As obesity climbs to epic proportions in this country, it’s not impossible to believe that our parents and grandparents, for the most part, ate much better than we do now. They had fresh food which more than likely was purchased every day or so, mainly because refrigerators were smaller and freezers were essentially nothing more than a place to make ice cubes and maybe store a steak and a package of bacon.
The worst thing we had to deal with back then was probably having too much butter on our potatoes and vegetables at dinner, and maybe some bacon was included in our breakfast. Other than that, school cafeterias weren’t even allowed to have vending machines, they couldn’t sell soda or coffee to even high schoolers, and even though lunches may have left a bit to be desired, they didn’t include pizza or tacos.
Decades ago even schools made kids eat healthier. There wasn’t much of a choice, actually. They got a hot meal, milk, and maybe dessert. No cokes, no vending machines with chips and cookies, no coffee or frapaccuinos, and no energy drinks loaded with sugar and caffeine. Kids got a balanced meal – in accordance with the food pyramid knowledge of the day.
Unfortunately, many people feel that they have nothing to worry about if they’re already thin. They fail to realize that even fat people can be “healthy” if their cholesterol levels are normal, and thin people can be at risk for clogged arteries and high cholesterol if they eat junk food.
There’s a difference between learning how to eat healthy and trying to lose weight. Sort of. Many people just aren’t fat. Actually, they’re pretty thin! In spite of eating fried foods, burgers, butter soaked vegetables, and bacon every day with breakfast, some are lucky enough to tip the scales at below average weights.
Some people think that daily salads or even a baked potato is a healthy, safe part of a meal. And they’re right – until they start adding toppings that have more calories and fat than lasagna and garlic bread! Having a salad is an excellent choice as long as you aren’t pouring on a cup of high fat dressing, and a baked potato is loaded with vitamins and minerals – just don’t load it with sour cream and butter!
Too often people, especially thin people, refuse to pay much attention to their poor diets and food intake until it’s too late. As long as they look good, they are sure they are healthy. They feel good, they look good, so they figure everything is good.
Many overweight individuals, on the other hand, actually have decent diets; they might even eat lean meats, fresh vegetables and plain potatoes. Their problem is that they are probably eating too much of a good thing. In reality, their overall health is better than their size two buddies.
Breakfasts have been claimed to be the most important meal of the day. By eating breakfast, it allows the brain to function better so one can focus more easily. For healthy recipes, visit us today!
