Week 12: Shop the Peripheries of the Supermarket

I became introduced to this method of shopping when jumping on the Zone bandwagon back in 2000. Think about your supermarket, which looks more or less like this. Walk in and immediately head to the left, strolling through produce. Toward the back corner are luncheon meats and sometimes a bakery (I detest grocery store bakery items), and along the back wall are gourmet cheeses, eggs, dairy and sometimes non-dried pastas and Italian sauces in plastic containers.  Along the other wall, maybe as you turn the back corner, is seafood and the butcher department. Typically (thankfully) booze is located along the shelving facing the walls so you needn't worry about having to veer from your path for your red, red wine, make me feel so fine.

While there is plenty of room for misguidance by staying along the periphery, (processed cheeses, meats with nitrates, non-dairy creamer, Lunchables, and so on) you also stay away from anything in a big box, brightly colored packaging (Kraft cheese-like products not included), and overly processed carbs.  I managed to lose a fair amount of honeymoon weight by shopping this way for six months or so and playing loads of tennis.

By following Pollan's rules thus far I have definitely managed to eat a lot healthier in the last 4.5 months or so. I am eating way more veggies than I used to, lots of fruit and almost no processed carbs with the sole exception being pasta once a week or so.  I have not, however, managed to lose any food blogger weight despite a very regular exercise program. I think my (un?)healthy booze consumption is a key protagonist in this issue.  Booze and I may be taking an intermission for a few weeks as all this running, spinning and kettlebelling, while making me firm and increasing my cardio capacity, isn't making a dent in the outer layer of foodie fat.