EATING IN 3S KEEPS THE DOCTOR AWAY

Eating in 3s Keeps the Doctor Away

Many thanks to doctor in training, Jessica McMillan for writing in and sharing what eating in 3s has done for her and why she recommends it to her patients.

“ An apple a day keeps the doctor away”, an old saying that I remember since I was a kid. Little did I know that one day I would choose to become a doctor and really learn what keeps the doctor away! Atkins, South Beach, Paleo they are so many diets out there which really work? From my own experience Tania Gustafson's “8 Weeks is all it Takes", modelled after Mark Macdonald's highly successful blood sugar stabilization program, is a program of eating (I wouldn’t necessarily call it a diet) which has made me feel happier and healthier and I would definitely recommend to my patients!

Currently I am studying Medicine in Scotland where 63% of people don’t meet their required 5 servings of fruit and veggies a day! More than ½ the population! When you ask someone do you like fruit and veggies they will usually reply, “Aye a good oven roasted tattie with butter”. They put up pictures of vegetables such as broccoli, onions, and cucumbers up in waiting rooms because so many patients have no idea of the variety of delicious vegetables that are out there. So you can see that I must advise patients on nutrition everyday. Why should I expect my patients to do something that I am not willing to do? I myself try to adhere to eating in 3s and can understand the struggles that may come with it.  Cooking and preparing at least 5 meals a day when there is laundry to be done, cleaning of the house, going to work - it can seem overwhelming!

But don’t worry it is manageable and I’d like to tell you how I’ve incorporated it into my life.

Some days I have lectures or I am in hospital 9-5. That requires a lot of preparation for my meals ahead. In the beginning it may seem arduous and a lot easier to just grab a quick fast-food meal on your lunch break but it’s like changing any part of your lifestyle…it takes a wee bit of work! If you put in the effort you will reap the benefits! So how do I get around this busy 9-5 schedule? Organization is key. The days that I am not in 9-5 I’ll try and prepare meals for the rest of the week. Protein bars, when the right kind, can be perfect when you don’t have a lot of time to sit down and eat a snack and you can easily sneak off for a couple of minutes while you munch on it.  I try and plan my meals for the week ahead and while some may argue why am I wasting the free time that I do have to think about and plan my meals? Well how does it make you feel when you eat better? Restaurant meals can be indulgent and delicious but aren’t always necessarily the healthiest. I have noticed that I feel more energized and ready to tackle the day when I eat right. I think Mark Macdonald mentioned it in his book comparing what we eat like fuel for a car. Put in the right fuel and you’ll be able to go for longer and efficiently vs. not so healthy choices. However I would also like to mention that it is okay to have a treat once in a while.

Our brains are terrible when told not to do something. “Don’t think of a pink elephant” and what does everyone do, think of a pink elephant. I don’t necessarily agree with these strict diets that say eliminate this completely or only eat this because you starve your body and you crave it more at the end. Once you’ve finished the diet and try to reincorporate these foods you just gain it all back. Everything in moderation. Have a piece a cake or enjoy a nice juicy steak with chips (or French fries here in Canada!). You should enjoy life and not obsess constantly over food.  I am speaking from experience as an ex-eating disorder sufferer. My parents had a messy divorce and the one aspect of life that I could control at that time was what I ate. I had convinced myself that constantly thinking of food made me feel better and helped me feel more relaxed when now looking back I realized I am so much happier now. I also want to stress how it is normal to make mistakes and maybe derail from healthy eating. Just get back on track after that. Naturally as humans we make mistakes, the important thing is to learn from them.

So while “an apple a day keeps the doctors away”, I think it should be more “an apple a day combined with a handful of nuts, and 3oz of protein will keep the doctor away”. It will be hard at the beginning but once it becomes routine it just becomes another part of your life. You don’t have to face it alone as well. Get your friends to join you as well, like any bad habit someone is trying to stop, support is key! It is possible to change your way of life, whether or not you want to put in the effort will determine the benefits that you will reap.

Listen in weekly as Tania Gustafson coaches Kristen Diehl of 103.9FM The Juice Radio to achieve her weight loss and health goals.  To cheer Kristen and begin your own weight loss journey, join "8 Weeks is All it Takes" on Facebook.  The transformations begin February 1, 2016.