"You can't outrun your fork." Great quote. While I was reading this I kept thinking that you must be in the US. Gone are the days of nutrient rich soil. Monsanto has taken over our foods and its no wonder our military can't find 18 year olds who can pass a physical.
I’m in Canada. But a lot of our food comes from the US, Mexico or even China. And most farms here dump insane amounts of fertilizer on their crops every spring as well as chemicals throughout the growing season, so the problem really is world-wide I think.
I find with these things that subconscious belief systems just... keep people from seeing it. THAT, coupled with the fact that Westerners and our panacea-driven symptom-based society disconnects us from our body as a source of transmission of information. People don't think deeply about the fact that they're not meant to consume chemicals, or that food that sits on a shelf for years and doesn't spoil is... concerning.
BUT- WHEN someone is awake, sees it, it can't be unseen. AND THEN, they'll want to read, and know, everything they can.
Once I quit junk food and started eating natural, I could not believe how much my health has improved. It's also horrifying to realize how much we are surrounded by what is essentially poison. I'm never going back to a junk binge.
Isn't the food quality in the average supermarket center aisles astounding? If you believe in things like energy vibration, talk about some dense, slow, nearly dead "food"!
Rebel food . . . So true. It’s counter cultural to eat whole foods most of the time. Since our environment is built to eat at every turn it takes going against the current to achieve. Difficult, but as you indicated, starting with small changes and starting with breakfast sets you up for the day and makes it possible. Thank you for sharing hope in the sea of struggle.
You're right, it is difficult at first. What I have done myself is to look at what I really want, and see if it lines up with what everyone else wants. Am I missing out on anything if I make some changes to what I eat?
It's so hard to do if you think you are missing out by not being able to eat "wonderful" foods that you really want, like McDonald's fries. Then you'll never be able to stick to a change, because deprivation doesn't work.
Instead, the trick is to start enjoying things that are good. Mindfully eat an apple. Sit down to a home cooked pan scrambler with mushrooms, peppers and eggs. I replaced the fries with a different enjoyable experience that I could look forward to.
All of this is so damn important and so under-shared. Netflix is trying with a number of food documentaries and I LOVE this. We just need everyone to watch them and AGREE rather than stay lazy and addicted.
You know, this is kind of off-topic but when you talk about beige glop food it makes me think of prison...a place where I think healthy food is SOOOOOO important! A key ingredient in rehabilitation is healthy choices, nutritious foods, stimulating programs for self-betterment, etc. Yet, prisons are so focused on profits that they couldn't care less about rehabilitation programs, much less food that will cost more.
Thanks for the comment! I hate to call anyone lazy, but cooking takes time and effort. People love shortcuts.
Prison I don’t know about. But how about work camps up north or in the bush? The food is a real challenge any time a cafeteria is your only food source. You mention profit, and Fort Mac camps definitely cut quality. So I imagine prison is much worse.
I didn't know that about the camps up north. I thought they hired chefs for those!
As for prison, I know someone who spent many years in Canadian prisons and it sounded pretty bad. The only people who eat well in prison are Muslims. They get different (vegetarian) food because of their religious beliefs.
I’d have to convert to some religion where they didn’t soak everything in margarine and vegetable oil if I ended up there.
In every camp I’ve been to, they add vegetable oil to every single thing except the salad. And almost all of the meat is breaded and deep fried. Most of the stuff is as bad as eating at McDonald’s. But the biggest problem is that they put the food on the plate for you, with large spoons, so you can’t even pick your portion size.
The bacon gets deep fried in most camps- in vegetable oil. The eggs are cooked in large amounts of vegetable oil. I’ve seen them add margarine (vegetable oil) in large scoops out of a bucket to food to give it at least SOME flavour.
And when you buy in bulk for hundreds of men, you never think high quality. You think cost effective.
Thank Tim, I appreciate you sharing your personal experience with this. My younger adult son, struggles in the same way. He exercises, eats healthy most of the time and is an excellent cook, however, it's those addictive foods that keep him stuck with extra weight on his body. Unfortunately, he doesn't have the money for a health coach right now so it's tough going without support. As his mom, I can only do so much. It's just good to know that you found your way.
Way to go for taking the small steps to better nutrition. You lucked out with getting someone who knew better than to bombard you with too many foreign concepts which usually lead to failure...
It's pretty much standard here that we reach for foods without labels more often than foods with labels. I still indulge in less authentic food, but it's not the norm. I grew to dislike the taste for all that processed crap I enjoyed during my early adulthood...
One thing I learned later in life which I would have loved to know during my parenting active toddlers era is how much a breakfast high in protein instead of carbs could have helped me battle fatigue, especially later in the day. But better late than never.
Hey, since that time I went on to become a health coach precisely because of how much she helped me. Now I’m coaching people with similar issues. Small changes are so much easier to make, but the biggest and most important one is to realize you CAN do something that will help.
"You can't outrun your fork." Great quote. While I was reading this I kept thinking that you must be in the US. Gone are the days of nutrient rich soil. Monsanto has taken over our foods and its no wonder our military can't find 18 year olds who can pass a physical.
I’m in Canada. But a lot of our food comes from the US, Mexico or even China. And most farms here dump insane amounts of fertilizer on their crops every spring as well as chemicals throughout the growing season, so the problem really is world-wide I think.
Ugh. Hobby farms are becoming popular here.
Wonderful piece, Tim.
Thanks! Still beating the same drum, but hopefully it sticks with someone
It will.
I find with these things that subconscious belief systems just... keep people from seeing it. THAT, coupled with the fact that Westerners and our panacea-driven symptom-based society disconnects us from our body as a source of transmission of information. People don't think deeply about the fact that they're not meant to consume chemicals, or that food that sits on a shelf for years and doesn't spoil is... concerning.
BUT- WHEN someone is awake, sees it, it can't be unseen. AND THEN, they'll want to read, and know, everything they can.
Keep preaching the gospel
Thanks for the encouragement!
Once I quit junk food and started eating natural, I could not believe how much my health has improved. It's also horrifying to realize how much we are surrounded by what is essentially poison. I'm never going back to a junk binge.
Isn't the food quality in the average supermarket center aisles astounding? If you believe in things like energy vibration, talk about some dense, slow, nearly dead "food"!
Thanks for commenting, Brian
Rebel food . . . So true. It’s counter cultural to eat whole foods most of the time. Since our environment is built to eat at every turn it takes going against the current to achieve. Difficult, but as you indicated, starting with small changes and starting with breakfast sets you up for the day and makes it possible. Thank you for sharing hope in the sea of struggle.
Thanks for your comment!
You're right, it is difficult at first. What I have done myself is to look at what I really want, and see if it lines up with what everyone else wants. Am I missing out on anything if I make some changes to what I eat?
It's so hard to do if you think you are missing out by not being able to eat "wonderful" foods that you really want, like McDonald's fries. Then you'll never be able to stick to a change, because deprivation doesn't work.
Instead, the trick is to start enjoying things that are good. Mindfully eat an apple. Sit down to a home cooked pan scrambler with mushrooms, peppers and eggs. I replaced the fries with a different enjoyable experience that I could look forward to.
All of this is so damn important and so under-shared. Netflix is trying with a number of food documentaries and I LOVE this. We just need everyone to watch them and AGREE rather than stay lazy and addicted.
You know, this is kind of off-topic but when you talk about beige glop food it makes me think of prison...a place where I think healthy food is SOOOOOO important! A key ingredient in rehabilitation is healthy choices, nutritious foods, stimulating programs for self-betterment, etc. Yet, prisons are so focused on profits that they couldn't care less about rehabilitation programs, much less food that will cost more.
Thanks for the comment! I hate to call anyone lazy, but cooking takes time and effort. People love shortcuts.
Prison I don’t know about. But how about work camps up north or in the bush? The food is a real challenge any time a cafeteria is your only food source. You mention profit, and Fort Mac camps definitely cut quality. So I imagine prison is much worse.
I didn't know that about the camps up north. I thought they hired chefs for those!
As for prison, I know someone who spent many years in Canadian prisons and it sounded pretty bad. The only people who eat well in prison are Muslims. They get different (vegetarian) food because of their religious beliefs.
I’d have to convert to some religion where they didn’t soak everything in margarine and vegetable oil if I ended up there.
In every camp I’ve been to, they add vegetable oil to every single thing except the salad. And almost all of the meat is breaded and deep fried. Most of the stuff is as bad as eating at McDonald’s. But the biggest problem is that they put the food on the plate for you, with large spoons, so you can’t even pick your portion size.
The bacon gets deep fried in most camps- in vegetable oil. The eggs are cooked in large amounts of vegetable oil. I’ve seen them add margarine (vegetable oil) in large scoops out of a bucket to food to give it at least SOME flavour.
And when you buy in bulk for hundreds of men, you never think high quality. You think cost effective.
That sounds gag-inducing 🤢🤢
Yeah, even hospital food is better for you
Thank Tim, I appreciate you sharing your personal experience with this. My younger adult son, struggles in the same way. He exercises, eats healthy most of the time and is an excellent cook, however, it's those addictive foods that keep him stuck with extra weight on his body. Unfortunately, he doesn't have the money for a health coach right now so it's tough going without support. As his mom, I can only do so much. It's just good to know that you found your way.
I hope he can figure it out. Coaching is a big help but there’s a lot he can do on his own if he wants to.
That’s the key. No one makes a change until they are ready.
Once a person decides and intends to change, they will find a way.
Way to go for taking the small steps to better nutrition. You lucked out with getting someone who knew better than to bombard you with too many foreign concepts which usually lead to failure...
It's pretty much standard here that we reach for foods without labels more often than foods with labels. I still indulge in less authentic food, but it's not the norm. I grew to dislike the taste for all that processed crap I enjoyed during my early adulthood...
One thing I learned later in life which I would have loved to know during my parenting active toddlers era is how much a breakfast high in protein instead of carbs could have helped me battle fatigue, especially later in the day. But better late than never.
Hey, since that time I went on to become a health coach precisely because of how much she helped me. Now I’m coaching people with similar issues. Small changes are so much easier to make, but the biggest and most important one is to realize you CAN do something that will help.