Do French Fries Count as a Vegetable?

Posted in Wellness Wednesdays

Don’t ask me why I picked on meat, it just seemed like a good way to do penance for my sins. 

The first eight days of our stay in Montreal included French fries at least once a day.   Add to that the fact that we didn’t really focus on meals with nutritional value while we were there.  We were, after all, on vacation. 

I’m sure I’m not the only one out there that uses vacation as an excuse for eating junk.  There were whole days that included no vegetables at all, I mean unless you are counting the French fries as a vegetable.  So on the last day of our vacation I told Doug, when we get home we’re going to be vegetarians for a week.  It was intended as punishment.

The funny thing is, when we got home, we each had lost a pound.  Ok, not much to brag about, but it sure beats the alternative.  And that was with eating (and drinking) anything we wanted for two whole weeks.

It was all the exercise.  We didn’t do intentional exercise while we were there, but we explored every corner of Montreal using only public transportation, which meant a lot of walking.  We walked four or five miles each day. 

And Montreal’s public transportation system includes a great biking system.  I think the city has more Bixi Bike stations than subway stations.  For less than a round trip fare on the subway or the bus, you get the use of a bike for 24 hours, providing you get your bike to the next stand within 30 minutes.  But you can take out a new one two minutes after your dock the previous one.  The last day of our stay we rode all over that town, 25 miles by the end of the day. 

But still, I was feeling guilty about all the French fries, so I stocked up on fruit and veggies when we got home and made nothing but meatless meals the whole week.  Turns out I loved being a vegetarian.  I mean, I’m not converting or anything, but I do think I’ve found a new way to eat that’s much healthier than my old way. 

Instead of vilifying certain foods (carbs, alcohol, sweets, or in this case meat), and saying “no you can’t have those,” I’m aiming to get at least the recommended minimum each day of the foods with important micronutrients:  fruits and vegetables, and then eat whatever else I'm hungry for.  I wind up having less room for junk after I’ve managed to work 2 cups of fruit and 3 cups of vegetables into my day.

Oh and for the record, I don’t consider a glass of red wine to be junk.  It may not count as a serving of fruit, but it is made from it.

Related Posts:

            Retirement and Skinny Jeans

            Retirement Calories

            Exercise Like a Kid

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Comments

[Tom Sightings]

Funny how you lose weight on vacation -- yes, because you move around more and get more exercise. I went off red meat about five years ago. Don't miss it at all. I still eat chicken and fish, but a red, quivering bloody steak -- yuck!

I also tried to swear off the high fructose corn syrup. That stuff'll kill ya' I've been reasonably successful with that (lots of bottled water) but every once in a while I just have to have a Snapple or a Coke. And a glass of red wine (no corn syrup there!)

Good luck with your new and more healthy lifestyle!

P.S. French fries are terrible; but like anything else, if indulged in only rarely, it won't do you no harm.

[Jacq]

Here's my question about the "recommended" fruits and veggies - if someone like my dad - who at 91 years of age, pretty much ate nothing but RED meat (ie. STEAKS and gobbling the fat off roasts) and potatoes (albeit mashed or boiled and not french fried) for all of those years - is healthy and fit as a fiddle. (Trust me, it was a major treat to share one box of mandarin oranges among 10 people at Xmas). The one "rule" he has is not to eat processed food, or as little as possible. Easy peasy, lemon squeezy I think.

But I still think it's primarily the luck of the genetic draw. No control over that. But it's nice to think that we're doing something proactive. And I approve of wine. ;-)

[Retired Syd]

Oh how I envy your dad, I love red meat and potatoes and especially the FAT. Despite his long life, I'm unconvinced his diet would work the same for me. Such a bummer.

[Joan]

I don't see anything wrong with taking a break from your regular eating once in a while. I live by the 80/20 rule. I try to eat right and exercise 80% of the time and the other 20% I don't worry so much about.

I too think exercise is the key. My 85 year old father's uncles all lived to their 90's. They lived on a farm, ate biscuits, meat and greasy gravy every day and had very little in the way of health problems. They all worked from dawn to dusk though.

[Retired Syd]

@Joan: That's the same as my farmer grandparents. Bacon and eggs every breakfast and meat and potatoes for dinner. They lived to about 90 (so I have those genes!) But they did eat a TON of fruit and vegetables (that they grew on the farm, and in retirement-in their vegetable garden. And Grandma canned them so they had 'em all year round.)