Part 11: Shoot for the Center

Now, back to the fuel we run our machine on. Contrary to what most Americans have been led to believe by dentists and others - carbohydrates are not all bad. The refined ones - sugar and white flour are not good for us, but the complex carbohydrates like whole grain and other roughages are excellent and we should be eating more of these.

What we should really be cutting down on is our fat intake. Fat is left as fat by our bodies until it is needed for energy. Below is a table showing how our diet has changed over the years and what it should be.

Percentage of Daily Calories       
                        1900         1970        2000         Recom.
Protein             10-12 %    12-14 %     33%         12%

Fat                     30%           44 %        52 %        23 %

Carbohydrates   60%          44%          23%         65%


How does this all tie in with exercise? Well here's the answer. Glucose (carbohydrates) are metabolized as quick energy by enzymes requiring little oxygen in the first stage. All the enzymes used in fat breakdown need a lot of oxygen. Anaerobic (stop and go) exercise, therefore, effectively shuts off all fat burning and forces the muscles to use glucose exclusively.

The aerobic exercise not only allows you to burn fat while exercising but also stimulates DNA synthesis of more of the fat burning enzymes. You are able to grab more oxygen from the blood better and use fats at a higher exercise intensities as these enzymes proliferate.

So the Secret to wellness is to avoid refined carbohydrates and fats and do aerobic exercise for a minimum of 12 minutes six days a week! It sounds easy but requires determination and commitment.

Covert Bailey's Target Diet book would be a great help in eating the right foods. As a quick summary, think of a target with four rings. Now divide the target into four pie shaped sections, one for each of the four food groups. Now let's put some examples of foods in each circle.

Food Group        Center Ring                Next Ring
    Milk                 Skim Milk               Low Fat Milk
   Grains        Whole Grain Bread         Bran Muffin
   Meats                 Beans                        Fish
  Veg/Fruit         Fresh Veg              Fresh Fruit                                                                                                                          


 Food Group        Next Ring                 Outer Ring
    Milk                Whole Milk                Ice Cream
   Grains                  Granola              Snack Crackers
   Meats            Ground Round              Sausage
 Veg/Fruit              Potatoes                French Fries           
   

Aim for the Center Ring!

Next time: Helping Your Baby to it's Prettiest Smile