BryantheRyan.com Challenging conventional wisdom about nutrition, fitness and overall health

Can We be Healthy 100% of the time?

Eating 100% "healthy" is impossible to do. No matter how motivated an individual or well intentioned they are, eventually we cave. The size of the cave is the difference between having a body like Kevin James and having a body like Megan Fox.

Our current food system is set up to encourage the consumption of highly processed foods. These foods contain fattening amounts of refined flour and sugar. However, highly processed foods have two good things going for them. One, because they are laced with refined sweeteners and artificial flavors, they taste delicious. Two, they consist of ingredients that are subsidised by the United States government. So they are cheap.

Personally, I can swear off most candies (except for Sour Patch Kids and M & Ms), most chips (except for tortilla chips) and almost all soda (expect when mixing drinks ). The point is, even some of the strongest willed people that I know, including myself, can not withstand the temptations that sugary, cheap foods present for us.

Not to mention the favorite part of every meal: desert. Is their a person on planet earth that would turn down a piece of their grandmothers homemade apple pie? If we all liked apples then I can guarantee not a person would have the will power to turn that temptation down. Unless apple pie were somehow deemed the food of the devil. Then I guess some super radical religious folk could muster the courage.

Crappy food is all around us. From cheap candy to cheap and tasty fast food. How are we supposed to eat healthy if these demon foods are all around us? The answer is we can't. At least not 100% of the time.

When people try to eat 100% healthy two things happen. Either they become very angry and hostile or they eventually freak out and eat gallons of Ben and Jerry's ice cream in one sitting. Trust me, I've done it.

Let's stop beating ourselves up over every minor breakdowns in our healthy eating walls. We can finally stop being obsessed with every little morsel of food we put into our mouths. Because lets face it, if we were to swear off all the sugary snacks, all fast food products, alcohol and caffeine we would be living a rather square existence.

In response to this kind of lifestyle, I created a model that we can base our food choices on. I call it Our Food Orbit.

This model resembles that of our solar system. The planets resemble food choices which revolve around the sun, which represents you.

Planets like Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars revolve around the Sun much more often than other planets. Whole foods like nuts (except cashews and peanuts in excess), all kinds of meats (preferably raised sustainably and organic), fresh, dark, leafy vegetables, dark fruits such as berries, local and fresh eggs represent these planets.

Planets like Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune only revolve around the sun once in a great while (compared to Earth's orbit). Foods like corn, potatoes, chips, wheat products, hamburger helper, Mac and Cheese, Pizza, spaghetti. Pretty much all foods that are found on typical American dinner plates. These foods should never be staples in anybodies diet.

Fast food, candy, ice cream, alcohol and all other nutritional contraband are represented by the at-one-point-in-time-planet Pluto. No explanation is necessary as to why these foods are Plutos.

The Law of 85%

Because following a diet 100% is impossible, we must enact the Law of 85% to go with our Food Orbit.

The Law of 85% states that of all the food we eat, 85% of it should be natural, whole and nutritious food. 12% of the remaining 15% should be made of foods that resemble Saturn and Jupiter. The last 3-5% of our diets can be Plutoesque type foods.

This Law of 85% should be used with caution. Do let the foods that make up the 15% ever creep into your daily food schedule. If you do then you will get fat.

I use the 85% rule because I hate living my life with what I like to call the 100% mentality. The 100% mentality puts enormous amounts of stress on the individual who is trying to be 100% healthy. I can honestly say that I was in the 100% mentality group for a few months when I ate a strict vegan diet. It sucked. I would never recommend becoming completely alien to our current food system. It will only add stress, worry and a loss in self worth when you fail.

I understand that I have thrown a lot of laws and rules at you already. Ones that I in fact made up on my own. This is why I want to apologize for spitting yet another rule into your retinas.

The One Day Rule

This rule has made me a sane individual. The One Day Rule simply sets aside one day during the week when you can eat what ever the hell you want. It is simple and awesome.

If I did not follow the One Day Rule I know that I would eventually binge on Oreos and McDonalds Strawberry milkshakes until I barfed and then ate it again off the floor because it would still be delicious.

Seriously, one day a week eat what ever your little heart desires. This provides a day of the week to look forward to. Because lets face it, when we change the way we eat there is very little that we can actually look forward to eating.

The only disclaimer I have for the One Day Rule is this: It can only last for one day. If you let it go longer than one day, then a snowball affect will occur and it will be easier and easier for you to let your guard down during the week. And you will then get fat.

My day changes from either Friday or Saturday. This allows me to go to a bar or club and drink guilt free alcohol and eat late night pizza .

May the planets align and bring you all good health

- Ryan