Tasha Posted October 31, 2012 Share Posted October 31, 2012 One of the single biggest life-changing moments for me was on page 29 of ISWF when they say, in bold, IT'S NOT YOUR FAULT. I feel like I spent so much of my life trying to do the "right" thing and eat the "right" food and do what "they" told me to do. And it was all crap. I was digging through a drawer and found some old cookbooks me and my Mom bought when I was in high school (95-97). One is titled "So fat, low fat, no fat" and the other is "Outrageously Delicious Fat-Wise Cookbook." It is so depressing to read through these books, and see things that me or my Mom highlighted, underlined or starred as important, and to know that we followed these rules and suggestions because we believed them, and thought we were doing better for ourselves. Some highlights: "The following are healthy items while in the airport or on your drive: bagels, rice cakes, vanilla wafers, graham crackers, ginger snaps, licorice, popcorn and pretzels." "Stick to about 10 grams of fat a day. Breakfast is easy-- english muffin (1 gram of fat) with jelly (no fat). Lunch bread (fat free) mayo (fat free) mustard, lettuce, pickle, 98% fat free lunch meat and some fat free cookies, cake or candy. So far today you've had about 4 grams of fat, you're doing good!" "Count your fat grams and you don't have to worry about the calories." (This cookbook lists only fat gram information per recipe, not any other nutritional information!) And the best: "Keys to Lifelong Weight Control 1--Avoid fat foods. 2 -- Eat lots of whole grains, whole fruits, beans and most vegetables" including a quote from the Surgeon General's 1988 report "the single most influential dietary change one can make to lower the risk of diseases is to reduce intake of foods high in fat and to increase the intake of foods high in complex carbohydrates and fiber." I actually texted my sister and said reading those sections (underlined with stars beside them) made me want to cry. Or burn them in an "f you" ceremony, for so unscrupulously leading me astray. Obviously, we have a new way of thinking now. But I can hardly read "health" magazines anymore because I can't continue to get bombarded every month with the crap they are telling me to eat. I have a hard time watching "morning shows" continue to spew the same "weight loss information" (aka bullsh*t) over and over again (although, THANK YOU to Dr Oz for saying on The View's "Fat Show" yesterday that "fat is not to blame for the obesity epidemic in America.") I feel sick going on Pinterest and seeing all the "healthy recipes" posted that consist of garbage (nevermind the unhealthy ones, yowsa). It's not just chaning the way I eat, it's changing everything. It's a shift of consciousness and awareness. So when they say "Let Us Change Your Life" they're not kidding. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derval Posted October 31, 2012 Share Posted October 31, 2012 Totally agree! Great post. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shelley417 Posted October 31, 2012 Share Posted October 31, 2012 I know exactly how you feel -- before i started Whole 30 I get a lot of information from various "healthy" websites like Dr. Weill, Weight Watchers, Spark People and whole Living Magazine. I don't mean to malign their approaches but none of it worked for me. Now I stick to reading the Whole 30 Forum and get my inspiration from various websites, blogs that I have added to my home screen and Pinterest Paleo boards that I follow and creating my own. I just delete that other stuff from my in box! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirsteen Posted October 31, 2012 Share Posted October 31, 2012 BBC Two did a fantastic series of programs earlier this year called 'The Men Who Made Us Fat', absolutely compelling viewing about how and when this whole 'low fat' thing, not to mention 'supersising' began (yes there was moneynot health behind it) They're all available on Youtube. Type in 'The men who made us fat' and you'll go right to them. They're well worth a watch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snappy Shark Posted October 31, 2012 Share Posted October 31, 2012 I think that the most telling signal of this program's effectiveness for me is that I am eating at LEAST 2x my "allotted" Weight Watchers Points per day, and the only weight I'm gaining is from all of this beautiful muscle I'm putting onto my strong, healthy body. My waist is inches smaller than it was eight months ago when I weighed 5-10 pounds less and was, literally, starving myself on a low-fat WW-endorsed diet. (I'm also not missing the depression and anxiety, either.) Healthy fats are SO powerful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derval Posted October 31, 2012 Share Posted October 31, 2012 and SO tasty! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keetha Posted October 31, 2012 Share Posted October 31, 2012 Great post! I'm starting my first Whole30 tomorrow. I'm excited. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocIKY Posted October 31, 2012 Share Posted October 31, 2012 As some one who's professional life is one foot in the world of neuroscience, I never cease to be amazed at how many people still buy into the fat is bad thinking! Did you know if you take out the water weight of the brain over half of what is left is fat??? Your body needs fat! When my athletic husband (triathlete for years!) was found to have major arterial blockages last year, he was referred to a nutritionist. I don't know why, I should have expected it, but I was appalled! She told him that he could not have avocados, coconut oil, etc. Then she told him that foods like popcorn, brown rice, and whole grains were the way to go. I said forget that! Even before I knew of "whole30" or "paleo" I knew enough truth about what our bodies need. I increased the good fats in our diets, decreased the bad everything else. It's a year later and you know what? His cardiologist said his heart is healthier than someone 20 years younger. No surgery. No meds. We live in a world that, unfortunately, far too many people believe is flat! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kb0426 Posted October 31, 2012 Share Posted October 31, 2012 : I feel sick going on Pinterest and seeing all the "healthy recipes" posted that consist of garbage (nevermind the unhealthy ones, yowsa). Nothing bothers me more!! I am not just referring to Paleo recipes. I would like to know what standard is used when someone labels their muffin/granola/whatever creation as "healthy". When I read the recipe, I see whole wheat or other grains and honey for the sugar. At the end of the day, what they claim is healthy is no better for my system than eating a twinkie. Sugar is sugar, honey is sugar, maple syrup is sugar, turbinado sugar is sugar and healthier claims are bogus. A treat is a treat; quit trying to label it as healthy. For many, that treat may be downright toxic. I really love this post! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Renee Posted October 31, 2012 Share Posted October 31, 2012 I loved reading this topic! I too am starting tomorrow even though I've been (on and off) paleo for about a year. I need discipline and to change my relationship with food (mostly sugar!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luvbnhealthy Posted October 31, 2012 Share Posted October 31, 2012 Most of us did believe what was taught during the low fat era because the information came from "experts". I use to work for Weight Watchers. I actually lost 25 lbs. using their methods, but a lot of it was from getting off the couch and reducing the portion size of my meals. WW does advocate for healthy fats now and have taken out some of the bad advice like it doesn't matter what you eat as long as you stay within your points (ie. a processed granola bar over a healthy banana). But the thinking has to be changed with so many people in and out of the medical community. As I always say, eat close to God (or nature) and you can't go wrong. Eat what man provides, it will make you sick. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Candice@allthingsyogi Posted November 6, 2012 Share Posted November 6, 2012 It is no wonder why people cant stick to these diets. Our bodies need and crave good fats! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrsjessica Posted April 4, 2013 Share Posted April 4, 2013 As I always say, eat close to God (or nature) and you can't go wrong. Eat what man provides, it will make you sick. Love this. Definitely borrowing this line Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moluv Posted April 4, 2013 Share Posted April 4, 2013 I think my mom and mother in law both have that book. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GLC1968 Posted April 4, 2013 Share Posted April 4, 2013 When I first started Whole30, I was digging through my old recipes for inspiration when I found one that I'd pulled from a cookbook originally written in the 70's. I'd made a bunch of notes on it to alter the recipe pretty drastically to reduce the fat. I laughed at myself as I attempted to alter it again for a more paleo bent. Turns out, the original 70's recipe was pretty spot on! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
megmac Posted April 4, 2013 Share Posted April 4, 2013 Wow-I couldn't agree more, Tasha (and everyone else). Recently I cleaned out my old room at my mom's house and found one of my early food logs. I was on a diet at 12 and logging bagels, English Muffins, fat grams, etc. etc. 34 years (and HUNDREDS of diets) later, I have finally figured it out. I just can't understand why everyone else hasn't "gotten it" yet. The word is out. We know the truth. Why is everyone still struggling? And for those who are interested in "de-bunking the paleo myth", all I can say is that the proof is in the size 4 pants, perfect blood work, and glowing skin. Don't waste your time, just try a whole30 and see for yourself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Samphire Posted April 4, 2013 Share Posted April 4, 2013 I remember the first low fat meal my mum and I sat down to after reading the hip and thigh diet. It was a plain jacket potato (no butter obviously), a dry grilled chicken breast, some broccoli and a 'gravy' made from a fat free stock cube. We were so disappointed! The next day I had a ham sandwich with no butter with tomoto for moisture and chomped my way though the soggy mess. The early low fat recipes are so bland and miserable! I think even the low fat diet proponents have eased up a bit now and recommend a little more than they used to. They work for a lot of people because if you go from a SAD diet to low fat, you are probably cutting about a lot of the cakes, biscuits etc and cutting down on portion sizes. It's all just so joyless. I did low fat dieting for years. I'd get really frustrated with my self because I would be ''good all week", then find my self stuffing curry and chips at the weekend. Not really a surprise now I think about it, my body was probably desperate for the fat. One of my favourite things about the meal template is deciding what delicious fat to add to my meal. Will it be avocado, coconut, olives, nuts, ghee, olive oil, mayonaise? It's all too delicious! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melbournegirl Posted April 5, 2013 Share Posted April 5, 2013 As I was eating my breakfast of ground turkey, carrot and zucchini cooked in ghee this morning I couldnt think of a single thing I would enjoy more to start the day - it just really hit the spot! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Krista Billows Rodriguez Posted April 5, 2013 Share Posted April 5, 2013 BBC Two did a fantastic series of programs earlier this year called 'The Men Who Made Us Fat', absolutely compelling viewing about how and when this whole 'low fat' thing, not to mention 'supersising' began (yes there was moneynot health behind it) They're all available on Youtube. Type in 'The men who made us fat' and you'll go right to them. They're well worth a watch. Popped over to You Tube and plugged in The Men who made us fat...clicked on the first episode and had to sit through a commercial for...... Grands Bisquits! Wasn't sure if I should laugh or scream! Now back to watch some of the first episode! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MelliebuStacey Posted April 8, 2013 Share Posted April 8, 2013 BBC Two did a fantastic series of programs earlier this year called 'The Men Who Made Us Fat', absolutely compelling viewing about how and when this whole 'low fat' thing, not to mention 'supersising' began (yes there was moneynot health behind it) They're all available on Youtube. Type in 'The men who made us fat' and you'll go right to them. They're well worth a watch. ]My fiance and I are watching the first episode now, Kirsteen--FASCINATING. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1Maryann Posted April 9, 2013 Share Posted April 9, 2013 This topic really speaks to me. I am on Day 99 of a Whole100, and have come to many realizations in the past few days. I, too, am angry with the 'system' that did this to us, and continues to do it to others who try their best to follow the food pyramid. I developed the first signs of 'arthritis' almost 20 years ago. As time went on, I lost more and more of my flexibility and range of motion. At times, my joints hurt so much it made everyday tasks nearly impossible. And complaining about it did no good. Even doctors shrugged it off. Aside from offering OTC suggestions, they were no help at all. It was "part of the aging process", "something you have to learn to live with". My mother had similar painful joints and stiffness, but never had any of the degenerative joint issues usually associated with arthritis. 'Systemic inflammation' was a term for a fictitious problem. How could the foods that all the best brains were advocating possibly be making people sick? If anything, I wasn't eating enough whole grains, or I was still eating too much fat, or the wrong kinds of fat. I spent 20 years trying to do it their way, but it never worked. I would swing between absolute adherence to the pyramid to no avail, and periods of "what the heck" where I would stuff myself with any crap I felt like. I never felt any worse on the crap than I did on the 'proper' diet. I am now pain free and regaining my mobility. I never had 'arthritis', and probably my mother never did either. It was the food! How many other people are out there in the same boat? And still, you need to find 'alternative' doctors, or 'holistic' practitioners to find out about the dangers of the SAD. My best friend for the last 30 years is a dietician and she fights me on this all the time, even though the proof is right in front of her face. She cannot accept the fact that I might actually know more than all those learned professors she had in school, or the learned doctors who publish articles in her trade magazines. She cannot come to terms with the fact that everything she was taught, and everything she has taught, was a lie. That there was no sound basis in medicine or nutrition for the assumptions that were made. That we've been lied to for many years, and people are getting sicker, not healthier, following conventional wisdom. It all makes me angry, and I can't watch commercials for 'healthy' whole grain cereals, or fake butter. But all I can do is lead by example. I can't change the world, but hopefully the people around me will see the difference and want to know more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AfromOttawa Posted April 9, 2013 Share Posted April 9, 2013 OMG that cookbook sounds awful. I remember how I used to eat like 3 Fiber One bars a day and thought myself very healthy. I restricted calories (severely) so I did lose a lot of weight but I had to snack every other hour to not be a psycho. How did I never see that that was flawed at the time? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karen Posted April 10, 2013 Share Posted April 10, 2013 Good topic. Very timely, too, as I just spent the last 1/2 hour filling out a health assessment for my insurance provider. They give you $150 a year by tracking your wellness points (exercise, food, stress trackers - also complete bs but I'll fill it out for the cash), and they snag you by filling out the health assessment first. Some of the questions: - Do you eat a diet low in fat? - Do you eat the appropriate amount of calories to maintain a healthy weight? Later on, some of their suggestions were: - Find a low-fat alternative to your favorite snack. - Substitute brown rice with white. - Try increasing your servings of whole grains. - Plan healthy meals by replacing unhealthy foods with healthier options (such as 1% milk for whole milk) - Learn how to read food labels - Put your fork down in between bites. - Write this in your journal: if I overindulge one day, I'll just adjust my eating the next day What about just eating real food?? I was infuriated. Of course, I answered it how they wanted me to, but I'm still pissed off that this is the agenda they're still pushing. No surprise, these are the metrics that are driving our company's wellness plan, too. After all, I'm sure there are incentives from our insurance company to follow this type of plan. There are scads of people in my office talking about calories, fat, and sodium of all the processed foods in our kitchen, trying to find the least offensive option in those terms. What they can't seem to understand that all that doesn't matter if the 'food' is just a bunch of chemicals that happens to please the taste-buds. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MelliebuStacey Posted April 10, 2013 Share Posted April 10, 2013 The more I dive into a W9life, the more I realize that what I thought I knew was flawed. I was diagnosed with Lupus officially eight years ago--and I already have rheumatoid arthritis in a few of my joints. Granted, this is a genetic issue--my father has it, and is suffering greatly from it (two heart attacks, full blown arthritis in all major joints, and retinal destruction, to name a few issues); however, he refuses to clean up his diet, subsists on with rice and kidney beans, and has never once willingly eaten a vegetable. Perhaps it is naïve to assume that even the cleanest, most perfect W30 diet will completely destruct my symptoms; however, since making a pact with myself to truly pay attention to my diet, my health habits, my whole 9 factors, I have not had a full-blown flare, have noticed that my inflammation has decreased noticeably, and have a newfound respect for myself through the simple action of watching what the heck I put into my mouth. I watch the TEDtalks with Jamie Oliver with my fiancé last night, and we were both shocked, appalled, and inspired to make better food choices--shocking what power the government keeps over its people with the simple conundrum that is what goes into mass produced foods these days... hmmph. Makes me sad for the future. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chick256 Posted April 11, 2013 Share Posted April 11, 2013 Having finished the 30 day vegetarian program and lost 8 lbs, I am letting as many people as I can know about this program. When they ask me what the rules are, I tell them lots of protein, veg, fat and some fruit. They ALL say, "fat?" in disbelief. For the past 20 years I have done the low fat/no fat diet, and and realised that the fat is taken out, but often sugar is the replacement. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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