Anyone who knows me is aware of my life philosophy…the KISS system. It stands for Keep It Simple Stupid, and there are many theories about its origin, from the US Army to Albert Einstein. In addition to living my life in a KISS system kinda way, I also apply this principle to my favorite topic of discussion—good ‘ole nutrition.

Applying the KISS system to nutrition is really about using common sense. Obviously nutrition can be incredibly complex and confusing, but when you take a look at the basics, making some healthier choices is actually pretty easy. Just do some simple comparisons and you’ll see what I mean. What would be healthier…having some baby carrots or some potato chips? I think we all know the answer to this one, but let’s assume you really wanted some chips. How about going with some BAKED chips instead of the regular version. Certainly this is a better alternative, but not necessarily the best choice possible. You could easily go with the carrots or even a piece of fruit if you wanted to take the overall nutritional value up another notch. Rationalizing food choices in this way doesn’t seem that hard when you put a little thought into it, huh?

This actually brings me to another important issue about food choices. Your environment plays a key role in your daily food intake. If you go to a party at someone’s house, you’re sort of a victim of what they serve. It’s unlikely that you’re going to lobby for certain food items when it’s not your shindig…that might be rude. In a similar vain, when you go to a restaurant, you’re also limited by the offerings on the menu. Obviously you can try to make the best choice possible (which is recommended), but if you eat out once a day or more, you’re really behind the 8-ball if you want to keep your health and weight in check. It’s doable, but difficult!! When you’re at home, your environment is up to you—and it all starts at the grocery store. You need to make decisions about buying healthy foods or not, but at least you’re in control. So, next time you think about your health or your weight, just think about what you’ve surrounded yourself with recently, and then adjust accordingly using some common sense.

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This entry was posted on Saturday, February 17th, 2007 at 7:43 pm and is filed under Nutrition.