Sometimes the best way to lose weight is not to focus only on the amount of food you are eating, but to look to other factors around you that might be contributing to weight gain.
Usually when we want to lose weight we first “go on a diet” which usually involves following very specific eating protocols: what to eat, when to eat it and how much. Maybe you have done this and found you lost some weight when you were following the “rules,” but the weight crept back on as soon as you went back to your regular eating habits. You are not alone. If there were a simple solution to losing weight, we wouldn’t have thousands of diet books being written on how to do it!
Losing weight and eating healthy can be very difficult if you are following the standard American diet (SAD) where on average:
- 63% of calories come from refined and processed foods, and
- only 6% are coming from fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, and seeds.
So maybe it’s time we started to look at what might assist weight loss beyond just calorie counting and prescribed diets, and look at how certain types of foods we are eating might be affecting us. Given that most of the foods being eaten in the Standard American Diet are processed, it makes sense to take a closer look at those.
Ultra-Processed Foods
I often talk about processed foods and the negative effect they can have on our body. But there are times when processed foods can be a healthy alternative, such as canned or frozen vegetables or fruits, nut butters, refrigerated fermented foods like sauerkraut, or canned fish. These foods have been processed to some extent to make them convenient and available to the consumer, but they have few to no added ingredients. Having said that, always read the labels before buying these products to make sure they don’t have unwanted hidden ingredients such as salt and sugar.
Ultra-processed foods, on the other hand, are foods that include preservatives, additives, and artificial colorings and flavors. They tend to have a long list of ingredients, many of which might sound a bit foreign to us. These usually include snack foods, candies, drinks, or quick cheap “meals” that are high in sugars, salt, and fats. Many fast food and to-go meals also fall into this category.
Much research has gone into developing the perfect combination of ingredients for these products that create the perfect flavor “bliss point” that trigger cravings and a desire for more. These foods are designed to satisfy your hunger temporarily, but will not keep you satisfied for long. Worse yet, they will have you seeking a quick energy fix very soon after, perpetuating a dangerous cycle of unhealthy eating and leading to weight gain.
Recently, a study was conducted by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and published in Cell Metabolism to test the effects these ultra-processed foods might have on human subjects.
The study fed twenty adults with a controlled diet for 4 weeks. The subjects were divided into two groups of 10. For the first 2 weeks, one group was fed only ultra-processed foods; the other group was fed “meals [that] were designed to be well matched… for total calories, energy density, macronutrients, fiber, sugars, and sodium” with the first group. THE ONLY DIFFERENCE IN THIS SECOND GROUP was that the participants were fed meals made with only whole foods. In both groups, the subjects were instructed to consume as much or as little as desired with a maximum calorie limit, and to exercise a certain number of minutes per day.
After 2 weeks, the groups switched diets: the ultra-processed food eaters were given only whole foods, and vice versa.
At the end of the 4 weeks, everyone gained weight when eating the ultra-processed food diet. But, when eating the whole food diet, everyone either lost weight or remained stable. None of the whole food eaters gained weight.
In addition, the results showed that both groups on the ultra-processed food diet on average ate more total calories than when eating whole foods. And most of their calories came from carbs and fats, and less from protein. In other words, they ate more per meal when eating the processed foods in order to feel more satisfied (remember that “bliss point” is designed to make you want more!)
The conclusion reached by the researchers was this: Limiting consumption of ultra-processed foods may be an effective strategy for obesity prevention and treatment.
In other words, it might not matter what type of diet you choose. They may all work if you just stay away from the ultra-processed foods!
So maybe the next best “diet” might just be the “Learn to Cook” diet with these simple rules:
- Buy whole foods from your local grocery store or farmers market.
- Shop the perimeter of the grocery store where you will find the least processed foods: produce, dairy, meats and bulk bins for example. Avoid the center aisles whenever possible!
- Start dusting off those old cookbooks and selecting some recipes. These don’t need to be complicated or have many ingredients. Keep things simple, at least at first.
- Simplify the process by preplanning your week and shopping for ingredients over the weekend. Don’t forget to include snacking options such as fruits and nuts. Snacking on impulse can be the biggest source of unwanted empty calories!
- Try to buy the best quality ingredients for your meals. That may mean shopping organic produce or meats, and learning what fish is the cleanest.
- Start bringing your lunch and snacks to work, and avoid the temptation of vending machines and take out food. Remove unhealthy snack foods from sight, or at least move them farther away from your work area where they won’t trigger food cravings.
- Be selective when eating out at restaurants too. Hopefully, you will be eating out less, but when eating out try to opt for the cleanest entrées, made without heavy sauces or other rich ingredients. These tend to be high in calories, salt, fats, and/or carbs. Opt instead for a clean source of protein like fish or chicken, with a healthy helping of low-starch veggies. Ask for the sauce on the side and use it sparingly if necessary. And remember, desserts are usually highly processed, so opt instead for some fruit if you are craving something sweet.
Armed with this information, you might be ready to ditch all those diet books now. All the better, now you will have more shelf space for your cookbooks!
Happy cooking! Here is one of my favorite quick-to-prepare recipes to get you started. If you are looking for more healthy recipes to try, you can find them under the “Recipes” tab on my website!
Yours in Health,
Evey
Parchment Baked Salmon With Pesto, Zucchini, and Carrots
This recipe is a snap to make because it bakes up flaky and moist in a sealed pouch! In place of salmon, you can use other small fish fillets, such as halibut, red snapper, sea bass, pompano, striped bass, or cod. There will be leftover veggies that you can put in a separate pouch and cook along with the rest of the pouches, or save to make a slaw salad.
Serves: 4
Prep time: 20 Minutes
Cook time: 15 Minutes
Ingredients
4 (12- x 18-inch) sheets parchment paper*
Cooking spray
4 (6-ounce) salmon fillets
¼ cup pesto (see recipe below)
1 cup shredded carrots (2 medium)
1 cup shredded zucchini (1 small)
3/4 tsp salt, divided
1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper, divided
4 tsp olive oil
4 tsp dry white wine
Directions
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
Fold parchment paper or foil in half, or use parchment bags (see note below.) Lightly coat each with cooking spray, leaving a 2-inch border ungreased at the edge. - Place fillet on one side so that it touches the fold, but not the ungreased border. Spread 1 tablespoon pesto over fillet; top with 1/4 cup carrot and 1/4 cup zucchini. Sprinkle with one-fourth of salt and pepper.
- Drizzle fillet with 1 teaspoon oil and 1 teaspoon wine.
- Fold the paper, seal edges with narrow folds, allowing space for heat circulation and expansion.
- Repeat with the remaining parchment paper, fish, and vegetables.
- Place packets on baking sheets. Bake at 400°F for 15 minutes or until parchment is puffy and lightly browned.
- To serve, open packets and transfer the fillets with their vegetable topping to plates; pour juices over top. Or serve right in packets; carefully transfer to plates and pierce each to allow steam to escape.
*Note: You can find parchment cooking bags at the grocery store or on Amazon. This saves having to fold up sides to form pouches.
Arugula Pesto
This tangy garlicky topping will help brighten up any dish. Mix with sun-dried tomatoes and use as a topping for baked chicken or fish; add to chicken salad; mix it into cauli-rice, zucchini noodles, or sauteed vegetables; or even serve it on crackers as a snack.
Ingredients
1 packed cup arugula, coarsely chopped
1 packed cup fresh basil, coarsely chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped
2 Tbsp white vinegar
½ cup cashew pieces, soaked in water for 30 minutes or more
1/3 cup high-quality olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
Directions
- In food processor, combine all ingredients except for olive oil. Pulse until well blended.
- While machine is running, slowly add olive oil until fully incorporated.
Note: You can use 2 cups of basil total if you don’t have arugula. Or try substituting one cup of mustard greens or parsley in place of the arugula for different flavors.
Kale Slaw with Pears and Avocado
Pears are a great source of fiber! Combine with kale and avocado for a super metabolism revving side dish!
Ingredients
2 bunches of kale stripped off the stem, roughly chopped and lightly steamed
2 carrots, grated
1 cup shredded cabbage (red or napa)
½ red onion chopped (you can soak in water for 1/2 hour to lessen flavor if onion is strong)
1 pear, diced
1 avocado, diced
¼ cup walnuts, roughly chopped
Dressing
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
3 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2-3 tbsp apple cider vinegar (white or champagne are also good)
Directions
- Combine dressing ingredients. Whisk to mix.
- Combine salad ingredients in a large salad bowl. Add dressing and toss to combine. Let sit a few minutes to let flavors blend.
Note: can make ahead of time, but reserve the pear, avocado to add at the last minute.
