The common knowledge is that the most important factor in weight gain is simply eating too much. While it is true that portion size has increased over the past generation by approximately 30%, the quality of the food you eat is by far the most important factor. If you overeat healthy foods, you can still gain weight, but it is much more difficult.
Poor quality, processed and sugar laden foods trick our bodies into storing fat. The food industry designs foods to be calorie dense, hyper-palatable and to have a long shelf life. All of these factors may sabotage our health as well as our waistlines. Convenient, low-cost snacks and processed foods, disrupt our fat storage mechanisms and lead to metabolic imbalances..
It is somewhat of an acquired taste but you can be truly satisfied and eat as much as you want as long as you’re eating a vegephile type diet. This emphasizes dark leafy vegetables and high quantities of greens, high fiber content foods and only small quantities of free range eggs, chicken, poultry and fish. Think of the meat as only a small side dish added to provide some flavor.
Avoid processed foods and simple sugar. Anything with a shelflife measured in months, cross off your list. You can make healthy substitutions and still feel full. Substitute dark colorful fruits for ice cream or Jell-O. Substitute mixed nuts for chips or pretzels. In nearly every instance, there is a healthy alternative.
More importantly, eating a healthy diet will lead to better health. No matter what your weight, a healthy vegephile diet will lead to improved cholesterol and triglyceride levels as well as improving your mood, sleep, energy, bowel function and pain, just to name a few.
Stay well!
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