Eating Green in the Blue Zone of Costa Rica.
There are no two ways about it. Good health always comes down to
nutrition. A popular saying heard in the halls of fitness is “You
can’t out-exercise bad nutrition.”
The challenge with nutrition is the
number of sources for advice are beyond ridiculous and its tough
trying boil all that data down to a single plan. For this reason I
like to stick to the basics: calorie management and quality food
choices.
Today I want to drill down some best practices for better eating which
you can start as soon as you get over to el Mercado Mayor. We will
cover ways in which you can feel full without cramming in a bunch of
calories, how you can maintain a better sense of satiety throughout
the day, and little tricks you can do to help along the way…
But before we do those things, let’s talk a little about the value of food.
Generally speaking, an improved nutritional profile has ramifications
beyond just losing weight, for food does many things. In it’s most
basic form food nourishes our bodies, provides for them the things we
need to survive and grow. Maslow put food on the same level with
oxygen, but in my humble experience, treating food like air does not
work in the long run. We know intuitively that food is something at
least a step above breathing, otherwise we would be content to live on
rice and beans.
There is also a beautiful thing that happens when people come together
to dine, practiced in most religious circles, which cannot be matched
by the simple act of breathing air. Food is used to improve health and
food can mend fences. There is no doubt food has a broad value for
humanity.
A simple rule for healthy living: eat greens. Make a conscious choice
to eat at least one meal that is predominantly greens. Costa Rica has
such an abundance of high quality, low cost produce, it would be
criminal not to take advantage of it. Take broccoli for example. The
nutritional value of a plate of broccoli is brimming with vitamins
and minerals. The net caloric impact of broccoli is close to zero, for
much what makes up broccoli or any of broccoli’s green friends, is
predominantly water and fiber. “Friends” in this case would include
lettuce, peppers, cucumbers, zucchini, peas and herbs, to name a few.
Beware the noble impostor: the avocado.
As an important point to stop and take note, let’s talk avocado. These
can be found at any Costa Rican market, are a common ingredient in
restaurant dishes and local cuisine, and are power packed with
good-for-you stuff; a formidable contributor to improved health. That
said, I put this fruit more in the fat category than the produce
category. True, avocado is a “good fat” but there are nine calories
per gram of fat, against four calories for carbohydrates and proteins.
Avocados are high-octane fuel for your body, great for cell wall
development, soft skin, and lowering of the bad cholesterol, but often
over presented when used. One to three slivers is usually enough for
one day. If your salad comes with it, I would have it on the side and
eat only half of what the chef serves you.
In summary, the green and leafy veggies will fill you up and keep you
feeling full for hours. Add in a lean protein and the effect will be
stronger. That said, I find after a large salad I do get hungry in
about 2-3 hours. This is not a bad thing as I try to eat a small meal
every 2-3 hours… right on time. Green meals will give your body a
lot of what it needs to make your life long and healthy, but don’t
stop there. Get creative by cutting in mango, peppers, carrots or that
piece of strange-looking fruit you keep passing at the market.
A side note: greens fill us up, partially because of the fiber
content. Fiber expands big time in the intestines and can create,
ahem… “air.” This air can be as low impact as embarrassing
flatulence, or as high impact as cramping. Tread lightly if greens
have not been a substantial part of your intake thus far. That said,
there is always an adjustment period, which passes, and any period of
abstinence will be followed by a period of re-acclimation. In plain
English, ease into greens and don’t stop the habit once it’s built.
Let’s talk satiety. Satiety is the feeling fullness I alluded to a
moment ago. Most nutritionists will attribute this to our fat intake,
from a chemical standpoint. Dietary fat causes a reaction in the body
which results in your brain getting signals that you have eaten, which
calms the hunger sensation. This is all fine and good, but most expats
have a very Western perception of being full. I call it “stuffing
ourselves silly in five seconds flat.” Truthfully, this is the first
time I’ve ever put those words together in that order. We eat such
large quantities of food in such a short periods of time that over a
lifetime we train ourselves fullness is created via gut-busting food
consumption. I am a fast eater, one of the fastest I know. I have to
control what goes on the plate because I will plow through it before
my brains knows what hit me.
I mentioned portion control. A simple trick: Don’t ever get out the
big plates or bowls unless you are entertaining guests. That might be
socially awkward “Hi I’m watching my portions and now you are too.”
When you feed yourself, keep the portions low by using small bowls,
small plates, and avoiding second helpings. Let the food sit for 30
minutes before going for seconds, giving the brain time to catch up.
This usually works. A nice big glass of water to wash it down can help
too.
If at the end of things, after 30 minutes and nice glass of water you
are still going for seconds, it may be your fat intake. Fat-free can
translate into satiety-free. The brain never gets the email from the
stomach, a.k.a, bad communication. This is one of those “a little goes
a long ways” situations. Remember the avocado solution? Other fat
sources to be aware of include butter, oil, margarines, and lard.
These things should be used to keep food from sticking to cookware,
not as a bath for cooking food in. When eating out know that chefs
will put massive amounts of fat into their food. It makes food taste
good and look pretty. I once worked in an Italian restaurant. The
pasta dishes were served on huge plates and the cooks would prepare
each dish with a half to full stick of butter! This is common,
although there are exceptions, of course.
I have personally not found any difference when adjusting my fat
intake. I know others who have found the same, and still others who
are very sensitive to fat intake for satiety. Pay attention to how
your body responds.
Other tricks include: whole family involvement, scheduling and
avoiding eating out. My wife and I have a constant dialogue going
about what we eat. We both know the game and both undermine each other
from time to time. It happens. Getting back on the horse is sometimes
a daily event for us.
Plan what and when to avoid making spontaneous choices. They will
generally not be good choices if made in the heat of hunger. I know
fitness professionals who not only plan, but prepare their food for
the week on Sundays. This is an extreme but successful way to manage
food intake.
Last, eating out makes living healthy almost certainly impossible. Eat
out, but try to plan for it and don’t make it a habit. Costa Rica has
some great places to dine and share time with family and friends. Food
isn’t oxygen.
Written by VIP Member Damon Mitchell who spent over 10 years in the fitness industry before he moved to Costa Rica in search of a better work/life balance. Currently he lives in Tamarindo, Costa Rica with his wife Cristina and their dog Kai.
Daily, Damon runs on the beach in Playa Azul and keeps fit by doing calisthenics, using a TRX suspension trainer, stability ball and just about anything he can to create new and fun exercises.
You can email Damon here if there is anything specific about staying fit and healthy in Costa Rica you would like him to cover in his next article.
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Eating Green in the Blue Zone of Costa Rica.
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Andrew Makarik
to@welovecostarica.comAndrew Makarik is the main editor of WeLoveCostaRica, a fan of this sunny country. He is also a loving husband and a has a lovely daughter. By being a devoted family man and the biggest Costa Rica fan, he wants to make more people feel at home there. WeLoveCostaRica unites people and helps them find new home or a new travel destination. This website is a friendly community where everyone can find not only information, but also new friends and travel pals. Andrew is also passionate about IT and programming, so he himself maintains a friendly atmosphere in this cozy environment of WeLoveCostaRica.com.
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