In part two of my interview with Leigh Peele, you’ll hear some surprising answers to important questions about what you eat, such as: Is there a conspiracy by the government and food companies to keep us sick and fat?, Are there any legitimate and serious concerns about chemicals or toxins in our food or are people just being paranoid?, How do we embrace food when most people have become so obsessive and fearful about what they eat?, Is it really possible to make healthy low calorie food taste delicious?, What should you do if you don’t know how to cook healthy delicious food? Plus a lot more….

Continued from Part one
Tom Venuto: Thanks for all your insights from part one. If it’s cool with you, in part two I’d like to pick your brain about some more of the points you bring up in your Body by eats book. First, you talk about the media’s reporting on food and food research. Why do you think there is so much food fear-mongering today and why are the books and documentaries about the food industry getting so much play in the media, from health experts and on the Internet discussion boards?
Leigh Peele We are looking for the answers of why everything is messed up. Why is everyone obese, why are people getting cancer, why are people angry, unhappy, etc. This goes beyond health and fitness, this is our survival. What can we do to protect ourselves? Who is to blame for all of our problems?
We have to use logic, not fear. Facts, not propaganda. Support, not dictatorships, even with the best of intentions. I have nothing against becoming healthier and saving lives, I just don’t believe in doing it at the cost of the truth, even when that truth sometimes is “I don’t know.”
Tom Venuto: So is there some kind of conspiracy to keep us unhealthy – either by the pharmaceutical companies, the current health care system, the food companies or government agencies? Or is the current state of the food industry’s product line and marketing strictly a matter of supply, demand and the pursuit of profits, where the same type of capitalism is taking place in non-food industries as well? Should we be mad or infuriated at the food industry in any way?
Leigh Peele Here is what I always say when people ask me if there is some ultimate agenda by the “man” or the food industry to take us down – What do you think they eat? Do you think all those scientists, factory owners, farmers, congressmen, representatives, etc would take a risk with eating at restaurants or going grocery shopping? If you look at the fridge of our leaders, it is the same food and sometimes worse.
Now I certainly think there is a monopoly, but this is true with everything. People simply get more freaked out because it is food. How many car companies are there? Computer systems? The average person either has a Ipod or a zune mp3 player. Just because you don’t eat it doesn’t mean you aren’t supporting it. It isn’t just meat you buy that affects things, it’s your laptop too. It is all connected. The government or certain corporations may have an agenda to make money, they may do immoral things to get there, but that is a different discussion. There are arrays of moral and economical issues which can be discussed, but at the end of the day we all eat the same food.
Tom Venuto: Here’s a “conspiracy” theory to ponder: Do you think it’s possible that the agenda of some health writers and nutrition gurus is to intentionally take the position as alarmists or whistleblowers, rescuing us from the “evil food industry”, so they look like saviors to their followers and build their own platform to sell their own natural health cures and supplements (quite possibly, unproven or bogus cures)?
Leigh Peele I think there are people who genuinely don’t get it and think they are saviors. I think there are people who are so devoted to this cause and believe 100% in the good they are doing.
Then I think there are people who are riding a very profitable coattail. The organic and health food industry is a real living breathing money making thing. It’s a nice story we buy into, great story. “Buy this bag of tortilla chips and you buy a better piece of tomorrow!” You buy a better land for your kids, your future, and your country. Doesn’t sound so bad to me and hell, if buying a bag of organic chips meant just a chance of things being better – call me your new customer.
The problem is, it just isn’t that simple and in my view it distracts us from the real answers.
Tom Venuto: Do you think there are any truly legitimate serious concerns about chemicals or toxins in our food today? Should we really be concerned or scared about what’s in our food or are we becoming a generation of paranoid hypochondriacs?
Leigh Peele I think there is genuine concern about our air, our land, and what we are eating. The problem is we are going about fixing it the wrong way. The solutions to these problems on big levels go against the “naturalist” way of thinking. The truth if that pieces of each puzzle work great and if we could marry ideas on all sides and come to a more middle ground we would have better results. Sound familiar? Remind you of anything else?
I am not a cynic, I am an idealist. ;)
Tom Venuto: Speaking of toxins (pesticides in this case), correct me if I’m mistaken, but you’re not sold on organic, which might surprise some people because it seems almost a matter of political correctness today for health professionals to support organic. Do you feel the evidence for the benefits of organic is lacking, or that there are some benefits, but not enough to justify the extra cost?
Leigh Peele The problem with organics is thus far it just isn’t adding up to make any difference and could, in all honestly, be causing more problems. The pesticides they use are outdated and just as problematic for humans, insects, and animals if not more. We replaced them in the first place for a reason and people seem to not understand this.
Nutrient wise it is a mixed bag, some studies point to positives, some don’t. Overall it is landing in the middle just as if you were comparing any one food to another food. That is another thing, if you compare one tomato to a tomato you get different results, organic or not.
Are there any benefits? Sure. I like the potential future for some soil practices and a few other things. However, both health wise and economically I can’t find much of anything to embrace the concept.
Tom Venuto: Leigh, I’d like to get your quick thoughts on a short list of some food related issues and hot news items. The catch is – I really mean quick! You’re limited to just a few words or one sentence at most. Even one word if that’s possible. It might be tough because I suspect the answer in some cases certainly deserves an explanation or the answer is “it depends,” but give it your best shot: Here ya go: Genetically modified foods (GMO’s). factory farming for poultry and beef, grass fed beef, whole eggs (yolks), buying locally, Food Inc (the movie), saturated fat, mandatory calorie info on restaurant menus, Splenda, Stevia, microwave ovens, tap water, rbST milk, corn syrup, soda tax
Leigh Peele
GMO’s – Monopoly; Ethical debates will always stall scientific progress.
Factory farming – Need an affordable and cruelty-free alternative.
Grass fed beef – Usually ideal to eat
Whole eggs (yolks) – Love ’em
Buying locally – Established since dawn of man
Food Inc (the movie) – Good intentions; still misguided propaganda
Saturated fat – Not the enemy
Mandatory calorie info on restaurant menus – I vote yes
Splenda – Too much is harsh on the gut; moderation.
Stevia – We don’t know yet
Microwave ovens – Is not a stove
Tap water – Depends on location; bottle doesn’t mean better.
rbST milk – Growth for them doesn’t mean growth in us.
Corn syrup – Better things to eat than it.
Soda Tax – Silly
Tom Venuto: You’ve said we need to “embrace food.” What do you mean by that? Should I hug my potatoes before I eat them?
Leigh Peele I want you to hug it out Tom.
I know some might turn to me and say “um yeah, that is the problem! Too many people embracing food!” However, these people are embracing pain, disease, and miseducation. Embracing food is about understanding the power food has, understanding how much you really deserve, and how to eat to enjoy it and to use it for performance and appearance. Sure, I could scare you into being phobic about everything that touches your lips to the point a genuine disorder, but that isn’t my style.
Tom Venuto: The entire first part of your Body By Eats book, 77 pages if I recall correctly, had all the info on calories, NEAT, organic, food history, food research and basically your entire program and philosophy for getting leaner and healthier without doing any crazy stuff. The rest of the book is recipes and there are additional cookbooks. I skimmed through your recipes – I didn’t get to try them yet, but some of them look pretty yummy. I’ve always thought there were too many general interest cookbooks out there and not nearly enough for health and fitness minded folks. What makes your recipes and cookbooks different and ideal for fitness minded folks like us?
Leigh Peele One of the more obvious things I focused on was allowing the option of measuring in both grams/ounces or cups/tbsp. I haven’t seen a cookbook yet do this. It is very rare any American cookbooks utilize weight measurements. However, so many readers use scales to help achieve their goals I figured no matter what program you are using it would make it easier to implement these foods.
Another big focus is on protein intake overall. Most recipe books do not put enough focus on implementing protein into their meals enough. The majority of the main recipes, and even sides and desserts, feature higher protein amounts.
Lastly, it doesn’t do the normal “diet” recipe book thing where it tells you all the things you can’t eat and then gives you a list of the things you can. I try and paint a picture of what balance in a diet looks like. From protein heavy salads to Tiramisu, it’s in there.
Tom Venuto: If someone said to you, “Hey Leigh, I saw that you have a French toast recipe with sugar AND butter – OMG! That’s not clean eating!” What would you say?
Leigh Peele You’ll clean your plate eating it. Let me tell you that makes one heck of a pre-workout meal.
body by eats desserts
Tom Venuto: Can food really be highly nutritious and healthy and taste great at the same time or is there always going to be at least a little bit of a compromise?
Leigh Peele No need at all for a compromise in taste in my opinion. Balance in attitude yes, compromise in taste no. Eating just one of anything all the time is bad. Eat only carrots everyday and you will get sick and turn orange. I have seen it by the way. It is the same thing with HFCS or white bread.
If you look at the world’s greatest chef or ask any real foodie, they will tell you whole food is king. Fresh ingredients are king. Fat is king. Flavor rests in the quality and execution of ingredients. Canned Ravioli isn’t good; we only think it is because we haven’t tasted what good is. In my mind if you want the pasta, have the pasta, just have quality. Have fresh ingredients in the pasta, make it yourself and burn some calories or buy it but go for a walk after your meal. Get back to the roots of what fine living really is, but mix it with making your body lean and strong.
Tom Venuto: Do you have any quick and simple words of wisdom or encouragement for people – especially guys – who swear they can’t cook?
Leigh Peele Mastering the general ability to cook is about two things in my opinion.
Being able to follow instructions is number one.
Having patience is number two.
I can’t tell you how many people ruin a meal because they turn their burners up as high as they can go. Fast usually means less flavor and fewer calories burned. Are you getting a fast meal to go play outside with your family? Fine. If you are getting a fast meal to go sit in front of your tv or computer for 2 hours, try giving your food a little more time. Not only will you enjoy the taste more, you will be moving more and feeling better.
Tom Venuto: Do you have any other food advice or anything else you want to share before we wrap up?
Leigh Peele The goal of any professional who truly wants to help is to teach peoplehow to make healthy living last for life. Scaring people into having a very tiny list of foods they can eat for the rest of their life, doesn’t seem like a good life to me. Stay away from the extremist in this industry. People who say that certain training or food is all bad either don’t understand what they are talking about or don’t care if it is wrong.
In truth, the book is only the beginning. I want to reach people beyond the books with the my membership site, phone consults, and taking results and education to the next level.
Tom Venuto: Thanks so much for your time Leigh – it’s always a pleasure to get your perspective – it is most certainly a balanced one. If anyone wants to find you online or check out your new Body By Eats book and cookbooks where can they get more information?
Leigh Peele Thank you Tom. This was by far my favorite interview I have ever done. There’s more details about the new book, cookbooks, audiobook, and membership at the Body By Eats Website.  Fat Loss Troubleshoot you can find at www.FatLossTroubleshooter.com. And My newest book, Starve mode at www.StarveMode.com
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