Photo: .Larry Page/Flickr
I think it’s safe to say the following: we who make up the PRK community share a fundamental trait in common. We love to read/think/learn about, then get better at making, food. But do we count calories in the process? I don’t, at least not really. I haven’t needed to in this phase of my life. I try to be reasonable instead. With a bit of book knowledge, combined with what I think is common sense, I try to eat in a balanced way each day, staying particularly aware of the number of fruits and vegetables I munch–these latter being the most important.
I therefore read with great interest a set of facts with interactive charts sent PRK’s way by Ken Aversano of The Cooks Den. The subject? Caloric consumption in America and how it has changed over time. The sources for this historical information are the USDA and the UN. I suppose the statistics about high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) struck me most, and made me glad I had already begun eschewing as many foods as I came across containing that ingredient, especially since I now buy for my family, not just myself. But I’m certainly not perfect.
Have a look yourself. What do you think? Thanks for the tip, Ken.
Like you, I don’t count calories. I’ve read a few books that have helped me to adjust my diet so that I was able to lose 35lbs without counting calories, points or anything else. In other words I learned to eat properly. That’s the only way to lose weight and keep it off. Most importantly – I don’t eat many processed foods, so I get very few hidden sugars.
I was a lifelong calorie counter. And then I found out I had Celiac Disease and my world turned upside down. In the four years since I’ve been cooking and eating and bloggin gluten free, I stopped counting calories and guess what? My weight hasn’t changed at all! From all those years of counting calories, I think I developed an innate sense of what works for me – I really try to listen to my body. And mostly, I try to enjoy the food I eat. It’s a pleasure to finally be able to eat and know that I’m feeding my body what will keep me healthy.