carbs are for lazy folk page

[thaijinx]

My mom, at just over 3 weeks wheat free with reduced sugar and bad oils - while not primal - was doing remarkably well for someone who is extremely set in her ways. She has seen marked improvement in her IBS, blood pressure and arthritis pain. Today, went to the kitchen and made herself a sandwich for lunch, with chocolate buscuit and pkt of crisps/chips.

'why!?' I asked, 'You've been doing so well!'

Because I don't know what else to have, she said. And shrugged.

Her options were plenty, frozen veg soup in the freezer, bacon, eggs, avocado, salad, even tinned tuna...

But they all involved preparation, cooking, and washing up...

It made me realize how easy it is to grab carbs... a granola bar, a sandwich, breakfast cereal... Do we only like eating them because they are so EASY and we are so LAZY?

[@lex]

They're a quick fix and contain a ton of sugar and processed junk that gives us some weird sort of food high.I myself frequently decided to grab garbage food instead of cooking something because "meh,I don't feel like cooking",and that kind of eating is great way to pack on the pounds and feel like crap.Processed carbs are an easily available source of calories and a poor source of nutrition,the only reason we like them are because they're easy to grab and usually have some semi-addictive properties.Ever see someone try to cut out processed sugar cold turkey? They look miserable.

[breadsauce]

I have a friend with diabetes who has asked me how I lost weight, what my partner and I eat - and he understood the ideas of cutting out grains / oils etc. BUT - he hasn't done it, because "a sandwich is so easy at lunch time". So I think you are right. Sadly.

[B2B]

We have simply become too used to convenience. What is easy for us is not necessarily good for us. I have started to ask myself when I want to venture down that convenient path, "is this really what me body wants?". It usually does the trick to rethink my choices.

[@lex]

It is sad that people will go for something they know isn't good for their health just out of convenience.I'm still confused why people don't realize that food you actually took the time to cook yourself and prepare to your specific tastes is so much more delicious than something that was extruded onto a conveyor belt and fried in heart attack juice.

[ciep]

Yes, processed foods are extremely convenient but I don't think that's the main reason people choose them. After all, an apple sitting in a fruit basket on your kitchen table is pretty convenient too, as are macadamia nuts sitting in a jar, a can of sardines, an avocado, etc. Hell, frying up a few eggs takes about 5 minutes, and is usually less hassle than making a sandwich, IMO.

I think for most people the processed food diet has more to do with it's addictive properties, and with peoples' long-ingrained habits than anything. But you're right, the fact that it is all very convenient and easy certainly doesn't help.

[oxide]

VLC/Primal is difficult to follow, especially if you make the effort to get all your stuff organic and grass-fed. About the only way I can do it is to spend every single Saturday going to the farmer's market, then going to the natural foods store for stuff the market didn't have, then spending the afternoon cleaning, chopping, cooking, portionining, and freezing my meals for the whole week. Saturday is GONE, but at least I don't have to do much the rest of the week.

[allthings]

I think allocating time for meal preparation is really important for anyone transitioning to primal/paleo. When I started I would always think I had 'no time' to cook, but that was simply because I would go to make my meal at the same time as I would have previously, often 5 minutes before I had to be doing something else, when I would have thrown something in the microwave for 2 mins. Now, I realise that I have to stop what I'm doing about 20 minutes before I want to eat, so that I have time to prepare something yummy and healthy. And now it's become habit, and doesn't seem like it's taking a chunk out of my time at all!

[activia]

Make sure she has some meals that don't have a lot of prep time. When I dont feel like cooking or have nothing defrosted, an omelet or hard boiled eggs or tuna is quick and easy.

I dont know about sandwhich for convenience argument, you could just eat it without the bread. They just want to eat their bread.

[paleo-bunny]

Carbs are for lazy folk who haven't discovered bullet proof coffee!