Podcast Episode 21 – Making Simple Food Choices

Introduction with music: Today we are discussing 15 helpful hints for making food choices from a book titled "Greater Health God's way" by Stormie Omartian.
[00:00:11] Hi, and hello. Welcome to the real food and drinks, lifestyle podcast. We're building a community to talk about nutrition, lifestyle choices, and just feeling better. This is Shonda and this is Patryce. Let's just be real.
[00:00:36] Here's our disclaimer. We do not professionally practice in any of the various subjects that we discuss. We are only sharing our personal experiences with you to a healthier lifestyle. Please do your own research before taking part in any of these practices.
[00:01:08] Shonda: So stormy listed 15 helpful hints. In her pure food chapter. So we just want to discuss those 15 helpful hints and see what we think. Right?
[00:01:21] Patryce: Exactly. And I'm not sure we'll get to all 15 today in depth, but it's a great starting point we thought for the month of February.
[00:01:33] Shonda: Yeah, that'd be good. So what is our first point? It says when choosing food always ask yourself, is this man-made or God-made and how pure can I get it? That's pretty deep.
[00:01:48] Patryce: That's a great question because how pure can I get? It reminds me of this whole community, of real food and drinks. It's about being real food and pure food. And before that, asking the question, is this manmade or God-made. And I wonder Shonda, if many of us ask any question at all when we choose food or do we just go through the process of choosing food and we're not intentional.
[00:02:22] Shonda: Yeah, I think though, but we can be more intentional. I think I'm more intentional when I actually go to the grocery store, the food that I'm bringing into the house, so that when I'm at home, I don't really have to think about, is this man-made or God-made because I have brought mostly God-made foods back home from the grocery store or the farmer's market.
[00:02:47] Patryce: Good point. You're right. We can be more intentional and that's a great way. And another great way to, to become more intentional is to actually make a list. And I know in the past I've been inconsistent, but when I consistently have that list, even if it's a running list of the staples, I will be less tempted to just grab other things.
[00:03:10]And I stay more on the outer perimeters. And not lured into those inner aisles like I have been because I just like to shop for groceries period. But I think having a list helps don't you?
[00:03:23] Shonda: Yeah, I would think so. When I go on my general grocery shopping, I know what I get from that store and I just go and get it, but , if I'm going back to the store in the middle of the week, I always take a list, but I'm not a shopper. So I just go for, , the basics, get out of there. Cause I have other things to do. I don't want to be in the grocery store. But yeah. So I think that's a really good thing though.
[00:03:52]Maybe when we're going out to eat. , was it man-made or God-made made. Did this come out of, , how was this process? How was this food created or whatever. So, yeah, that, that's a really good thing.
[00:04:05] Patryce: That is a very good question. And I guess that's one reason I stay on the outer perimeter more than the inner, because that's where more, the God-made foods are the less processed foods.
[00:04:15]Shonda: So helpful hint number two is what? The fewer items in a meal, the less you are tempted to overeat and the easier it is to digest.
[00:04:28] Patryce: Hm. I want you to comment on that one first.
[00:04:32] Shonda: Okay. So let's say, yeah, I'm thinking when, when I just know that I just need something to eat, and this is me because I have many other things I want to do other than eat many times.
[00:04:50] So if I need a dinner, like I may just make some Keene wall and some beans and throw some greens in there or a green salad and I am done . So that's like three items . I mean, additionally, I probably season the beans with some onions and a little spices and stuff. But I can eat very basic foods. And I think it is easier to digest because your stomach doesn't have to ,decode all the different foods you have in there.
[00:05:21] Patryce: That's that's good. I like what you shared and I definitely can see the benefit of having fewer items and it coming to our digestion. Making it easier to digest if we have fewer items. I guess for me, I was looking at that statement, the fewer items in a meal, the less you're attempted to overeat.
[00:05:43] I don't really know if I put a lot of items. I do tend to garnish my food a lot. So say I have a salad. So I consider that salad one item, but my salad might have a few other items in 'em like cucumbers, carrots all these other good things, but I guess that's not what they're talking about.
[00:06:04] The salad would probably be considered one item. So I would think this is a good tip.
[00:06:09] Shonda: Yeah, actually I think the salad is considered multiple yeah. Items. Oh, I think, yeah. Yeah.
[00:06:16] Patryce: And then I totally go against this thinking in some, when it comes to my salad eating, I will say that I will put beans on my salad. I will put carrots on my salad. I would put cucumbers ...a few items.
[00:06:28] Shonda: So I don't think that's overeating because for one thing, You're eating mostly raw foods. Okay. And a salad. Most of it, it probably at least half or even more is a raw food .
[00:06:42] It could go so many ways. I mean, you could make your salad too big and really shouldn't be eating that much salad, ?
[00:06:49] Like, so let's say you, you want to eat what an eighth of a cup of every food you put in that salad? Like if you want 10 items. Yeah. This is going to get to be a pretty big salad, , but if you're just like, I'm going to do five items at an eighth of a cup, then the salad is going to be smaller, ?
[00:07:08] Patryce: That's a good point.
[00:07:09] Shonda: Yeah. Yeah. So I just think the more items, the bigger your plate's going to get, that's a good point.
[00:07:16] Patryce: Yeah. Okay. Yeah.
[00:07:17] Shonda: So, yeah. Did you have any thoughts on her helpful hint, number three?
[00:07:21] Patryce: The more natural the food, the more healthful it is and the harder it is for you to overeat. Yeah, I think that, again, the more natural, the food that goes back to just the more real, the more healthy itÔÇÖs going to be. And we've talked about that in many of our podcasts that real food, natural, more pure food, less processed, is healthier because the more it's processed, the less healthy it is. So I totally understand that. And the harder is for you to overeat. So. I guess even if you were to overeat with, with your plate of more natural or real foods, it's still less overeating than a plate of processed food, which will have more empty calories.
[00:08:10] Shonda: Yeah. Right. You're probably going to get less calories if you're eating natural foods and because there's more fiber in there you will get full much quicker than if it were a refined food. So that's a good, a good hint. A good tip.
[00:08:30] Okay. So tip number four is the last act of your life or work the less you need to eat?
[00:08:39] I wonder how many people take that into consideration? Yeah. I think we have to be aware of if we're really hungry, because some people are in the habit of I need to eat breakfast, I need to eat lunch. I need to dinner, and that's just kinda ingrained in our society. I've been very busy this morning and I have had nothing but water. I had a little bit of cashews and raisins together so far. I would be eating ... my stomach's growling. It's ready. So as soon as we're done, I will go eat, but I'm just saying, when I wake up in the morning, I'm not hungry.
[00:09:16] So drink some water, stay well, hydrated and move on about the day. And then when you start feeling hungry, go ahead and eat. Don't let it go too long because then you may overeat. But , I think still, if I eat by one o'clock I still have time to get one more meal in before the end of the day.
[00:09:37] Patryce: Wow. That's great. That's great that you shared that. And I would just say each of us have to find what works best for our body, because I know my friend, she wakes up very early, like five o'clock or six is late for her. So she's definitely had something to eat way before 11 o'clock because of her timing and her sleep schedule and her waking up.
[00:10:03] But for me, I need to start eating earlier again, even if it's just some fruit , or my yogurt, because I need to try to avoid eating late at night. But to go back to this point of the less active your life or work, the less you need to eat. I totally agree with that thinking about it now. Because it's not even just less to eat. For me it's not just the less, but it's what I eat. And so people have asked me, , why do you choose to do more plant based? And for me, it's because I'm not a person who's working out vigorously, or I don't have an intense workout routine.
[00:10:41] So honestly, when I had not as much of a plant-based lifestyle with eating and that with not working out as much, then I tended to gain more weight. But I came to the realization I don't need to eat as much, and I don't need all those heavier foods because I'm not an athlete or I'm not someone who's doing a lot of strenuous activity on a regular basis.
[00:11:10] Shonda: And the heavier foods do bring more calories. You're right. So, but I know that if our community has not seen yet the game changers documentary, it's about weight-lifters and bodybuilders who have chosen plant-based foods. So plant-based foods can be heavy or they can be light also. And, of course we're here pushing plants all the way. So it is still about, if you are expending a lot of energy, you need a lot of calories. So you need a lot of potatoes. You need a lot of whole grains, , go ahead and go for that because you're hungry and you need those calories and those carbohydrates to give you the energy that you need.
[00:11:56] But , I'm looking ahead here and we have to get to number five because ... if she really knows what she's talking about, then I'm doing it all wrong because let me tell you, number five says "space you're eating to put five or six hours between each meal. So check. Okay. I got that. No problem. A good schedule would be breakfast at seven. I'm not even awake at seven, so that's not going to work lunch at noon or one. Okay. So I would be way behind schedule and dinner at six or seven. A bad schedule is breakfast at 11, which is normally what I do lunch at half past one. Yeah. And dinner at 10. So I'm more like lunch at three or four and dinner it depends on what I made. I don't know, but I'm still, even after 10 o'clock, I'm still usually awake three more hours. ,But sometimes, , I don't have three meals a day. I'll have only two meals. I'll have a smoothie and two meals. So I may be okay. What do you think?
[00:13:02] Patryce: Honestly, I think what she's prescribed here or suggested is a good suggestion. Now the dinner time, I would, I would say that that's unique to each person because to me, 10 is a bit late for eating dinner and we also have to keep in mind, we have different metabolism rates.
[00:13:20] And I can just speak for myself that eating dinner consistently at 10:00 PM would not be the best for me. Definitely not, but I do think the whole breakfast at say seven is telling me that I need to get more sleep or go to sleep earlier. So if I were to go with her schedule, I probably would change some other habits too, for the better.
[00:13:44] So I actually like the suggestions. I am totally on board with what she's saying. I not always doing this, but I would, I would agree with this.
[00:13:53] Shonda: Yeah, it sounds good. But I could never eat breakfast at seven in the morning. I'm just barely waking up. I'm drinking water. I'm doing my exercises like I said, I think we have to go back to, are you hungry? That's just it, , are you hungry?
[00:14:09] Patryce: But Shonda that question? Are you hungry? What about all the people who skipped breakfast consistently? I would say, they're not asking themselves, are they hungry? Or even if they do ask and they say, no, they should still maybe have something. What do you think about that? Whether it be fruit or smoothing skipping breakfast consistently, it just seems like it's opening the door to be tempted, to eat something, a bigger lunch, maybe even a more processed lunch. You're going to be giving into hunger pains earlier. Especially for someone combating weight.
[00:14:44] Shonda: Yeah. Someone combating weight. Yes. And I think it depends on you and your schedule, , like if you're going to be at work and you didn't take your lunch or you didn't take any food and that's going to be more likely that you going to get off of your meal plan then yes.
[00:15:01] I recognize when I'm hungry. So for me, , I don't think my body digests well if I eat and I'm not hungry,. My body's not ready to digest food. So, , it just depends. I think it depends on the person, but yeah, the it's an important thing would be to be prepared.
[00:15:22] If you're going to be leaving, , pack some food with you, because maybe you don't know when that hunger's going to come.
[00:15:29] Patryce: I love the insight you shared it, it all depends on your situation. But I do remember vividly working outside the home and those days where I was rushed, rushed, rushed, and busy with young kids, or just a busy time of life going to work, not eating breakfast, and then when it came to lunch, everything looks so good standing in line. And then getting probably a larger lunch than I really needed.
[00:15:52] Shonda: Right. And that's the thing where you have to know yourself, because for me, I'm out, there's nothing for me to eat. I will not eat. I will not eat just to eat. Because no, it's just not good for me to pick foods that are outside of my diet.
[00:16:07] So if I didn't prepare and take foods with me, I'm going to not eat. There are some of us that will just not eat and I will starve myself. Yes, I will starve myself. When I get home, I'm just going to eat.
[00:16:21] Patryce: Well, I can just speak for myself, but I think there are a lot of people who... We're just not at that point. I'm not as disciplined. If I just get hungry. And especially, I keep thinking about that busy, season of life outside of the home, working where there's just so many temptations. If you haven't packed your lunch, you're going to be in that line. You're going to be at that line at the fast-food restaurant, or even if it's not fast food, it will be food that seems healthier, but it has added oils.
[00:16:48] We just, we just don't have as much control over how it's prepared. So I guess that's why I see the best of both worlds for that person having something earlier in the day would maybe stave off you overeating for lunch or making bad choices for lunch?
[00:17:08] Shonda: Yeah, definitely for that person, they need to prepare ahead of schedule because, okay.
[00:17:14] So are you saying I'm just in the minority? Cause I just, I learned my lesson, I guess too, too soon and I just will not eat just to eat and I can't, , I can't, I can't.
[00:17:25] Patryce: You're in the minority. Okay. I'm just telling you that because especially, and I know everyone has different kinds of jobs, but very often a part of lunchtime while working outside the home.
[00:17:36] It's a very socia lhour. So ...
[00:17:39] Shonda: Girl, please no,.See I'm in the minority because I like to eat lunch by myself. Okay. That's my time to decompress. I have never eaten lunch at a social time. I did have one friend I remember we would make like a lunch date, like once a week. But even then I would take my lunch and she would eat at the restaurant.
[00:18:02] Patryce: Okay. You're in the minority. And because oftentimes maybe because of my industry, we had lunch brought in, or it was part of the month to...
[00:18:11] Shonda: Girl I've been in meetings where there are food brought in. No. Shonda has her pack on the side of her and she is eating from her foods. I don't care. That is me. That is. So, hey, I want to encourage some of you out there. Hey, bring your lunch like I did. And don't care about what other people think. You're taking care of you. Bring enough to share with other people and bring in some good vibes and some good food.
[00:18:41] Patryce: That's a great shout out for packed lunches.
[00:18:46] Okay. Well, I think we'll cut it off there but we will follow up with other tips. I guess very soon.
[00:18:54] Yes. I'm looking forward to it. These are some good ones.
[00:18:57] Okay. Sounds good.