What The Hell do I Eat?

The really great thing about diets is that you can find one that will fit whatever types of food you want.  Like to eat bacon?  There's a diet that will let you gorge on bacon, sausage, steak, and all manner of fatty animal flesh.  Want to be a vegan?  You can find diets that extol the  virtues of eating nothing but organic raw fruits and vegetables grown by monks in Tibet.  Hell....there are even diets that have you eating pop tarts and dumping butter in your coffee.

In the diet world it's a matter of build it and they will come....or rather....they will buy.  These diets are designed to make money by appealing to an audience that desperately want a cure-all food program that they can stick to and works.  Thing is; though all the diets work since it doesn't matter what you eat as long as you are taking in fewer calories than your are expending, it's damn hard to stick with a diet for the long term.  There are a couple of reasons for that.

One is...you get tired of eating certain foods.  You may love bacon but, after eating bacon day after day and little else, the sight of it will start to make you ill and a piece of toast begins to look really tasty.  You may be all gung-ho about eating nothing but raw fruits and vegetables but, after a couple of weeks, you will crave a burger from McSlop like an addict for crack   If you are on a diet high in protein...you will start craving carbs.  If you are on a diet high in carbs...you will start having strong desires for protein.  It's the body's way of wanting a balance of both types of foods.  I don't buy the bullshit that we should be vegetarian or paleo.  Humans have evolved as omnivores.  Our bodies are designed to utilize a wide variety of plants and animals.  To restrict your food choices, especially in this country of plenty, is stupid.

Another reason is that, unless you are fabulously wealthy and can afford a personal chef to follow you around all day, diets are not very practical.  I mean...you got stuff to do.  You have a job, kids, appointments, friends.....planning and executing a rigid diet takes a lot of planning and preparation.  Who has time for that week and week, month after month?

So what are you suppose to eat?

Whatever you want.

Really....simple as that. 

The way to lose weight is to simply eat fewer calories and exercise more.  You need to exercise to that you are losing the right type of weight (fat instead of muscle) and you need to eat a balanced diet to feed and build that body you are exercising.  It's not rocket science, though many try to make it seem as such in order to have you pay them for advice and direction.

You need meat.  You need the protein from animal products.  Don't go overboard but don't deny yourself.

You need carbs.  Complex carbs are much better.  Sugar is crap, stay away from sweet shit.

You need fats.  Not much...but it is an essential nutrient.  There are good fats such as olive, fish, avocado.

You need veggies.  Green things are the best.  Eat lots of them.   Do not drink your veggies and fruits.  Juicing is a load of horseshit that will get you fatter than just about anything else you try.

And most important......MONITOR PORTION SIZES.  I honestly fee that the primary cause of obesity in this country is that most people have no concept of proper food portions.  Your hand is a good way to measure.  Your palm is about the serving size of a protein as well as a carbohydrate.  Eat all the veggies you want.  Eat till satisfied not until full...that's a skill that takes a bit of time to develop.

And have yourself a treat every now and then.  Just don't go hog wild and don't eat it all the time.  

And don't overthink the process.

Exercise more.

Eat less.

Do both wisely.  

...and quit giving diet hucksters your money....