Fat Free, Sugar Free and Low fat Foods Make You Fat

I dislike the word fat and I apologize if I offended anyone by using it, but the truth is... I needed to catch your attention.  For some reason, people respond to the word "fat" way more than "overweight".  This post is an important one so the more people I can draw in, the better.  One of the reasons why America is becoming so obese is because of the horribly processed, chemical ridden substance people call food.

Any word that falls under the "diet umbrella" should be avoided at all costs.  Fat free, sugar free, diet, and low fat foods make you hungry.  Large corporations love hungry consumers.

I do admit- once in a while I am guilty when it comes to a drinking diet soda or diet iced tea on a hot day while I am driving around doing errands.  Unfortunately, it only leads me down a rabbit hole of a growling stomach and wanting sugary foods.  I bought a diet green tea the other day.  Do you know what I ate about 20 minutes later?  A large peppermint patty.  Yup.  That situation could have been avoided if I made homemade iced tea with honey in it and left the house with a satisfied stomach from lunch.  Never leave the house hungry when you have errands to run.  7-11 is convenient for a reason- and not one that I love.

The brain, taste buds and stomach are all connected and in communication 24/7.  When you eat real foods with true sugar (think apples and peanut butter), your taste buds are happy, your brain releases endorphins (feel good hormones) and your stomach settles for the time being.  When you drink a diet coke or diet iced tea, your taste buds are satisfied, but your brain is not because it wants to fire off the feel good endorphins.  Unfortunately, there is nothing to kick start that process... diet coke is made with fake sugar.  Your stomach is then pissed off and it starts grumbling for food.  Your brain becomes foggy and a hot mess signaling you to go into the kitchen and grab anything as fast as possible.  From that diet coke, you just overate your way into "regret land" and had no idea why.  Now you know.

The same goes with low fat cookies.  Since there is not enough fat, protein and carbs to become satisfied (low fat foods are really just sugar and horrible additives), you will eat the whole roll of cookies or go back to the kitchen and consume more food.  By the end, you will take in more calories than you would have if you ate the real thing in the first place.

I will give you an example.  My instructor, Kelly Schleyer.  She is petite, has chiseled abs and a tight little body.  Do you know what she eats a couple times per week?  A bowl of ice cream after dinner.  Not a huge bowl.. maybe a half a cup.  She is giving her body what it wants in a small portions.  Her body becomes satisfied and then she moves on.  That half a bowl was maybe 150 calories.  If she were to have eaten a fat free yogurt instead, 15 minutes later, her stomach would be growling and she would go back into the kitchen to pick at more food.  If she ate diet foods, I guarantee her abs would not be popping through like they are now.

I mean, let's get real... can you really live your whole life without eating sugar?  I think that would be one of the most impossible things to do.  So, eat the real thing.  If you can make your own cookies using real ingredients with honey or coconut palm sugar, please do so!  You will shave a couple pounds off by getting rid of the "diet foods".   Just please- watch your portion sizes... and practice balance!  Remember, we are only treating ourselves once in a while.