How Being a Domestic Loner Helps Me Stay Healthy

Strange title, right? A domestic loner is my fancy way of saying that I live alone, no roommates, nothing #loner. While there are many times that I undoubtedly miss having roommates, or miss living at home in Barbados with my family, this past year and a half have taught me a lot about myself.

My disclaimer with this post is this: I am describing how living alone helps me to say healthy i.e. it is what works for me, because it deals with my main issues (I’m talking to you, lack of self control)…and therefore may not be relevant to everyone else. That being said, if you are similar to me when it comes to your eating habits, maybe what I say here will be able to help you, or at least give you something to think about.

It’s quite a simple premise really. When I live alone, I am in total control (muahahaha). Actually, that’s technically not true, as my parents are a huge help financially (thanks Mum and Dad for helping me be an eternal student, yay!). Anyways, my point is that I am the one who does all of the grocery shopping, making the decisions about what food dares pass the threshold of my apartment. This is a vital point, because I have learned that I am an “eat it because it’s there, and it’s probably yummy, so who cares about actually being hungry” kind of person. Sound familiar to anyone?

Back home in Barbados, there is a nice big cupboard that always contains snacks and goodies, and a fridge with tons more food items than in my apartment (seriously it’s sometimes depressing…I wish I had a smaller fridge so it didn’t look so pathetically empty at times). I have thus discovered that when I live in a fully stocked house, I tend to eat more food in general, as well as a greater proportion of snack foods. Conclusion: I have very little self-control in that situation.

Thankfully, I have learned that where my self-control does enter into the picture is in the supermarket. If the food has been bought, and is sitting in front of me, I want to eat it. As it turns out, however, I am quite good at not buying it in the first place. I go to the supermarket with a plan in mind (and a somewhat limited budget; certainly not limited enough that I would ever go hungry, but it still helps me to curb temptation of buying anything “unnecessary”), and I stick to my plan. I start my sticking to the outskirts of the store, where you almost always find fresh produce, milk, eggs etc. Only then do I venture into the belly of the store, which houses all of those nicely over-processed foods that I would typically classify as “less healthy”. I only go into the aisles that house something I specifically needs, for example, canned tuna or popcorn kernels (side note: I’m addicted to popping my own popcorn). My universal advice at this point would be, don’t stroll through the aisles just because. When you do that, the simple truth is that there are more opportunities for unhealthy foods to catch your eye, and therefore more temptations to try and overcome.

Now let’s jump to being back at home. What do I eat? The food that I’ve bought *clap clap clap*. I don’t eat Pringles, because there are none in my cupboard. I do eat lots of veggies, because there are a whole bunch (and if I ever let them go bad, it’s like watching my wallet cry and money burn). Sure, sometimes I randomly crave a certain kind of snack or dessert that I didn’t buy…but I can’t really do anything about that! My cravings aren’t bad enough that I’m gonna go back outside in this -10 degree weather for some chocolate covered almonds (omg now I really want some chocolate covered almonds, damn it). What I end up doing is finding something to snack on that is available (cue: orange slices, popcorn, peanut butter and banana). You get me?

So there it is – you’ve read my ramblings, all for it to amount to the fact that I am able to be healthier when I live alone, by simply not bringing less healthy foods into my apartment building. Fascinating stuff. I’m such a genius. Okay but don’t roll your eyes at me please, because the fact is, it really works for me! That’s not to say that I’m not flexible – I still go out to eat, and have pizza and ice-cream, because life should be fun and therefore ice-cream should be eaten. But when it comes to my little haven of loneliness that is my apartment, I like to keep things as simple and healthy as I can 🙂 And wreak havoc on wine and pasta when i eat out 😉

Why I’m Not “Passionate”

I can remember my Mom telling me, maybe two years ago, that I just don’t appear to be passionate about food and nutrition. Her point wasn’t to be rude…in fact, it ironically stirred me into a somewhat passionate discussion about why I am the way I am. The reason that this came to pass was that my Mom had just been speaking to a very passionate young woman, who was talking about her Paleo diet (and her, I believe, one year of education in nutrition).

When my Mom told me that she followed a Paleo diet, I couldn’t keep my cynical facial expression to myself. Why wasn’t I as excited and passionate about a certain diet as this woman was about hers? Because no. Just no. As you can see, I am in fact guilty of shutting down when having these types of conversations, because I get frustrated.

It comes down to a saying that I’ve heard a few times now amongst my peers – Dietitians aren’t sexy. I may not be a dietitian yet, but in this scenario I identify with them because of our common educational backgrounds. To become a dietician, you must complete a 4 year Bachelors Degree in Nutrition, followed by a 1 year Dietetic Internship, and finally, write a national exam to become registered. An increasing number of nutrition professionals are also getting their Masters degree, which is what I am currently working on (along with my Dietetic Internship, as it is an integrated program).

Essentially, my education, particularly my Masters, encourages critical thinking…or, in a sense, cynicism. We critically appraise sources of information, and never take things for face value, even if they are “published journal articles”. Our practice is evidence based. I’m not saying everything about the profession is perfect (for example, I think that Canada’s Food Guide leaves a lot to be desired, and don’t even get me started on measures like BMI)…but we are trained to provide scientifically backed advice. Because of this, we won’t tell you things like:

“You must switch to veganism. Nothing tastes as good as vegan feels” *while toting a green smoothie in a mason jar*

“If you want to lose weight, all you have to do is eat these superfoods every day!” *Side note: I don’t believe in such things as superfoods*

“To lose those last ten pounds, just make sure you NEVER eat these five foods”

“All you have to do is switch to a Paleo/Atkins/Gluten-free/No Carb diet”

We won’t tell you these exciting, definitive and over simplified solutions, that you probably want to hear. To me, hearing people promote fad diets is like the equivalent of hearing nails on a chalk board. We will not promote weight loss pills, and unless you have an underlying health condition, such as Celiac disease, we won’t tell you to never eat certain foods.

We have read the research on all of the above. We probably either know that the above suggestions in fact do not work, or are all around unhealthy. No lifestyle should include absolutely forbidden foods. Sure, we will advise you to eat certain foods on a less regular basis, but it’s never a good idea to tell someone “you must never ever eat candy again” *cue outrageous candy cravings*. I understand how alluring the certainty of “this is the best diet ever” can be…but that’s usually just not sustainable or healthily balanced.

I consider myself a scientist who wants to help people – I want to help you be happy with your relationship with food, and enjoy what you eat while being happy with your body and health. I am passionate. But it can be difficult for me to express that when I am competing with the plethora of very trendy and enticing, but often very damaging, nutrition misinformation that exists today *damn you Dr. Oz*.

Seriously, please don’t ever converse with me in a manner that starts “Well Dr. Oz said that…”

🙂

The Flaw in “Going on a Diet” (P.S. Happy Halloween)

In the world of weight loss, what phrase is more common than “I’m going on a diet” (usually muttered after a period of indulgence…how fitting that I’m writing this on Halloween!).

There is absolutely nothing wrong in deciding to eat healthier, whether your goal being to lose a few pounds, or just maintain your weight as is. The problem is the mentality that comes hand in hand with “going on a diet”…or at least this is the problem for me. When I think of a “diet”, I conceptualise something external, that I’m either “on” or “off” of, rather than something intrinsically part of my life. Perhaps you’ve heard people say before, it’s not about going on a diet, but rather it’s about having a healthy lifestyle.

What is the significance of this? For me it comes down to “relapses” and their consequences. Let me explain: when I used to think of myself as being on a diet (a decision I typically made because of a meal(s) that I felt guilty about, or that damn number on the scale), I would try really hard to be “good”. That’s all fine and dandy until I’m “bad”, which is bound to happen because this is real life…and sometimes you go to halloween parties where there is a heavenly Oreo cake which you cannot resist. There is nothing wrong with having dessert every once in a while…the kicker is that in my mind, this “ruins” my diet. I start thinking that all of my hard work thus far was for nothing…this means I’ve ended the run of my diet. 

What tends to follow is even more indulgence. I’m now thinking that since I’ve ruined my current diet, I could as well continue on in “off” mode (aka eat ALL of the Oreos EVER…mmmmm) before I decide to hop back on to a new diet. While I’ve fallen off of my horse, I could as well look for snacks on the grass before getting back on, you get me?

Thankfully, I realised that this mentality was not working for me…and embraced the cliche of “it’s not a diet, it’s a lifestyle”. The thing with cliches is that they (annoyingly) often arise from truth. So when I tell myself that my efforts to eat healthily arise from me committing to a healthy lifestyle, I feel way less guilty when I do have that piece of dessert. Because this is life, and life includes dessert. Diets, however, do not…hence the guilt and subsequent eating-all-of-the-dessert-possible-before-dieting-again phase.

Bottom line: Diets are temporary tasks/phases, external to our own self…we can fall off of them, feel guilty…and it gets messy. With committing to a healthy lifestyle, it’s easier to accept that it’s okay to have a treat sometimes, it doesn’t mean that anything is ruined…you’re still a healthy individual, living your realistic life, with nothing to feel guilty about.

(My) Bottom Line on Processed Meats

I’m aiming to keep this post short and sweet, as I am already adding to the plethora of articles on the newest nutrition hot topic: Processed Meats. 

The World Health Organisation (WHO) published findings, much to the dismay of meat lovers, that processed meats (think salami, bacon, hot dogs and sausages) can cause cancer. More specifically, research indicated that people who ate the most of these foods had a 17% higher risk of colorectal cancer, compared to people who ate the least.

While some may deem this a travesty (because even I can admit that bacon tastes like what dreams are made of), I wasn’t too upset or surprised. I’ve seen certain articles comparing the consumption of processed meats to the smoking of cigarettes. I find this to be a sensationalist scare tactic. 

Many people, myself included, already knew that these meats were by no means health foods – excluding the link to cancer, processed meats have always tended to be high in fat and salt. My dietary advice remains the same now as it did before the hyped up proclamation from WHO. Don’t get me wrong, I think it is important for people to be informed about the link between processed meats and colorectal cancer…just don’t get into too much of a tizzy. So if you currently have bacon in your freezer, you don’t need to throw it out in haste…by all means, eat it and enjoy it (as if that even needs to be said). Just think twice about buying it next time.

For a long time I have made a conscious effort to avoid these types of meats, but it wasn’t through drastic, sudden, life-changing measures. The easiest way I did this was simply by not buying these meats at the supermarket. Simple huh? If it’s not in my fridge/freezer, chances are I won’t eat much of it! Basically, my advice is this: when you are in a situation where you can choose between processed meats and something else (e.g. grilled chicken, tuna, or going vegetarian), try the “something else”! As someone who grew up eating “ham” sandwiches every single day for lunch…for years…I can truly say that I do not miss eating processed meats. This doesn’t mean that when I’m socialising and the only food option is a salami sandwich, that I start screaming “NO carcinogen, you will not taint my body!” Rather, I eat the sandwich.

Bottom line: processed meats are not good for you…try to limit your intake (for a dedicated carnivore, maybe this means going from eating them everyday to once or twice a week and working your way down) but there is no need to become theatrically terrified of processed meats, making a mountain out of a molehill when offered a slice of pizza covered in good ol’ pepperoni and bacon.

Gluten Free Frustrations

Gluten free is a trend that we have all heard of. Many people attempt a gluten free diet because they are led to believe that it is great for weight loss…which in many cases may appear to be true…but that typically has nothing to do with the gluten itself *gasp*.

This trend is certainly one of frustration to nutrition professionals everywhere – but I am inclined to place blame and frustration on food and marketing industries. As you may come to realise, I am fairly resentful towards the food industry, because of how often they take advantage of consumers’ lack of awareness or understanding of various food or “health” trends.

So, going gluten free…let’s start at the beginning. What is gluten? (I am not trying to bore you, but every now and then a good old definition cannot be avoided). Gluten is a protein found in wheat, barley and rye. Doesn’t sound too ominous does it? And that’s because it really isn’t…unless you are one of the unfortunate souls diagnosed with Celiac disease (in which case you have my sympathies, because a true gluten free diet is no stroll in the park). As if one definition wasn’t enough, what is Celiac disease? It is an autoimmune disease cause by intolerance to gluten…and results in a whole slew of unpleasant symptoms.

But are you one of the many, many people who are blessed enough to not have Celiac disease, and yet spend your hard earned money on fancy “gluten free” products? What is your justification for doing so?

The truth of the matter is, if you attempt to switch cold turkey to a gluten free diet (especially if you are doing so from a not too healthy or balanced diet), you may well see a reduction in your weight. Why is this? Think about it. In becoming gluten free, you likely cut out all of the super-duper delicious, but not so healthy, gluten containing foods like cakes, cookies, breads, muffins, beer (read it and weep) etc. These products all happen to be pretty high in empty calories, ergo reducing these may reduce your waistline! If this is what you did, and you achieved your desired effect, then great…I just believe that it’s important for you to understand why your weight loss occurred.

What’s my point really? If you choose to go on a gluten free diet, that’s your prerogative….just be aware of the reason behind any weight loss you may see. Also, bringing in my cynicism with regards to the food industry, understand that gluten free does not equal healthy, also…food products advertising themselves as “gluten free” are probably overcharging you. Addressing my first point, simply because that delicious piece of banana bread or that delectable lemon square were both sold to you as “gluten free” products, please don’t think that they are healthy. Please. What you’re probably eating are baked goods made with a flour other than wheat, such as rice or oat flour. There’s nothing wrong with experimenting with alternative flours…knock yourself out with that, BUT I can pretty much guarantee that the amount of butter and sugar in those products is just as high as it would be if made with wheat flour. My point: gluten free desserts and snacks are just that – snacks and desserts. 

Secondly, pricing. If you decide to commit to a gluten free diet, I encourage you to learn what food products are naturally gluten free, such as rice, quinoa, oatmeal etc., rather than relying on the packing of products to let you know they are void of gluten. What I mean is, a generic box of quinoa with no gluten free claims is almost guaranteed to be cheaper than a box of the same product the label of which specifically highlights its “gluten free” nature. Watch out for these money-grabbing marketing tricks (apologies if you work in marketing – I understand it’s your job and all….but damn y’all sneaky).

I may have been rather long winded in this post, but here’s my bottom line: The only people who need to go gluten free are those with Celiac disease/gluten intolerance; Going gluten free is not inherently healthier than a traditional diet, and gluten is likely not the actual reason for any weight loss; Gluten free goodies are no lower in fat and/or sugar than any other goodies; Beware of products specifically marketed as gluten free, you’re probably overpaying.

Changing our understanding of “all things in moderation”

“All things in moderation” – I hear and am guilty (?) of saying this phrase repeatedly. Its premise is positive…there’s nothing wrong with having the occasional cookie, or piece of cake – live a little! I agree that if you are someone who is actively making the effort to eat a healthy balanced diet, by all means you should enjoy the “less healthy” snack or dessert foods that you crave every once in a while. No one is perfect…unless you are, in which case, kudos to you. I, on the other hand, had pizza for dinner last night. Anyways, I digress…what is wrong with “all things in moderation” ?

The issue here is our understanding of “moderation” – what does it really mean, or rather, how often can we have our cake so that it is still only a moderate intake, rather than an all-of-the-time situation. In truth, it’s likely many of us truly believe  that we only indulge “moderately”, and are proud of that. However, I stress the word “believe” because our one piece of dessert, or whatever your indulgence may be, on a daily basis really isn’t moderation – it only feels like it because of our food-excessive environments.

We live in a super-sized, open-24-hours world, where we are constantly bombarded with (not-so-healthy) food, and if we are making an effort to eat healthily, we are often resisting these items all day long. We make the conscious decision to only get our coffee at Tim Hortons, and not the (oh so delicious) banana-pecan muffin to go with it. We refuse a slice of birthday cake brought to work by a celebrating colleague. We walk past the vending machine down the hall repeatedly with steely resolve, not even looking at those Kit Kat bars. So later that evening, when a friend comes over bearing wine and cheesecake, it doesn’t seem “bad” at all when we accept a glass (or two or five) and a slice of cake.

And yet, if we think of this as a typical day, meaning that we are probably indulging at least once daily…this isn’t really moderation. It just feels like it is, because of all the times we decide “no, I don’t need to eat that”. So be happy that we can blame some of our misunderstanding of “all things in moderation” on our environment. That being said, I encourage you to think about your lives, in which you might think you indulge moderately, but perhaps, without realising it, are leaning more so in the direction of “excessively”. I am not telling you this to stir up feelings of guilt within you, rather just giving you something to ponder.

If you do this, and decide to make more of an effort to moderate your sweet tooth, that’s fabulous! It’s an uphill battle out there, developing a healthy relationship with food. If you think about what I’ve said, and decide to make no changes, that’s fine too! I carry no judgement – at least you’ve thought about what “all things in moderation” really means, and perhaps you may use the phrase less often to justify your dalliances with Ben & Jerry.