I agreed with you. Many people due to FODMAP sensitivities have to avoid them which is sad due to the benefits they have.
I have had a pretzel 2x in the last 3 months, so I doubt I approach anywhere near that level . A cheat meal is not the same as a cheat week. I go off the wagon every now and again because of normal will power issues, stress and food convenience. My job is basically the minute I wake up until I go to bed and I have not been to lift since September so once I get out of whack it really makes it harder. Of course it is 100% all within my own control. But I pay for it and simply move on to get back on track. If I am at Thanksgiving dinner I am eating what I want or if I am in Malaysia I am having dumplings. These are not regular or even weekly meals but I did travel for 7 weeks on and off so I have to refocus to get back on track. I am not at my goal weight yet and when i get there we will see how I moderate because at my goal weight I am fine with 2-3 lb. cushion band. At our age it takes longer to get there but I refuse to go back to where I was (looking at pictures from previous years is a good incentive). Just since yesterday I felt a lot of bloat go away and last night did not feel weighed down playing soccer. 2-3 more weeks I should be within a field goal of my goal weight.
No, they're not. But they are a given in any reasonable nutritionist's recommendations. The fact is that few people can tolerate getting all of their fiber from vegetables and fruit. So while it may work in theory, in reality you will have people either being misguided into adopting the butter & bacon thing, or falling off the wagon and into a sugar pie. On the other hand, a balanced diet keeps us...balanced.
What level? My "cheats" are a 2-inch piece of baguette (the real, thin kind) encrusted with whole grains maybe 3, max 4 times a week. I buy it warm, cut it up and freeze it. Admittedly, the baguette itself is made with white flour. But that's it. Oh, except for 2 espressos I have on the weekend. I have to put in one sachet of sugar in each. I can drink regular coffee black and unsweetened, but not the espresso. All of my other carbs are righteous, dude.
Looks pretty good and I'm sure it tastes great. But I'll stick with my homemade trail mix of walnuts, pumpkin seeds and some raisins.
Looks good, but those "chia seeds" sound dangerously close to grains. Since you've opened that door, have you considered ground flax seed? And regarding the almond milk and protein powder, what do you have against skim milk? Just curious.
Chias are quite nutritionally dense with omega 3 fatty acids, protein and fiber. They plump in liquids making a nice fiberous paste in the stomach which leads to slow digestion and fullness. They are made up of a lot of fiber and have calcium and iron. Pretty healthy as an additive to shakes. Lot of bang for the small buck. Chias and grains are not the same thing. Flaxseeds have the same nutritional profile but chia seeds have more per tbsp so I go with Chia. Plus chia makes shakes thicker when you let it sit in the fridge for a bit. Here is a good comparison of the two: https://www.theglobeandmail.com/lif...d-or-chia-seeds-better-for-me/article4371817/ I give Chia the edge for me for the reasons above. I like Almond milk as I am not trying to add too many sugars and vamilla unsweetened just acts as a base. 2 cups is 60 calories, 2 grams of fiber, 5g of fat and 2 grams of protein, 0 sugars.
Whole grains or partial grains lol are imo not good for you. If u want to eat grains, make sure they are either soaked, fermented or sprouted. Removes a lot of the anti nutrients (yes, the dietitians forget to mention those).
Fruit and vegetables are far more expensive relative to wheat products. Also wheat has big industry pushing it..Cargill etc. Wheat is cheap and people are lazy.