Convenience is a must in our current world. Do you ever stop to pay attention to the hundreds of short cuts we use on a daily basis? Soap with a dispenser instead of bar soap? Pre cut baby carrots or chopped garlic in a glass jar rather than the clove? Convenience products and foods are great for so many reasons, but we know there are times it can do more harm than good.
Weight Loss Tip # 19 - Eat Whole, Single Ingredient Foods
Benefits of whole foods: Gut health - whole foods contain natural pre and probiotics which help to feed good bacteria in our intestine. These foods also, generally contain less chemicals, antibiotics and ingredients that are killing off good bacteria and helping the "bad" bacteria to flourish. Naturally low sugar - eating more whole foods decreases the stress around how much sugar you're consuming. The natural sugar that is found in whole foods is paired with fiber and high water content making it much healthier than processed sugars. Reduced inflammation - many whole foods compared to highly processed foods have naturally occuring anti-inflammatory properties and can decrease risk of heart disease, diabetes and some cancers. Decreases overeating - processed foods are often times formulated to increase your likelyhood to overeat! They also contain an unnatural combination of fat, sugar and flavorings that drive our portion sizes and calorie intake up to an unusual amount. High fiber - there is an undeniable link between increasing whole foods and increased fiber intake. It is very difficult to reach your daily fiber needs (on average ~25-30 grams/day) without a primarily whole food diet. Support healthy blood sugars - high fiber plant foods and minimally processed animal products naturally help to support healthy blood sugar levels in those at risk for or diagnosed with type II diabetes (up to 26% according to one study). Reduce cravings - your taste buds will adapt to eating more whole foods. When this happens, you will notice a natural decrease in your cravings for processed foods like desserts and fried foods. Provides variety - "eating the rainbow" is easy to do with whole foods! A large variety of tastes, textures and nutrients are found in less processed foods. Appreciation - eating more whole foods and less processed foods can help you appreciate nature and the origin of natural, whole foods. Processed foods with added chemicals, preservatives and fillers were not meant for human consumption. Consider where your food came from - did it grow on a tree? In the ground? Or was it created in a factory? Avoiding diet mentality - focusing on consuming more whole foods and eating a variety of fruits and vegetables in a much more sustainable way to improve health and achieve a healthy weight than fad dieting. Losing weight should not be a miserable process! Enjoy your food and focus on additional benefits such as increased energy.
Eating more whole foods will go a long way towards better health and weight maintenance without stress and frustration about dieting, restriction and deprivation. My challenge for you this week is to incorporate a natural, whole food into each meal. This could be adding a side salad if you're eating a slice of pizza or adding an egg to your bagel at breakfast. Once you begin adding more whole foods, see if you can decrease the other, more highly processed foods and begin to replace them with whole, single ingredient foods. If you'd like assistance with this or any nutrition questions, I'd love to help! Reply to this email or visit my website. I'm here for you and I believe in you!
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