Intermission

Before I go into the whole snack foods of the non-sweet variety, I wanted to talk--write--about something I've been thinking about. I was randomly clicking my way through the Intertubes, and I found myself on a gossip page that had pictures of comedian/Price is Right host Drew Carey after he lost 70 pounds. He looks really different--in a good way--and I give him lots of respect for his success.

It's respect with concern, though. Reading the article, he is quoted saying he did it through exercise (yay!) and diet (yay?). The problem is the diet is the old "no carbs" thing. He gave up bread, pasta, etc etc. When I read that, I slumped a bit. I just feel like he's dooming himself for a return weight gain, and here's why:

First, fiber is really important. We eat way too many refined, processed grains, and that's one cause of obesity, to be sure, but that's why we have choices in whole grains. I try not to overdo it even on those, but I consider whole grains to be a staple in a long-term healthy diet. If Drew had said he cut out processed flour and unwholsome carbs and grains, I would applaud him. But to cut out an important branch of the human diet completely is risky. That's why I haven't completely shifted out of eating meat. I know it's an important source of nutrition when eaten moderately and in lean portions.

I will say that a friend referenced a study recently that said a high-protein, low-carb diet can actually be healthy, so I can't claim I'm 100% spot on here. I'm not a nutritionist. I'm just really skeptical about any diet that asks me to cut out a whole food group.

Second, I don't feel that these "cut it" diets promote long-term weight loss. If you completely deny yourself any food category that you like, you are denying yourself a pleasure that may not be able to sustain itself for the long term. And, like a drug, if you get a taste of it down the road, you could be in for a binge of epic proportions that sets you right back on the path toward being overweight. One of the things I really like about Weight Watchers (sorry for the constant advertising there--I swear I'm not being paid for it) is that it doesn't ask you to deny yourself anything. You just have to incorporate a healthy balance of good and not-so-good foods. That's why I believe I am going to be successful with my weight loss. I'm eating pizza tonight--fine! I ate wings on Thursday. Great. I just eat healthy on both sides of those unhealthy meals. I get to enjoy my life, no need for binges.

Third, I believe these kinds of fad "miracle" diets are part of a systemic problem in our culture as it relates to food and health. I hadn't thought about this until I read Omnivore's Dilemma. Author Pollan points out that in most cultures around the world, there is an ingrained culture of eating and eating habits. They have schedules, meals, folk wisdom, and so on that encourage people to take for granted a healthy eating pattern. In the U.S., Pollan argues, that has been lost because there are so many cultural blends in our immigrant culture. We've lost the folk wisdom in our salad bowl/melting pot (well, there are two food metaphors...but ones that don't do anything for our actual health!). We have no seasonality for eating fresh foods, no meal patterns (except "eat fast, eat often, eat junk"). As a result, we are lost in our world of food options with no folk guidance to lead us to the right choices, and that leads us to fad diets as a means of taking the reigns. In our culture of instant gratification and ignorance of food, these diets make sense to us, even though they don't make sense to our bodies.

Pollan wrote a book of collected folk wisdom from around the world that shows how humans have traditionally understood food consumption. Food Rules was recommended by a friend, and I bought it immediately after she told me about it. I love it, and I think you should check it out, too! I think of them as I go through the grocery store now.

I wish Drew Carey all the best, and I hope he's successful for the long term. I just know most people in my life who've done a fad diet of some kind have not been so lucky over time. They've lost the weight, gone off the diet, and returned to their old weight (or more). So be careful. Eat a balanced diet, not a fad one!