Women are constantly bombarded with tips on how to lose weight by magazines and media. Considering that I am mostly happy with my weight, I have never been one to follow these trendy diets. In fact, I am ashamed to admit I am someone who doesn’t think much about what they are putting in their body.
Sometimes after a long vacation of over-eating, I’ll get in the mood to shed a few pounds. However, after recently studying for some grueling nutrition and physiology exams, I am shocked and inspired by the benefits of eating healthy. I know this blog may come off as slightly informational, but it is extremely fascinating to observe the direct correlation between what we eat and the workings of our body.
Please keep in mind that this is not a “how to lose weight” article. My intention is to share with you some surprising facts about nutrition in an effort to encourage us all to make healthy choices for the sake of our bodies!
Here are some of the most interesting observations I made from my late-night study sessions…
1. Hunger pains may just be thirst!
Seventy percent of our body is water, and water is the basis for every single biological function in our body. It carries nutrients and wastes throughout the body and allows for chemical exchanges like breathing and sweating. It also maintains the structure of proteins. Because water is so influential to the workings of our body systems, it is no secret the importance of making sure we are taking in enough water every day.
I know the idea that drinking water is good for us doesn’t seem like groundbreaking news. But what may surprise you is that our body has special ways of telling us we need more water, and this feeling doesn’t always come in the form of that “thirsty” feeling we are familiar with after eating a salty pepperoni pizza.
Our bodies are smart enough to know that water is present in many of the foods the body already needs to perform its tasks — mostly fruits and vegetables. But because our bodies know that a major source of its water intake comes from foods, our body has the natural reaction to act hungry when all it really wants is water! This is huge news to girls like me who are constantly confused as to why they are hungry after they just ate! The most obvious way to ward off this constant hunger is to simply add more fruits and vegetables to your diet to increase water intake. I experimented with this concept for the last few weeks, and I promise it really does help you feel full!
2. It’s about quality, not quantity!
It is OK to eat a big meal. In fact, it is encouraged by my nutritionists! The catch is that these meals must consist of foods that are nutritious, and satisfy the requirements of the major food groups. If the last time you checked up on the food pyramid requirements was in fifth grade, fear not! Go to www.MyPlate.gov to see if your big breakfast is satisfying your health needs. Having a bowl of cereal and coffee is 10 times worse for your body than say, eggs, whole wheat toast, and a glass of orange juice.
The media tells us that a meal this size is not conducive to losing weight. However, the reason that so many “fad” diets are considered fads is because they do not work and only help you lose weight temporarily. The best way to become truly healthy is to change your lifestyle. Although you may not burn off the fat quite as quickly, your overall wellbeing is at risk when you force your body to skip meals and down protein shakes.
You may be asking yourself why more people have not embraced the USDA’s recommendations for nutritional eating. If you get to eat more and become healthier, why isn’t everyone tracking their personal food pyramid? Many have their theories, but I believe it is predominantly the fault of the American society.
Most Americans are not interested in being healthy. They are interested in losing weight and losing it fast! If women embraced their bodies, and focused more at the risk they are placing their bodies of potentially contracting heart disease, diabetes, and even cancer, they would truly feel better emotionally and physically. This tendency to either starve or make poor food choices altogether explains why many American women fall into categories of either being unhealthily skinny or unhealthily obese. Why not just be healthy?
I hope this post motivates you to make healthy choices!