The Dude's guide to health recovery, Lesson #6 (Eating)

July 16, 8:43 PMHealth Care ExaminerDoctor Lissa

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Even the Dude shops occasionally.  Sometimes he samples the merchandise, though I wouldn't recommend that you drink the milk while in the store.  They take a dim view of that unless you're filming a movie, and then you can do anything you want. 

If you want this physique, however, you really need to think about what you're eating.  Even if you don't want this body, you might want to think about it. 

Lesson #6, Food:

We've all been told to eat plenty of  fruits and vegetables.  I know you've had this in elementary school at least.  But how many should you eat?  The gold standard is up to 9 servings a day. 

Wow, that sounds like a lot.  It would be great, but to get the most benefit for the least amount of work, let's consider an optional plan.  Actually research is telling us that 5 a day will be enough to lower our stroke risk by 31%.  It's apparently enough to also reduce heart disease and cancer risks as well as keep your weight in check.  So, if eating that much is hard, just aim for 5 servings. 

Which brings me to the next thought.  Have you ever known an obese vegetarian?  Really?  Not many.  Few people actually become overweight eating fruits and vegetables. They get that way by eating bread, rice, pasta, cereal and fats and skip the fruit and vegetables.  Not that you don't need some.  Just limit your intake of starch to less that 30% of your calories.  Try it and the fat will melt off. Seriously.                        

Remember to eat foods that have a lot of color.  Blueberries, raspberries, citrus, as well as veggies are what you need to keep your weight in check and be healthier.  Aim for colors from at least 3 color groups like, green, orange and yellow, or red, purple and orange.  This way you can color code your food and be pretty sure you're doing well.  Eat white foods (cauliflower excepted) and you're in trouble. (And no, catsup is not a vegetable.)

If you're like the Dude and like to eat a lot, double up on fruit and vegetables, not starches and fats.  Their high fiber content makes it hard to overeat them.  

Make sure you eat plenty of low fat protein.  Ideas include sources such as Mozarella and Provolone, fish, lean chicken (no skin), yogurt, and cottage cheese.

If you're not lactose intolerant, milk is a good source of protein as well as calcium.  If you are, try soy milk or almond milk.  They have less calcium than cow's milk, but are still good options and are actually pretty good.  There's even chocolate almond milk, which tastes yummy, especially with a bit of sweetner.  Follow these recommendations and you'll look amazing in very little time.

Check out the Low Carb Examiner for some great ideas on lowering your carb intake and reducing your body weight.