Maybe it's really is time to take the holistic approach to my diet and health and practice what I preach in full. For years my work, campaigning and social life has been focussed on great food which has been sourced properly with utmost care for the environment. For anyone who knows me, just maybe I've sample a little too much of that great food!
When looking to see who is out there to help set measurable targets for a healthy diet for people and the planet the resources seem somewhat limited. One thing is for sure there's more than one expert happy to talk about healthy eating, consuming less fat, less carbohydrates and no this or that (usually the stuff I like). Unfortunately more often than not they're sending us in the direction of absolute culinary boredom. Then to make it worse no one is really linking this purgatory to the environment in any way measurable: why I cannot understand, government, campaigners, academics and nearly everyone I've worked with has an opinion (myself included), but then no measurements for the environment.
That is until the angel arrived, praise be to WWF-UK, since they have published the WWF Livewell Diet 2011 with what appears achievable health targets, some great ethics, some carbon targets (my heaven) and very occasional treats and with some real food. So now it's time back up all that talk and set my targets:
On April 6th, 2011 I clocked in at 173cm tall and 91kgs, frighteningly I know that's on the edge of obesity with a BMI of 30+. So by Christmas Day 2011 the aim is hit 200cm tall (achievable?), 75kgs, a BMI of 25 and with a much lower environmental impact.
The plan is to follow the outline the angels at WWF have set with the LiveWell Diet and they've calculated if I'm a typical Brit (let’s just assume I am) my daily consumption is:
Calories 3500: apparently we need no more than 2500, so to lose some weight the target is 2300 calories - Fat Secret agree so will use their tools to check the nutrition (thanks guys)
Carbon Dioxide equivalent (Carbon) 7.8kgs: to meet the UK governments target for 2020 that has to be reduced to 5kgs of carbon - so that's the target, maybe there’s a need to allow for wastage?
Salt 9.7g (men): the target is 6g – keeping an occasional eye on this
Meat 216g: to hit the carbon target this needs to be cut to no more than an average of 54g
Fruit and veg portions 3.5: their diet suggests 8, but let’s make it 5 for now
Fish 1 portion per week (a guess): the target is 2 portions per week, 1 of which is oily
Dairy 600ml liquid equivalent (an estimate): the target is the same, so to keep things simple maybe target the cheese and butter at below 50g per day and maybe revisiting later
There’s an aim to reduce all those bad fats, but the assumption I’ve made is that by reducing hard dairy and meat that should be covered.
In line with the WWF LiveWell diet I'll also consider: Biodiversity, our eco systems and forests, Water and other finite resources and the social well being of others.
May be I'll also talk about some of the other big issues they have highlighted like population growth and potential land shortages, fairer distribution of food (1.2bn hungry and 1.2bn overfed), food prices and the cost of my diet. But let's see how it goes.
Best for now, Tom (follow the blog)
May be I'll also talk about some of the other big issues they have highlighted like population growth and potential land shortages, fairer distribution of food (1.2bn hungry and 1.2bn overfed), food prices and the cost of my diet. But let's see how it goes.
Best for now, Tom (follow the blog)
