The Oldest Diet Plan
Eat like your ancestors, author of Waistland advises
It takes willpower to change habits.
People like to say that willpower is either a myth—it doesn't exist—or that dieting has nothing to do with willpower. All willpower means is resolutely following through on decisions without getting derailed by short-term temptations. It's very straightforward. Willpower gets bad press as a diet technique, perhaps because lots of people have so little of it. But it's a trainable skill.
Why do you also offer up public policy prescriptions, such as banning trans fats or taxing unhealthy foods?
As a society, we've got to change the current food and nonexercise environment to get the population as a whole back to fitness. So I advocate things ranging from outlawing certain things—like advertising junk food to kids—to changing financial incentives so that, say, agricultural subsidies are shifted to healthier foods.
So, what should I eat?
We should try to eat as much like our ancestors as possible. All the standard diets are essentially converging. In the last Atkins book, he talks about eating fish, not a ton of saturated fat. And [low-fat guru] Dean Ornish says you should be eating whole-grain carbohydrates, not simple carbs like white bread. Basically, it's fish and lean meats, lots of fruit and veggies, and lots of fiber. And exercise is essential.
Can we change our ways?
The outlook is quite good for a motivated individual. In terms of larger society, I'm optimistic in the long run and pessimistic in the short run. At some point, it will be clear that our habits are killing us, and that will finally lead to radical change. I'd just like to see that happen sooner rather than later. We waited so long on smoking.
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