Are you an Abstainer or a Moderator?

 

So in my last post about the gluten-free diet trend, I included a link to Gretchen Rubin's post on abstainers and moderators because I found it so fascinating. I thought I'd go into a little more detail and ask are you an abstainer or a moderator?

I first heard about Gretchen Rubin through one of my favorite podcasts, The Fat-Burning Man by Abel James, and she explained how abstainers and moderators deal with diet. I had this AHA moment! When it comes to my eating habits and especially with sugar, I have to avoid it all together. As I've mentioned many times I'm borderline Type 2 diabetic and sugar is my kryptonite. Whenever I have something deliciously sweet, I eat way too much and it stays on mind for weeks on end. I'll just keep craving it and feel a desperate need to satisfy that itch. So for me it's much easier to just not eat anything sweet because a little will send me over the edge and I can't stop. There's a part of me that feels guilt over the fact that I have no control when it comes to certain types of food. Now I feel like it's a coping strategy for certain types of people, it's either all or nothing. I am an abstainer! 

Then there's the moderator. Awhile back a friend posted a vlog about her weight struggles and I offered some advice that I found helpful in my own journey. It was something to the tune of "just let go of those foods that are holding you back" and switch to a clean diet cold turkey. She was not having any of it and said she could never give up her favorite junk foods. At the time I felt sad by her response, but maybe she's right. Perhaps the idea of abstaining from mac-n-cheese would drive her fucking nuts and she might just cut someone! I'm exaggerating, but you get me. She might just be a moderator and needs to have the occasional indulgence to keep her sane. Unlike me, moderators need a weekly cheat meal or a daily sweet fix in order to stay on track overall.

If you want to start making some healthy changes in your life, this might be worth figuring out early on in your journey. It can be useful with your efforts especially when you've fallen off the wagon (which will happen) and you feel hopeless.

Additional Reads

As an abstainer, I'm against the concept of moderation

A link to Gretchen Rubin and the podcast with Abel James

And if you haven't listened to the The Fat-Burning Man, your missing out!

(Pictured above is yours truly at my cousin's wedding during the Viennese hour. One small dessert would have been okay, but I just couldn't deal and loaded up. Then I went back for more... Oops)

Gluten-Free Diets: Foe or Friend?

Everyone is going gluten-free, but is it the latest fad diet or is it the path to thriving health? Unlike some cynics and possibly celiacs who are annoyed by the new wave of gluten phobics, I think going gluten-free can be a healthy move as long as it's done right. Let's explore how a gluten-free diet can improve overall health, how to do it properly and what's non-celiac gluten sensitivity. 

If you're like me addicted to refined carbs and feel that this is holding you back from reaching your health goals, then trying a gluten-free diet will be beneficial AS LONG AS YOU DO NOT REPLACE YOUR PROCESSED CARBS WITH GLUTEN-FREE VERSIONS. In the beginning of my gluten-free journey I made this mistake. So what do I mean? Do not replace your morning toast with gluten-free bread, do not replace your breakfast cereals with gluten-free cereal and the list goes on and on. This is super important because gluten-free PRODUCTS are made from rice, corn, oats and tapioca flours which all have a high glycemic load. Having analyzed the labels of many gluten-free foods they almost always contain less fiber and less protein then their gluten containing equivalents, which means these foods will act as pure sugar in your body and if you don't burn them off, it will be stored as fat. Also in order to mimic our favorite gluten filled foods like a fluffy bagel, by default gluten-free products are so highly processed that they can irritate your gut (hello leaky gut!) and cause systemic inflammation.

homemade gluten-free ramen with zoodles instead of noodles

Instead replace your gluten containing processed carbs with whole food carbohydrates like sweet potatoes, whole fruits and quinoa. If you want to take it a step further, replace them with non-starchy colorful vegetables, natural fats like avocado and rich proteins like lentils and organic eggs. The reason behind this is because it's easy and we do over consume carbs, but we are not eating enough of non-starch plant based foods which contain fiber for colon health and micronutrients (think vitamins and minerals) for overall health. GOOD fats and proteins, along with fiber, are also very satiating foods and they make us feel fuller and more satisfied. 

Also in defense of going gluten-free, I find that I make better choices in social settings by abstaining from breads and such. When I'm out to dinner I don't touch the bread basket and I always order vegetables with protein which is great. If I'm at a work event or a house party, I avoid puff pastry hors d'oeuvres and the brownies and focus on fruits, proteins and vegetables. 

Another reason to avoid gluten is if you suspect you are gluten intolerant because you are experiencing autoimmune issues, digestive issues and you don't know what the fuck is going on. For the longest time I felt I lead a healthy lifestyle because I exercised regularly and I ate "healthy" about 80% of the time, but in hindsight I didn't realized how much stress I was under emotionally, unhealthy lifestyle habits I developed and how unbalanced my diet really was. That was until I developed diabetes and just recently I learned that I AM GLUTEN INTOLERANT. I've been working with holistic practitioner Dr. Salzarulo and he suspected gluten sensitivity based on my food diary and symptoms. I had always eaten wheat and gluten; however, for the aforementioned reasons and eating a unhealthy vegan diet tipped me over the edge. So all my saying is you never know.

lab results from enterolab.com

Have you thought about going gluten-free or are trying it now? I'd love to hear from you.

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Additional Reads

Personal post on exploring veganism and where I went wrong

The toxic truth about gluten-free foods

3 Reasons Gluten Intolerance May Be More Serious Than Celiac Disease

Against the Grain

Is non-celiac gluten sensitivity a real thing?

Is going gluten-free good for me?

9 things to know before going gluten-free

The great gluten-fee fad

Are you an abstainer or a moderator?

Why we're wasting billions on gluten-free food

Devil Wears Diet Labels: Low-Fat Fig Newmans

My no. 2 tip for finding health in 2016 and basically FOREVER is to start familiarizing yourself with food labels. This is a biggie because there's a lot of junk foods out there disguised as health foods; they lure us with their deceptive low-fat, low-sugar or sugar-free, gluten-free, all natural and organic labels. They hide in the inner aisles or end caps of super markets like this guy: Newman's Own Low Fat Fig Newmans. Let's take a closer look at why this is not a health food and at best is a sugary treat!

Let's start with the ingredients.

• Organic Unbleached Wheat Flour 
• Organic Sugar
• Organic Figs
• Corn Syrup
• Organic Palm Fruit Oil
• Water
• Natural Flavors
• Leavening (Sodium Bicarbonate, Monocalcium Phosphate)
• Non-Fat Dry Milk
• Salt
• Soy Lecithin (an emulsifier)

The main thing I want to point out is that the first four and main ingredients are just pure, refined, processed sugar and will be digested quickly in the body, thus sending insulin and blood sugar soaring. Unbleached wheat flour is refined white flour and the organic figs are refined too. They are not fresh whole intact figs, it's actually fig puree without it's fiber rich green skin and cooked down for concentrated sweetness. Sugar is sugar, as we know, and forth on the list is good old corn syrup. This is not high-fructose corn syrup, but the only difference is the molecular make-up. Both are refined, both are un-natural, both are not good for you. 

Palm fruit oil is a popular ingredient amongst processed foods because it's cheap. I haven't read much about palm fruit oil, but there are mixed feelings ranging from the health benefits of the red oil to the impact palm oil farming is having on the environment. According to this site there seems more bad than good associated with this type of oil.

Natural flavors are anything but natural and this basically means that there is a trace natural element in this man-made created flavor, but you can't find it in nature as is. Leavening is used in most baked goods and it's used for adding texture. Soy lecithin is complicated to explain, but it's processed from GMO soybean oil and is used as a substitute for eggs. The non-fat dry milk is an interesting one because it contains oxidized cholesterol, which is the dangerous kind that leads to plaque build up in our hearts. The process of turning fresh milk into dry milk is what causes the oxidization; however, I will say that there's probably only trace amounts (if any) in the cookies. It's still kind of nasty and worth making a mental note. 

A quick assessment of the nutrition facts tells us that two little Newmans has 110 calories and 23g of carbs, a combination of sugar and starch that will be digested and absorbed quickly in our bodies. With no fat, no fiber and no protein to slow down the digestion of these guys, who is going to be satisfied with just two Newmans? This is a terrible snack for anyone with blood sugar regulation, heart health and weight issues.

Although I'm enjoying vilifying these fig Newmans, the point of this post is to begin recognizing fake healthy snacks. This is a sugary cookie and if you're craving something sweet, I'd recommend fruit or treating yourself to ONE gourmet cookie from your local upmarket bakery. It's probably better because it was baked on the day, contains more whole food ingredients and is far better for you in the long run then 9 servings of processed Newman's Own. It will also be fucking delicious.