A waistline-destroying, highly ADDICTIVE habit

As I hinted about yesterday, our food supply plays a MAJOR role in our alarming obesity rates.

The evidence is real, and there’s just something about ultra-processed foods (UPFs) that can sabotage even the most valiant weight-loss efforts.

So, in your quest to leave some of those extra pounds in the dust for GOOD, consider taking a good hard look at your shopping cart (and inside your kitchen cabinets).

Here’s why…

MORE or LESS

A recent, small study observed 20 men and women in a study center for a month. Researchers tightly controlled their diet and activity levels.

In one group, 80 percent of the calories came from UPFs. Meanwhile, the control group was not provided any UPFs.

Both groups received three meals each day that contained the same number of calories, sugars, fats, fiber, and carbohydrates. Lastly, subjects were allowed to eat as much, or as little, as they wanted.

Those on the UPF-diet consumed around 500 calories MORE per day. They also ate their meals faster and ultimately gained weight—compared to the control group, where subjects lost weight.

And wait, it gets worse…

Because some animal studies suggest UPFs actually reprogram our brains to dislike healthy foods.

That’s a scary thought—and once that shift occurs, it’s hard to reverse.

Fight back with food

Honestly, we have no idea what’s in these foods that cause us to CRAVE them and eat MORE.

Sure, the ingredients label will show things like hydrogenated oils, high-fructose corn syrup, flavoring agents, emulsifiers, and other manufactured ingredients. (These ingredients now make up over 50 percent of our food supply.)

But what are they doing to us on a deeper level?

Some research suggests they may interfere with the gut-brain signaling related to satiety (feelings of fullness). (These foods are so new to us from an evolutionary standpoint that our brain likely doesn’t know what to do with them.)

Plus, other research shows UPFs are highly addictive.

Put those together, and you have a recipe for disaster when it comes to weight management.

So, you can see why we MUST find a way to stop this madness and fight back!

I always first and foremost encourage taking small steps to follow a healthy, balanced diet of fresh, whole foods. Think grass-fed and -finished beef, organic poultry, wild-caught fish and seafood, fresh produce, nuts, seeds, eggs, and more.

But for those who need a little help… drugs like semaglutide and tirzepetide are changing the scene.

I hear the same things from my patients repeatedly: “For the first time in my life, I am not constantly thinking about eating. My life has changed.”

Those are some pretty powerful words I’m hearing, after 30+ years in the business.

That said, drugs aren’t for everyone. Therefore, we must never forget that lifestyle interventions will save all of us in the long-term (when it comes to countless health conditions, obesity included).

Source:

“What Causes Obesity? More Science Points to the Brain.” WebMD, 12/15/2023. (webmd.com/obesity/news/20231215/what-causes-obesity-more-science-points-brain)