I love Popeye's chicken!  That's right...you read that right - Popeye's chicken.  Do I eat it very often?  No.  But when I do, I enjoy it and don't feel guilty about it.  Why?  Because I use my Popeye's chicken scale.

 

You see, when I drive by or think about Popeye's chicken, I don't just think in terms of either wanting it OR not wanting it.  I ask myself how bad do I want it on a scale of 1 to 10.  I have a set rule that I have to be at a 9 or 10 to get it.  You know what I find?  A lot of times I'm only at a 3 or a 5.  Shoot, sometimes I'm only at a 1!  Why would I want to eat Popeye's chicken if I only want it at a 1 on a scale of 1 to 10?  It wouldn't be worth it!

 

The bottom line is that many times we fall into the trap of thinking of only 2 options - I either want OR I don't want that glazed donut, those chips and queso, or that warm, oozing Godiva chocolate cake.  We usually want it at least a little, so we end up eating it and feeling guilty about it later. 

 

What would happen if you used my scale?  Would there be many instances that you find you aren't really at a 9 or a 10?  How many guilty foods would you pass up on?  How many calories would you spare?  How many pounds would you lose?  How many new pairs of jeans would you need to buy?  I think you get it.

 

Try putting a number on your guilty foods.  If it's a 9 or 10, dig in.  If it's less than an 8, it can definitely wait.

 

The choice is yours,

 

Mike Thornton

 

Did you know that an average Chipotle burrito is around 1200 calories?  How about if you go with the bowl?  That's healthy, right?  Well I added one of the bowls to 1100 calories just as easily!

 

Let's go Subway....you know...eat fresh!  How about a six-inch sub and some Baked Lays (there baked, they have to be good for me), and......................okay...........throw in one, just one, of those macadamia nut cookies - 850 calories. 

 

Do you know that it took me on average about 12 seconds to look up this information and decide what I should get?  12 seconds!  Do you know how long it takes to burn a pound of body fat?  About 7 hours!

 

 

So this is the part where you want me to tell you what to choose, what to eat, and how to order.  I'll make you a deal.  I'll give you a list of some sites, you take the 12 seconds to go by there.  Try looking up your favorites as well.

 

 

Mike Thornton

 

Not all protein is created the same.  There are two types - complete and incomplete.  Complete proteins contain all of the building blocks that your body needs to build and maintain muscle tissue; incomplete proteins are missing some of those building blocks.

 

Why is this important?  If you remember from the last Food for Thought, muscle is where you metabolize calories.  If you aren't getting enough COMPLETE proteins in your diet, you will not maintain your fat-burning machinery.

 

COMPLETE PROTEINS are your meats, fish, eggs, dairy products, and whey and egg supplements.  These all have everything that your body needs to maintain and build muscle and keep your motor running.

 

INCOMPLETE PROTEINS are foods such as grains, beans, and nuts.  They alone do not help build and maintain your muscle.  Why again?  Because they are missing some essential building blocks.

 

COMPLETE YOUR INCOMPLETES by mixing them together.  By mixing your incomplete proteins with each other, you can fill the voids and make a complete protein.  Then they will act just as a complete protein.

 

Do this by mixing these combos:  Grains and Legumes, Grains and Nuts, or Legumes and Nuts. 

 

Here are some good combinations to complete your incompletes:

You don't want to be incomplete do you?  The choice is yours,

 

Mike Thornton

Here is a little food for thought....

 

Without enough protein in your diet, your body fat percentage will almost certainly go up!  Why?  Because your body needs protein to maintain your muscle tissue (even if you don't want a lot).

 

Why do you need to maintain your muscle tissue?  Because muscle is where your metabolism comes from; it's where you burn calories!  In fact 1 lb of muscle can burn anywhere from 15 to 50 calories a day depending on your activity level.  How about 1 lb of fat?  Well it only burns about 7 calories a day.

 

So follow me here......not enough protein = unable to maintain muscle......unable to maintain muscle = lower metabolism......lower metabolism = body fat storage!

 

Without getting to caught up in ALL there is to know about protein, here are some helpful suggestions.  And for you vegetarians out there, make sure you read next weeks food for thought!

If all else fails, try supplementing!  Try having a protein shake or bar for any of the other ideas listed.

 

It's your body, so the choice is yours!

 

Mike Thornton

 

Bread is not bad!  But how do you know which one to pick?  I got it...just read the package, right?  Well....it depends on which part your reading!

 

Picking right back up on our last food for thought, marketing will try to fool you, the front of the bread may read "No sugar added" or "Stone Ground Whole Wheat."  While these may sound healthy, they don't mean squat.

 

Just because a bread doesn't have sugar added to it, doesn't mean that it doesn't act sugary on your body when it is turned into glucose (sugar).  And just because a bread was once stone-ground whole wheat doesn't mean that it hasn't been processed since. 

 

This marketing is what I call the FAKE FRONT of the package.  You need to flip it over and read the REVEALING BACK.

 

If the first ingredient is something with the words "processed" or "enriched", slowly set down the package and back away.  Look for first ingredients that read "100% unbromated stone ground whole wheat" or something made from rye or pumpernickel.

 

Check the amount of fiber as well.  The higher the fiber content, the lower the impact on the blood sugar.

 

 

Mike Thornton