Scott Schwab:
Let's get serious about making a big difference this year and getting our momentum going in the right direction. The average American eats 1/3 of their daily meals at restaurants. Eating at restaurants has become increasingly more convenient and popular each year. It is convenient and a great way to entertain or have a night out.
However, when looking at what the options are, we start to see a major reason why weight gain and eating out have a strong correlation. Many restaurants aren't as concerned with providing a balanced meal or the healthiest foods. At the end of the day, the restaurant is trying to create a model where they can be profitable. With profits as the goal, often times quality has to come down or prices have to go up. This can mean general or cheaper products, lower quality cooking additives, and a change in the freshness of the food. Here is a list of some things to avoid:
- Highly processed foods full of preservatives
- Cooking options, methods, and additives
- Portion sizes and plate sizes
With these in mind, know that you are much better off to eat whole grained foods, fresh fruits, and vegetables. This also means doing your own preparation and planning so you don't have to eat out. Pack your lunch, and save money, time, and control how your food is prepared. Additionally, you can control the amounts better and times in between meals. One of the major challenges that come with food is that our bodies go into starvation mode after about 2 hours. The body starts holding onto fat and burning muscle to sustain itself. Other effects of not eating are:
- Low energy and irritability
- Body desires glucose and sodium(sugar & salt)
- Drinking Calories and sugar drinks for replacement energy
- Low desire to workout
Fueling our body becomes more and more important when looking at lifestyle changes. Our lifestyle choices flow into our desires and choices for exercise and healthy consistent eating. This week and this challenge, look at controlling your most valuable asset, which is your mind and incorporating self control. Start by making better choices in regards to food, portion, and healthy alternatives. Choose to eat 6 smaller meals opposed to 3 large meals with large time gaps in between.
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