Monday, September 5, 2011

FOOD RULES - Review on Rules #6-10


Better late than never? My intentions were good even if my posting doesn't reflect this? :) Because I am not running today (race taper week), I thought I would use this as a post instead. :)

Here is my second update and review on how well I am doing with FOOD RULES #6 - #10:


Excellent rule, yet so darn hard to follow! :( Pollan writes that the number of ingredients you choose is arbitrary, but the point, of course, is that the longer the list of ingredients, usually the more processed the food is. I will say that I am better at it than I was before; this is a rule that has stuck with me. Since I am reading labels all the time now, I notice this, but there is loads of room for improvement.


A variation on another rule. I get it. It's a good one. I'm trying, even though it's not easy. These rules truly restrict choices in all the processed food aisles.

Rule #8 - Avoid food products that make health claims.

I really like this one. It has made me pay much better attention, and I now notice the number of commercials when watching TV that are geared toward telling us how healthy their overly-processed food is. I am finding this rule easier to follow, and I am more cynical (in a good way? :)) about so-called healthy food.


I can say with a lot of pride (now) that I have followed this rule for over ten years now. My sister deserves all the credit. She taught this to me years ago after comparing products and realizing that the "lite" versions had more chemicals, more sugar, and get this, more calories. Have we ever been sold a false load of goods on this one!! It's just terrible!! Even before she taught this to me, I recall visiting a friend who had battled with anorexia, and I was horrified by the contents of her fridge - everything in it was low-calorie, "lite" or "diet." I knew then that there was something very wrong with this (but it didn't stop me from consuming multiple cans of Diet Coke every day at that time - eek!).

Rule #10 - Avoid foods that are pretending to be something they are not.

Amen! He is preaching to the converted. I have always disliked margarine, I have never purchased "Egg Beaters" in my life, I have never used "Equal", and I have never understood why some people who choose to give up meat then consume so many mock-meat products (?). I have made lousy food choices in the past, and I am by no means a living example of healthy eating today, but hey! At least there's another rule I can put a check-mark beside. :) :)

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