Thursday, February 26, 2009

"Food" for Thought

Do you ever get tired of hearing about all the studies being done which, if we don't take them to heart, we'll find ourselves in an early grave? One making the rounds regards women and alcohol. How drinking at all spells doom, offsetting the one that says red wine is good for the heart.

Another current one is about how coffee may help deter skin cancers. The creme de la creme made the headlines last night. Which diet is the best for you? The one that works! Go figure!

Some metabolisms do better with high carb, some with low carb. I am told blood type can play a role as well as ethnic background. Some of us are just more prone to chunkiness than others. I cannot, however, argue with the calorie count as long as the type of calorie is left open for discussion.

I know myself that I do better on a high protein regime. Of course. That's because I love breads and pastas. I also know, even though the hype tells me I can eat all I want, that isn't true. Calories do count. I also know that after I've lost some excess I tend to get careless. I usually start adding in larger portions. I am not a bird, after all. Then comes the bad stuff with the good intention of making up for it the next day; then the next and so on. You get the picture. That's why my annual ritual is to go on the South Beach induction for the first two weeks in January. I get really bad during the holidays. Figuring that lasts from left over Halloween candy through New Years, even if I've held my own all year up to that point - it's blown. It's no mystery.

Contrary to competing studies, exercise also plays a role. It helps keep things in check. At the very least it maintains a degree of muscle mass and cardiovascular health. This can be particularly crucial if you believe in the adage you are what you eat.

You could suffer the same fate of that of a young Russian who was offered a tidy sum of money to satisfy his appetite with a couple of female friends. He succumbed from a heart attack after earning his fee. To assure his success he consumed an entire bottle of Viagra. This is definitely a case where he should have paid attention to the studies. The "exercise" lasted twelve hours. If I recall correctly, the ads advise calling your doctor after four. Talk about "blues" in the night!

5 comments:

Margie's Musings said...

I no longer diet. I got down to 130 three years ago. Last year I put on five pounds. This year I put on another five. I doubt I will get those pounds off. My metabolism is not what it was in the past.

Anonymous said...

Say what?? Was that called the Russian take it all off diet? I don't know if that was the "exercise" or a whole bottle of Viagara that stopped his heart. There are some men who would say, what a way to go! CU

Word Tosser said...

And then there are those pills that will just take away the fat off your body..in your belly area. If that worked, the Dr.s would have the market on it...

And sometimes, it isn't what you eat so much, as what is eating you.

Why do we feel after losing 5-10# we betray ourselves and eat.. like we feel we don't deserve to be thinner.
It is a roller coaster ride for sure.

Anonymous said...

Whenever I see yet another ad for a "miracle diet", I can't help but wonder why there are any overweight people left on the planet. If these diets worked, none of us (I do include myuself) would be carrying around that bit of excess weight. We would all be runway model svelte. CU

JeanC said...

I stopped dieting long ago. It was very disconcerting regaining weight after a VLC diet on the "maintenance diet of 700 calories or less. I've been much happier being off the diet roller coaster.

Where did you get that wonderful pic at the top of your post? It is wonderful!