We’ve covered “the basics” every which way as we’ve been learning more about this real food stuff — practically every time we sit down to write something on diet, or just the way we’re trying to eat, or anything to do with nutrition, we’re trying to convey how we’re interpreting it, how Zuzana and I are adapting this flood of new information into our own routine and outlook, hopefully with the idea that you guys, our readers, will get something out of this direct approach.
You Only Gotta Remember Two Things.
And so speaking of ‘the basics’, it seems like all of Michael Pollan’s recent work is about the useful simplification of his previous ideas. He’s gone from the long Omnivore’s Dilemma right down to Food Rules, which is more of a handbook. And in some of the interviews he’s been giving for his new book, he’s talked about how there are only really “two things you need to know” about how a large portion of the world eats today.
In other words, he’s boiled down his hundreds of pages of research, dozens of unbelievable facts about the industrialized food process, organics, feedlots, and nutritionism into two fundamental facts that everyone needs to take away from all this — a kind of starting point.
What Are They?
So — what are the two ‘fundamentals’ Pollan has been talking about? If you’ve been reading us (or him) regularly, it’s nothing you haven’t heard before, but it bears repeating:
#1: Any society that eats the ‘western’ diet (processed foods, a lot of meat, fat and sugar beyond what is normal, refined instead of whole grains) gets ‘western’ diseases.
and…
#2: Any society that follows a ‘traditional’ diet (no one diet in specific, just anything that came ‘organically’ from human culture rather than the industrial food complex of the past 60 years) has far lower rates of these diseases, or in some cases barely sees them at all.
Cause or Coincidence?
I mean hey — let me play the devil’s advocate for a second here. There are surely other factors at work here, right? There are other lifestyle choices that come along with ‘industrialized’ diets, and maybe it’s those things that cause the diseases, and not the diet. Or maybe ‘traditional’ diets take a lot of physical work to prepare, and that’s what keeps heart attacks down, or… well, you get the picture.
Pollan is telling us no. It’s not just correlation, it’s causation. That one thing (the western diet) is, according to all the research he can muster, not just coincidentally linked to western diseases, but actually a cause of them.
Do Scare Tactics Work?
We’ve talked about how scare tactics don’t help smokers quit, and in the same vein, worrying about diseases probably won’t help you change your diet, either. But look at it in a positive way, instead — if you do change it, you’ll be emulating all those societies that follow the traditional diet, that don’t have to deal with the unbelievable consequences of those diseases (as much) because they just don’t seem to be afflicted at the same rate. When you consider it like that, well, hey — it could change everything.
hey i just browsed your site and you guys r just get in your bodies and inspiration for me. I am 29 yrs., 5.6″1/2 inches tall and weight 76 kg. I have lot of free time but very mentally stressed routine life cos of which i cannot concentrate on exercising but now when i look at myself in mirror i am ashamed of my self and want to start with gradual routine so that i don’t withdraw from the routine. Could u help me! I am vegetarian and dont eat even eggs so help me with a meal plan too t know its too much to ask form person i dont know even, but i would really appreciate it and the day i get in good shape i will come and see u guys anywhere in the world just to show my appreciation thanks will eagerly await your reply.
I’m vegetarian too. I don’t like eggs or milk however, and rarely eat cheese, so I’m practically “vegan”. (Personally I don’t like to use words like vegetarian or vegan, cause it seems to put some people off. And it seems like my saying “I’m vegetarian” implies that they are something else, and that is simply not true. There’s a disconnect. Anywho. Guess that’s a little off topic.
Over the last few years, I’ve read quite a bit on diet etc. with exercise specifically in mind, and basically what I do now is just eat 5 or 6 small meals throughout the day.
I usually eat fruit, veggies, and some sort of protein every meal. It kinda feels like snacking all day, but you are never really really hungry.
I would suggest just going out and buying a bunch of fruit and veggies and protein source. For protein I usually eat these fake sausage thingies, tofu, tempeh etc. Also, make sure you get nuts for the fat content. It is good fat. I eat my veggies raw.
I used to count calories, but don’t anymore. I think if you just do the 6 meals, you will be able to feel how much food you need.
As far as exercises, you can always tone down some of the workouts on these videos if they are too much for you. You will be surprised how fast results come when you are eating healthy and workout hard.
Anyway, I this helped, even if it was just a little bit. I’ve just basically read as much as I can about nutrition/exercise, and experimented on myself over the last 4 or 5 years.
This may help:
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/bbinfo.php?page=Vegetarians
This is a good read too, it’s why I go raw on veggies now:
http://www.amazon.com/Thrive-Nutrition-Optimal-Performance-Sports/dp/0738212547/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1275719705&sr=8-1
Sorry for how long this post was. It’s my first post, and I just want to say a quick “Hello” and “Thanks!” to Fredrick and Zuzana. I seriously appreciate all the videos and information you guys post. I’ve actually been in a slump lately (i.e. being lazy) and your site is always an inspiration. I’m back on track, and revisiting your site helped me. Thanks for doing what you do! :)
Hi
Gee, I can remember the first workout I found on youtube.. I was browsing for exersices to tone the legs and the rear, and then I found booty bounce workout. I thought “Wow” when I saw Zuzana’s body, and gave the workout a try. I saw the link to your site and since then I’ve been trying the different workouts without equipment, and man they’re hard on you! :) What I really want to say is thank you for being great inspirations and helping me out! :) I’ve been doing your workouts for about a month now, and I feel great after every one!
Now my problem: Generally, I’m pretty happy with my figure. I do weigh more than most of my friends (I’m 18, 1.66 m and weigh around 65kg) but I do have more muscle then they do, and workout much more often. I go to soccer practice twice a week for 1.5 h, and every other evening I do about 45 min cardio and then one of Zuzana’s workouts or weght-lifting. My upper body I’m very satisfied with, what I sometimes have problems with are my hips, thighs and rear. I really have trouble finding fitting pants because I can’t get them past my thighs, and when I do they’re too tight around the rear. I’m really sick of this, but I can’t seem to do much about it! Do you have any tips to tone that area a bit more?
Greetings from Switzerland and thank you!
Lyn