Fat doesn't make you fat, sugar does.

So I recently watched the documentary Hungry for Change, which is on Netflix by the way (I recommend that you watch it), and it preaches what I feel about diets and dieting.  Plus, I learned quite a bit myself. I want to share with you what I learned and the truth about dieting, sugar, diet pills, and eating artificial foods. 

Diets set you up for failure.  Up to two-thirds of people gain more weight after they're off the diet than when they started the diet.  The weight loss is always temporary. 

You can consume tons of calories in a day and still be starving your cell.  Ironic huh?  Well that's because many foods we eat today have a high caloric weight that provide immediate fats and calories, but lack nutritional value.

Not supplying your body with proper nutrition will create health problems later on. While it's true many Americans are overfed, they are starving inside for nutrients.  Breads and sugars for example, trick your body into thinking that it's full and getting enough nutrients, when in actuality it is not. 

High fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is in most cereals, tomato-based sauce, ketchups, applesauce, spaghetti sauces, barbeque sauce, soft drinks, fruit drinks, breads, & yogurts (even organic).  Fructose corn syrup is highly addictive and will make you crave more sugar and fructose.  It can change your brain chemistry and attract you to foods that will lead you down a path to obesity. 

Eating corn is fine because it is in its natural state for consumption.  Natural fructose found in fruits, sugars, vegetables, and honey is very different from HFCS.  While these are natural sugars, HFCS is a highly concentrated form of corn syrup.  HFCS adds to glucose levels in the body and increase cholesterol levels.  While both corn syrup and HFCS are both harmful to the body, corn syrup is definitely the lesser of the two. 

I took the liberty to give you some examples of cereal that do not contain high fructose corn syrup in them because I am all about my cereal in the morning.

These do not contain high fructose corn syrup:

CEREALS

• Cheerios 
• most Kashi brand cereals 
• regular Life Cereal and Cinnamon Life cereal
• most Nature's Pride Organic
• Shredded Wheat

 CRACKERS

•  Dare Vinta Crackers
• Milton's (most)
• Nabisco Original Triscuits
• Pepperidge Farm Goldfish

BREADS

• Amana Multi Grain Bread
• Aunt Millie's Old Fashioned Butter-Top Wheat
• Brownberry's Arnold Natural Health Nut Bread
• Country Hearth 12-Grain Bread
• Dave's Killer Breads
• Earth Grains 100% Natural 7-Grain Bread
• Nature's Own 100% Whole Wheat bread (other varieties do contain HFCS, but not this kind)
• Nature's Pride
• Open Nature Bread (also contains no trans fat) 
• Pepperidge Farms 100% Natural Blend
• Pepperidge Farms Whole Grain Wheat Bread
• Rudi's Organic Bakery Buns
• Sara Lee Soft and Smooth 100% Whole Wheat
• Tandoori Roti/Naan breads
• Vermont Bread Company breads
• Wheat Montana bread/rolls

OTHER

• Motts All Natural Applesauce
• Jiff peanut butter
• Hellman's Mayonnaise 
• Annie's Natural Organic Honey Mustard
• Trader Joe's Organic Maple Syrup 
• Breyer's yogurt

See more varieties of food that does not contain high fructose corn syrup--> Click here.

Another dangerous combination is caffeine and aspartame.  This combo kills brain cells.  Diet Cola is a product that utilizes this chemical combination that causes an immediate feeling of fulfillment and that it's the most fulfilling thing you've ever had.

Foods that contain aspartame:

• breath mints
• diet Soda
• most yogurts
• many cereals
• flavored water
• powdered drinks
• sweeteners
• chewing gum

Artificial sweeteners are not as good as you think they are.  These unnatural sweeteners cause carbohydrate cravings and weight gain. "Fluffy" carbohydrates turn into sugar and everyone needs to expand their definition of what is a sugar.  Examples of these fluffy carbohydrates: rice, pasta, waffles, pancakes, breads.  Again, check the labels.

Yes, I know all of the above foods are very hard to avoid, but eating less of them and more of the good stuff will make all the difference! One main thing that Hungry for Change harps on is adding more of the good stuff into your diet versus avoiding all of these foods.  One reason for this is so when you reintroduce some of these foods, your body will gain weight back, but by eating healthy and in moderation while adding more of the good stuff, you'll begin to crave more and more of the healthy stuff.  It will become a lifestyle that you are willing to make.

The take-away advice: 

So don't treat creating a healthy lifestyle like a diet where you only eat certain foods, eat less, and cut out main food groups completely.  Instead, add more fresh vegetables (filled with tons of chlorophyll that helps cleanse your body) and eat more fruits, lean meats, and watch out for eating too many foods containing HFCS and artificial sweeteners.