Thursday, July 29, 2010

How Much Weight Will I Lose??

Going through the supermarket today I went down a "middle" aisle. You know the one that has inviting signs, cool colors and any frozen concoction you can think of. The aisle of convenience. The aisle of BOXED FOODS.

I rarely enter this aisle and, for that matter, any middle aisle. Not that I'm afraid or anything, its just that there are not a whole lot of things there that I choose to buy. My favorite part of the store lies in its outer perimeter - the part that you can buy fresh, real food. Food that "remembers" where it comes from (that is, if food has any type of memory). More importantly, food that I can recognize as food and that I know basically where it came from.

As I entered this frozen food aisle I passed by the frozen, weight-loss dinners like Lean Cuisine, etc. I saw two women eyeing these meals and I thought to myself, "No! Don't do it! Don't succumb to the marketing and the promise of weight loss through these gimmicks." One lady paused, seemed to be contemplating in her mind whether or not it was all worth it and then sighed and continued on. I'm not sure about the other woman as she was still there, pondering which "dinner" she would have for her evening meal.

Anything that comes in a box, promising low calories, with lot's of ingredients that cannot be pronounced by a 5 year old should be banned. Really. I'm serious. First off, it may be appealing to those who would like to shed some pounds but at what cost? A box full of frozen food that was processed in who-knows-what factory, full of chemicals, preservatives, etc. is not nutritional. No matter how many vitamins they "spray" on it or add to it. It is not real food, it really isn't. For weight loss (and, I promise I will have many future blogs on this) we need to fill ourselves with nutritionally-packed foods. Powerhouse foods that will supply us with all our daily vitamin and mineral needs, as well as fiber, protein and good fats. There are way too many OVERWEIGHT people in North America who are literally STARVING both physically and emotionally. Sorry Lean Cuisine but you don't get my vote. In fact, I have often posted reviews of their products on their website which they do not post. Why? Is it because I denounce, in a very positive way mind you, their products?

It actually brought tears to my eyes when I saw that woman deciding which meal she would purchase. There are better ways to lose weight. Healthier ways that will stay with you through thick and thin (literally).