims its good for you or will make you thin, it's more likely than not that it won't.    There's money to be made by selling you junk food, and businesses will do whatever it takes to sell you that junk food.

Bottled Earth is Good For You

Ever wonder what happened to the Biosphere 2 Experiment?

For those who don't know, or are too young to remember, Biosphere 2 was an experiment to see how self-supporting stations in space might work.   Starting in September 1991 a group of self-proclaimed "bio-nauts" lived in a sealed, self-sufficient, three acre complex for two years.

As part of the experiment, the Bio-nauts had to grow and raise their own food.   The complex was equipped with an area to grow crops, and their were food animals such as chicken and fish as well.  But, because the bio-nauts were scientists with little back-ground on growing crops or animal husbandry, there was less food available then originally expected.
Between the diminished calories and the hard labor needed to raise that food, all the bio-nauts lost significant amounts of weight.  They were described as "starving" and "guant."

But although the Bio-Nauts starved their health actually improved.   Their health was closely monitored, and, in the end:

When the crew emerged from the experiment after two years, the project was judged by the media to be a failure. Early in the second year, carbon dioxide levels had risen so high (twelve times that of the outside) that the crew were growing faint and Walford asked for more oxygen to be pumped into the structure on two occasions. The Biosphere had proved not to be a self-sufficient, autonomous world as it would need to be if it were to become a base station on another planet. In 1999, by which time the Biosphere had been taken over by Columbia University as a research center into the effects of climate change,Time magazine judged it one of the hundred worst ideas of the twentieth century. But Walford’s experiments with diet, reported in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences in December 1992, were judged a success. The bionauts not only showed dramatic weight loss (stabilizing at an average of fourteen percent overall), but also lower blood pressure and cholesterol, more efficient metabolisms, and enhanced immune systems.

Now, as the article showed, these people were pretty much always hungry, and actually resorted to things such as stealing food.   It's interesting to note, however, that despite the fact that they all came out "gaunt" they were actually in better health then when they weren't "starving."

Now, I wouldn't recommend sealing one's self up in an hermetically sealed, self-contained, eco-system as a way to lose weight, but it does demonstrate that part of the problem today is not lack of food, but the over-abundance of it.

We can survive on less food (although constant starvation is not a state anyone wants to be in), than we think we need.   But food is being overproduced in this country and because we over-produce food in this country, those excess calories have got to go somewhere.   The somewhere has turned out to be our hips, thighs, and stomachs, to the detriment of our overall health.

Cleaning House--Going Digital

It's that time of year again.  I find myself inexplicably drawn to emptying closets, throwing out piles of paper and hauling car-loads of stuff to Good Will.

Maybe is the warm,weather.  Maybe it's because there's more hours of day-light so I'm more aware of the clutter.   But, for whatever reason, I feel compelled to de-clutter my life.

This year the big clean up was going digital.   Believe it or not, until last week, I still was using a FiloFax to schedule all my appointments and keep names and addresses.   For those of you who don't know a FiloFax is an organizer and way back in the 1980's it was considered, the chicest, most up to date, way to keep all your contacts, appointments and other information.   Instead of buying Apps on-line at the Apple Store, you would go to stationary store and buy inserts for your FiloFax.  I once had a NYC Subway map and a ruler inserts in my FiloFax.

I also had a couple of Rolodexes strewn around the house.  One Rolodex originally dated back to my first legal job out of law school.   Often, e-mail addresses where on the computer, phone numbers in one Rolodex, and addresses in the FiloFax.  I even had some phone numbers on my cell phone that weren't written down anywhere.

But, two weeks ago, I got an iPhone, and I resolved to finally move all my appointments and contacts to iPhone and Computer. 

I went through my address book and sadly noted the friends that had moved and I no longer had contact with, yet there they were in my book listed with a phone number and address that no longer applied to them. 

Then, there were the relatives that died but their information lived on in my address book.   I went through my address book page by page, and only entered the contacts that still existed in my life into my computer.   In a way it was sad to leave those old names behind.

Then I went through the Rolodexes.   The Rolodex in my office had contacts that I hadn't contacted in over 20 years, and trade and business organizations that either were no longer in existence or which had long merged out of existence.   The New York City shop where I bought my son's layette 17 years ago was in another Rolodex, even though I remember noting it going out of business over 10 years ago.   Business cards stuck into the Rolodexes were gone through and discarded if not current or listed businesses never used and unlikely to be used.

It was a pretty laborious process and took hours upon hours to complete.

But now its done, and, in its own way, cleansing.

It feels good to see clean spaces were unseemly looking Rolodexes once sat.   I also no longer have sticky notes everywhere noting down those phone numbers that for some reason never made it into the address book or Rolodex.

It's also more efficient.  I know longer have to remember to bring my "book" with me to make appointments or else have to make follow up phone calls since I always have my calendar with me on my iPhone.   I also don't have to always hope I remember to call "so and so" once I get home because all my numbers are now on my iPhone.   I can call someone and schedule and appointment as I sit in the car dealership waiting for them to change the oil in the car.

Doing a cleanse is kind of the same thing.  I just wrapped up another short cleanse this week, and, in a way, it's similar to cleaning the house.   It's work, and maybe takes some extra time, but, in the end, I always feel that it was worth the effort. 

You is who You is--Accept it and Be the Best You Can Be

Before we were married, my husband and I went out to a bar with a friend of his.   At some point in the evening, this tall, willowy, model-type creature strolled into the establishment with her long, straight, platinum blond hair flowing half-way down her back.

I felt a sudden stab of jealously as all the male eyes (and most of the female as well) in the bar went to this being as if drawn by a magnet, since I was (and am) pretty much the complete antithesis of this goddess--short, curvy with curly brown hair.

My husband's friend made a comment about how "gorgeous" this ethereal image was, to which my husband replied "she's not really my type."  His friend then retorted "Of course not, you only like short girls with boobs and big butts."

I then looked over at my then boyfriend, future husband and thought, "OK, now I see the attraction."

I thought of this as I was reading a recent special issue of Yoga Journal called Yoga for Weight Loss.

There were a couple of articles I found of interest (sorry but the magazine is not on-line so I can't link to it.)   The first was called Start Where You Are and details how heavier people can start and continue practicing yoga.   In it, the author wrote, "For large folks interested in exploring yoga, it can be helpful to explode the myth that good health comes only in thin packages."

I know this to be true.  Through the years I have had many larger friends who were active and healthy.   Their body type, however, pretty much dictated that, like me, they were never going to be built like Gwyneth Paltrow.  

The other article I read with interest in this publication was Love Your Body--It's the only one you've got, and, no matter how different it may look from your ideal, it's doing its best to serve you well.

I think the tag line pretty much says it all.

I've realized a long, long time ago that no matter how much I diet and exercise, I'll never be a tall, willowy blond.   I'm a short, curvy, brunette and will always be a short, curvy brunette (despite a brief period when I was indeed blond).

But, just because I'm a short, curvy brunette, doesn't mean I can't be the best short, curvy brunette I can be.    I can still watch what I eat, exercise and be fit and healthy.     

And, while there are plenty of guys who would love to be with that tall, willowy blond, one of the most special guys in my life (the others being my Dad and my son) actually prefers being with a short, curvy brunette with wild, curly hair.

And, that's all that matters. 

Blogger Problems

Blogger seems to be having one problem or another these days.   The latest snafu is that I can't comment on my own blog (although I can comment on other blogs).  I've tried responding to several of your comments for a few days now with no luck.

Hopefully, the problem will clear up soon.   Until then, please understand my silence.

Splaining Sugar

I found a really great article explaining how different sugars effect the body, how you become sugar dependent, and the difference between processed and unprocessed sugars.  Read it here.    (BTW, isn't this illustration fantastic?)

I found this article particularly interesting because I just had a discussion about sugar with a fellow sweet-tooth the other day.   I was explaining how I managed my longing for sweets by eating both fresh fruit and dried fruits (dried apricots and dates are always in my house for when I just got to have sweet).  

My friend looked at me and said "but you're still eating sugar, isn't sugar just sugar?"

But, as I explained to her, and this article explains as well, not all sugars are created equal.   Natural sugars found in there natural states don't have the negative effects on your health and weight that processed sugars do.  

BTW, here's a great "raw" berry tart for dessert for this time of year.   I make this all the time and everyone loves it.   Plus, it's so easy to make, and takes less then 15 minutes to put together.

First take an equal amount of pitted raw dates and raw pecans and process in a food processor with a couple of tablespoons of water until it's sticky and you can pat it into a pie plate.   Pat this "dough" into a pie plate then fill with whatever fresh berries are in season.  I've used various combinations of raspberries, blueberries, sliced strawberries and black-berries.

If you want to be decadent (and no longer "raw") serve with either fresh whipped cream or ice cream (just a small dollop or scoop!!).   

I swear that people love this dessert and haven't a clue they're eating healthy (or, at least mostly healthy if you use the whipped cream or ice cream).   I once brought this dessert to a party, and one guy ate practically the whole tart before anyone else was able to get any.  

 

Eat Your Plate.

In case you didn't hear, the US government has a new food icon for eating well.   Marion Nestle has a great blog about it here.

I happen to think that this new icon is a huge improvement over the food pyramid. 

Let's face it, when you looked at that pyramid did you have any idea how much of each food group you were supposed to eat?? 

With the plate, it's all so much clearer.  The majority of your diet should be plant based, with a little meat and dairy on the side, not vice versa.

Still, as Nestle points out, there is room for improvement.

But at least it's a step in the right direction.

 

Husband's Away so It's Detox Time

Since I'm trying to a few pounds and because I believe that cleansing is an overall good thing, I'm starting a detox today.
My husband left on  a business trip yesterday morning (Sunday) and won't be back until late Tuesday.   I generally find that cleansing while he's away is easier then when he's home.

When my husband first told me about this business trip two weeks ago, I thought it would be great to do a serious deep cleanse, like a juice detox.   I thought I could start it Sunday when he left and carry it through to Wednesday.

But then I realized I had a dinner out scheduled for Saturday and a fund-raiser last night, so I couldn't do the necessary "prep" work for a serious cleanse (which involves going off sugar, caffeine and meat, dairy, eggs and fish prior to starting).

So, I'm repeating the light cleanse that I did this Winter and blogged about here.   I brewed up the special tea yesterday, and am committing to eating nothing but fresh fruit and vegetables all day.   I may try to juice cleanse tomorrow into Wednesday after I've had a day to "clean out" my system, but this is probably a good strategy given my constraints.

 

The LIME Diet

I'm on the LIME Diet to lose weight.  LIME stands for "Less Intake More Exercise." 
Fad diets come and go, but I've found that the one and only way to lose weight and keep it off is to eat less and exercise more.   Period. End of story. 

I've tried fad diets.  I've tried taking "magic" supplements and pills.  But neither fad diet nor magical concoctions ever led to permanent weight loss for me.

I've been trying to keep that in mind as I reorganize my life to lose the pounds that I've put back on, and to keep them off once I lose them again. 

Now the "More Exercise" part of the equation isn't a problem for me, motivation wise.  I happen to love to exercise and could really do it for hours a day.  Unfortunately, I can't.  I have kids, a husband, a job and a house.   So as much as I love to spend whole days hiking, biking, practicing yoga, etc., I just can't.  

But I do manage to get a fair amount of exercise in every week because I love to do it.   I walk at least five days a week, practice yoga at least 3 and Tai Chi at least once.  I also started working out with a personal trainer once a week.   Plus I ski, hike and cross country ski whenever I can.

No, for me the issue is one of less eating.  I love to eat. 

I am lucky in that I'm a somewhat picky eater,and that saves me on many an occasion.

Passing a McDonald's is easy for me because I just don't like the food.  Never did.  When I was a teen-ager when my friends were ordering Big Macs and Shakes, I'd just order a diet soda.

I'm also good with passing up junkier processed foods for that reason.

I also don't like foods such as Ham, hot dogs, bacon and many kinds of beans.  If I'm at some one's house and they serve ham, I'll pick at it to be polite, but it's pretty easy for me to leave it on the plate.

But, I do love sweets.  You can put a bag of Oreos in front of me and I wouldn't feel the least temptation to reach in and grab one.   If, however, you put a plate of fresh, home-made or bakery-fresh, chocolate chip cookies in front of me, I'm going in. 

I also just love good food in general, and tend to overindulge when I'm in a good restaurant or at some one's house who really knows how to cook (and, being that I'm Italian, we have a lot of good cooks in my family).

But, I realize that I have to step back, breath, and just eat less.   I have to remember portion control, and that while I can taste, I shouldn't gorge.

I have to keep the first part of the LIME diet in mind whenever I eat--Less Intake, and hopefully that will lead to less me.

New Beginnings--Non-Dairy Smoothies

As I blogged the other day, I've put on a few pounds.   One of the things I've discovered since I've hit 40 (and I'll be 50 in a few months) is that not only is losing weight a bitch, but just maintaining it is even a bigger bitch.  

It can take me an entire month to lose 2 pounds, and then I'll put those two pounds back on in 2 weeks.  

It takes constant vigilance to make sure that I don't gain any weight and if I do put on a couple of pounds those 2 extra pounds doesn't turn into 5 and then 10 pounds.  

So, when the scale hit 5 extra pounds I realized I needed to rethink and revitalize my overall eating and exercising plans.  

I fell off the weight-maintenance wagon food-wise because I got bored.    You go into new eating habits with such gusto, but then before you know it you're in a rut and looking for a little excitement.  

I've always allowed myself to go "off diet" occasionally to enjoy a minor indulgence.   Those "occasional" indulgences have become a bit too frequent of late.

My busy social calendar and unwillingness to draw attention to myself also did me in.  I believe in not being a "Food Pain in the Ass" at social events.  Nothing bugs me more then people expecting special treatment because they don't "eat meat" or are on the latest restrictive fad diet.    I believe that if someone invites you to their house or you go to a social event you either eat or don't eat what's presented and shut up.  The only time I think you're justified in getting special treatment is if you have real food allergies, etc.

I used to be very good at the just "not eating" thing.   I would go to some one's house and usually be able to fill up on vegetables and avoid the high calorie stuff.   If I knew the food options most likely would be nothing but processed junkier food, I'd eat a big salad before going so that I would be less tempted by the wide array of crap.  These days, however, I'm not so good.   Not terrible, mind you, but not as fastidious as I used to be.

So, it's time to regroup, reevaluate and revitalize.

I need to get out of my food rut.  I've been eating pretty much the same standard fare for breakfast and lunch for several years now.  For breakfast I have my "standards" of oatmeal, fresh fruit, juice or eggs.   Lunch at home is always a salad, and pretty much the same exact salad every day.

So, do get myself out of the rut, I thought I'd start with creating a new breakfast option for myself.

Now, I've never been much of a smoothie person, primarily because most smoothie recipes I'd seen rely very heavily on milk and yogurt.   Since dairy doesn't really "agree" with me these days (I'd be bloated and gassy for the rest of the day if I started my day with a standard smoothie), I decided to experiment with a non-dairy version.

Basically, I've been combining bananas, berries and almond milk in my blender with some ice cubes.   This morning I blended:

1 1/2 cups fresh blueberries, strawberries and raspberries
1 very ripe banana
1 cup almond milk
1 1/2 cups ice cubes.

The flavor of my new breakfast concoction is actually quite good, and the smoothie fills me up enough to get me through my entire morning (which always includes yoga, a walk or a personal training  session).

So, now I have a new menu option.  The only problem is that making smoothies has me seriously wanting a new blender.   I've been lusting after a Vitamix blender for years, but have never felt comfortable enough to make the financial splurge (Vitamix blenders start at $499 in the Williams-Sonoma catalog).

However, if the smoothies help me to stick to my weight loss/maintenance goals and lose the weight a bit faster, maybe I'll reward myself with a new blender????

Probably not, but maybe the next time a financial windfall comes in.

Shout-Out to a Great New Blog

A local yoga studio owner has started her own blog, and her opening salvo chronicles her struggles with food addiction.   It's worth a read. 

Here's a short sample of what she has to say:

"I actually know exactly why and if you have like twelve more hours I could tell you the whole sad fucking story that led me up to this very moment while I STILL stuff my face in a futile attempt to feel better, still chasing the high that I felt when I was 5 hiding in my closet eating a can of cake frosting...still trying to fill the this hole to no avail, none whatsoever. After a few years I figured out that figuring out why was just as empty as the food itself, which is just as empty as the lack of something inside me.

Oh don't get me wrong, there is the momentary glee as the chocolate hits my tongue and the temporary thrill of a Quarter Pounder with cheese, super sized fries with two apple pies (and, of course, a diet coke ‘cause I don't want to drink all that sugar!? fucking insane person), but the thrill gets shorter and shorter and harder to find. Which makes me have to eat more and more to try to find something to fill me up. The more food I consume, the more I am consumed by food. Nothing is ever enough or hits the spot. It is endless and pointless and utterly devastating--to me, to my son, my husband, and my world around me. This is where I learned I am powerless and when I dive down the rabbit hole, my life becomes completely unmanageable...they call this hitting bottom:"

Visual Reminder

I know I've posted this before, but I keep needing to remind myself to get out of the car more and move. 

Be Prepared for alot More Gastrointestinal Problems

House Republicans do not want to fund a new law meant to cut back on food born illnesses.   Furthermore, if that wasn't bad enough they also want to cut an additional $87 million from the FDA's budget, expect to hear about a lot more people getting sick from the food they eat.

While the whole Washington Post article is worth a quick read, here are some of the repercussions of not funding the law and cutting the budget:

"The proposed budget cuts would also hinder the FDA’s ability to increase scrutiny of imported foods, according to food safety advocates. The new law requires the FDA to create a system of third-party certifiers to ensure that food coming into the United States meets the same safety standards as food produced domestically. Without additional funding, the FDA cannot create that system, said Erik Olson, director of food and consumer product safety programs at the Pew Health Group, part of a coalition of public health advocates and food makers.

“These cuts could seriously harm our ability to protect the food supply,” said Olson, who is hoping the money will be restored by the Senate, which has not proposed its spending plan.

The House subcommittee also proposed a $35 million cut to the Food Safety Inspection Service at the Department of Agriculture, which is responsible for the safety of meat, poultry and some egg products."

Hey, I get it--we're in the middle of a deficit crisis and money has to be saved.  By why subject millions of American citizens to disease and possibly death, yet refuse to touch the military budget?   Or how about that aid to Americans farming abroad (talk about sending jobs overseas!!), that was mentioned in the Post? 

Losing Weight is a Bitch, and Gaining it takes No Effort at All

I've put on 5 pounds.   At the beginning of April I weighed 129 pounds.  Yesterday I stepped on the Scale and I weighed 134 pounds.

Since I'm so small, five pounds is quite a lot of weight for me, and I'm already having problems with the fit of some of my clothes.

How did it happen?

Well, probably the biggest culprit is less exercise.   I've had a history of issues with my hips and knees, and for the last few months they've really been acting up.  I've been curtailing my walks somewhat because of the pain by walking fewer miles over the course of the week.  I've been trying to make up the calorie burn in other activities.  I've been gardening quite a bit-often one to two hours a day, and I've been working out with a personal trainer once a week.   But I guess nothing else burns calories like a good walk or a run.

Second, I haven't been as fastidious with my diet as I should be.  In particular, I've been eating more meat and dairy and fewer vegetables than I really should.   I also haven't been eating as many raw fruits and vegetables as I should.  

The problem is that my social calendar tends to explode in late April, and with all the fund-raisers, parties, barbecues, etc., I've let my eating habits slide back into bad patterns.  They're probably still good in comparison to others, but not as good as they need to be to prevent weight gain.

So, rather than beating myself up, I think I'm going to try to plan a good cleanse to get my eating habits back on track, and rethink my exercise patterns to take into account my joint weaknesses.

Losing Weight is a Bitch, and Gaining it takes no effort at All.

Don't Drink Calories--It's the Alcohol Sweetheart.

Boy, Blogger has been really having problems and is still has problems.  I have not been able to log and blog for two days, and was only able to do so today through extreme measures.  Plus, I still can't upload images.  But you don't want to hear about that.

Years ago when I was just out of law school and working at my first legal job, I befriended another young lawyer. We went out to lunch frequently.  She always watched what she ate, and pretty much impressed me as someone who exercised regularly.

Despite this, over the course of our first year working together, I watched her steadily gain weight.  One day she complained to me that none of her clothes were fitting, and said she didn't understand why she was gaining weight.

We put our heads together to try to see what could be causing the weight gain. She was still exercising, she said, more so to counter-act all the sitting she now had to do for work.   She ate well, and watched her calories, more so, she said, because she was gaining weight.

Finally she revealed that it had become a habit to meet friends after work and have a couple of cocktails.

That got bells ringing and we immediately set off to figure out how many calories were in the cocktails she was consuming.  This was in the days before the Internet, so looking this kind of stuff up meant actually finding books and researching.

It was indeed the cocktails.   Turns out that a martini has 235 calories in in.  A frozen margarita can have anywhere from 250 to over 750 calories.   Long Island Iced Teas, which were really popular in the 1980's, have 292 calories.  

So if my friend was otherwise eating and exercising to the point that her calories in equaled what she needed to maintain her weight, if she was having 2 Martini's a night that put her 470 calories over her "limit."  Since it only takes 3,600 excess calories to gain a pound, that meant she was putting on an additional pound just about every week.

My friend learned her lesson, she went on a diet, cut out the alcohol, did some additional exercising and eventually dropped the weight (we were in our 20's back then so it was much easier).    I wouldn't call her a tea-totaler afterwards, but she learned her lesson about drinking calories. 

I bring this up, because the the FDA is considering having alchoholic beverage labels disclosing calorie content.

I'm all for this (as I am for calorie labeling in general), because, it's information I want to know.

I enjoy a glass of wine now and again, and a few times a year I enjoy a cocktail (I detest beer which I always thought was a good thing).    When I do, however, I realize that I am imbibing excess calories and plan accordingly, i.e, I eat fewer calories elsewhere or do some additional exercise. 

Knowing exactly, how many calories I'm drinking, will make it a lot easier. 

Blogger Trouble

Sorry for the silence, but I've been having trouble with Blogger.   It hasn't been letting me sign in.  If this works, I'll try posting something of substance.

The Future of Cafeteria Food

If you've read my blog for a while, you know I have issues with the food served to kids in school cafeterias.   I firmly believe in laying the groundwork for good eating habits when kids are young helps to prevent weight problems in the future.  

School is, after all, where we send our children to learn so that they can be productive members of society, and it behooves me that they often fail on the nutritional end to teach them healthy eating habits by serving them crap food in the cafeteria.  

So I found this blog from Mark Bitman of the New York Times interesting.   In it he discusses the future of cafeteria food by actually eating the food.  It appears that the cafeteria food he reviews is not just for kids, but I found myself agreeing with many of his insights, like this one:

"I have some issues with Meatless Mondays, a campaign developed at Johns Hopkins, because too many dishes that might have once featured meat contain prodigious amounts of cheese. (Portobello mushrooms are also in abundance, and that’s a great thing.) This substitution of cheese for meat isn’t universal, but it occurs frequently enough so that the main message is lost. The way to follow a diet that’s more sustainable for both body and planet is through eating plants and unprocessed food rather than animal products and ultra-processed food; substituting a cheese-heavy sandwich on white bread may send a somewhat beneficial “eat-less-meat” message, but it doesn’t send the same one as a salad or a vegetable stir-fry. Nor does it do you or anyone else any good."

I'm also praying that this company that Bitman wrote about succeeds:

Bon Appétit Management Company, the brainchild of Fedele Bauccio, who founded the company in 1987 after a long career in food service, has gotten a fair share of well-deserved positive publicity. The chefs (and even the cooks, many of whom prepare the food they serve) have broad, independent powers, the food is locally sourced whenever possible and the company has committed — not just given lip service to — sustainable seafood, cage-free eggs, fair labor practices, antibiotic-free meat (when possible), a reduced carbon footprint in general, and a huge proportion of not only vegetarian but vegan options (their use of cheese has actually declined in recent years, a company-wide goal).

Furthermore, they do real, from-scratch cooking — no “bases” are used for stocks or sauces, soups, salad dressings and salsas are made from scratch, and even much of the lemon juice is fresh-squeezed. At one operation, the yogurt is made on premises. At Roger Williams, Rhode Island-grown potatoes are peeled and cut for frying, which puts the café ahead of many of the country’s top restaurants. (If you’re going to eat fries, this is the way to go.)

This is cafeteria food that you actually want to eat, food that deserves to be served with wine. At each of these operations, I ate from the same line as the students, and sampled a fantastic vegetarian muffaletta sandwich, vegetable-stuffed crepes, Indian “burritos” with spinach and tofu, tacos more reminiscent of Los Angeles than New York, stir-fries made to order and in-season, from-the-farm asparagus, turnips, lettuce, herbs and more. I can only imagine how good these cafeterias are come July.

Bitman also addresses the cost factor by writing this:

This is in general true of real cooking: you spend less on ingredients, because you’re not buying “value-added” junk — but you have to work a bit harder. To have this happen in the cafeteria, one of the most despised of all American institutions, is downright inspiring.

What he is saying is prophetic.  The argument that school districts cry that they can't "afford" to feed our kids better food is just nonsense because unprocessed foods cost less then processed foods do.    The only additional cost is labor.    So, the costs would no doubt equalize out.