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DIET, A FOUR LETTER WORD THAT CAN BE WORSE THAN PROFANITY!Diet. Who would have thought that those four little letters could create such challenges to our health? It is sad that in America when we want to take ownership of our health, we begin with the infamous four-letter word “DIET”. America’s view of a successful diet is generally unattainable over the long-term. Cutting calories to drop weight, instead of creating a proper regimen of regular meals made up of high quality foods to lose body-fat, will not work in the long run and there are some very good reasons why! If you are starving yourself your body will constantly be dealing with low blood sugar levels and hormonal imbalances. Not only will your willpower wane, but the hormone imbalance and “starvation response” will cause you to hold on to body-fat. It is also possible to be malnourished while consuming too many “empty” calories. “Displacement” foods (sugar, white flour, vegetable oils, and refined/convenience foods) will not only lead to accelerated aging and disease, but will also increase your desire to eat more food, which can lead to obesity. Meals, if not balanced properly, no matter how low in fat can lead to over-eating and fat-storage over time. Whenever we “fast” for over four hours, our body may begin to go into “starvation mode” causing us to store more fat and use muscle for energy. This is one of the main reasons why breakfast (break the fast) IS the most important meal of the day. Proper frequency of meals alone can improve your metabolism and create an environment for fat burning. Finally, there is no “one-size-fits-all” or “cookie-cutter” approach to dieting. We all have a special biochemical individuality that makes us unique. Our biochemical uniqueness means our nutritional regimens differ from person to person just as we differ in eye color, skin color, and hair color. Your biochemical and metabolic uniqueness is of major importance. Just as one type of nutritional program can make one person very healthy, it can have no effect on another, and make another deathly ill. Our bodies are finely tuned machines that require nutritious foods for fuel. If the foods that you consume are not nutritious, you will find yourself malnourished, no matter the amount of calories consumed. Your chance for success is going to be limited in the short-term, and hopeless in the long-term if you just cut calories to lose weight. If you really want to improve your health, fitness level and overall well-being, begin to work on eating better quality foods, more often, and combined properly for your individual metabolism.
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