Baby Boomer Diet and Health

Baby Boomers who grew up in the 40s, 50s, and 60s remember a time when we were served three lean meals a day and nothing in between. Desert was rare and usually presented on weekends, and there wasn't a McDonald's in sight or a pizza place on every corner. No $.99 cheeseburger or a gigantic slice of pizza to fatten up our diets. Also, there were no fancy gyms or chauffeured trips for us. We walked and ran everywhere and kept fit just by living and enjoying life. It was rare to see anyone overweight, so we were more bemused by a Jackie Gleason and a fat Elvis and bewildered over how anyone could let themselves go like that. Now being overweight is more the norm while fit and trim is the exception.

What changed and how did we get to this point? The answer is really very simple. Most of us started eating more and moving less. Or to put it another way: We started taking in more calories than we were burning off. Of course, eating out has become a health hazard as well. Restaurants now serve super sized food portions that boost calories, and people have started doing the same at home. A few extra calories here and there might not seem like a lot, but they slowly build up, especially in a slow moving body, and over time fat happens and the pounds get packed on. As we witnessed, even skinny Jerry Lewis and Gomer Pyle succumbed to weight creep. Sammy Davis, Jr did not; Frank Sinatra did. It is estimated that one in three adults are obese today and another third are considered overweight. No one is immune. But being overweight or obese can give you diabetes, heart disease, and predispose you to some cancers. Thus, carrying too many pounds and being out of shape can really shorten your life at worst, and can reduce the quality of one's life with a myriad of health issues. If you don't eat less and move more you are heading for weight trouble big time.

So let's get technical for a minute. A calorie is a measure of energy. It is the amount of heat needed to raise the temperature of 1 gram of water to 1 degree Celsius. To maintain one's weight, energy intake (the calories) should equal energy expenditure (moving and exercise). To lose weight, a person needs to consume fewer calories than he or she burns. To gain weight, a person must take in more calories than he or she needs. In a nutshell, calories matter and are more important to weight control than any diet of and by itself.

So consider the following to manage your weight.

Just eat when you're hungry because when you overeat your body loses the ability to sense when you've eaten enough. Then keep moving. Walk, bike, garden, clean the house, do home improvements, and take the stairs instead of the elevator.

Eat healthier. Low-fat fruits, vegetables, and herbs cut calories and enhance nutrition. Also, fruits and vegetables have more fiber and water, and therefore make you feel fuller without excessive calories.

Use smaller plates to control portion size, and stay out of the center aisles in the supermarkets because that's where the calorie laden foods are. Don't look at eye level either because companies pay big ad money to have their junk food placed there. Search for the good food.

Most recipes today are loaded with calories that include more fattening ingredients like meats, cheese, and rich sauces, or because they use less vegetables.
Consider the more traditional meals. For example, stay away from fried or saucy foods and stick with steamed, grilled, and foods that are less likely to have hidden calories. Do not cream or butter your chicken and potato. Just bake them plain in the oven and serve with a side dish of vegetables or salad.

Use nonstick pans, vegetable oil sprays, and lower-fat ingredients to lower the calories in your meals. Remember, deep dish plates, extra-large tins and over sized plates encourage you to eat more. One of the easiest ways to limit calories is to control portion size by scaling back to traditional size plates and pans.

So pile those vegetables on, cut fat, eat smaller portions, keep moving, and learn how to estimate calories by using the Calorie Calculator below. It's as simple as that.

As a post script I would like to add this in light of the current Swine Flu pandemic that is starting to circle the globe. Keep face to face contact to a minimum if possible and avoid crowds. Use facebook, myspace, youtube, yahoo, google, and craigslist to communicate, stay informed, and shop. Wash your hands frequently and keep them away from your mouth. Sing some beautiful lyrics to pass the time.