Buttin' into my Business Makes Me Cranky
A couple of years ago, my company was sold to a much larger corporation. So far, my job has remained unchanged, and presumably it will stay that way. Other than some technology changes related to security (which usually do not go smoothly, btw), it's business as usual.
Earlier in the week, however, I got a large postcard in the mail titled "The 10 Dos & Don'ts of portion control" -- here's a picture, with identifying marks hidden cuz I don't wanna get fired. Not that anyone associated with the corporate behemoth reads this, but still.
At first, I just tossed it in the trash and briefly thought "Stay out of my pantry" -- then, I actually read it.
If you've been reading any of my posts the last couple of months, you know that we've switched to a Paleo diet. Excluding gluten/wheat/etc is one of the biggest changes you make on in this eating plan, and is one of the most controversial for those who think Paleo isn't healthy. I'm not getting into that argument here - you can research that with a google search -- but this mailer made it personal to me that having a non-standard dietary plan just doesn't fit in the mainstream. Every diet plan out there has its detractors and supporters, and with good reason. One size doesn't fit all. But here's a closer look at this particular piece of "literature."
1. DO check what a suggested serving size of a given food looks like. Okay, knowing serving sizes is good. Using your own brain and body to determine your hunger level is even better.
2. DON'T finish everything on your plate just because you can. Not awful advice, but what about determining what goes onto your plate and basing it on your hunger level and nutritional needs?
3. DO start a meal off with a salad. Include ...a bit of light dressing... Yeah, not as a rule if I'm not able to control everything in the salad. If dressing is going on my salad, it's going to be tasty and fit within my particular eating plan. "Light" isn't the determination -- salsa, lemon juice, or Paleo ranch may be my choice. And a lot of salads at restaurants are filled with crap like iceberg lettuce and croutons (even though I love me some croutons).
4. Don't eat snacks straight out of the bag they came in. Let's improve this, shall we? Don't eat snacks out of a bag. They're processed and almost guaranteed to have more sugars and salt than is good for you.
5. Do include more whole grains in your diet. This is an obvious "no" in my world. So butt out.
6. Don't skip meals. Actually, there is some value in deliberate fasting - through a half-day or one meal, for example. I don't personally tend to skip meals, but again, this sure is a blanket statement.
7. Do...eat small, healthy meals throughout the day. This one bugs me. Eat when you're hungry! I've done the "eat every 2 hours" thing -- and never kept any weight off doing it. My biggest problem to date has been not listening to my body's signals that it's full, or that I'm bored, not hungry. Suggesting that this works for everyone is just stupid.
8. Don't revolve all your meals around meat. This statement doesn't even work for those following a vegetarian diet! For me, however, meat is not a "side dish" -- of course vegetables are a huge part of Paleo, but so are healthy fats and meat.
9. Do exercise. Duh. And fuel yourself correctly for those workouts.
10. Don't go for second helpings immediately. This goes back to #1 and #2 -- learn to listen to your body and go from there. And consider what your goals are - weight loss? Maintenance? Fueling for a workout? Sure, it takes 20 minutes to know if you're full, so pay attention.
Apparently this mailer annoyed me. And the money spent to send it out is also a bit annoying. I am sure the intentions are fine -- get people to think about their health and ways to improve it. That's never a bad goal -- it's the whole purpose of my year! I suppose it's just frustrating that there is only one perceived "right" way to do things. Paleo isn't for everyone, vegetarianism isn't for everyone, Atkins/South Beach/Weight Watchers -- all have benefits and drawbacks. Make the right choices for you, and don't let some marketing piece, TV commercial (or BLOG!) determine those choices.
Rant over. And the postcard is in the trash again.
Earlier in the week, however, I got a large postcard in the mail titled "The 10 Dos & Don'ts of portion control" -- here's a picture, with identifying marks hidden cuz I don't wanna get fired. Not that anyone associated with the corporate behemoth reads this, but still.
At first, I just tossed it in the trash and briefly thought "Stay out of my pantry" -- then, I actually read it.
If you've been reading any of my posts the last couple of months, you know that we've switched to a Paleo diet. Excluding gluten/wheat/etc is one of the biggest changes you make on in this eating plan, and is one of the most controversial for those who think Paleo isn't healthy. I'm not getting into that argument here - you can research that with a google search -- but this mailer made it personal to me that having a non-standard dietary plan just doesn't fit in the mainstream. Every diet plan out there has its detractors and supporters, and with good reason. One size doesn't fit all. But here's a closer look at this particular piece of "literature."
1. DO check what a suggested serving size of a given food looks like. Okay, knowing serving sizes is good. Using your own brain and body to determine your hunger level is even better.
2. DON'T finish everything on your plate just because you can. Not awful advice, but what about determining what goes onto your plate and basing it on your hunger level and nutritional needs?
3. DO start a meal off with a salad. Include ...a bit of light dressing... Yeah, not as a rule if I'm not able to control everything in the salad. If dressing is going on my salad, it's going to be tasty and fit within my particular eating plan. "Light" isn't the determination -- salsa, lemon juice, or Paleo ranch may be my choice. And a lot of salads at restaurants are filled with crap like iceberg lettuce and croutons (even though I love me some croutons).
4. Don't eat snacks straight out of the bag they came in. Let's improve this, shall we? Don't eat snacks out of a bag. They're processed and almost guaranteed to have more sugars and salt than is good for you.
5. Do include more whole grains in your diet. This is an obvious "no" in my world. So butt out.
6. Don't skip meals. Actually, there is some value in deliberate fasting - through a half-day or one meal, for example. I don't personally tend to skip meals, but again, this sure is a blanket statement.
7. Do...eat small, healthy meals throughout the day. This one bugs me. Eat when you're hungry! I've done the "eat every 2 hours" thing -- and never kept any weight off doing it. My biggest problem to date has been not listening to my body's signals that it's full, or that I'm bored, not hungry. Suggesting that this works for everyone is just stupid.
8. Don't revolve all your meals around meat. This statement doesn't even work for those following a vegetarian diet! For me, however, meat is not a "side dish" -- of course vegetables are a huge part of Paleo, but so are healthy fats and meat.
9. Do exercise. Duh. And fuel yourself correctly for those workouts.
10. Don't go for second helpings immediately. This goes back to #1 and #2 -- learn to listen to your body and go from there. And consider what your goals are - weight loss? Maintenance? Fueling for a workout? Sure, it takes 20 minutes to know if you're full, so pay attention.
Apparently this mailer annoyed me. And the money spent to send it out is also a bit annoying. I am sure the intentions are fine -- get people to think about their health and ways to improve it. That's never a bad goal -- it's the whole purpose of my year! I suppose it's just frustrating that there is only one perceived "right" way to do things. Paleo isn't for everyone, vegetarianism isn't for everyone, Atkins/South Beach/Weight Watchers -- all have benefits and drawbacks. Make the right choices for you, and don't let some marketing piece, TV commercial (or BLOG!) determine those choices.
Rant over. And the postcard is in the trash again.
You crack me up!! They do need to butt out!! :))
ReplyDeleteThey coulda given us bonuses or something instead of postcards...just sayin'.
DeleteThanks! I didn't realize how annoyed I was until I wrote it. Thanks for stopping by.
ReplyDelete