20240205 Day 666 Part-3 - FAQs: “Should I avoid processed foods?”

20240205 Day 666 Part-3
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FAQs: “Should I avoid processed foods?”
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So first of all, let’s be clear about what we’re referring to. If you want to get pedantic, just heating foods is technically “processing” it since heat will change the properties of certain meals. We aren’t talking about that. We’re talking about snack cakes, fast food, candy, microwave dishes, etc..
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Next, let’s be specific. I’m pretty sure most of you aren’t thinking long term health consequences, you’re probably thinking body composition as in, “Can I get in shape eating processed foods?”
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The simple answer is absolutely 🤷🏿‍♂️
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I eat bbq sauce by the bottle 😂
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It would be hypocritical and objectively incorrect for me to say you can’t. There’s a, “HOWEVER” attached to that.
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My own anecdote notwithstanding, we’ve seen at least twice in the literature, the MacDonalds and 7-11 experiments respectively, that not only can you lose weight but also improve health markers as long as you manage energy balance. Here’s the problem.
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It’s the “White VS Brown Rice” situation again. In almost every case, even the researchers report issues with satiety and cravings. If you go by Xs and Os, you can make just about diet work, in part or in whole. You can fit in pizza and ice cream and all that.
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Can you portion control those things though? Based off the fact that most of the population is overweight and suffer a myriad of deleterious health consequences because of it, that you can’t.
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I have a protein bar for desert instead of sugar cookies because I CAN ONLY EAT ONE.
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NOTHING has a more robust effect in terms of diet as sustainable practices. You slip up a single day, you can make up for it but if you fall off the wagon every third day because you insist on making ice cream sandwiches be included in your diet, it’s not gonna work out for you 🤷🏿‍♂️
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So to answer your question, “Should I avoid processed foods?” If you can’t stop eating them then, yes which is probably most of you.
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If you make the basis of your meals around real, whole food, meats, veggies, grains, etc, and then have some sauce here, some cake or whatever there, you’ll probably be ok and not to far off the mark.
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Just be careful. It’s a lot more sustainable to NOT have cravings then to constantly be fighting them 🤷🏿‍♂️
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Stay in the fight 🇺🇸🇰🇪
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