Michael De Medeiros - Green Foods for Men

MICHAEL DE MEDEIROS

JENNY WESTERKAMP, R.D., L.D.

2015 Fair Winds Press

First published in the USA in 2015 by

Fair Winds Press, a member of

Quarto Publishing Group USA Inc.

100 Cummings Center

Suite 406-L

Beverly, MA 01915-6101

www.fairwindspress.com

Visit www.QuarrySPOON.com and help us celebrate food and culture one spoonful at a time!

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or utilized, in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without prior permission in writing from the publisher.

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Digital edition published in 2015

Digital edition: 978-1-62788-176-0
Softcover edition: 978-1-59233-632-6

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data available

Cover and book design by The Lincoln Avenue Workshop

Photography by Robert Reiff

Food styling by Sandra Cordero

The information in this book is for educational purposes only. It is not intended to replace the advice of a physician or medical practitioner. Please see your health care provider before beginning any new health program.

For my father. This book has a few of the countless lessons he taught me.
And for my brothers. MDM

For my dad and five brothers, the toughestand most rewardingclients I will ever have. JW

Few things unite men more than their universal aversion to green foods. From caveman through the ages to todays more refined gent, men have always craved meat, avoided greens, and have been very proud of it. And while man has made millions of advances since his first days on this planet, appreciating the benefits of eating green foods is not one of them. History has recorded it, attitudes explain it, and science proves it.

How eating green foodsvegetables, herbs, plants, fruits, and the likebecame unmanly is truly a question that one must consult history to understand. Men through all eras have eaten greens, but the fact that theyve done it begrudgingly is just as certain. The first guy who pulled a root out of the ground and actually took a bite out of it was likely ridiculed by all of his friends. Today, youd be hard pressed to find many men at a sports bar ordering a side of celery stalks to gnosh on. Todays staunchest opponents of green food diets for men would dismiss the idea as girly. Perhaps theyre channelling cavemen hunters, their fathers love for deep-fried treats, or their own self-bred aversion. But its not an act and its not just peer pressure. The group mentality has definitely helped keep greens away from mens plates, but its not the only catalyst. Men arent simply busting each others chops about eating vegetables in public only to secretly delight in them in the privacy of their own home. Left alone, those dinner plates may be healthy or unhealthythat depends on each individualbut theyre more often than not partnered with a side of greens.

The truth is men do eat their greensbut theyre not doing it with any regularity, frequency, or volume. And the reason could simply be their eating habits. In our experience, there are five general types of eaters in the male gender.

THE TANK FILLER: This guy is serious about his nutrition. He eats to fuel his gains in the gym. Food is his catalyst for building muscle. He has at least one protein shake every day. He uses supplements to cover the deficiencies of his diet and counts the grams of each meal. While he does eat some greens, he isnt eating enoughbut hes sure hes getting everything he really needs to build the body he wants.

THE OVER FILLER: Simply put, this guy eats too much. Hes not particularly active, eats without any plan, and steadily gains weight throughout his life. He snacks, he eats big meals late in the evening, and he loves salty, sugary, and fried foods. The only greens hes seeing in his diet are usually drowned in cream or cheese or deep fried. He eats what he wants and doesnt consider himself too unhealthy and would probably call you Nancy if you ordered a salad for dinner.

THE UNDER FILLER: Most people think that men arent capable of obsessing over their diet and assume only women starve themselves. The truth is there are men who are under eating but they arent doing it for weight loss. Instead, these are men who either ignore hunger or satisfy it with minimal nourishment and heavy stimulation. Breakfast is a coffee. Mid morning is a coffee. Lunch is barely touched. Dinner is high calorie and unfinished. To this guy, food isnt important, and hes probably just too busy to care that he hardly eats any green foods save for the slice of lettuce on his burger.

THE GUZZLER: Did you know there are 340 calories in a large Caramel Macchiato from Starbucks? This guy doesnt. And, he doesnt care. The guzzler partakes in high calorie drinks such as specialty coffees and sugar-packed sodas and favors beer over wine any dayand partakes almost every day. He eats two or three meals a day but they arent elaborate or particularly high in fat or calories. Greens arent on his radar or menu. Hes not actively avoiding them, but he wont seek them out either.

THE FAST FILLER: This guy eats outa lot. And what he does eat out is usually ordered through a microphone and served up in a brown paper bag. Fast food fills out his menu on a very regular basis. If McDonalds has a specialty burger this month, he probably knows about it on the first, and his review is usually favorable. Hes probably young and definitely not interested in the nuances of proper nutrition. He eats what he likes, and he doesnt like green foods because he thinks they cost too much, they are too much of a hassle, and he doesnt like the taste.

Weve seen these five guys mostly in our years of working with mens fitness, health, and nutrition because these are the guys that need our help. This is not to say that there arent any vegetarian men, vegans, guys who follow a very regimented and proper diet, or dudes who simply love green foods. They do exist. But science has proven that they are a limited species.

What better proof is there that men dont eat their greens than the fact that scientists have been trying to study the reasons for years? Researchers across the globe have labored over this issue and what theyve found is not good. One study conducted in Ohio found that men truly believe that they arent capable of following a healthy diet. They also found that men dont believe eating a proper diet is all that important to maintaining their health. Another study out of Britain found that men eat fewer vegetables than their infant children. In each case they feel that they have less control over their diet than the women of the house. Further investigation in the study showed that many spouses of the men polled had been trying to remedy the issue by hiding healthier foods in their husbands diet. Another study furthered this research and offered the conclusion that men simply dont feel eating a healthy diet composed of green foods, lean proteins, vital nutrients, and vitamins is part of their culture.

The conclusions are all the same. Science, attitudes, and history all agree that men arent eating their greens. They dont want to change their behavior and have little to no desire to hear why they should.