How not to be hungry

I make horrible food choices when I’m hungry. It’s like I’m under the influence of the cookie monster. When I’m hungry in the supermarket, it’s very likely that I will reach the checkout with a basket full of chocolate (that’s actually happened!)

In the short term, what this means is that I satisfy my hunger pangs without getting properly nourished. Soon after that, my sugar cravings will come back even worse and so begins a vicious circle of sugar cravings that’s hard to break. I go from cranky to hyper and back again as my blood sugar is jerked around. I frequently find myself anxious for no reason. I sleep quite poorly at night and spend my days drifting off at awkward times.

 In the long term, this means, obesity, diabetes, a lifetime of bad health and mood swings and most likely an early death. How am I going to avoid this? I am going to ensure I am never ever hungry. I will prepare my food in advance so that I can eat little amounts, often. I will only prepare healthy food and avoid sugary, starchy foods. I will ensure I have some protein with every meal and snack.

If this is so great, why doesn’t everyone do it? A lot of people associate food with comfort and of course sugar is very comforting. It is easier to keep eating the way you have become accustomed to. Breaking lifelong habits can be very difficult. But do you want to be just like everyone else; slaves to your sugar cravings; complaining about how out of shape you feel while munching on some bread?

Eliminating sugary, starchy foods from your diet is not a faddy way of eating; it is sustainable and long term, it is much healthier. Sure, you will feel a little less energetic and uncomfortable at first. This generally lasts a few days but you will find that almost immediately, your stomach will feel slimmer and firmer as you drop excess water and gas that constantly bloats you when you eat sugary, starchy foods. As time goes on, you will have more energy. You will sleep better and you can enjoy better more stable moods that are not subject to the influence of what is in your stomach.

Clients ask me all the time questions like “how many carbohydrate foods can I have a day?” and “how long do I have to restrict carbohydrates for?” and “can I ever have the unhealthy things I like ever again?” The answer to all these questions is very simple. You can have as many carbohydrate foods as you like a day. As a matter of fact, you can eat all the unhealthy foods that you like. You just won’t see results unless you put the effort in. The better your diet is, the faster you’ll see results and the more pronounced your results will be.

For me, this is a no- brainer. It is actually such a small bit of effort for such a large reward. I have improved health, more energy, sleep better and feel better and look better and all I have to do is prepare my food in advance. Seriously?! What’s the drawback??

There is none. I wish everything were as simple. Any questions?

Nutrition II

Humans are fantastically adaptable creatures, capable of surviving very extreme and unusual conditions. Do you want to just survive or would you like to thrive?
Many people I know struggle through their daily life with minor health complaints and they foresee themselves living to their 70s and becoming decrepit and dying. This saddens me as my vision is very different. I want to die like Jack LaLanne, in my prime at 96 years of age or older. It is becoming increasingly apparent that many of the diseases afflicting the older population are a product of poor diet and inactive lifestyles. This suggests that many of these conditions are therefore preventable with the right diet and exercise programme. However, the healthiest option may not be the most obvious or the one that is most well known.
When you see advertisements for washing powders all claiming to be the best, you don't believe all of them do you? They can't ALL be right! It's just advertising and they can make whatever grand claim they like to promote their product and increase sales. So why do you believe food advertisements for "wholewheat this" or "cholesterol lowering that"? The point of these products is not to make you thin or healthy; it's to make money. There isn't a hell of a lot of regulation on what they say to sell you their products and they often try to befuddle you with false science to make their claims seem more legitimate. If you look at the the real science behind these pseudo science claims, it is often based on poor studies funded by companies with dodgy motives. How accurate would you imagine a study on various washing powder brands would be if it was funded by one particular brand? Of course they're going to find that theirs is the best! This is exactly what happens in the food industry.
One very good example of this is breakfast cereal. I haven't eaten cereal in years and I'm not suffering at all for the lack of wholewheat and fortification with minerals and vitamins. These minerals and vitamins are added because breakfast cereals generally lack them to begin with. Why not just eat the food that contains these anyway? (i.e. meat, fruit nuts and veg). All the cereals, even the damn chocolate ones make some kind of healthy food claims. Some of them have even been told off for making false claims to having actual medicinal value.
It is fact that cereals today contain more sugar than they did back in 1978, sometimes as much as double. It is no accident that obesity related health problems are on the rise.
Have a look at this news article and next time you reach for your cereal box, take a look at the label and see the amount of sugar for yourself. Still think cereal is healthy? If you are interested in a healthier alternative, give me a shout.
deelynch.pt@gmail.com or 0877915646.