Diet is king when beating obesity

In his superb book Dr. Neal Barnard’s Program for Reversing Diabetes Dr. Bernard tells of a patient who said he hadn’t been losing weight and figured he just needed to walk more. They were at the George Washington School of Medicine in Washington, DC and the good doctor opined that to lose just one pound the patient would have to walk from there to Baltimore, Maryland a distance of about 45 miles. He then went on to observe that lack of exercise is far less a factor in weight loss than is eating a healthful diet. So yes exercise is important but when it comes to weight loss diet is king.

When revising your diet there are plenty of books available as well as plenty of online resources you can refer to for specific menu ideas, but here are some general rules to guide you.

AVOID as much as possible sugar, fat and salt. Now there is no way you can totally avoid any of these but by placing those three items in your consciousness and looking at the nutritional labels on virtually all foods you can do a very good job in reducing your intake of those three items.

Other foods to avoid include most animal meats. No you don’t have to become a vegan even though that is Dr. Bernard’s position. Nevertheless some animal products such as hamburgers, sausages and hot dogs are just plain deadly. They all contain absurd levels of fat and gobs of salt.

Yes, I know that makes going out to the ball game somewhat difficult but there are good options. Also both tuna and salmon are pretty good nutritionally but try to stick with the fresh caught and avoid the farmed fish. And in a broad sense oils are more bad than good so stop using oil be it olive, canola, vegetable or otherwise.

EAT THESE foods. Focus on high fiber foods including beans and other legumes, vegetables, fresh fruits and whole grains.

Blueberries and strawberries are both great food options but clearly we need more than those two berries. Just a few more of the “good” foods include: black beans [not canned], kale, walnuts, pumpkin, apples, bananas, broccoli, spinach, sweet potatoes, kidney beans [not canned], celery, carrots, lentils, red beets [not canned], Brussel sprouts, bulgur, flaxseed, chia seeds, almonds [moderation], onions of all varieties, peaches, pears, cabbage, lettuce and mushrooms.

Clearly a wide variety of salads can be made from these and similar ingredients but don’t undo the good by adding gobs of dressing to your salad. Yes oil and vinegar is better than ranch but both should be avoided or at the very least severely minimized.

And those veggie burgers can taste great. There are many available these days and you are certain to find a few that truly do please your palate. Want some bread? Consider the Ezekiel brand of sprouted grain breads. Yes they do cost much more than the cheap white breads but they are vastly superior nutritionally and far less expensive than a hospital stay. And, of course, there are many more options for you to explore as you begin to develop your healthier and effective weight loss diet. Just remember to also keep in mind portion control because there really is such a thing as too much of a good thing.

CAUTION: To work well long term this has to be a lifestyle change therefore AVOID all fad diets because they never work long term. Sure you probably will lose a few pounds on any fad diet but it won’t take long before you rebound and gain it all back plus 20 percent more. This takes constant effort to reshape your lifestyle but as that necessary rebuild occurs you will look better, feel better and most likely live a lot longer.

Tell your favorite walking tale and win a book.

Yes indeed walk for health and also for joy and then share your walking experience to inspire others. Please write and email your favorite walking experience to me at: [email protected]. Where did you walk, what did you see, how long was your walk and anything else you want to reveal. Please include a few photos with your email. Submissions will be accepted now though November 10, 2016 and the winner will receive a free copy of Lose Live the ultimate guide to good health and weight loss.  Your story will also appear in this publication. Together we can feel great and begin to win the war on obesity and ill health.

Join us for the Hollywood Health Hike. Together we can feel great and begin to win the war on obesity and ill health. It happens for the third year in a row on April 30th 2017 and will take us from Burbank, California through Hollywood and Beverly Hills to Santa Monica. It costs NOTHING [except for whatever food and beverage you buy] but for details please let me know of your interest by sending an email to [email protected].

You can, at any time, get your very own copy of my true and real guide to effective and permanent weight loss, Lose Live available at lulu.com, amazon.com and barnesandnoble.com. Just be sure to keep checking in right here for regular updates. And if you have a question or comment for me please send your email to: [email protected]

Copyright © 2016 Ron Irwin

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Photos by Ron Irwin