Getting the Fat Out

Besides my regular workout routine every day, I am trying to continue to improve my diet.  I cut out added sugar years ago (e.g. no more soft drinks or sports drinks and added more fruits, veggies and legumes).  Now I am working at reducing fat.  I avoid processed food.  I cut meat and dairy way back, reduced oil in cooking, eliminated salad dressing and no fried foods including French fries.  I now consume a mostly a plant based diet: fruits, vegetables, legumes, grains and nuts.  I eat small amounts of meat and cheese four or five times a week.  I now must work to reduce my favorite fat sources: dark chocolate (75% fat), avocados / guacamole (67% fat) and nuts (67% fat).  Getting the fat out is hard.

I have been working hard to reduce fat from my diet. It is not easy. Fat seems to be everywhere. No wonder we have cardio-vascular disease and cognitive decline as we get older. However, I am having success if the reduction if my recent cholesterol numbers is an indication (down 24 points from my last check and way south of 200;  I have never been over 200.).

The big things are greatly reducing meat and dairy consumption plus eliminating all fried foods. Salad dressings are a no-no since they are mostly fat. One must also avoid added cooking oils. Of course, processed foods and junk foods are also a big source of too much fat. This leaves mostly a plant based diet. However, some plants based foods contain high levels of fat so ones needs to be careful not to eat too much of them. These high-fat plant based foods include dark chocolate (my favorite), avocados (guacamole), olives, nuts and seeds (even flax seed is over 60% fat).

We need some fat in our diets.  The “Forks Over Knives” doctors, T. Colin Campbell, Caldwell B. Esselstyn, recommend a diet with only 10% fat.  Their diet is a 100% plant based diet.  A 10% target may be appropriate if you have a cardio-vascular disease.   I think a reasonably target is 20% for healthy people.  This allows me to enjoy some dark chocolate, avocados and meat occasionally.  The “Vegan Before 6” approach Mark Bittman wrote about in a new book might be another way to reduce fat in a diet.   What I am sure about is the 30% to 40% fat in the typical American diet is way too much and is due mostly to the big meat portions, processed foods and not enough fruits, vegetables and legumes.

Good luck getting the fat out.

A Walk in the Woods

It was a great day for a walk in the woods with my dog.
Going down this path gave a boost to my spirit.

Walking Meetings

Nilofer Merchant has a great idea regarding walking and meetings that is good for your health and good for your meetings.  Hear her explain it in this Ted Talk (3.5 minutes).  
I think walking with a friend, family member or colleague is great anytime and always leads to good conversation.

Best Place to Exercise – Outside!

I like to walk, run and bicycle outside.  I like to be active.  But, I don’t like going to a gym or exercising inside.  I simply find it much more enjoyable and convenient to exercise outside.  I don’t think of it as exercise at all.  I think of it more like play or exploring.  As it turns outs, people may enjoy outside exercise better going to the gym and may be more likely to stay with an exercise routine.

A recent article in The New York Times’ blog, Well, explained the benefits of exercising outside.  

In comparing walking inside, on a treadmill or track vs. walking outside the article states:

“In virtually all of the studies, the volunteers reported enjoying the outside activity more and, on subsequent psychological tests, scored significantly higher on measures of vitality, enthusiasm, pleasure and self-esteem and lower on tension, depression and fatigue after they walked outside.”

I concurred with their findings based on my own personal experience. 

I enjoyed doing things outside since childhood.  I would simply run around or ride bicycles with my friend.  It was always enjoyable to play a pickup game of softball, basketball or tag football.  In high school, I was on track and cross-country teams.  We always did our workouts outside.  Running with my teammates during practice was not just a workout but a social activity.  On long training runs, there is a lot of conversation and friendships are built. 

Running, walking or bicycling outside still gives me a sense of freedom and independence.  I can vary my route or turn down a different street.  I don’t have to drive to a gym first.  I often try to discover new paths, parks and places to go.  Being outside and going to new places breaks up the monotony of exercise and keeps it fresh. 

It’s easy too.  I just put on my exercise clothes appropriate for the weather and go out the back door to start my run.  When I walk, I can usually just go in whatever clothes I am currently wearing.  I take my dog with me, because he is always ready to go for a walk. 

So if you want to start exercising, my best advice is to step outside and start moving.

Beans Need More Respect

I work hard at eating healthy.  I look for foods that are convenient, low cost and healthy.  Beans are foods that fit my criteria perfectly.  Beans are easy to add to soups and salads.  Beans are some of the healthiest foods around.  They are high in complex carbohydrates, protein and dietary fiber and low in fat, calories and sodium.  They are cholesterol-free.  They also contain omega-3 and many nutrients including thiamin, iron, folate, potassium, magnesium and B vitamins.

However, I don’t think beans get the respect they deserve.  Sure beans are found in some lists of “super-foods” when you do a web search.  But you typically don’t see them touted in many articles about healthy foods.  You see kale, blue berries, green tea, açaí, seaweed, pomegranates, quinoa and other foods. The more exotic the food is the better.  You’ll even see eggs, salmon and yogurt which I don’t think deserve super-food status since they have drawbacks like cholesterol, saturated fat or added sugar.

I think beans have a perception problem.  Beans are not seen as sexy or exotic.  Beans are seen as simply common and as a poor man’s substitute for meat.  Why do we need beans when we have meat?

I think we need to see beans as better than meat.  Although meat is a good source of protein, meat has a few problems.  High consumption of meat is associated with chronic ailments including heart disease, some types of cancer and diabetes.  The big problem with meat is that its protein comes along with a good helping of saturated fat.  Saturated fat is linked to high cholesterol levels and heart disease.

Beans are good.  Think of including some beans in your diet.

Here are some good links I found about beans when I was :

SuperfoodsRx: Has a good overview of beans

http://www.superfoodsrx.com/superfoods/beans/

American Diabetes Association -  Superfoods

http://www.diabetes.org/food-and-fitness/food/what-can-i-eat/diabetes-superfoods.html

Bicycling.com:  Cycling Nutrition - Magic Beans

http://www.bicycling.com/training-nutrition/nutrition-weight-loss/cycling-nutrition-magic-beans

Walking Metaphorically

I like to walk.  Walking is a great activity because it is a catalyst for so many things and it can be done almost anywhere at anytime.  Walking can be done alone, with a friend or in a group.  Walking takes you places.

Walking opens the mind.  Walking stimulates thinking.  Walking is a good time to talk with a friend.  Walking is relaxing.  Walking is a good way to explore.  Walking is good for your health.  Walking is great with a dog.  Walking is a way to meet your neighbors.  Walking can be liberating.  Walking in the woods, wilderness or mountains can be spiritual.  Walking can be so many things.

The title of this blog is “Walking” because metaphorical walking is what I want to do with this blog.  I want this blog to be a walk: a catalyst of thinking, conversation and exploration.

Walk every day. Walk around your neighborhood.  Walk in a park.  Walk at a mall.  Walk through the woods.  Walk down the sidewalk.  Walk over the hills.  Walk through a meadow. Walk in the mountains.  Walk with your dog.  Walk with a friend.  Just walk to walk.  Let’s go for a walk.