Trio of interesting NYT's articles on diet, fitness and health

[indysteel]

This past Sunday's New York Time's Magazine had a very interesting set of articles which I've linked to below:

What is the single best exercise:

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/17/magazine/mag-17exercise-t.html?ref=magazine

Is Sugar Toxic:

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/17/magazine/mag-17Sugar-t.html?ref=magazine

Is Sitting a Lethal Activity:

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/17/magazine/mag-17sitting-t.html?ref=magazine

P.S. I would be most appreciative if somebody could tell me how I could make the title of the story itself a link to the story. I see others doing that in their threads, and I can't figure out how to do it. Thanks!

[Pax]

Indy - After you type in the title, you just highlight it and click the little icon above the text box that looks like a little planet earth. Paste in the link there.

[indysteel]

Thanks, Pax. I never would have figured that out.

[Pax]

BTW - cool articles.

[indysteel]

The one about sugar scares me. I have a bad sweet tooth, so while all my vitals--blood glucose, weight, BP, cholesterol, liver function, etc.--are normal, I wonder if my love of ice cream, cookies and candy will still kill me. Certainly, the article suggests that the more you can limit your sugar intake, the better. Something to think about.....

[Pax]

I'm lucky that my sweet tooth seems to have gone away since menopause. I can eat one cookie and be done now.

[Chile Pepper]

Fascinating article on sugar. I love baking for my family, and the article has certainly given me a lot to think about in terms of how much is too much. Even fruit juices are suspect. (I don't drink them myself, but I always have them around for my boys since I don't buy soft drinks.) But I think I'll wait until after Easter to give this any serious thought.

[Biciclista]

i have the sweet tooth problem combined with a sweet toothed husband who rides SO much that he's constantly hungry. So he buys all this candy!
the good news is just this week the dentist told him to stop it. so maybe I can be in my home without the constant challenge of dishes of candy everywhere.

[Pax]

We started buying these in either 45% or 70% dark chocolate and we'll have one after dinner. The dark chocolate soothes the dessert urge and it's less than 4g of sugar (the magic number to stay under to avoid glycemic spikes).

http://di102.shoppingshadow.com/images/di/6a/2d/49/7738786a31763251685f31504c455663726867-149x149-0-0.jpg

[Biciclista]

heh, I eat plenty of dark chocolate. And I made shortbread the other day after discovering how little sugar is in them. (1 cup for 4.5 cups of flour)

[emily_in_nc]

heh, I eat plenty of dark chocolate. And I made shortbread the other day after discovering how little sugar is in them. (1 cup for 4.5 cups of flour)

White flour might as well be sugar - it's pure simple carbohydrate and converts to "sugar" in your body.

Sorry! It's a shame...I'm a sugar-a-holic too.

[PamNY]

White flour might as well be sugar - it's pure simple carbohydrate and converts to "sugar" in your body.

That's what I'd always thought, but the sugar article says no.

I don't know what to believe. I've always felt it silly to demonize a particular food, and "calories in vs. calories out" seems to work for me. Apparently there's more to it.

Besides, I like any logic that makes shortbread a good thing.

[indysteel]

Pam, the article tries to counter the conventional wisdom that the only thing insidious about sugar is that can make you fat. The studies highlighted in the article suggest that sugar is much more harmful than that and that it is indeed more complicated than calories in/calories out.

[SadieKate]

What is the single best exercise:

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/17/magazine/mag-17exercise-t.html?ref=magazineSo aggravating! Best exercise for what? What are her criteria?

For me, the best exercise is the one that makes me smile and feel strong physically and mentally. At the end, have I thought about work, bills, chores, family problems, etc., etc., etc.? No? Then that was the best exercise because I'll keep repeating it, at least until the seasons change. Mountain biking in 4 ft of snow is a bit hard, and pisses off the skiers.

Off now to read the one about sitting . . .

[indysteel]

I didn't read the article as actually reaching any conclusion as to what is the single best exercise. Rather, several other points stuck out for me: (1) the "best" exercise is one that you enjoy and stick with; (2) that you don't have to engage in that activity for hours on end to get the primary health benefit from it; and (3) that interval training appears to be particularly beneficial. I also like the emphasis on walking as a good exercise. For people who can't do or afford more than that, I think that's important. Certainly, a good portion of the population can't afford many of the toys that most of us on TE have.

[SadieKate]

I guess the criteria of "single" is just odd to me. And her questions and examples were so, um, singularly urban.

[indysteel]

I guess the criteria of "single" is just odd to me. And her questions and examples were so, um, singularly urban.

It is the New York Times. I assume it was written for a largely urban audience. I also read the title and premise less literally.

[Melalvai]

I quit eating sugar a year ago. I don't eat refined sugar, HFCS, or any corn syrup. The first week is the worst for the cravings. When I do have a moment of weakness, the real reasons I quit eating it come back: it makes me feel bad. When I eat sugar, I have an afternoon slump (no matter what time of day I had the sugar). Traveling (ie airports) exhausts me. When I don't eat sugar, none of that happens.

That article makes a lot of sense in light of my experience with sugar.

I'm also trying to reduce my overall GI, so I do limit refined flour, white potatoes, and white rice.