Here’s the fact we know: in order to lose weight, your caloric intake needs to be less then present. If you find yourself being overweight, it means that you are consuming more calories than your body can efficiently metabolize. However another fact is that: if you don’t feel full after eating, you are more likely to indulge in foods that are dangerous to your health and possibly overeat. Very often we end up filling up on foods that are calorie rich and nutrient poor but there is a solution. You can eat, feel full and not consume excess calories and I’m going to tell you how.
The average person eats around 3-5 lbs of food each day which breaks down to around 1- 1.5 lbs of food at each meal for a feeling of fullness. Did you know that a pound of vegetables is only around 65- 200 calories? They are calorie poor but nutrient and fiber rich foods that your body will thank you for. On the contrary, a pound of cookies averages 1800-2200 calories!
For every meal, it is optimal to have at least half of that meal consist of fresh, raw fruits or vegetables. The other half should contain something cooked or steamed such as grains, legumes and steamed vegetables. The beautiful thing about eating this way is that you can actually fill up on your favorite fruits and vegetables without exceeding your recommended caloric intake for the day (once you sparingly use fat and dressings). Non-starchy vegetables like mushrooms, onions, garlic, eggplant, and peppers are essential components of a chronic illness prevention or reversal diet. These foods have an almost non-existent effect on blood glucose and are packed with fiber and phytochemicals. Most fruits are naturally low in fat, sodium, and calories and, as with vegetables, none of them contain cholesterol.
– Fourteen days to Amazing Health, Cooper-Dockery
Fiber-rich fruits and vegetables give bulk to the diet. Two things happen because of this, you will feel fuller earlier and your digestion will also be slower resulting in you feeling fuller for a longer period of time. In addition, because hunger has been suppressed, there will be a longer fasting period between meals and you will not feel the need to snack as often. You can accomplish this all while having consumed less calories! Less calories means you will have a case of disappearing pounds and a healthier body without feeling starved and deprived.
Retrain your taste buds to appreciate the natural tastes and flavors of fruits and vegetables in their natural state. I once heard a mother say to her son, “If you’re not hungry enough for a banana, you’re not hungry.” Let us recognize that very often the things we crave are satisfying a need that is not hunger but maybe some sort of boredom or emotional pain that needs to be appropriately addressed.
“When you place fruits and vegetables as the centerpiece on your dinner table, you will not only receive all the amazing health benefits these foods provide; you will keep chronic diseases in retreat.”
I’d be happy to hear how this process goes for you or any challenges you have. Leave me a comment below!
To your health,
Dona Cooper- Dockery, MD