Meet a Fit American Families
Jennifer and Sal Lazar from Texas
I get frustrated that we have to call it “exercise”. I think of it as fit living, or just normal everyday activities. “Conveniences” have taken away so many things that we used to use our bodies to do. For example, carry your groceries. By using canvas bags that hold a lot, I can usually get all my shopping in two bags and carry them to the car. I use my core and arm strength – and it strengthens bone density to carry the extra weight. I don’t really think of that, I just carry them to the car. Take the stairs instead of the elevator or escalator. Park a few aisles further and walk. Send the kids to the neighbors on their bike (why do parents drive their kids everywhere?? when the distances are not far and they could walk or ride a bike?). Who started driving their kids to school now we all have to do it? Buy an apple instead of cut up apples slices in a bag of chemicals. Whatever happened to cut orange slices after soccer or football practice? Now it is pre-packaged junk food that is supposed to be nutritious? What parent started bringing that junk? Kids used to have a blast making orange smiles – AND give their bodies what they need after physical exertion – now they eat junk provided by parents.
And parents these days don’t have a clue. Yesterday I was in line at a buffet (after a golf tournament) and the lady behind me said she was skipping the salad. I said jokingly, “to save the calories?” (and eat the chocolate cake at the end of the buffet). She said “yes! you know salad has no nutritional value!” She probably doesn’t eat fruit either because of the sugar. HA! My son is on the ketogenic diet and I have the calories and nutritional content of almost every food because I must calculate a very specific ratio for every meal. Fruit and salad have next to no calories – when compared to a piece of bread, or scoop of rice, or bowl of pasta (not even counting cookies, cakes and such). The general public has no clue. And fat! Oh, the fat phobia. Fat is what is missing from our diets (I contend)! We NEED it! Yes, it should be good fat, but we are so fat-phobic we buy fat-free peanut butter, and fat-free dressing when nut oils and olive oil should be consumed by the tablespoons. We have simply replaced fat with sugar and look where it has gotten us.
My son gets so frustrated with me but I read every label. If it has HFCS, I won’t buy it. Period. He knows, and will find something else. I look for products with ingredients that I can read. If you can’t read it, you shouldn’t eat it. The produce area has no labels. We should shop on the exterior of the store and stay out of the aisles. I am sure you have heard that before.
