Somewhere between a three and a four. I prepare an awful lot of our food from scratch, but am very in love with potatoes and oil, in any combination. I eat fast food once a week or so. I try to make sure all our homemade food is relatively healthy. I bake our bread, buy no-additive yogurt, make our own dips. I try to make sure we eat vegetarian at least twice a week.
I’m going to try to up the fruits-and-vegetables quotient a lot, and eat fewer fries.
By your descriptions, I’m a 2 or 3. (lately I haven’t been cooking for myself so much)
But I get bonus points for
you follow a vegetarian or vegan diet
you drink a lot of water
you eat or drink soy-based products (mmmm soy protein)
you eat a lot of healthy fats (olive oil, nuts, etc)
and I do eat lots of broad variety veggies, and I prefer brown rice.
there are a few reasonable choices for eating out near where I live.
Between a 3 & 4. I tend to eat very very well except for junk food binges.
(4) Great to excellent (5). For me, the right foods are the easy part, but the am’t of food and opportunity presented daily is never ending.
One of my favorite things to do is to count the number of times I refuse food in a day. On a good day, I refuse food about 12-24 times, and when people are really pressing, I can say ‘no’ upwards of 40-50 times.
favorite foods:
proteins: flounder, salmon, eggs, garden or soy burgers, cheese
veggies: asparagus, brussel sprouts, beans, broccoli, steamed carrots, cucumbers
fruits: pears, grapes, bananas, cantaloupe
grains: whole wheat bread, whole grain rice, granola, oats
desert: nothing beats a sweet potato
There’s a lot of “may” and “might” in that article. Soy, as we know and consume it in this day and age, is highly genetically modified and is not necessarily the amazing wonder-food many people think it is. Some people should not eat soy at all - it is a known thyroid depressant, and the phytoestrogens present can actually exacerbate the growth of some cancers. Like almost anything else you put into your mouth, it should be eaten in moderation.
All that said - I’m a pescatarian (fish-eating vegetarian; no red meat or poultry.) My diet is a little high in sodium and soda pop, but I’ve got wicked good kidneys and low blood pressure, so neither has a hugely adverse effect on me. I cook fresh most nights, but tend to skip breakfast and eat more processed/quickie/frozen things for lunch. I’m not big on sweets, but will occasionally overdo it on fried or otherwise junky snacks. I get a decent amount of moderate exercise. So I’d say I rate between a 3.5 and 4.5 on your scale.
I’m with Valgard. A solid 5.
I’m going to say a 3, possibly 3.5.
I eat meat and sweets nearly every day, have a fast-food meal once a week, and rarely drink anything but coffee and red wine. I don’t like fruit.
However, I avoid white bread and flour, eat salads every day, and select vegetarian options whenever possible. I used to be a vegetarian and would be again, if it didn’t cause undue family stress. I’ve also recently started to improve my fiber intake, and drink a glass of water every day. When cooking, I never use convenience foods.
As for exercise, I have really good intentions.
Me? I’m about a 4.9. I do eat red meat and chicken skin, but I try to limit the portions. I’ll occasionally go out, but I try to order stuff that can at least pass for healthy. I cook for myself nearly every night.
I work out every day for 20-40 minutes. (I thought that was great until I talked to my father last night. He works out for 3 hours per day.)
A funny thing happened last week. I was sick and tired of cooking, and I was getting some cabin fever, so I went out to dinner. When I was done, I figured that merely reading the dessert menu was a calorie-free activity. Normally when I do so I don’t consider anything that lacks chocolate or ice cream to be dessert. I ended up getting the fruit cobbler. The sundae, mud pie, and chocolate cake appealed to me not at all. (Yeah, I know, I probably still got all the calories.)
Normally I’d be between 1 and 2. I’m on nutrisystem at the moment but I don’t supplement with all the fresh foods they recommend. So maybe that’s a 3.
I hate plain water though, so I couldn’t meet that requirement. Apparently diet carbonated water and diet soda are acceptable substitutes, and I probably have four glasses of those.
4.5
I eat too much beef and pork, but I’m good about portion size.
I eat yogurt & granola for breakfast (usually homemade granola), eggs on the weekend.
We cook 5-7 times per week.
NEVER eat fast food. NEVER drink soda. NEVER eat pre-packaged food.
But, if I’m eating out, I sure as shit ain’t ordering salad, and I drink too much alcohol.
I snack on pretzels, nuts and raisins, with bags of chips occasionally.
I’d give myself a solid 4.5 - I’m taking off half a point because while I eat a lot of seafood, I also eat a fair amount of red meat, though I generally don’t eat more than 4oz or so at a time. Otherwise, a 5 would fit me best.
I also drink a lot of water, and drink soy milk b/c I like it better than skim milk, plus I get in a lot of healthy fats - nuts & nut oils, avocado and the like.
I do like my wine & the very occassional mixed drink, though.
4.9. Would be a 5, if I could kick the diet soda/artificial sweetener habit. I love to cook, eat out exceedingly rarely, eat organic as much as possible, and love my fruit and veggies. I drink my milk (even though I don’t like it) or eat non-fat plain yogurt with frozen fruit. Fiber - not an issue. Most of the time I’m slightly above the standard recommendation.
I lost 50 pounds 5 years ago, and have maintained that loss. I lost it all with Weight Watchers - going from Winning Points, to Flex, to Core (currently).
Susan
Soy is a bad thing for a lot of people. Men shouldn’t be ingesting significant amounts of soy–plant estrogens mess with hormonal balance–and many people are allergic to it. It’s bad for dogs and cats, and I certainly don’t seek out processed soy products as a source of protein. If there’s edamame or tofu in an appropriate context (cuisine in which it has been traditionally employed), I’m fine with it and can enjoy it greatly. However, I don’t need processed protein fillers or fake meat/dairy posing as a simulation of the real thing in my diet. If you want the real thing, eat the real thing instead of having fake meat patties; there are plenty of non-meat protein sources that taste delicious in their original form without resorting to the imitation meat stuff. It’s a bit sketchy that it’s being brought up as a universal “bonus points” element in this whole thing, as studies touting its health benefits leave a lot of room for doubt when paired with all of its studies.
As for my diet, I eat a wide variety of stuff and would be considered an “ideal” omnivore because of my preference for variety. Not a huge fan of chicken (it’s bland and dries out too easily) all the time, but I enjoy poultry in addition to red meat, fish,* shellfish** and pork. I can go days without eating meat if I want, but I generally just follow my own whims. I also love eggs; over easy with toast to dip in the yolk is one of my favorite ways to eat it. I consume a lot of dairy; cheese, yogurt, low fat milk and a wee bit of butter are all regular components of my diet. I consume more olive oil than butter, though.
I like most of the fruits and vegetables that I’ve tried, but they really have to be cooked properly and reasonably fresh. Restaurants rarely give you enough variety or portions of vegetables in a meal. I prefer whole grains, and haven’t found grocery store white bread to be palatable for at least fifteen years; if I’m going to have bread, it’s gotta have some heft and texture to it, and I’d prefer something fresh from a bakery.
I prefer to cook from scratch and use herbs and spices in my cooking. I drink a lot of water, and am slowly becoming a bit of a tea snob; green, white and rooibos teas are my favorites. I avoid processed foods and stuff with really high fat contents because it makes me feel poopy, but I’ll occasionally fall victim to a cup of coffee with sugar and milk or a diet soda. Lately I’ve had a few convenience meals, but I normally can’t stomach a full meal of high fat crap from the fast food places. I can’t even eat the french fries anymore without feeling sick after a few bites.
On your scale, I’m all over the place; part of what brings me down is that I eat meat on a regular basis, but part of it that brings me up is all the other healthy stuff I eat and the balance. When I’m making independent food choices, I do a lot better than when I have to share what I make and eat. However, overall I’m pretty darned healthy. I just need to exercise a wee bit more, which will happen as soon as I’m settled down again.
[sub]*I love fish. Every fish I’ve tried so far. Yes, even salmon and swordfish.
**If it’s an underwater equivalent of a cockroach, I’m bound to like it. Bottom feeders are tasty.[/sub]
I’m between 3 and 4. I recently found out my cholesterol is wiggin’ a bit, so I’m on a low cholesterol diet. We might do fast food once a week. I could probably do more in the fruit dept., but generally, I do ok.
I’m puzzled that soda can be part of an “excellent” diet. Does it have any nutritive merit? Small amounts shouldn’t do much harm, but it’s hard to see how they should be anything but a point deduction.
I’d say 4.5. I eat out maybe once every other week (and always restaurants, never fast food), but personally cook everything else, and never nuke anything (except leftovers). I never use butter or salt in anything I cook.
I always match (and usually exceed) the recommended daily fiber intake, and drink a lot of water (technically, Propel) every day. Maybe half a bottle of soda daily.
The only candy I eat is Weight Watcher chocolates and I don’t eat anything can unless it’s a low-sodium option.
I probably don’t eat enough fruits and vegetables (mostly salads and apples), which accounts for the 1/2-pt. deduction. I eat “good” fats regularly, and most of the meat I buy has lower than average fat content (except for fish).
We cook healthy homemade meals six nights out of most weeks. Fast food maybe 2-3 times a month. In the past couple years we’ve cut way back on soda, and worked a lot on reducing our portion sizes in general. I probably still drink a little more beer than is good for my gut though. 
My wife also has a problem with eating enough fruit, she doesn’t like the taste of it, though we’re both vegetable fiends.
I’ll say 4+; I do eat out a lot, and try to order what appear to be relatively healthy things, but I know most restaurant food is brimming with hidden fats. I also exercise quite a bit, averaging well over an hour a day during the warmer months? So why am I still overweight?! :mad: I have cut down a lot on alcohol recently for this reason, now down to averaging a bit more than a drink a day. I do get extra credit in all four of your categories. My weaknesses are bread, cheese and fried foods rather than sweets; my wife is exactly the opposite, and we have been rather bad influences on each other in that regard!
Getting better since I decided to become a vegetarian. I don’t know if I am one yet (I haven’t taken the pledge), but I haven’t had any meat in 3 or 4 weeks.
I don’t fit any of the classifications.
I drink as much water as I need. I don’t do 5 fruits and vegetables; I try for one of each a day. I don’t eat many meals, usually one, in fact. I’m guaranteed enough fiber because I eat some All-Bran at lunch time. My diet is pasta-heavy, because it’s easy to cook. I get most of my protein from dairy, tofu, and fish (I’m going to be one of those veggies. I’ve generally eaten fast food maybe once or twice a month, usually comparatively healthy stuff like Quiznos or pizza. Since I started going the veggie route, I haven’t had any. I never eat McDonald’s type food.
I am a 5, without a doubt. I cook almost every night. On the rare occasion that I don’t cook, we go to sit-down places and usually my daughter and I split a plate. The only caveat is that I don’t eat much by way of seafood (ICK!) – I get my omega 3 from other sources. I take fiber supplements, I eat my fruits and veggies and haven’t had soda since March of 2005.
I get a few bonus points, I guess…while my diet is not vegetarian/vegan, at least 1-2 nights/week I cook vegetarian dinners, just because I and my kids are not huge meat-eaters in general. Hubby is getting to be more friendly with his veggies, so that’s nice (after 8, almost 9 years!). I drink a minimum of 5 16.9oz bottles of Aquafina per day (that’s 84.5oz for those keeping track) but most days, I average closer to 7 bottles of water. I lurve tofu and edamame, although I actually try to limit it to no more than twice/week due to having a hypothyroid and soy products have been shown (no cite, sorry) to inhibit thyroid function. And I only use EVOO for cooking (even on the rare occasion I make cookies/brownies/baked goods that call for shortening or vegetable oil, I use EVOO) and try to eat nuts (preferably almonds or cashews) at least twice per week – but keep them at my desk at work for easy snacking.
Truth be told, I do sometimes add other “bad” foods into my diet for the extra calories. I am a gastric bypass patient (yeh, healthy diet does not always = thin, as I have always had this diet), but am at a point of needing to maintain my weight, not lose anymore. Again, this is more about an overall balanced diet than foods being inherently good or bad. FWIW, I am horrible about remembering to take my vitamins (I probably only remember them 3/7 nights, and they are just generic flintstones), but my bloodwork always comes out perfect – the mark of a truly balanced diet when one is eating 1000-1500 calories/day.