There are multiple factors that contribute to the obesity epidemic today. We will talk about a few of them in this blog.
When I was in school a plump or overweight child was almost never seen. Childhood obesity was even more uncommon. I remember 1 girl in our class in our rural community who was obese. She seemed to have an eating disorder. Her mother had to lock the fridge and freezer because she would eat everything! But I dare say if you check a class of 80 students today you would find several children that could stand to lose a bit of weight!
The same is also true of obesity in adults. It was rare 50 years ago to see someone that topped the scales at 300 pounds but today we talk about people who weigh 400 or even 600 pounds. How did we get into such a huge (pardon the pun) weight problem?
Several issues are to blame for the obesity we see today. Lack of exercise is one of those. But there are many others. Look at our food pyramid recommended to us by our government. It is quite askew. I weigh more than
I should but if I ate 6 to 11 servings of bread, cereal, rice, and pasta each day I would weigh 600 pounds! Those items are extremely over-processed and mostly nutritional empty except for their carbohydrates and calories (a HUGE cause of insulin resistance!).
What should our meals be built around if not carbs to overcome obesity? Protein, vegetables cooked and raw, green leafy and root, some fruit (never juices- just berries), and healthy fats. We have spent the last 50 years avoiding most of the healthy fats– butter, real cream, real whipped cream, olive oil, avocado, coconut and coconut oil, well-marbled, grass-fed beef, cheeses and full-fat dairy products, real bacon, eggs, and the list goes on.
One little part of the pyramid is correct. Use sweets sparingly. Also, cut out the sugar, sugar substitutes, soft drinks, and other high caloric beverages and you will become much healthier. Many of our clients find the amount of weight they have lost by just changing their beverage of choice from soda or diet soda to water very surprising.
Ask yourself, “What does my family’s food pyramid look like?” Does it need help? Schedule a session with Nancy to create a Small Family Healthy Eating and Lifestyle Plan for you and your family.
