With the wonderful technology at our fingertips offering us instant access to all kinds of information, you’d think we could figure out how to lose those last 10 pounds or find the best way to start our weight-loss journey. Yet most of us bounce around from diet to diet, we’re inundated with ads on various social media platforms touting the next quick-fix solution, and there’s always someone willing to yell at us or tell us what we’re doing wrong. Sigh. I’ll be honest with you. I have no desire to follow any kind of “diet” (I shudder just typing that word!), I will not pop some brightly-colored-squishy-candy-like thing, and I respond much better to positivity. I believe that weight loss CAN be achieved by making small, realistic, sustainable changes that don’t require a complete upheaval of our lives. So when I saw this documentary on Amazon Prime, I got super excited and knew I had to share it with you.
“Beyond Weight Loss: Breaking the Fat Loss Code” is an eye-opening experience to say the least. It’s 1 hour 45 minutes long, but well worth it. I’ve watched it a few times and each time I find something new. It also has a ton of information, which is why I’m presenting it in several parts. Keep in mind that this is, in no way, a substitute for watching the documentary but rather a smattering of key points and tidbits that I thought might be interesting and (hopefully) helpful. Let’s begin with the first thing that pops up on the screen.
“Exercise is King. Nutrition is Queen.
Jack LaLanne
Put them together and you’ve got a kingdom.”
Powerful stuff. Yet so simple. Too bad it’s not that easy though, right? So what can we do about it? What’s the key to making it work? Keith Klein CN, CCN, Dr. Roxanne Edrington DC, CCN, Larry North, Mike Ryan, Chuck Dertinger, and Kurt Osburn talk about the key aspects of losing weight safely and keeping it off. Turns out, it’s all about psychology. I know there’s been a surge of this in the past few years or so – and that’s because there’s truth to it. Basically, we need to “change the mind” in order to “change the body”. This documentary provides valuable information on multiple topics and offers steps to success that you can incorporate into your life without turning it upside down.
In Part 2, I’ll dive into the benefits of, and science behind, exercise programs, some dos and don’ts, plus suggestions for success. Part 3 encompasses nutrition, including the psychology of weight loss, information about sugar and fad diets, as well as tips for making better, long-lasting choices. Part 4 will focus on the steps to self-change and how to stay motivated on your journey. Finally, Part 5 brings it all together so that you can begin to put your goals into action.
For the time being, I want to give you something to (pardon the pun) chew on. It’s a skill that I believe is essential to becoming a healthier version of you by arming you with information that may very well change the way you look at food: read the label. I don’t mean look at the healthy colors and words on the front and take it as gospel. I mean study the nutrition label and learn how to decipher it. Here’s just one of the things we can learn from reading the packaging . . .
Keith Klein asks if we really know how fat our food is and then breaks it down for us into simple, digestible terms. He says that labels are terribly misleading and that companies in the U.S. don’t have to include the actual percentage of fat. If they did, we’d put it back, thus depriving them of their profits. The word “lean” on a label means that there is less than 10g of fat per serving. “Extra lean” indicates less than 5g of fat per serving. Yet many foods labeled as such are actually high fat foods. How can that be? Well, they calculate it based on weight, not calories. That’s a real game-changer. That “lean” ground turkey you bought that says 93% lean? It’s actually 45% fat. Would you like ground turkey that’s actually lean? Simple. Make sure that it says “turkey breast“.
Here’s another example: canned tuna in water. Keith highlights the difference between 2 cans of tuna made by the same company, yet one of them is 13% fat and the other is 40% fat. I was perplexed. Truly. I wondered how in the world that could possibly be true. The answer: tuna caught November through March are higher in fat than other times of the year because they pack it on during migratory season. I hit rewind a few times just to make sure I heard it correctly!
What’s crazier is that if a food has .5g of fat or less per serving, it’s legal to say it’s fat free. Case in point: non-fat cooking spray. It says fat free. Great! So we can use as much as we want, right? Nope! 100% of its calories come from fat. But wait, it says fat free on the front. It has less than .5g of fat. So what the heck? Well, take a look at the serving size: 1/3 second spray. Not one three-second spray, but a 1/3 second spray. Who can do that?! That won’t cover 1/3 of the pan for cryin’ out loud!
Ok. Deep breath. We know that reading our food labels is incredibly important, so what can we do to not get duped when we’re trying to eat better and lose weight? Keith offers a quick ‘fat formula’ to help us. (Just be sure to take into account the serving size.) Drum roll please . . .
grams of fat x 9 ÷ calories = fat %
Before you ditch me and run to your pantry and fridge to inspect food items, please know that this formula is information, a handy little tool to help you understand the real fat content in food. You don’t need to throw out everything in your kitchen that’s not low fat. Instead, use it to help you make better choices moving forward. Maybe give it a try this week at the store. It’s all about educating ourselves with quality information. We’ll explore other useful tools as we make our way through the documentary. After all, knowledge is power, isn’t it? And with more ammo in your arsenal, you’ll be better equipped to conquer any obstacles that you encounter. I hope you enjoy the show as much as I do! Stay tuned for more!
Best wishes for a wonderful week!
#personalgrowth
#readthelabel
The information provided on this website is intended for educational purposes only and is, in no way, a substitute for professional medical advice. The events, practices, and opinions discussed here are those of the author and should be treated as such. ALWAYS talk with your doctor about conditions, medications, and concerns you have about your health and work together to determine the best course of action for you.
Wholeness Health and YOU! 