The Healthy Living Fair this past Saturday was a huge success. A number of different Nutritional perspectives were represented among the many different categories of exhibitors. All had good messages about healthy eating. Each represented a different approach about what constitutes healthy eating and each was right in its own way.
The reality is that we can draw nutrients from almost anything we eat. During my own talk during the Health Fair, I suggested that we could probably draw nutrients from a piece of cardboard if we were in an emergency situation. The quality of the nutrients derived from commercial cardboard are suspect, but I am sure there would be something useful to be found in a derivative of wood pulp. The problem with eating commercial cardboard is that there are so many toxic chemicals involved in the conversion from tree (plant) to cardboard.
During my talk, I stressed how I lost 30 pounds over a four month period, and have kept it off by simply decreasing the amount of meat I eat and increasing the amount of vegetables. I cut back on bread and eliminated as much sugar as possible.
Every speaker loves to have someone in the audience validate what he or she says. It reinforces the message to the audience. There was a young woman who attended my talk who was in her early forties and had more Personal Energy than almost anyone I have ever met. She was attractive, slim, vivacious, and overflowing with a positive vitality. During my talk she amazed everyone when she disclosed how had recently lost one hundred twenty pounds over a year. When I asked how she did it, she said, “by doing it the same way you did, simply cutting back on meat, bread and sugar and increasing the veggies”. And although she didn’t mention it, she must exercise a lot too because she had perfect muscle and skin tone which is something you rarely see in a person who has lost a lot of weight over a short period of time.
That’s not a radical dietary change. I happen to like meat. But my taste for the huge steaks I grew up with has diminished. And while I still retain my built in dislike for broccoli, I have developed a taste for squash, zucchini, spinach and even an occasional green smoothie (with Kale). I can put enough spices or curry or whatever on broccoli to make it edible. I don’t think there is anything wrong with a vegetarian or vegan diet if it has an adequate source of protein.
The moral of the story is that you don’t have to go on a specialized diet to lose weight, whether a lot or a little. You can make a simple shift in proportions in what you are already eating. I personally like meat but I no longer overindulge. As long as I “eat my vegetables”, I’ll be fine. And most likely, so will you.
Most nutritional approaches will try will work as long as they fit your lifestyle and you stick with them. Otherwise they become just another fad. A simple diet can be the best diet. Minor shifts can have a major effect and bring the best results.
Thank you for reading.