This week is all about eating down the freezer. I've been in London for the weekend visiting my sister and celebrating the end of my degree, so haven't done my usual lunch packing to prepare for the week. I made some black bean and quinoa burrito filling before I left, which I plan to use for burrito bowls. There are still some veggie burger patties in the freezer for the burger salad, and the rest of the week is going to focus on veg veg veg. It's been an indulgent weekend, to say the least. On to the links!
1. Michelle Obama on attempts to roll back healthy reforms.
2. This article is depressing, but I don't necessarily agree with it, and I firmly believe that prevention is the key moving forwards: Obesity research confirms long-term weight loss almost impossible.
3. How to get your kids to like veggies? This study says start young and keep trying.
4. Study shows diet soda drinkers lose more weight? Consider the source. (ps - my research showed the opposite in a big way)
5. And here's an interesting study on the efficacy of taxing sugary drinks.
All text and photos © The Muffin Myth 2014
Cammy
It's pretty horrifying to think that the (U.S) government feel they can simply rewrite what is considered to be a serving of vegetables to suit their own (economic/political) needs. It makes me feel incredibly grateful to have been raised on a mostly healthy diet, as well as to have wonderful resources (like this blog!) to allow me to make well informed choices on what I eat and feed my kids.
themuffinmyth
I know what you mean. Pizza is a vegetable?! WTF!!! It's sad when health gets tied up with economics, because the general population is usually who suffers.I thought that article was well written, though who knows if it will have any impact.
Natasha Murphy
I recently went to see a specialist (Internist that Specializes in Obesity Study) because I felt there was something preventing me from losing weight permanently. I'm active and eat right but I've been "a big girl" my entire life.
He basically said exactly what article no.2 said but he framed it in such a way so that I would believed it was hereditary factors preventing my weight loss.
Either way he basically said I should keep exercising, eat healthy; I'm super healthy now so there's no reason why I can't continue. He concluded by saying that I will never be skinny like everyone else and that I should simply accept my body as it is.
themuffinmyth
Thanks for the comment Natasha. It's interesting to hear your first hand experience. I've been working with obesity research and the issue is so complex. I think the most important thing is that size does not equal health. It can be predictive of some negative health outcomes, but we're just starting to learn about the metabolically healthy obese phenotype.
What I found upsetting about that article was the sense of hopelessness. There are people like you who are working hard at being healthy, but there are a lot of unhealthy people out there who may read something like that and just give up. I'd hate for that to happen!
As far as never being skinny like everyone else, girl, love your healthy body! And know that skinny isn't the norm, nor is it necessarily an indicator of health. We've got to get size positive, and we've got to get health positive.
Deena Kakaya
Hi Katie, glad to hear that you have been celebrating the end of your degree. I read with interest the piece about kids eating veg...5-10 does feel like a lot, though I'm sure it is simple. I need to up my game x
themuffinmyth
My mom always used to keep a container of pre-chopped veg in the fridge and that was always the first thing on offer. Now I do the same thing for myself!