So you’ve been noticing some bloating and weight gain for the past few months. Maybe it’s the Freshman Fifteen, or you just turned 21, or it’s just life happening. Whatever the reason, you’re ready to slim down.
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Most people will tackle this situation one way: exercise and a “healthy” diet. What if I told you that all those elementary, middle, and high school health classes where you learned the importance of following The Food Pyramid (as if it’s a golden standard for a healthy diet) actually just taught you bologna?
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Here are some facts:
1. The Food Pyramid was released by the Department of Agriculture.
2. In America, the Department of Agriculture is predominantly a grain industry (grain = money).
3. Grains are the cheapest way to feed a large population (read: grain saves money).
4. Grains are easily stored and can be exported to foreign countries (grain = foreign money).
5. America is a capitalist society (we ♥ money).
Yes, the food pyramid you’ve come to live by may have been the most pervasive marketing scheme America has never seen. From 1992 until 2011, the USDA suggested 6-11 servings of bread, cereal, rice, and pasta per day.
If you haven’t read The Science Behind How Carbs Turn Into Fat, then you wouldn’t understand how shocking this recommendation is, and how it’s no surprise that the number of people diagnosed with diabetes in America has increased fourfold from 1980 to 2014.
Photo by Jocelyn Hsu
Bottom line, eating an excess of carbohydrates (grains) will make you fat. And lethargic. And retain water weight. And if you keep doing it, you might get diabetes. I’m just sayin’.
A great way to start cutting back on carbs and living a healthier lifestyle is to go on the ketogenic diet. This diet emphasizes eating things low in carbs and high in fat. By cutting your carb intake, your body goes into the metabolic state of ketosis, which will in turn help you shed body fat – in this state, your body burns fat as the main source of energy instead of glucose.
If that doesn’t convince you, here are some of my favorite things about staying on a ketogenic diet:
- I can eat all the steak, cheese, eggs, and bacon I want. I’m serious. This is not a joke.
- I have mental clarity. Without carbs to fog up my brain and cause lethargy and grogginess, I’ve never been more clear-headed.
- I have less of an appetite. I can eat all the meat and cheese you want, but I promise you won’t want that much.
- You lose a ton of water weight when you first go on the ketogenic diet. I lost 3 lbs of water weight in a week, and 10 lbs of body weight in 3 months. Here’s the kicker: I didn’t exercise at all. I just continued with my daily routine of couch potatoing, except with cheese chips instead of potato chips.
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So next time you’re feeling potato chips, try reaching for a cheese stick instead. How is cheese healthier than deep fried starch? It has 0g of carbs and it will fill you up for longer, so you’ll eat less throughout the day!
If you don’t know where to start, follow this awesome ketogenic food pyramid that won’t give you diabetes.
Photo courtesy of Trey Cox on trey.graphics