What's with all the Bulletproof haters?

I use less butter and less oil (coconut for me) than "suggested"

I posted about Bulletproof coffee in 2013. As a coffee lover fanatic, I was intrigued by this new coffee concept and loved the taste of Bulletproof (coffee blended with grass-fed butter and oil) coffee. Since then Bulletproof coffee and the Bulletproof diet have taken off.  Even the New York Times covered it recently. But you know what happens? With coverage come the haters. Even the nutritionist in the Times article said, “this is not the breakfast of champions.” I’m curious what she thinks is because this concoction makes me feel pretty well…bulletproof.

A friend posted the Times article and there were the skeptics who couldn’t imagine butter in their coffee. I get that, it sounds weird. What I don’t get is the fury that Dave Asprey was not a nutritionist (if that’s the criteria then ignore 75% of the diet information you read) and that he sells products. If you were on board with Bulletproof,  wouldn’t you want the exact items Asprey writes about? “Expensive products” people clarify as if Soul Cycle or green juices are cheap.

It wasn’t until yesterday, when I saw this article (posted by the same Facebook friend) that I realized something about this concept really polarizes people. This writer takes issue with Asprey’s claims that he has “unlocked the answer”  (want to read a book where someone starts with "I don't know the answer"?) and dismisses the concept as a “fad diet”. She points out he references animal studies. I'm sorry, find me any nutrition book that doesn't cite rodent studies...we are not that different from these creatures, sorry to say. But when I thought about where this hate could be coming from I think it’s the fact that Asprey is in favor of (good) fats and using a whole lot of them (more than I suggest using). With the legacy of fat phobia, this is far more than a fad. It’s saying that the very way many Americans structure their diet is dead wrong.

I read everything that comes my way and most of it starts to blur. There were explanations and points made in this book I had never heard. A bit about Asprey, he comes from a technology background and was an experienced and unsuccessful dieter. He used what he calls “bio hacking” which apparently is a thing (though a new one to me) to “hack” his body the way techies might a computer, to find the secrets. And yes, my first thought was who’s to say what works for Asprey will work for us? As I read further I had a list of points that couldn’t hurt to try.

I also couldn’t help but see an overlap in some of the ideas in The Little Book of Thin.

Asprey advocates carbs (and only certain carbs) consumed at night versus earlier in the day and takes an even harsher stance on fruit than I do.  Asprey wonders why we lump “fruit and vegetables” together.  I’m curious to look into a mechanism I hadn’t heard that fruit can decrease leptin transport (leptin is the hormone that makes us feel we’ve had enough to eat).  

Asprey also has some interesting points on sleep. He suggests taking both omega 3’s and vitamin D at night to help with sleep. He also feels sleep is more important than exercise, important to keep in mind if you’re chronically choosing the gym over the extra rest. On exercise, Asprey a veteran of 90-minute workouts isn’t buying the “more is better” exercise messaging. He believes in well spaced, intense workouts and my favorite quote, “go for a walk but don’t fool yourself into thinking you exercised when all you did was walk.”

Aside from the coffee (and there’s great info about certain types of coffee being less moldy and  healthier), my favorite part of this regime is that there is equal emphasis on how you feel as there is on what you weigh. Feeling vibrant, invincible and productive…or “bulletproof” is something to aspire to….unless hating is your thing.

Have you tried Bulletproof coffee? Like it? Have you read Dave Asprey’s book or listened to the podcasts? Are you intrigued or not buying it?

So we quit sugar but what are we eating in its place?

A week ago, the Foodtrainers’ team swore off sugar for June. Many of you jumped on board and I even convinced my “very sweet” husband to take a break from his beloved cookies. I’m not always a fan of cold turkey quitting but was inspired by Sarah Wilson’s I Quit Sugar platform. We used her book as a springboard and set out our set of rules.

For me, without the option of having dark chocolate or tasting food samples that are sent to the office I knew I wasn’t “going there”.  We did allow a little fruit on our plan and that’s made things livable. Before you start to think this was all easy breezy a couple of notes. First, this wasn’t a piece of (uneaten) cake for all of us. Both Carolyn and Marc didn’t feel great at first. “Remind me why we are doing this?” said OneSmartBrownie (temporarily one cranky brownie). And I found Marc, my husband who is one of those full of energy people who never stops…crashed in bed after he came home from work.

As for me, there was no sugar but I know myself and there was “vice swapping”. The first couple of days I went overboard with nuts and cheese. I’m normally not a big grain eater but I had sushi (brown rice but still) versus sashimi and corn tortillas, you get the picture. I pushed the envelope of on what was “allowed” which does leave me wondering.

The only time of day I felt a physiological need for sugar was after lunch. I get this definite desire for a taste change. Usually I have a mint but without that option I used bitters to change the taste in my mouth and reduce cravings or a coffee. I have never felt the research in this area truly explained things. It’s not blood sugar dropping as my lunch always has some good fat, vegetables etc. Some say it’s related to stress and sleep but I noticed it Saturday after lunch. Regardless, what I noted this week is a taste change was as good as a sweet.

This all got me thinking about the most recent Time magazine cover. I posted it above; the headline reads “Eat Butter”.  Basically the article exposes the fact that fat may have been wrongly convicted. We didn’t benefit from skimming our milk (if you read LBT you know I agree with that). However, the reason I mention this is that whether we’re removing fat or gluten or sugar from our diet at the end of the day that’s not a food plan. What matters most is what we ARE eating. This past week I was solely concerned with not eating sugar. This coming week I need to make sure I’m eating plenty of greens, hydrating well etc. I’m curious how your week went.

Did you watch your sugar intake this week or quit? How difficult was it? Did you find yourself vice swapping? And any comments about the Time cover?

Giveaway winner is Rachel H; please let us know where to send your copy of IQS. 

Fox News calls Adele fat, her response more newsworthy

Surprisingly, the dress is not Chanel

About a year ago, Karl Lagerfeld was blasted for calling Adele fat. In a conversation about pop stars he said “the thing at the moment is Adele. She is a little too fat, but she has a beautiful face.” The outcry after this comment should’ve served as a warning but Fox news didn’t seem to care (or they were hoping for a controversy of their own). The day after this year’s Grammy Awards they ran a five-minute “news” segment with a nutritionist about Adele and Kelly Clarkson’s weight.

I understand a discussion about celebrities or other public figures and weight. I recently wrote about Governor Chris Christy and whether weight should affect his potential presidential run. And I have posted about Kelly Clarkson as her songs and quotes have given the virtual middle finger to critics and their comments. What I don’t have any patience for are unfounded assumptions about people based on their weight.

The Fox segment’s nutritionist Keren Gilbert mentioned “if these women walked into my office and said they wanted to lose weight I wouldn’t kick them out.” First, the difference, as we discussed last week, is that these women as far as I know have not walked into Ms Gilbert’s Great Neck office. And if Adele did seek out a nutritionist, she may wish to discuss postnatal nutrition (helloooo). Ms. Gilbert then pointed her skinny finger saying “we’re a nation of excuses” their weight sends message “I don’t need to address these issues; I could be overweight like her.” I could dissect these comments all day long but Adele’s commentary is much more profound and definitely classier than anything I could say.

I recalled an interview Anderson Cooper did for 60 Minutes with Adele last year. I was so impressed with her as she offered the most sincere responses to tough, personal questions. She said she never looked at magazines and thought “I have to look like her to be a success”.  She also mentioned, as advice for young girls “if you want to change something about yourself, learn to appreciate yourself first.” She wasn’t standing on a soapbox for loving yourself no matter what. Rather, she said it’s ok if you want to make changes but the key, something Adele seems to have in spades, is caring for yourself.

How do we imbue young girls with that? Or adult women for that matter? How do you become immune to all the "body" stuff surrounding you?

And there’s more, Adele also takes on the issue of sexiness. She has said even if she had a Sports Illustrated Swimsuit figure, she would still wear "elegant clothing". In another magazine she was quoted saying, “'I don't want to be some skinny mini with my t*** out. I really don't want to do it and I don't want people confusing what it is that I'm about. “ In a time where JLo’s dress is slit up to her cha cha (sexy or slutty?) and Kate Upton is pretty much topless (in Antarctica!) on the cover of SI, isn’t modesty the most refreshing message of all?

And because I couldn’t resist, the expert in the Fox segment has this photo on her website? I wonder what she’s offering in that nutrition office she mentioned.

Does this photo say "let's talk about fiber?" Um no.

Do you think being in the public eye automatically makes you a role model? Do you think, as Fox suggested, overweight celebrities give others excuses to remain overweight? Would you feel differently if it were a rail thin pop star? Would to go to a health professional where "sexy" is part of their appeal? What is your favorite Adele song?

I love this song so much, Adele the pop world needs more "Someones Like You". 

Is Christie Too Fat To Be President?

Barbara Walters interviewed New Jersey Governor Chris Christie for her "10 Most Fascinating People" Special. I find it rather fascinating that Barbara is this doing these specials but I digress. I’ll admit, I didn’t watch the special but during the interview Barbara did it. She asked the Governor if he was too fat to run for president.

In the commentary I read/watched and by that I mean the ladies of The View rehashing this, Whoopie, and I love Whoopie mentioned Christie could be a heart attack risk. She expressed that people care about his health. If health were really what people cared about they’d be looking at all candidates genetic predispositions and blood work. Our health risk is not purely determined by our weight; it’s just that weight is easier to see. Nobody was aware that President Clinton had a quadruple bypass hiding beneath his skin. Clinton’s “issues” were hidden, at least for a time. I’ve had too many overweight clients told by their companies “we’re worried about you” and some genuinely are. However, many corporations and even family members are also worried by what the obese person’s weight may say about them.

In the interview Christie cited his around the clock work during Hurricane Sandy as proof of his conditioning. It was during Sandy that many were impressed by Christie perhaps even familiarizing themselves with him for the first time. However, I recall press conferences with Christie hunched over the podium, almost hanging on it. He seemed fatigued and worn. Can we make the assumption this is because of his weight? Christie cannot plead the fit but fat card; in 2011 he was hospitalized for asthma.

I have very mixed feelings about all of this. I’d be omitting how I truly feel if, politics aside, I didn’t think of Christie as a potential president with some concern. As someone who champions wellness and fitness, part of me would wonder what Christie, a 300-pound president, would say to the nation and others as we struggle with an obesity epidemic. And as I type that, I can see the counter argument. We have to be careful that we don’t adhere to a narrow, conventional image for our leaders. There was a time when it seemed to be the president you had to be slim and white and male. Thank goodness we have seen that white isn’t a prerequisite. Maybe accepting someone obese is another way of knocking stereotypes down. Although weight isn’t exactly the same thing as race or gender, weight is technically within our control, which makes it tricky.

With Walters, Christie acknowledged that weight was his Achilles heel. Barbara Walters then really crossed over into stupid question land when she asked the governor “why?” We all have flaws and asking some who drinks or yells why they do it shows ignorance. Perhaps, if I let my optimistic side have a crack at this Christie running would shine a light on weight and work and many important (and some stupid) questions along the way.
Do you think weight, when obese, plays a role in politics? What about other professions? Do you think Walter was justified in asking the original question?

And since we're talking politics, I thought I'd include these. A group of RDs supporting Let's Move were in DC in the fall. We're still trying...

The "Garden" is beautiful, any private citizen can request a tour... 

View of The White House from the garden.

The calm before the storm

OK garden tour over, time for lunch.

Carolyn, Ashley and I wish I, cheating photo from before our visit

Lunch Dessert: Sweet Riot

I recently had a new client in my office. She was referred by a friend, another client we’ll call T.  After greeting my new client and guiding her to my office, we sat down and I asked her what brought her in. Common answers to this question are “I have a marathon I am running” or “I really want to lose some weight.” This new client responded differently saying, “I loved T’s lunch dessert.” It turns out she had lunch with T and after lunch T shared one of our Foodtrainers’ favorite snacks. She shared Sweet Riot.

In case you haven’t “rioted” before. Sweet Riot makes dark chocolate covered cacao nibs. I first discovered them at the Natural Products Expo a few years ago and have been hooked ever since. These 1-2 calorie, per piece, nibs are packaged in resealable (and reusable) tins. They come in different flavors or strengths of 50, 65 and 70.  The entire tin has 140 calories and is gluten free.  These nibs, the size of a Rice Krispy are fun to eat but intense. You really can have a few and be satisfied and leave the tin in your desk or purse for the next day.  They do the trick.

Cacao seeds or nibs are what cocoa and chocolate is made from. The fat in cacao and dark chocolate contains stearic acid.  This saturated fat doesn’t raise LDL (or bad) cholesterol and may in fact raise HDL. Cacao and dark chocolate also contain magnesium a mineral that can be decreased or depleted in times of stress. And they have an extremely high ORAC (antioxidant rating) score.  We still see Sweet Riot as a treat but it’s definitely a treat with benefits.This quote from the Sweet Riot Website says it best  "All I really need is love, but a little chocolate now and then doesn't hurt!" 
- Lucy Van Pelt, "Peanuts" 

Plus, though it's not something we promote, as T knows Sweet Riot makes a perfect lunch dessert.

Sweet Riot has generously offered to giveaway their Spring Fling 3-pack of tins. To be eligible comment here on the blog (include blog name or twitter handle) or share this post via twitter and include @Foodtrainers. U.S. residents only.

Have you tried Sweet Riot tins or bars before? Are you a chocolate person? Do you have lunch dessert?

New Balance

Here is a piece I did for The Daily Green, it seems our meals are in need of a makeover.

Is your idea of a balanced meal meat and potatoes, with some obligatory vegetable? You should read this. Is your idea of diet evil fats and carbs? You should read this, too.
6 Steps to a Balanced Meal:

When I say balanced meal, what comes to mind? I revert back to childhood dinners and the mainstay meat, obligatory vegetable and the banal baked potato or rice. While we may now know so much more about food and health, it's hard to argue with the straightforwardness of the old system. I think many parents still stick to this formula when feeding their children – which is not necessarily as fiber-rich, nutrient-dense or eco-conscious as it could be. We can be current with our food choices and maintain the clarity when meal planning with the following tweaks:

1. Let Veggies Dominate
Vegetables should replace meat as the principal of the plate. If you picture a plate veggies should occupy half of it. And if the thought of a ton of broccoli doesn't excite you try to compose dinners with 2 veggies (one green and one starchy or some salad and another seasonal vegetable).

2. Eat Your BlackBerry
With vegetables taking center stage, protein can be put in its proper place. Whether grass-fed beef, lean poultry, wild salmon or pork we should think more like the Japanese and consider meat a condiment. Look at your BlackBerry, that's your portion cue.

3. Eat Double Stuff
Most foods are a composite of nutrients. Tofu, whole grains and legumes have significant amounts of both protein and carbs. Pair any of these with the veggies (see #1) and your meal is balanced and easy. And regardless of whether you are an omnivore, locavore or carnivore less meat and chicken and more (I didn't say only!) whole grains and legumes is really the way to go when it comes to health.
4. Eat the Real Stuff
In addition to considering the components of a meal, we now know the importance of investigating the quality and origin of ingredients used. When I was growing up fruit cocktail was a frequent stand-in for fruit. Fruit cocktail is not fruit. It does not taste like fresh, seasonal peaches or pears, nor do berries or peaches shipped from god-knows-where in the middle of January. When possible chose local, seasonal produce and humanely grown meats.

5. Eat a Larger Lunch
With the balanced meal we grew up with came the notion of the humongous dinner at the end of the day. Our workdays do not end at 5 anymore and there are many hours between lunch and dinner. Consider moving lunch up as the largest meal of the day.

6. Don't Forget Fat
I'd like to think we have enough distance from the '90s that fat phobia is finally waning. Fat helps make you feel full and adds flavor and interest to dishes. And it's not just about olive and canola oil. I love using sunflower seeds, pine nuts, walnuts and sesame oil when I cook. And when you feel satisfied with your meals, you can keep the cookie monster a childhood memory as well.

With these basic pointers in place, the possibilities are endless. I hope your meal planning has been simplified and that there's peace of mind knowing you're feeding yourself and your family well.
Any other areas you consider when planning a meal? How are your meals different from the family meals you grew up with?