The
Quick Start Guide to Healthy Eating
Gretchen Scalpi
Copyright 2012 Gretchen Scalpi RD, CDN, CDE,
All rights reserved.
Published in eBook format by Gretchen Scalpi
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ISBN-13: 978-0-9857-8201-6
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By reading this book, you assume all risks associated with using the advice given below, with a full understanding that you, solely, are responsible for anything that may occur as a result of putting this information into action in any way, and regardless of your interpretation of the advice.
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Introduction
Charles
24 year old Charles first came to my office after his doctor had put him on medication for high blood pressure and told him that he had pre-diabetes. He was 5 feet 11 inches tall and weighed 365 lbs. With a body mass index of over 50, and a strong family history of diabetes, Charles was almost guaranteed to develop type 2 diabetes and many other health problems.
He worked second shift, and bought most of his meals at fast food restaurants. He had minimal cooking skills and little time to prepare food. Even though Charles had some physical activity in his job, he was not engaged in regular exercise. Out of genuine concern, many of Charles’ friends wanted him to join a gym.
Charles was not about to start cooking, but he did agree to start shopping for healthy foods that he could easily take to work for meals and snacks each day. He agreed to start eating breakfast (something that he never did before!) and decided that he could manage either instant packets of oatmeal or a simple ham and egg sandwich for breakfast. Among the healthy foods he agreed to start buying for work were plain pre-cooked chicken strips added to bagged salad mix for a big tossed salad each day.
He started bringing pre-peeled carrots, cut up raw vegetables (purchased in the produce department), 100 calorie pudding cups or low fat cheese sticks for his snacks. Since he wasn’t much of a cook he decided that yogurt and fruit were an easy option for when he got home late at night… no more burger and fries on the way home! Little by little, Charles started to eat 3 regularly scheduled meals during the work week, and occasionally had a fast food meal out with his friends on the weekend.
At the same time Charles started to change his eating habits, he also joined the gym and went each day before starting his shift at work. At first, all he was able to manage was a slow walking pace on the treadmill. However, he was determined to lose weight and through hard work and perseverance he built his walking time up to an hour a day, six days a week!
Within 5 months of starting his eating and exercise plan, Charles lost 68 lbs. And, after a full year, Charles lost 137 lbs.! In addition to walking on the treadmill, Charles tried some of the other exercise machines at the gym, and began to work on light weight training. Even though he did not cook meals or get creative with his diet, he found enough of the “right” ready-to-eat healthy foods in the grocery store that fit in well with his work schedule. He continued to maintain his exercise plan.
Two years later his weight had leveled off, and he only regained 10 lbs. Of course, Charles and his doctor were thrilled with his results. He no longer needed blood pressure medicine, and his blood sugar went back to a normal range.
Nancy O
Nancy O. was a 32 year old self-employed journalist with no health problems, but she was very concerned about her increasing weight. She had been overweight most of her life, but at 5 ft. 7 inches and 244 lbs. she was at her highest weight ever. Nancy had been on many weight loss diets in the past, which resulted in temporary weight loss and her always feeling deprived. “I’ve lost and regained the same 30 lbs. more times than I can count. I just want to eat normal foods, and not have to follow any more of these diets!”
Nancy was content to lose weight gradually as long as she could eat without feeling deprived. She wanted to have the flexibility to eat treats occasionally without guilt. Because most of her day was spent in front of the computer, Nancy was also interested in becoming more physically active.
Nancy was in luck because she liked most fruits and vegetables. Instead of measuring out all kinds of “diet” foods that left her feeling unsatisfied, she decided to make it her daily goal to eat at least 2 servings of fruit and 5 servings of vegetables every day. When she met her fruit and vegetable goal, she discovered that she was not as hungry for all of the late afternoon snacks that she had binged on before.
She also noticed that whenever she attended a special occasion or went on vacation, her eating was usually out of control. So, before attending special occasions, she began to eat a high protein snack. This prevented her from eating so many high calorie foods at the event. Before she took off for vacation, she purchased healthy, portable snacks such as nuts, dried fruit, oatmeal packs, and small granola bars to take with her. Her hotel room had a small refrigerator, so she stocked it with yogurt and cheese sticks. The healthy snacks helped Nancy from grazing on high calorie foods during the day. She satisfied her appetite with healthy snacks during the day, and when she went out to dinner at night her eating was under control.
Over the course of 7 months, Nancy attended numerous social occasions and came back from 2 vacations without any weight gain at all. In fact, over the 7 months, she lost 16 lbs., and routinely started to swim for exercise 2-3 times a week. Although Nancy was pleased that she had lost weight, she was thrilled by the fact that she had learned how to maintain a healthier lifestyle without feeling deprived. She had no trouble making small healthy changes in her diet, and she was keeping up with the swimming. Nancy found a lifestyle plan she could live with and is still going strong!
These days it seems that all we hear about is that Americans are getting fatter. Our children are developing Type 2 Diabetes (the kind that is caused, in part, by overweight and lack of exercise) at an earlier age. They spend more time in front of computers and TV, and less time outside playing with their friends. I see this every day in my private practice.
My name is Gretchen Scalpi, and I am a Registered Dietitian, Certified Diabetes Educator, author and Certified Health and Wellness Coach. Over my 30 year career, I have helped hundreds of clients learn how to manage their diabetes or weight, or just learn how to eat healthier. While most people know that healthy eating is essential to good health, they aren’t always clear on how translate that idea into real food or meals. This book is designed to provide you with a clear, no-nonsense approach to help you on the path to healthier eating.
Chapter 1:
Healthy Eating and Nutritional Myths
Eating healthy means cutting out all carbohydrates
Eating healthy does not mean you have to give up carbohydrates! You need carbohydrates for energy. Your body will not get the energy that it needs if you cut out all the carbohydrates from your diet. Healthy eating means choosing the right kinds of carbohydrate. That might mean choosing whole grains, starchy foods such as rice or potatoes, legumes (beans)...and choosing less processed foods such as simple sugars (i.e. sweets and soft drinks). So, it really comes down