Food Rules and WLS

Feb 13, 2010

I read the book Food Rules by Micheal Pollan a couple weeks ago. It was featured on Oprah. She was talking about the movie Food, Inc., his book and also Alicia Silverstone's book "The Kind Diet". I ended up watching the movie (you can watch it instantly with Netflix) and I bought both books). Michael Pollan's book was really good and a quick read. Most of his rules are common sense and fit into many of my dietician's and the WLS guidelines as well like:

46.   Stop eating before you’re full. 49.   Eat slowly. 51.   Spend as much time enjoying the meal as it took to prepare it. 52.   Buy smaller plates and glasses. 53.   Serve a proper portion and don’t go back for seconds.
Other rules provide guidelines on eating more healthy, less processed foods. He believes that part of the reason western society is so obese and has such a high rate of cancer is due to all the processed foods we eat. Most of the countries with the least incidents of cancer and obesity, tend to be the ones that eat foods in their most natural states. So his "rules" are built around trying to get back to those basics. I have been trying to follow his guidelines the last week. Even eating plain yogurl and mixing in fresh fruit with a squeeze of lemon instead of getting lowfat flavored yogurt (I am reading labels now). Plain yogurt isn't my favorite but I'm interested in this idea of eating natural foods that don't contan a bunch of chemicals.

Here are some of his food rules:
        4.       Avoid food products that contain high-fructose corn syrup. 7.       Avoid food products containing ingredients that a third grader cannot pronounce. 8.       Avoid food products that make health claims.
** Brocoli doesn't advertise isn't good for you. Farmers can't afford to do this.
Each of us has to figure out how to incorporate these rules into our WLS program. He's not a proponent of supplements but gastric bypass patients need their supplements. We all must measure our portions. He raises some interesting arguments about protein and getting it from animals. I sent his list of rules to my dietician and she said she agreed with most of them.

For me, finding inspiration to eat well, is helpful. He encourages people to try and eat organic. To try and eat better quality meats (free range chicken and grass fed beef) when you eat meat. I have been following his rules the last week as best I can and also exercsising everyday. So far, I have lost 6.2 lbs since Monday. I am not going without either. Last night, Jack made homemade peanut butter cups following Alicia Silverstone's recipe in her book. I ate one for dessert and we froze the rest.

For Valentine's Day, Jack got me a mandoline that I've been wanting from William Sonoma. It slices, julienes and dices. It makes prepping a lot of vegetables or fruits easy. Yesterday, I made a big bowl of salsa in short order. Hopefully, it will become a workhorse in the kitchen. There are a variety of mandolines out there that slice and juliene. They are great for making all your slices uniform which is important for cooking evenly.

I am hoping Jack and I ride this wave of enthusiam for eating mostly plant based foods. I cooked tofu last week. I made it thai curry style and it was delicious. Last night, Jack made tacos with some kind of meat substitute. He read Alicia Silverstone's book "The Kind Diet". She is a vegetarian and I think she is pretty anti-meat. It might have shifted his views against meat. So far, that isn't how I am thinking. I guess we'll see. I don't have to eat meat at every meal and it doesn't have to dominate my plate. I am always willing to try new things. As long as I feel healthy and strong, I'm in!

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