Archive for September, 2005

Mediterranean Diet?

Published by Biffster on September 22, 2005 under Diet

I’m not one to fall for the diet fad du jour. I managed to avoid the whole ultra-low-carb Atkins craze completely. I knew that I couldn’t do without carbs, and that to even try was just being silly. But on the other hand, I also haven’t been losing much weight. I guess that puts me and Atkins-dropouts at the same place.

However, there is a new fad that interests me: the so-called Mediterranean diet.

The important aspects of the Mediterranean diet are high intakes of cereals, grains, vegetables, dried beans, olive oil, garlic, fresh herbs, seafood, and fruit. Wine is taken with food in moderation. Meat and poultry are also eaten in moderation, with poultry more frequently served than red meat. Animal fats in the form of butter, cream and lard are not included in the diet.

For the most part, I am practically eating this type of diet already. Minus the olive oil, seafood and wine. Turns out that there might be some major benefits to this diet, the biggest of which is a suggestion that “a Mediterranean-style Step I diet may help reduce recurrent events in patients with heart disease.” As one who is very concerned about heart disease and heart attacks, this is barking right up my alley!

Supersized seating triggers “booth wars”

Published by Biffster on September 20, 2005 under Miscellany

Interesting article over at CalorieLab Calorie Counter News regarding the size of booths in restaurants:

Scott Padgitt of Petersen Furniture, Inc. in Park Ridge, Illinois, explains that the standard “body space” between table edge and booth back has traditionally been around 16 to 18 inches. His company is now offering expanded frames, which afford an extra 1-1/2 to 3 inches per side. These supersized “cluster units” are especially popular in employee lunchroom facilities and truck stops, Padgitt notes. But an article in the Detroit News reports that a recently remodeled family restaurant installed an even bigger booth with a whopping 23- to 24-inch space from backrest to table to accommodate its obese patrons.

I’m a big man, and fitting into normal-sized booths is often impossible. I don’t expect restaurants to change because of my lack of willpower, however. I can sit at a table, after all. But my favorite solution to the booth problem is having a booth with a movable table. I can slide it towards my slimmer eating partner (who is normally my wife Erin) and give myself enough space to fit comfortably, and this doesn’t impact smaller patrons.

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