By Vegan Victoria, Certified Nutrition Consultant
A Senate sub-committee hearing this week put the spotlight on weight-loss products and the misleading advertising that promises way more than the products can deliver. A good friend once tried to sell me some diet pills by saying they were “size 4 in a bottle”. Seriously? This once again falls into the category of “if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is”. But so many people are desperate for an easy way to shed the pounds. They will try anything, even if it’s not proven or possibly dangerous to their health. We just don’t have the patience to take the tried and true method of adjusting our eating habits and slowly but steadily losing the weight.
Find out what's happening in Danvillefor free with the latest updates from Patch.
My Own Weight-loss Story
I just was complimented by a colleague who I’ve worked with for over 15 years on my slim appearance. Some people seem caught off guard or surprised when they’ve noticed I’ve lost weight. It might seem rather sudden to them, because of a certain outfit I’m wearing. I usually prefer loose, comfortable clothing that’s not too revealing. But the truth is this has been a long slow journey. The most recent effort started over 4 years ago, when I decided to eat more plant-based foods. I was inspired by a line in the book “Eat to Live” by Dr. Joel Fuhrman: “the key to good health (and a healthy weight) is to eat food that’s high in nutrients and low in calories”. Period. End of story. That means eating a LOT of vegetables, plus some fruit, legumes, whole grains, lean protein and a little healthy fat every meal, every day.
Find out what's happening in Danvillefor free with the latest updates from Patch.
The Bottom Line
That’s the big secret to getting down to a healthy size and staying there. There are no short-cuts, no instant, over-night, snap-your-fingers and voila, you’re a size 4. It’s taken some consistent adjustment, tweaking, and experimenting with portion size, and timing of meals to find the right balance for me. And I will continue to make adjustments probably for the rest of my life, as my body changes and my circumstances and schedule change. But the bottom line is eat right and your body will do right for you.
