Hello from UBT!!!!!!!!!

I was reading an article today and there was a question and answer portion of the article where a reader asked a question about dieting. Below is both the question and the answer. What struck me was what was said regarding processed foods. Great answer to a question many of us have.

I’m struggling to lose weight and keep it off. I’ve tried so many diets, but I’m very determined and refuse to give up. I usually do great at first but end up putting the weight back on. What diet will work best to help me lose weight and not gain it back?
—Michelle, Denver, CO

Dear Michelle,
I’d love to rip into all the crazy diets out there, but it sounds like you have experienced them first-hand, so I’ll get right to it. The best diet is not to diet at all.

The problem with most diets is that people go on them, lose weight, and then go off them and gain the weight back. In desperation, people tend to reach for “diet” foods or give in to the “I don’t care” syndrome.

Everywhere we look, “diet” food labels jump out at us: fat free, sugar free, calorie free, carb free! What we don’t see enough of is “chemical free,” and that is what America needs right now. Foods are becoming more and more chemically engineered and obesity rates are at an all-time high. This is not a coincidence.

Hunger isn’t influenced by willpower as much as by the messages that our hormones are sending. There are two main hormones, ghrelin and leptin, that regulate the way you eat. Leptin helps curb appetite, and the evil gremlin of hormones, ghrelin, makes your stomach growl for fulfillment. These two hormones are in a constant neurological battle to see who can send the dominant message to the brain.

When you eat overly processed foods, your body doesn’t recognize them as real foods and the effect is spiked ghrelin levels and low leptin levels. However, eating healthy natural foods — like fruits, veggies, nuts, grains and lean proteins — will spike your lovely leptin levels and allow your brain to get the message loud and clear that it’s had enough.

5 No-Fad Diet Tips
It’s time for you to forget the fad diets and follow these five simple keys, which I follow in my everyday life and have led my clients to long-term success!

1. Expend more calories than you consume. You must create a calorie deficit to lose fat. Eating natural foods will make you feel satisfied and keep your portion sizes in check.

2. Choose natural carbs over man-made carbs. Aim for the starchy carbs (grains) and/or fruits earlier in the day and fibrous carbs later in the day.

3. Include a protein source at every meal. This will help keep your blood-sugar levels even and help you avoid cravings.

4.  Drink water often — at least eight glasses a day. Remember, chemicals such as artificial sweeteners and high fructose corn syrup can cause your sensor not to receive the leptin message.

5.  Always plan and prepare your meals in advance. You won’t find fruit and chicken breast in a vending machine, and it’s tough to fight the power of ghrelin at the drive-thru. Plan ahead and keep your leptin levels winning the food fight.