We've also heard a lot about carbohydrates being the cause of overweight – but what kind of carbs and what is eaten with them? It’s usually the sugar, oil and fat that are eaten with the carbohydrate foods that are the real culprits. Even the word 'fat' tells us something about weight. Look at it this way: If eating SAD food was the best way to achieve our optimal weight, we wouldn’t have an obesity problem in the US right now.
Dr. Doug Graham, nutrition coach for thousands of athletes as well as thousands of sedentary mortals, makes a convincing case in The 80-10-10 Diet for drastically cutting back on overt fat consumption if you want to be healthy and also attain your optimum weight. With detailed analysis of scientific studies, Graham shows that the less overt fat you eat, the healthier you become. He points out that most fresh, whole, organic fruits and vegetables naturally contain 5–10 percent of calories from fat and 5–10 percent from protein. It's when we get more than 10 percent of calories from fats and protein that we lose optimal health and optimal weight.
In a nutshell, to lose weight you need to avoid fat. Underweight people, same story: avoid fat foods. What counts as medium or high fat? Anything that contains more than 10 percent fat. Some examples: meat, fish, eggs, milk, nuts, seeds, avocados and coconuts. What else is left to eat? The naturally low-fat foods found copiously in nature that promote health and enable you to gain your optimal weight even if you eat huge quantities of them. Are you never allowed to eat high-fat foods? Sure, in very small quantities, preferably once you've regained your health, high energy and optimal weight!
Meanwhile, enjoy as many delicious home-made fruit/veg smoothies, fruit salads, salads and whole fruits as you like: they are all low-fat foods that build your health and help you lose weight.
- Most organic raw fruits (avocados, coconut and durian are high-fat, so they need to be eaten in moderation)
- Organic raw vegetables
How much of the low-fat fruits and vegetables are you allowed to eat if you want to lose weight? As much as you wish – as long as you eat them raw, organic, and avoid high-fat add-ons (for example: cream, nut butter, salad dressings, cheese). Can you eat them cooked and still lose weight? Yes, but it tends to be slower and you are likely to want to add taste (salt, oil, high-fat foods), which may lead to your reverting to your old ways of eating.
An easy way to transition to a healthier dietstyle that also helps you lose weight: continue eating as you normally do, but drink at least one or two quarts of green smoothie every day. An example of a green smoothie: 2 yellow (ripe) organic bananas, 1-2 organic apples, a handful of organic green leaves (lettuce or parsley, kale or swiss chard, for example); add a cup or so of water and blend to desired consistency. For recipes, research and inspiring get-well lose-weight stories, read Victoria Boutenko’s Green for Life.
More on the "five variables" (Diets, Food, Exercise, Sunlight, Resonance) under the WEIGHT header.
The message here is that any health 'problem'
can be an opportunity for change ~ so that we and our body
tell a new story of health, energy,
fulfilment, confidence and pride.
Best wishes for this grand adventure!
