I believe that enjoying food is an essential part of being successful at living and loving a healthy life!The fear of "giving up good food" deters many people from taking the step toward eating healthy. It certainly would make me hesitant! I love food, which is why I am in this business. And I would never want anyone to stop enjoying food for the sake of being healthy.
At least once a week someone will tell me, "I don't know if I'm ready to start a healthy eating program yet. I don't want to give up good food." In their minds, healthy eating is not pleasurable. I disagree!
In my opinion, those people who believe that "foods that promote weight loss and living a healthy life exclude foods that taste good" are wrong! If you are one of these people, rethink that thought, otherwise it will most certainly sabotage your success!
The idea is not to "give up food" but rather to "eat and enjoy food" to lose weight and be healthy!
When I first learned that I had "Insulin Resistance" at a medical conference many years ago, the speaker was advocating a "low carbohydrate" diet such as Idiot Proof Diet, Atkins or Protein Power. My first thought was, "He's telling me that I have to give up brownies for the rest of my life!" (I didn't realize how much I loved brownies until I was told that I couldn't have them!)
I knew that I couldn't live with such a plan and that I definitely could not recommend them to my clients! At that moment, I went on a mission to find a way to eat brownies and other high carbohydrate foods forbidden on other "diets" and still control insulin levels, eat healthfully and lose weight!
I discovered that the secret is not to exclude foods but to include all foods in moderation, and to focus on the foods that will help you to stay healthy!
In fact, you should focus on including adequate amounts of these foods every day! The USDA guidelines for healthy eating recommend that all adults include three servings of whole grains, 3 1/2 to 4 1/2 cups of fruits and vegetables, and three servings of low fat dairy foods daily.
We know from many years of research that diets that are rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and low fat dairy foods can help to reduce the risk of heart disease, diabetes, hypertension, and cancer. So there is no reason to exclude these health-promoting foods from your diet.
And don't think for a minute that this style of eating is dry, tasteless and boring!
Envision, if you will, some wonderful options:
Can you imagine a table set with foods from the Mediterranean? Foods that are centered upon fresh, ripe vegetables of the season, robust sauces, and freshly picked herbs. Here is a culture of wonderful foods that, for the most part, are healthy and low fat (other than a moderate use of healthy olive oil). No one can say this type of healthy food lacks flavor and passion!
Now consider an Asian table. Think about crisp, delicately seasoned stir-fries, spicy Sichuan, Hunan, Indian or Thai dishes, clear broth soups, or fruity island delights. These foods also focus on fruits and vegetables and on delicious flavor!
Let your mind wander now to South and Central America. Again, foods from this culture are anything but dull and boring! They rely on spices, vegetables and whole grains for their basis and their flavor!
Think of other foods that you love.
If your idea of great food is a double cheeseburger with fries and a milkshake, you are right in thinking that these foods won't get you very far in your efforts to eat healthy or lose weight. But that doesn't mean that you have to trade them for rice cakes with dry tuna and a plain salad with lemon juice!
Many of them can fit nicely into a healthy diet, perhaps with a few modifications to make them lower in fat or to add more vegetables or whole grains. I often find that I enjoy the new and improved versions even better! And any foods can be included as an occasional splurge, even double cheeseburgers, fries, milkshakes, or brownies!
My advice is to start today to gradually change your way of eating to add more fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and low fat dairy foods, and to reduce your saturated and trans fat intake.
Don't wait till you are ready! You are ready now! What do you have to lose but a chance to enjoy some wonderful foods with delicious flavor and to improve your health?
