Prime Rib and Oreos

 

Food Fact 1: Unhealthy foods are delicious

Food Fact 2: Unhealthy foods are the most difficult to give up.

Fact 3: You can't "out exercise" poor food choices and see extreme results.

 

Everyone knows that these above statements are true, regardless of your love for sweet tea, chocolate donuts, fast food, Gigi's cupcakes (my personal favorite) or even peanut butter. However, why is unhealthy food both delicious and difficult to say NO to. This week many people have asked, "what exactly am I suppose to eat to be healthy and lose weight"? First of all, I think its very important to have a grasp on why these unhealthy foods really are so difficult to stay away from (satiety and satiation).

 Satiety  is when you digest and absorb enough nutrients, as well as calories, to satisfy your body's needs. Satiation occurs in your brain and is based on the smell, taste and texture of the food, or "your perception of fullness".  Take for example, prime ribs and Oreos. Prime rib contains nutrients you need, such as protein and healthy fats. On your first bite you think "THAT'S FANTASTIC", on your second bite you think "this is SO good", but by your tenth bite it becomes less appealing to you. Thanks to it's nutrients, your body is beginning to tell you that you have had enough and you are full (satiation). Because prime rib is natural and great in nutritional value, it tends to take longer to eat than processed food; this provides your brain an opportunity to realize that you're being nourished (satiety). Oreos on the other hand are quite different. They lack nutrients. They contain no protein, full of sugar and flavor-enhancing chemicals and loaded with added fats.  Oreos are usually eaten quicker than prime rib would be, which gives your brain no time to consider the amount of nutrients being provided for you body, which by the way is NONE. This does not provide enough nutrition to induce satiety or satiation, which results in you eating 12 Oreo cookies, instead of one or two, as you had planned.

I'm not going to lie and tell you that turning your sight to healthy food is easy because its not, especially when unhealthy foods tend to emotionally stimulate us by the use of triggering memories and feelings. Plus, unhealthy, processed food is EVERWHERE. But you can change and redirect your eating habits. You may PANIC and think, "there is no way in the world I can give up [fill in food]", but I assure you it's possible and you CAN do it! You will be able to better appreciate natural and healthy foods, but most importantly you will NOT be controlled by food any longer. "Don't live to eat, eat to live."

 

Below is the guideline I have followed throughout my lifestyle change:

 

 

*So whether you eat or drink, whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. -1 Corinthians 10: 31

We all know our body is a temple, so think to yourselves is making the choice to put [fill in food] in my body benefiting me or my walk with Christ? 

 

-Prime Rib and Oreo reference are from the "It Starts with Food" book.