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How To Eat Healthier: Body For Life for the Lazy & Paranoid
When I first began the Body For Life program, one of my main concerns was the ability to maintain the diet.
The diet in BFL basically revolves around having six small meals per day; each one includes a serving of protein, and a serving of carbohydrate. Twice a day, you include a serving of vegetables. Once a day, you also have a serving of ‘healthy fat’. (more…)
Visions of Vegas II: Dodging the Dietary Demons
My Vegas adventure is almost upon me, and one thing that’s been a concern is the potential to fall out of my uber-adherence to the Body For Life diet and exercise routine. Basically, with BFL you are tasked with eating 6 meals a day, and working out six days a week.
Each meal consists of a palm/fist sized portion of protein, and the same sized portion of carbohydrate. Twice a day, you supplement your meal with a fist sized serving of veggies.
In the past, Vegas has been the definition of decadence for me, (and certainly not just from a dietary standpoint). Can you say ”In and Out Burger”? Oh, I used to. Several times per trip.
Now that I’ve gotten serious about BFL, I’m commited to keeping it up in Vegas. After all, you can’t drink the way I do (i.e. at a professional water buffalo level) and not see the effects develop. Alcohol is pure, empty calorie-riffic fun. So I need to be strict with my food. And workouts.
Vegas isn’t exactly set up with this in mind. From Krispy Kreme to deep fat fried twinkies, whatever HFCS+saturated fat filled goodness you seek, Las Vegas can provide it for you. Cheap.
Although I think I can pick and choose some acceptable items in the buffets and whatever restaurant we choose, we won’t be stopping to eat 6 times a day. To help stay on target, I plan on employing the following tools (click for larger image):
I figure having at least two extra ‘meals’ with me each day should be enough, considering our general proclivity to eat breakfast and dinner. The man-bag will come in handy for my camera and other odds and ends, in addition to carrying the food. The Gen Soy bars are ones I just found at the store today. Typically, it’s tough to find a ‘health’ bar that doesn’t feature High Fructose Corn Syrup and these offer 14g of soy protein each, which is pretty good. They also offer 34g of Carbs, which would be enough in itself to cover a meal’s allotment, but with the planned uber-boozing during non work (i.e. blackjack) hours, it can’t hurt to have a bit more fruit in the system for slow burn energy.
As for the workouts, I checked with my hotel and they have an excellent deal on 3 day passes to their spa/gym; $49 total. This will include a relaxing sauna after my workouts. Just the thing to sweat off some more water and make room for more alcohol.
Aaaah Vegas.
Something is trying to kill you.
Right now.
As you sit there reading this.
It’s inside you, and it’s doing things to you that terrorists might not even do. Before going on, join me for a little exercise. I want you to get up and go to your kitchen. Go to your refrigerator, or your pantry, or any combination of the two. Grab 5 packaged food items. I don’t care what they are. Now bring them back here.
Go on. I’ll be waiting.
Back? Good. Now I’d like you to look at the ingredients. Do you see the black magic words? The words are “High Fructose Corn Syrup”. Chances are good, every single one of them has it. And it’s a murderer.
That’s right, High Fructose Corn Syrup is slowly killing you, one cheese puff at a time.
“But..but..but..” you stammer “seems like EVERYTHING has HFCS in it!!!”.
Damn right.
That’s because it’s one of the most highly concentrated, super cheap, ultra-mutant sweeteners the food industry has ever unleashed. It’s here to stay, and if you want to live a healthier, longer life, you need to purge it from your diet.
WHAT HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP IS
High Fructose Corn Syrup, or “HFCS” is, you guessed it, a sugar substitute made from corn starch. The “High Fructose” part of the name implies a fructose level of up to 80%. Compare that to the 50% found in fruit. What’s the big deal?
The San Franscisco Chronicle, in an article titled Sugar Coated summed up the danger perfectly:
“The theory goes like this: The body processes the fructose in high fructose corn syrup differently than it does old-fashioned cane or beet sugar, which in turn alters the way metabolic-regulating hormones function. It also forces the liver to kick more fat out into the bloodstream.
The end result is that our bodies are essentially tricked into wanting to eat more and at the same time, we are storing more fat.”
Obviously, this is less than ideal. Especially for anyone wishing to maintain a healthy body. There is only one way to limit the risk. Reduce, or ideally, eliminate your HFCS intake. But it’s not just about a fat gut:
Some health risks potentially tied to High Fructose Corn Syrup:
How Can I Avoid HFCS?
Whatever it takes, do what you can to limit your HFCS intake. Your liver, heart, bones, body and loved ones will all thank you for it.
Additional info:
The Murky World of High Fructose Corn Syrup
