Nutririon books

[tlong]

Hi guys. I added some weight while pregnant with my children and got as heavy as 210lbs. I got back into cycling after about a twelve year layoff in May. I rode 400 miles in June! Yippee! I started up again, because it is fun, but have already lost 12lbs and am inspired to get healthy and lose weight so I can be healthy and a good role model for my kids.

I don't want to be on a diet...I want to learn to change my family's eating habits for a healthier lifestyle. There seems to be a lot of literature on the subject. Just because someone writes a book does not make it accurate and reliable though. I am looking for some suggestions on good books to read to learn more about nutrition for myself and my kids.
Thanks in advance.

[explody pup]

I'm reading this (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0060959584/sr=8-1/qid=1151336411/ref=sr_1_1/104-4379105-6135169?ie=UTF8) right now. Very good, no-nonsense advice on nutrition and how your body uses it. Nothing exotic, just empasis on maintaining a very well-balanced diet as well as actually enjoying the food you eat.

[ericgu]

I think the south beach diet is a pretty reasonable one. The phase three one is one that you can stick to in the long run, because it doesn't forbid any foods. But it does give you good advice on what foods are better than others.

If you want a more ahtlete-related book, "Food for fitness" is good

My personal opinion of Andrew Weil is not very good - I don't think his stuff has much science behind it.

[explody pup]

My personal opinion of Andrew Weil is not very good - I don't think his stuff has much science behind it.
Any specific examples? This is my first real book on this subject so I'm kinda new to it all.

[Jarery]

My take on the whole 'science' part is.......well there isnt any. Every side claims science prooves their point. But every sides science is also weak enough to allow counter viewpoints and alternate conclusions. Which is why we today have 50 different theories on whats right, and no difinitive proof that any of them are correct. If there was any true scuience involved, then we wouldnt have the confusion, the pharmacutical, beef, vegan, and every other group searching for more $ wouldnt be able to get away with the claims they do make.

Im an engineer, where science is able to prove whats correct and what will fail. In nutrition, and the mislabeled health science in general, the so called science just 'points' to general indications. So the end result is....Andrew Weil's advice is just as good as any other, regardless of what the others science says.

[donnamb]

I'm not one for a "diet", either. You say you are looking to change the eating habits of your family for the better. I don't know what kind of time you have in your life, but it seem like the highly-processed child-oriented convenience foods would be a good place to start. When I look at the product labels in the store, they always seem to be really high in sodium, junky fat, high-fructose corn syrup (do we really need to have high-fructose corn syrup in salsa?), simpler carbohydrates with little nutritional value, etc. It's like they're masking artery-hardening crap with salt and sweet taste from the high-frutose corn syrup. Then there is portion size. I can't help but wonder what it would do for the nation's overall health just to go back to the portion sizes of 30 years ago. Ever notice how people tend to eat more of empty calorie foods? It's like your body is searching for something it isn't getting and so it pushes you to eat more. Weird. My rule of thumb is if I have to wrack my brain to remember organic chemistry from 12+ years ago to understand the ingredients, I don't really want to eat it.

Now, I don't want to imply that I don't induldge in rich food because I do. I eat meat, I enjoy dessert, good beer, hard cider, wine, & port. Can't eat a lot of dairy because I'm lactose intolerant, but I'd be eating it if I could. I just try to remain conscious of portion size, empty calorie snacking, try to make sure what I eat is nutrient-dense, and am picky about my "treats".

I have no idea if you can do any of this when cooking for a family, but my parents seemed to manage it 25-30 years ago. I know it's a different era, though. I wish you luck.

[AnthonyG]

Well for a hertical point of view see, http://www.westonaprice.org Sally Fallon who is the head of the WAPF publishes a cook book called Nourishing Traditions. Its along the lines of how your grandmother used to cook when she was young.

Its an eye opener.

Here's the book on Amazon, http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0967089735/thewestonapri-20/102-9082421-1664134?creative=327641&camp=14573&adid=1E7M1JJRJ3TYFCFSAS4R&link_code=as1

Regards, Anthony

[kuan]

Make your own plan with your family. Prioritize your life around activity. For example my inlaws live around what to eat for dinner. I like it that family is always there for dinner, but sometimes that aspect gets overemphasized. They have three refrigerators and one freezer and they're both retired with no kids. Can you believe that? Anyway here's what I did.

Start by tossing all the junk food. Toss out all sweets, candy, ice cream, even jello. Toss the margarine and replace it with EVOO. Start purchasing fruit and leave it out. Buy celery, carrots, cut them up and put it in the fridge. Purchase some favorite energy bars to replace candy and chips, low fat yogurt to replace ice cream.

Never purchase stuff in bulk, maybe skim milk and diapers.

Start with one meal consisting of fish each week, limit yourself to one meal of red meat each week. Have raw veggies like salad with a little olive oil and vinegar, salt and fresh cracked pepper, with your meals a few times a week.

That's what got me started. I'm a chef, and I love my butter, cream, and duck fat. If I can do it, anyone can. :)

[WarrenG]

I'm a chef, and I love my butter, cream, and duck fat...


...mmm, duck fat.



Monique Ryan's books about sports nutrition are good.

[ericgu]

Any specific examples? This is my first real book on this subject so I'm kinda new to it all.

Here's a long article discussing what Weil advocates:

http://www.quackwatch.org/11Ind/weil.html

[donnamb]

Well for a hertical point of view see, http://www.westonaprice.org Sally Fallon who is the head of the WAPF publishes a cook book called Nourishing Traditions. Its along the lines of how your grandmother used to cook when she was young.

Its an eye opener.

Here's the book on Amazon, http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0967089735/thewestonapri-20/102-9082421-1664134?creative=327641&camp=14573&adid=1E7M1JJRJ3TYFCFSAS4R&link_code=as1

Regards, Anthony

I like this philosophy, and have adopted some of it.