Low fat dairy is for self-delusional fatties of all sizes.

Accept no substitutes, imitations, or percentages.

Once upon a time, I was very close to a person who claimed that fat-free Fage Greek Yogurt was just as tasty as full-fat Fage. When we'd have friends over, she'd give them a side-by-side taste test to try to convince them that there was no real difference. Friends would politely choose the full fat version, or try to say something politically sensitive like, "Well, they're both yummy in different ways." 

I don't eat a lot of dairy, but when I do, it's full fat. I don't purposefully avoid dairy, except for the reason that it's relatively high-calorie, makes my stomach go funny when I eat it with meat or fish,  and it's been squeezed out by the preponderance of fiber-rich, water-filled vegetables in my diet. Milk shakes, cheeses and souffles, I ain't got time for that.

When dairy meets hamburger in mah belly. The Kosher police, perhaps?

Since the beginning of the attempt to right my health through a combination of physical activity and (mostly) better eating, I've gone by the theory that whole, unprocessed food is better than fractionated, processed food in all classes of foodstuff, including dairy. Ideally, if I'm going to ingest something as strange and unnatural as the mother's milk from a whole other mammal, it would be best from their teat to my mouth. 

Oh Tom Green, your hilarious foibles exposing the ridiculousness of every day life, how we miss you so.

But that's not how it works, for the same reason we don't keep and slaughter our own pigs and cows in our studio apartments. Modern dairy is already pretty damned processed -- after being mechanically milked, the product is cooked a.k.a. pasteurized, which makes it both safe and dead, then it's separated into it's components. The components are then measured back into different batches, to make consistent cream, half and half, "whole" milk, 2%, 1%, fat-free, etc, then shot through a pressurized cannon at high speed against a wall to make all the fat globules stick to the water molecules (homogenization). Supposedly "whole" milk is close to the natural fat content of the original pre-processed product. I've had raw milk before, and it's quite delicious, and quite illegal, but that's for another post.

RIP ODB: he liked it raw.

So it's nice to hear new research that confirms my hypothesis: if you want to be healthier and happier, avoid fat-free dairy all together and just eat a calorie-correct amount of full-fat dairy. NPR has been touting a couple of recent studies that people who eat fat-free dairy are fatter than those who tend to eat full-fat dairy.

It's not clear what might explain this phenomenon. Lots of folks point to the satiety factor. The higher levels of fat in whole milk products may make us feel fuller, faster. And as a result, the thinking goes, we may end up eating less.
Or the explanation could be more complex. "There may be bio-active substances in the milk fat that may be altering our metabolism in a way that helps us utilize the fat and burn it for energy, rather than storing it in our bodies," Miller says.

The science just isn't there yet to say exactly why, but the evidence is mounting to say exactly what.

The entire marketing push behind "fat free" and calorie-reduced food is not for your health or even to help you control your weight. The reasoning behind these hyper-processed foods is to encourage you eat more without fear of gluttony, or at best keep you eating (spending) the same amount while giving yourself a virtuous illusion. To paraphrase Pollan and the new foodists, the real solution to our obesity woahs is to eat real food, and less of it.

There is too much nutritional mystical mumbo jumbo out there -- the fact is the science has yet to be funded and uncovered. We're still in the hang-over phase of the 80s, where fat was declared the enemy and Susan Powter was a thing. (Carbs were the enemy of the '00s and some vegans are trying to make protein happen. Cut it out, vegans!) 

Not gonna happen.

When one macro nutrient is declared the enemy, it opens up a field for the marketers to sell you on another macronutrient (hello, evil sugar-filled fat-free Snackwells!) It serves no one's profits to tell you the truth, because that would set you free from the need for marketing -- just eat less, dummy. And maybe cut out the foods that you find compulsively tempting, like certain laboratory-tested combinations of sugar, salt and fat.

Twice a week, I eat my full fat Fage, and it's rockin'. Some people (mostly female) complain it's too rich, like that's a problem. Easy solution -- eat less of it. This is my recipe for perfect breakfast yogurt, which I eat twice a week:

• Fage Total -- 110g
• Honey -- 5g
• Vanilla extract -- 1 to 2 tsp
• Almonds -- 28g

Mix all together, eat. 285 calories. It's a tiny amount of honey, less than 1/3 of a teaspoon. It doesn't make the yogurt sweet, but it is powerful enough to knock out all the bitter top notes of this rather tart product. It's a small portion, but it's full o' protein & fat and it satisfies until lunch.

Of course, with the Fage taste test of fat free vs full fat, it's a ridiculous notion -- food with fat tastes better than food without fat because we are biologically programmed that way.  It's not a choice, but I guess self-delusion is not a choice, either. But hey, this is a food blog with some personal stuff, not a personal blog with food stuff, so I'll quit it. Fage Total roolz!
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PORN!! Urmagerd! (Safe for work. You trust me, right?)

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WEEKLY AVERAGE: 2690

Something is afoot. Looking at the numbers, yes, I started out on track then as the week went on, the numbers kept on going up. However, due to some things outside the scope of this blog, my eating over the weekend was a lot less....compulsive? Wild? Over the top? Certain emotional components are shifting, suggesting my over-eating was a symptom of a seemingly unrelated issue, not the issue itself. Perhaps this will be the topic of it's own entry, but for now, I'll just take it as it comes.

MONDAY COUNT: 2050

SLEPT: 8:30pm-5am, 8.5 hrs
Presidents day, no work or school. Lifted weights in the early AM, caught a good yoga class with the HVS later in the morning. Despite such an unstructured day, was able to keep my eating tight. After the last few weeks of multiple disruptions, just needed a tight day to feel good about things. Hopefully I can roll this into an entire tight week.

AM SNACK: 5:30 am, iced green tea, 0 cal

BREAKFAST: 7:15am, apple/beet/celery/carrot/cayenne/cucumber/ginger juice, 160 cal

BREAKFAST 2: 10:45am, steel cut oatmeal, 300 cal

AM SNACK: 11:30am, spicy pickle, 10 cal

LUNCH: 12:45pm, sardine & avocado on whole wheat toast, health salad, pickles, 600 cal

PM SNACK: 2pm, momma salad, 100 cal

PM SNACK: 4:30pm, cashews, 170 cal

DINNER: 6:30pm, 2 pieces tilapia, asparagus , poppa salad with homemade Italian dressing,  590 cal

EVENING SNACK: 6:45pm, pizza crackers from graze box, water, 120 cal

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TUESDAY COUNT: 1930

SLEPT: 8:15pm-6am, 9.75 hrs
Good friend E came over with wine and shared dinner with me, then helped with the evening routine. Despite later night hunger, it helped me not indulge in any food. Second day of keeping' it clean!

AM SNACK: 6:30 am, iced green tea, 0 cal

BREAKFAST: 7:30am, apple/beet/celery/carrot/cayenne/cucumber/ginger juice, 160 cal

BREAKFAST 2: 10am, Fage whole yogurt with honey, almonds and vanilla, 285 cal

LUNCH: 1pm, chicken meatballs, steamed string beans, madras lentils, pickles, 680 cal

PM SNACK: 3 pm, momma salad, with baguette crackers and BBQ relish from graze box, 185 cal

PM SNACK: 4:30pm, poppa salad with homemade Italian, 150 cal

DINNER: 6:30pm, chicken breast, roasted brussel sprouts, kimchi, half glass of wine, 470 cal
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WEDNESDAY COUNT: 2435

SLEPT: 10:30pm-6am, 7.5 hrs
Though I busted the budget, I did not lose control or eat compulsively. Though I intended to stop after dinner, I still felt honestly hungry, recognized it as such, and had a snack that did not set me off. -pats self on back-

AM SNACK: 6:15am, iced green tea, 0 cal

BREAKFAST: 7am, apple/beet/celery/carrot/cayenne/cucumber/ginger juice, 160 cal

BREAKFAST 2: 10:30am, steel cut oatmeal, 300 cal

LUNCH: 1pm, chicken sausage, brussel sprouts, sofrito black beans, pickles, 600 cal

PM SNACK: 3 pm, momma salad, cinnamon pretzels  from graze box, 235 cal

PM SNACK: 5pm, poppa salad with homemade Italian dressing, 150 cal

PM SNACK: 6pm, cashews, 320 cal

DINNER: 8:15pm, shirataki stir fry with shrimp, shitaki mushrooms and oyster sauce, 360 cal 

EVENING SNACK: 8:45pm, cheetos, 300 cal
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THURSDAY COUNT: 3590

SLEPT: 10:30pm-4:30am, 6 hrs
Woke up earlier than expected, took the time to concentrate on weight lifting and cleaning up the house. Woke up unusually hungry, too, guess the cheetos last night didn't do much damage. Unfortunately in the evening, I fell off. Got home late, felt good but it was a combination of real hunger, tiredness, emotional turmoil and…that secret sauce of compulsion. Ugg. Not gonna beat myself up, tomorrow is a fresh start.

AM SNACK: 4:45am, iced green tea, 0 cal

BREAKFAST: 7am, apple/beet/celery/carrot/cayenne/cucumber/ginger juice, 160 cal

BREAKFAST 2: 10:30am, Fage Total with honey, vanilla, almonds, 285 cal

LUNCH: 1pm, chicken breast, quinoa, health salad, pickle, 710 cal

PM SNACK: 3 pm, momma salad, herby crackers  from graze box, 190 cal

PM SNACK: 4:15pm, poppa salad with homemade Italian dressing, 150 cal

PM SNACK: 5:30pm, cashews, 160 cal

DINNER: 7:30pm, Subway 6" veggie burger sub, diet coke, 435

EVENING GORGE: 9:30pm, 2 bowls of cheetos, 2 portions of ziti, a few spoonfuls of almond butter & chocolate syrup, +/- 1500 cal
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FRIDAY COUNT: 3445

SLEPT: 12am-6am
As expected, my stomach was a bit off this morning but I made myself do the juice. Swapped out an early fruit smoothie for a lighter yogurt breakfast later.

AM SNACK: 6:15am, iced green tea, 0 cal

BREAKFAST: 8:15 am, apple/beet/celery/carrot/cayenne/cucumber/ginger juice, 160 cal

BREAKFAST 2: 10:30am, Fage Total with honey, vanilla, almonds, 285 cal

LUNCH: 12:45pm, almond butter & grape jelly on whole wheat, health salad, pickle, 600 cal

PM SNACK: 3 pm, momma salad, smokey gazpacho dip & crackers  from graze box, half a roasted vegetable sandwich, +/-350 cal
Lots of food and sweets floating around the office, including bowls of chocolates in the sinks on the bathroom, grrrrr.

DINNER: 5:30pm, Quarter pounder, fries, diet coke, 1 nugget, some of Edie's fries, an ice cream cone, a cookie, +/- 900 cal

SNICKLE SNACK: 7:15pm, some popcorn, +/- 300 cal

EVENING SNACK: 10pm, 2 small cups of ice cream, cheetos, +/- 850 cal
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WEEKEND REPORT
Nice "warm" weather weekend buried in an otherwise unremitting harsh NYC winter. Got to get on the road bike twice, especially sweet as I just took it home from the shop on Friday, where it had it's once-every-2-years overhaul to make it run like new. Too bad just got a whole set of new salty gunky all up in it.

SATURDAY
SLEPT: 11pm-4am, 5 hrs
BIKE CREDIT: 600 cal

AM SNACK: 4:15am, iced green tea & 100mg caffeine

BIKE SNACK: 6:15am, homemade granola bar

BREAKFAST: 9:45am, sausage mcmuffin, hash brown, water

AM SNACK: 10:15am, chocolate cookies, tea
With Edie at a cute pastry shop

BRUNCH: 12:30pm, french toast, water

PM SNACK: 3:30pm donuts

DINNER: 6pm, box of frozen White Castle burgers

SUNDAY
SLEPT: 9pm-6:30am, 9.5 hrs
BIKE CREDIT: 965 cal

AM SNACK: 7am, iced green tea

BREAKFAST: 8am, pancake, corn muffin, potatoes, bacon, diet coke
Shared with the kids, not particularly heavy

BIKE SNACK: 12:30pm, chocolate bar, 100mg caffeine

BIKE SNACK: 2pm, homemade granola bar

BIKE SNACK: 4:15pm, homemade granola bar

DINNER: 6pm, shrimp burrito, guac & pico with chips, water

EVENING SNACK: 8pm, almond butter & chocolate syrup
Not a huge amount. Found myself honestly hungry and looking for something sweet. Glad I didn't have the Costco 10 lb bag of M&Ms anymore, or I certainly would have gorged. This was a few tablespoons, not a few bowls...