We hate food: Why we’re fat | Kristin Shaffer | TEDxUIdaho

In response to the obesity epidemic Kristin Shaffer asks us to rethink the reasons we’re fat, how our perceptions of "real" food contributes to this epidemic, and then takes us on a journey of exploration of the dark side of being fit in America.

As a corporate executive, a mom, an entrepreneur, a teacher, and a fitness model, Kristin Shaffer has a particular interest in helping women easily achieve the body and life of their dreams. Today she helps women all over the world to do so through her simplistic and practical approach.

[gregarmstrong]

The amount of hatred kicking around on this thread is pretty astonishing. What this women is saying is "Be aware of what you're actually eating. Not just what it tastes like." and "Our understanding of the science behind obesity has changed in the last 40 years and many people are still living by out of date ideas". I'm not sure how either of these concepts are so offensive. Either way, there are a few points that need to be made clear.

1. Fat is not, in itself, unhealthy. Your body needs fat to function. The reason that fat is demonised is that is has a comparatively high number of calories per gram compared to protein and carbohydrate and many of the fats that we consume today are so highly processed that they've had a lot of the nutrients stripped out of them. Furthermore, people really need to bring their cholesterol knowledge up to date. Again, cholesterol plays a very important role in your body and the cholesterol that eggs provide is not detrimental to your health. This has been proven time and time again in recent years. This is a perfect example of our understanding improving over the last 40 years, but people being stuck in the past.

2. Furthermore, and I'm stunned I actually have to say this, but the eggs you buy in a shop eggs are NOT baby chicks. Not any more than your monthly period is a baby human. You want proof? Buy a box of eggs, take them home and keep them somewhere warm for the next year and see how many hatch.

3. Let's be clear, this woman is a physique athlete. She trains a lot, lifts a lot of weights and thus requires more protein than the average person. I don't think she's recommending that everyone has to go and eat several dozen egg whites every week just to stay healthy. It's simply a good bio-available for of protein for her to help her get into the shape required by her chosen sport.

4. There seems to be a lot of hate coming from vegans in this thread as well. Yes, veganism can be a perfectly healthy way to live your life. So can omnivorism. Both are personal choices and, if acted upon sensibly, both are fine. There's no need to be bashing someone because they don't share your beliefs on what foods are healthy or not.

[kamiliadabbache]

Does anyone of you guys know where did Kristin Shaffer dissapear? I used to follow her diet and it was a successful year for me ( 2015/2016)
Now I wanted to get back to that shape but at my surprise I didn't find any of her content!!!
I was really disappointed.. She is so good!

[DianePetrella]

This was great, Kristin! I find it sad to see all the supposed "foods" in grocery stores that people are buying. I'm with you. I like my grocery cart filled with healthy, wholesome—and real—food.

[gerrylk]

She's absolutely right. Look at the videos of the fifthys through eightys, only a few fat people. We ate real food from the ground when I was young. We need to go back to that.
She is living proof that she is on to something

[melovescoffee]

I got really tired of everything contradicting everything. You can not rely on the food industry doing the right thing if their paycheck depends on your satisfaction. I started eating non-processed, homecooked. Not too much of any one thing. Nicely balanced. Want to see variety? Get one of those 50's style homecooking bibles every mom used to own. I just got my hands on the very one my mom used to have. I can't put it down! Wow, it's all in there! All the traditional Dutch dishes.

I think the real problem lies in that we didn't used to eat 7864356 times a day. There was breakfast, lunch, dinner and a whole lot of outside work. If we wanted something sweet, we got sent to the plum tree, bramble bush or red currant to pick something. There was no such thing as snacking or daily candy in my grandma's house. We were hungry like a horse when we ate. My parents were already much further removed from that. Thankfully, my parents held on to the homecooking but with the help of many pre-made things like sauces and packets. It could have been worse. I went back to what i know is good. It's scary to see what can happen in 1 generation. Homecooking is an important skill. Learn it.

I consciously refuse to be the marionet of the food industry. My health is not for sale.

[EmmeStAnne]

This was an eye opening talk and you have convinced me that the reason for the obesity epidemic in America comes from perceptions of "real" food. "Real" food varies from person to person and I LOVE how you pointed out that it is also depends on generation. Those three ingredients wheat, soy, corn and rice are incorporated in almost every processed food in this country and don't get me started with salt, sugar and preservatives in these foods. Thank you so much.

[neokali]

I start out with good intentions to eat well. I'll mostly cook and focus on whole foods. Then, work and crises get in the way. I start to worry, stress out and procrastinate, then sleep poorly. The next few days I start eating worse, grabbing starchy and sugary foods. Soon enough, the weight I had lost starts creeping back. Repeat, rinse, repeat. I'm convinced that rich people who are either supported by others or who don't have to worry about finances as much have it better. They can eliminate the financial aspect and do a better job about focusing on health.

[williamallman]

I totally agree with you Kristin, as I came to the same conclusions quite a few years ago. Most Americans think about food in terms of taste, rather than true variety and nutritional value. You can make healthy foods taste good, but you can't make processed foods healthy. :-)

[writingme]

+Kristin Shaffer You're an absolute class act, Kristen Shaffer. All of these people who seem to hold such extreme, unbalanced views on nutrition, seem to want to provoke you and have no problem being disrespectful and antagonizing. And you handle it with grace and humility, even going so far as to thank them for their (rude) thoughts. Well done! Great talk, enlightening, and the obvious pleasure you take in helping and educating others is very inspiring to see. Keep up the good work! You clearly practice what you preach, and I'm so impressed by you donating those egg whites to the bear rehabilitation facility - your heart is in the right place many times over. :)

[searchforserenity]

Congratulations Kristin on being invited to do a TED talk!  Very enlightening subject matter.

[BonnieHalfElven]

I have a friend who's type2 diabetic and has MS. She is using recipes that are supposed to lower her glycemic index but says they taste terrible.

I do think the body needs to be retrained to like healthy foods in a gradual way.  I suggested some recipes that I like, but her meals are very carb heavy. :(

I've been trying to eat cleaner for several years now. I have a massive sweet tooth, though, and I'm trying to address that now.

Some foods like Jello taste very chemical-like to me these days.

[jeupshaw]

We were leaner in the 60's and 70's because our mothers cooked every meal, no fast food, and we played outside, no sitting at home on electronics like kids do today.

[kikicapri]

I'm signing up for FAB university today!!!

[mrchipig]

I joined her group and used to follow her meal prep videos but can't find them now😢

[lauramarlow]

Fat is a processed food as well. Most people don't know what "low fat" consists of. I don't add any fat to my food unless it's in the whole form, such as nuts and seeds. I eat fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, whole grains (excluding wheat due to an allergy), and some beans and lentils. I am perfectly healthy.

[SR-ocfc]

Frankenfood is one of the worst and best things that ever happened to our species. We'd survive a nuclear fallout in a bunker for a year with canned and boxed food, but we might not see 70 years of age if we eat it every day. The problem why people think real food is boring is because we no longer know how to cook (or don't have the time) and prepare food in this country. It's the first thing you have to do when switching your diet: you have to prepare your food! It's why most of us fail, too. I know that personally I have to spend several hours on a Sunday to purchase, cook, and prepare numerous meals for the week or I'll be in trouble. There are some shortcuts, but not many.

I lost over 100 pounds when I was 28 by eating frankenfood and I kept it off for a few years after that by continuing to eat frankenfood, but who knows what damage I did by eating Lean Cuisines. Now that I'm older and wiser, it takes more effort to be healthy.

[kjc]

the title is kind of misleading, no where did she talk about hating food. But it was a good video, it made a lot of sense and she is totally right. I just was waiting for the reasons behind we hate food and they never came.

[c_farther]

My siblings and parents were all physically fit; we started the day with donuts and coffee. We had light lunches and meat and veges and salad for dinner. We were all trim and no one was sick. Look back at the 70s movies, very few people were overweight in this country. Twenty pounds overweight meant you could be overlooked for promotion or even a job. Look at today.

[donjagoe]

Perfect. You have hit on the essence of our collective everyday nutrition problem. Layer on factory farming, glyphosate and GMOs and the rest will be history.

[anthrograd]

Oh and go UI! I'm an alumni. So sad what has happened recently. 😢