Jenna's Blog - Convenience and abundance...

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Convenience and abundance...

I am delighted to say that I have lost a couple inches since day one of my online food and exercise journal! There is something to be said for accountability! Living in a society that thrives on excess and convenience, it's not hard to consume too much food in one sitting. Most restaurants will overload a plate so that no one will ever have to complain that: "there isn't enough". When was the last time you thought that at a restaurant???

While the portions are gigantic, one of 2 things will happen: either the patron will eat enough for two and leave the premises feeling overstuffed, OR a whole lot of food will go to waste. Why does our culture do that?! When I moved to Spain in 2004 for 7 months, I lost 20 lbs.! The portions are 1/3 of the size that they are here, their food is more alive and nutrient dense, and I walked EVERYWHERE! I also went out dancing 3-4 nights a week so I was active every single day. Convenience is NOT commonplace.

I ate a croissant every morning for breakfast and freshly baked bread at lunch (a sandwich) and dinner (bread on the side). The bread had NO additives. If you didn't eat it the same day you bought it from the bakery, it would turn ROCK HARD! I also ate ice cream almost everyday, and it was during my stay there that I began to take less and less insulin. Interesting... I wasn't stressed, I had plenty of sleep (I love siestas!), I never drove a car once the whole time I was there, and I never considered calories or fat grams, but I still ate healthily (TONS of fresh veggies and fruit!).

This was well after my Nutrition studies had come to an end at SMC, so I was fully aware of the common concerns of Western Nutrition. But the Europeans just don't obsess like our nation does (have you heard of the book: "Why French Women Don't Get Fat"?). They ENJOY what they eat (almost always nurturing and wholesome), they take their time, and they "work to live" instead of "live to work". I never met one stressed out Spaniard.

The USA has so much affluence, so much abundance, so many healthy resources, and so many things to appreciate. Why is it that our country is the SICKEST country on the planet with skyrocketing numbers of people who suffer from obesity, diabetes, and cancer? To put it quite simply: we don't get enough sleep, we work too hard, we stress too much, we search for convenience and short cuts, and the majority of the "food" manufacturers in this country are knowingly putting crap in our food to give the products a longer shelf life and an addicting element, only to mess up our bodies on a fundamental level. So... What do we do? While changing the infrastructure of an entire culture might be a little daunting, but not impossible, I have a "few" tips for you to consider. Even if you incorporate just 5 of them into your life, you are on a great path!!!

skip valet and park a couple blocks away from every restaurant you go to
try whole grain or gluten free instead of bleached flour bread
do a taste test of different snacks at your local health food store to replace the junk that's sitting in your office desk drawer or cabinet (yummy and healthy does exist!)
go for a brisk walk on your lunch break or after dinner with your family
microwave less and cook/prep more (create a few extra minutes to give your food the attention it deserves)
turn off your TV and get some fresh air
if you look at the ingredients list of a food item and you can't pronounce something, don't eat it
love your body (even if you want it to improve in some way, while you transition: celebrate and appreciate what you have already: don't be a prisoner to an ideal number on a scale, a.k.a. the guilt box)
pay attention to the way you feel when you eat ANYTHING (if you don't feel nurtured or empowered it's not worth it)
add flax seeds to any snack, cereal, salad, or smoothie!
do a cleanse every once in a while
laugh more
dance more
honk less
do yoga
run and hike
try a new kind of fitness every week so you never get bored of moving (the best routine is NO routine)!
don't deprive yourself (enjoy a liitle bit of everything in moderation)
stretch in the middle of the day just because
try alternative medicine like Chinese herbs or acupuncture (western medicine is NOT the end all)
live holistically (don't wait until you get a cold or the flu to take care of yourself)
eat dark chocolate
drink lots of water (I can't get enough!)
drink red wine in moderation
enjoy ice cream in moderation without all the artificial ingredients! Have you heard of ICEPAN???!!!
use stevia or agave nectar instead of Splenda or Equal
and, finally... breathe, just breathe

Posted: 11:57 PM, Thursday, January 15, 2009

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great post!

I was so relieved to have just read this quote: "We will have a health care system, not a disease care system." -- Barack Obama He gets it. I think that we will see some really spectacular changes during his presidency.
Posted by Anonymous at 8:22 PM, Friday, January 16, 2009	Link

Best post ever!

Jenna, this could very well be your greatest post of all-time! It really tells the story of how we have all of the greatest advantages on the planet here in our country, yet so many people squander the fabulous opportunities which are available to them. Far too many people here are stressed out walking zombies making routine poor health decisions. Thanks for such an outstanding post!
Posted by gogan5 at 6:51 AM, Saturday, January 17, 2009	Link

Your Post Speaks for All

Very good pointers! Many of the people I know complain about their weight and the way they feel after they eat but don't change their eating habits. They just keep on complaining, if we all became aware of what we put in our bodies we would defenitely be a better health conscious nation.
Posted by Anonymous at 8:34 PM, Sunday, January 18, 2009	Link

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