Hey NYC! Forget the Ban and Bring the Better

My husband and I were sitting in McDonalds a week ago... OH MY GOD. Yes. McDonalds. And we were talking about how New York City has proposed a band on  large sodas. What is a large soda you ask-  whom ever decides these things has declared that  it is a 16 oz serving or larger. To me 16 oz of soda sounds like an Andre the Giant sized serving.. but hey, what do I know. So- New York City is debating on whether or not to ban "large" sized sodas and from what I can gather the main purposed behind this ban is to steer our children away from drinking large sugary beverages. I am one person who thinks this is just plain ridiculous. Here's the deal. Cups are refillable. And soda can be bought at the local supermarket and your cup can be refilled at home as many times as you darn well want. Dummies. Really New York City, do you REALLY believe that telling someone they can't have a Big Gulp sized beverage container is going to so anything for the health of the nation?
I still love you NY, but no, it won't.

So I know I am not the only person on the planet who has figured out that banning foods won't make us healthier. But better education and availability will. I bet in NYC, children everyday are being taught not to talk to strangers. I bet they are being taught to run if there is trouble. How to escape their home incase of fire. Their phone number. Their address. What children everywhere are not being taught, however, is the dangers of an unhealthy diet. What we are not offering these children are access to actual food. We need not to worry about spending money on banning anything... what we need to do is  put the manpower towards erasing food deserts. How are people to choose the right foods when affordable healthy food choices are unavailable? No to banning, Yes to better. We need to bring more into our societies diet. More color. More texture. More Nutrients.

As my husband and I discussed the NYC soda ban, we ate our McDonalds. Like I said, We were eating McDonalds. Incase you missed it. McDonalds. (A little ironic I admit it)  So What does a fitness nut eat at McDonalds. One Double Cheeseburger. For no other reason other then because I like them. My husband and I SPILT a small or medium soda and some times we SPILT a medium or small fry. And normally, we don't eat fast food often.

I usually make our food. As you can tell from this blog, I have gotten really into the art of the Stealth Veggie Attack. I hide as much good stuff in a dish as I can. Sometime it works, sometimes I wonder if my husband is considering hiring a food delivery service to replace me. Either way, I am trying. And you should too. Even if you don't have kids- we as a nation need to commit to trying to EAT BETTER. By simply eating better and moving more you can change your whole health M.O. It's really not rocket science,
but I will spell it out:

How to Eat Better:
1. I don't care if it is Organic or Not (But if not wash it well) just eat more things from the ground- Vegetables, Fruits, Legumes and Nuts.
2. Pick Whole Grains
3. If you have cheat items, like pizza or cookies, make them at home, instead of buying frozen or packages- which means you control what goes in them.
4. Eat when you feel hungry, don't eat if you are not.
5. Make sure you have a diet full of color, NO BROWN UGLY DIET FOODS
6. Drink Water, Lots of Water
7. Read labels, low fat usually means more sugar
8. Pick Lean Meats
9. If you feel bloated after eating something, don't eat it
10. If you feel guilty after eating something, don't eat it

How to Move More:
1. Move More, any chance, anywhere
2. Engage in a physical activity that makes you sweat for twenty minutes a day
3. Try something new
4. Have fun with it

It seems that every minute a new diet book is published. The truth is, I don't count calories and I have never followed a "diet". I don't have the patience for diet plans and I get bored easily. Every so often I find a new program I feel I can incorporate into my daily life, but I am not a fan of fad diets and you should not be either. Research is great, but diets are kinda dumb.

Being healthy does not require running marathons or having a six pack, though they are there for the taking. All you need to do is make better choices. We are surrounded by "large" sodas and no matter if soon in NYC you won't be able to buy them, you will still be able to drink them. Big Brother can't force you to make better choices and there is a large difference between eating to live and living to eat. You need to make the decision on which path you will choose.

One cannot think well, love well, sleep well, if one has not dined well

-Virginia Woolf

* though I am a certified personal trainer, I am not a dietitian or nutritionalist, always consult a doctor before beginning a new health and wellness routine