Anybody else have these books?
A guy at work had one, and I thought it was intersting, so I bought them on ebay for a few bucks. I'm shocked at how bad some of this stuff is.
Do we really want 2000 calorie milkshakes, or meals with 5000 mg of sodium?
Every year there is some new "study" that says this is terrible for you, then next year that same thing is the new wunderfood and something else is killing us all and/or making us fat. I just eat a balanced meal and while I will indulge in a milkshake now and then, I keep it balanced.
I'd say just use common sense when eating and you'll be OK, but there's definitely a shortage of common sense nowadays.
My mom has that book. Somethings are insane. It isn't saying that something is a wonderfood. It is just pointing out which things are better or worst then others like one burger vs another based on calories and etc.
Here's some of my "common sense eating"
This morning I ate three eggs scrambled with cheese, one large potato made into hash browns, and two pieces of wheat toast. Overall, four tablespoons of butter were used, and everything was consumed. With it I had one cup (16 oz) of French pressed coffee, black.
Here's my calorie tally:
Butter: 400 calories, 44 grams of fat Eggs: 213 calories, 15 grams of fat Cheese: 113 calories, 9 grams of fat Potato: 250 calories, 0 grams of fat Bread: 140 calories, 2 grams of fat Coffee: 4 calories, 0 grams of fat
Total: 1120 calories, 70 grams of fat
Granted, this will be my largest meal today.
carguy123 wrote: I'd say just use common sense when eating and you'll be OK, but there's definitely a shortage of common sense nowadays.
True, but the book is interesting.
Some of the restaurant stuff is nuts, and even people with the most common sense would be surprised at how bad some of it is.
I believe it was Anthony Bourdain who said that almost all food in restaurants is finished with butter. That cream sauce that comes with your asparagus? It's probably 95% fat. And the asparagus was sauteed in butter.
Now, the nutrition facts given by restaurants are probably the most ideal. Remember that humans are in charge of putting that sauce on your hamburger, and I really doubt that they put on the "company policy" amount.
I'm going to eat and drink what I want and someday I'll die....Happy.
bravenrace wrote: I'm going to eat and drink what I want and someday I'll die....Happy.
Agreed. But I also want to know what I'm getting myself into. I used to eat a particular fast food breakfast entree because I thought it was a reasonably healthful alternative to the other options offered. I was wrong.
To my thinking, a grilled chicken sandwich shouldn't have 1400 calories and 56 grams of fat. If it does, that's fine but let me know.
Some of the saturated fat and sodium amounts are unbelievable. I don't care what it tastes like, I don't want that E36 M3 in my gut.
Outback. Holy crap. A 10oz steak with salad, and loaded baked potato:
Outback "Nutrition" Calculator
If I'd have gone there I'd usually have a beer or two and share an appetizer with the mrs ta boot... making my dinner a 2500 calorie extravaganza. That is my total allotment even with a 7 mile run during the day. Thats just retarded.
Cold stone creamery PB&C shake, 2010 calories, 131g of fat, and 880 mg sodium 
http://www.coldstonecreamery.com/assets/pdf/nutrition/Nutrition_Info_Shakes_05_09_08.pdf
They don't make it easy to find. It took about a dozen clicks to find it.
I hate getting old. I can't believe that I actually read all this with interest now.
The interesting thing about that book is how it compares two similar items - stuff you'd expect to be the same. How choosing a Big Mac is healthier (relatively speaking) than a Whopper. That's the real eye-opener.
Well, I know it seems like you will be happy if you eat what you want. And I'm a HUGE fan of food- love eating.
But when too much eating makes the rest of the life worse, I really wonder about "I'm going to eat what I want and die happy"- especially the happy part. I'm MUCH happier now that I've dropped ~60lb from my peak. That I can run 13.1 miles (and hoping for more), etc.
Something else to consider- 1 lb fat ~ 3000 extra calories. So over do 120 cal a week, in a year that's just over 6000 cal/year, or roughly 2lb. Which seems ok. But do that between 20-60 years, and you are now 80lb heavier.
Now consider what 120cal/week is (the difference between one wopper vs big mac for one week).
And then consider what you want to do in retirement. I want to race cars. And I don't want to be 250-300lb when I do it.
It does matter.
Anyway- that's all I have to say. If you want to eat what you want- go for for it- from weeds to a filet covered in butter with a side of foi gras (which I LOVE).
+1 on the not dying all that happy
I see a lot of old folks lugging largess about, slowly and with a lot of wheezing. My MIL is probably 300lbs from eating all that happiness. She can't get out of a chair w/o help now in her 70s.
Definitely on my DO NOT WANT list.
alfadriver wrote: ...I really wonder about "I'm going to eat what I want and die happy"- especially the happy part....
Hey now! I hear Diabetes is a giggle fest...
I have this book. It is, as mentioned above, more of a common sense guide than anything else. It's not about eating wheat germ shakes with tofu chunks and a bunless veggie burger. It's about "you're out at a restaurant for a pleasant meal; consider these dishes instead of those."
bludroptop wrote:bravenrace wrote: I'm going to eat and drink what I want and someday I'll die....Happy.Agreed. But I also want to know what I'm getting myself into. I used to eat a particular fast food breakfast entree because I thought it was a reasonably healthful alternative to the other options offered. I was wrong. To my thinking, a grilled chicken sandwich shouldn't have 1400 calories and 56 grams of fat. If it does, that's fine but let me know.
Yeah, that's the difference between you and me. Knowing just spoils the whole experience for me.
alfadriver wrote: Well, I know it seems like you will be happy if you eat what you want. And I'm a HUGE fan of food- love eating. But when too much eating makes the rest of the life worse, I really wonder about "I'm going to eat what I want and die happy"- especially the happy part. I'm MUCH happier now that I've dropped ~60lb from my peak. That I can run 13.1 miles (and hoping for more), etc. Something else to consider- 1 lb fat ~ 3000 extra calories. So over do 120 cal a week, in a year that's just over 6000 cal/year, or roughly 2lb. Which seems ok. But do that between 20-60 years, and you are now 80lb heavier. Now consider what 120cal/week is (the difference between one wopper vs big mac for one week). And then consider what you want to do in retirement. I want to race cars. And I don't want to be 250-300lb when I do it. It does matter. Anyway- that's all I have to say. If you want to eat what you want- go for for it- from weeds to a filet covered in butter with a side of foi gras (which I LOVE).
I fully understand what you are saying, but I'm not overweight (okay, maybe 10 lbs or so). I can't do physically demanding things because of another health problem I won't get into. And just a clarification, I do watch what I eat, just not like some here. If I listen to my doctor, I can't eat anything I like, and if that's the case, what's the point? If what I'm eating, good or bad, is making me unhappy, I don't eat it anymore. See?
bravenrace wrote: I fully understand what you are saying, but I'm not overweight (okay, maybe 10 lbs or so). I can't do physically demanding things because of another health problem I won't get into.
(DISCLAIMER- the rest of this post is NOT directed at bravenrace, but the comments in general. Just make sure we all get that clear)
You are not too overweight, yet. My illustration is to give it time. it does not take a lot to become very overweight between college and retirement.
For that matter, I see friends of mine who have gained a lot in the last few years. Scary.
I'm not saying that I don't occasionally eat the 3000 calorie meals- I do that a few times a year, but I do manage everything in between, and I don't like to eat a lot of garbage calories- which is what most fast food is. I'd rather spend the calories on much higher quality food, so it's a LOT less often.
I used to think that since I work out 5-6 times a week, I was good to go, but I kept watching my weight climb. Once I changed eating lifestyles, I'm pretty happy that I'm on a path to a very fun retirement, all the while enjoying life and eating now.
(again, to repeat the disclaimer, this wasnt' at all directed AT bravenrace, but the general comments, since one does hear them a lot)
Keith wrote: The interesting thing about that book is how it compares two similar items - stuff you'd expect to be the same. How choosing a Big Mac is healthier (relatively speaking) than a Whopper. That's the real eye-opener.
All that proves is that grease soaked cardboard has fewer calories or fat or whatever than the real meat in the Whopper.
carguy123 wrote: All that proves is that grease soaked cardboard has fewer calories or fat or whatever than the real meat in the Whopper.
"Real" is subjective here. They are both nasty, ass flavored variants of the lowest common denominator of "burger" meat. I have a mental picture of them dumpster diving out behind the meat packing plant.
If you think about an animal gets from a farm to your plate, all meat starts sounding kind of disgusting. I'd rather just not think about it. It is easier than giving up meat or killing and processing it myself.
Hmmm.. Where's that soy thread?
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