Eating Etiquettes

As we all know, weight loss occurs when we spend more calories than we consume. Let’s chew on the “consume” part of the equation before we get to the “spend” part of the equation. Even my 4 year old will say, just eat less to create the deficit. It is kind of arrogance to say I have got something to blog. But, here is what I will say - there is no need to punish our tummies, there is a better way!

Of so many theories out there on fat gain, the foremost according to me is the role of blood glucose spikes. After we eat a meal high in simple carbohydrates (mmm… briyani, yummy huh?) -> Intestine very quickly converts them into blood sugar -> Pancreas works overtime to create insulin to carry the sugar to the cells -> Insulin sends signal to brain that there is a lot of energy in the body -> Brain orders to stop burning fat and store the excess sugar as fat. Bummer!

Did not mean to get techni(medi)cal, but what did I tell you - “know the facts”. The knee jerk reaction to this fact probably is - diet, right? Hold that thought - let’s talk about dietary fiber.

All of us know fiber is good. Some of you know fiber is not absorbed by the body. So, the question is - why is it good, then? The inability of the fiber to get absorbed by the body is what makes it good. It stays in the stomach for a long time and slows down digestion. This prevents the blood glucose spike after that big meal. Winner!

So, instead of staying away from the big meals on those special occasions, let’s prepare the tummy for it. What I do is eat fiber, lot of them (cucumber, lettuce, nuts) before the meal. This not only decreases my appetite, but also prevents the blood glucose spike. We all have one life, so harsh dieting is probably not the solution. Agree? My rule is simple, if the dieting approach cannot be sustained (over time), it’s not worth it. It's time to get smart.

However, when it is not so special an occasion, let’s cut down on the carbs. Instead of punishing our tummies by filling half tank, substitute the remaining portion with fiber. As we learnt to say “please” after “yes” and “thank you” after “no”, here is more etiquette to learn when you order food:

Coffee/Decaf - with skim milk and NO sugar
Iced tea - unsweetened or even better I am good with water
Mexican food - NO rice, NO tortilla, substitute with avocado
American food - NO fries substitute with veggies
Burger - throw the bun, just the patty

I know this one turned out to be a lengthy one, there is still more left to be said though. Until then, stay healthy!