Lead Like a Leader

Let’s delve into the world of diets. One common thread among most diet plans is the need to steer clear of ultra-processed foods. These are the products that are heavily processed, filled with additives, and often considered the ultimate junk food.

Among these junk foods, some are worse than others. However, one consistent factor is their high-calorie content—you could consume 1000 calories without even realizing it. Additionally, these foods often leave you feeling more hungry, which can be puzzling. I’ve experienced this firsthand; at one point, I was 100 pounds heavier than I am now, and despite not feeling like I was overeating, I was always hungry. The culprit? Ultra-processed foods.

According to the NOVA food classification system, ultra-processed foods include many ready-to-consume products such as carbonated soft drinks, sweet or savory packaged snacks, chocolate, candies, ice cream, mass-produced packaged bread and buns, margarine, spreads, cookies, pastries, cakes, cake mixes, breakfast cereals, cereal and energy bars, energy drinks, milk drinks, fruit yogurts, fruit drinks, cocoa drinks, and instant sauces. It’s quite a list, and I certainly enjoy many items on it!

Saying goodbye to these foods can be challenging. They’re often cheap, have a long shelf life, and are incredibly convenient. However, they’re also linked to obesity and other health issues. Loaded with calories, salt, sugar, and fat for some reason made me crave more.

So, what’s the first step? I always begin by understanding my current eating habits. Using an app like MyFitnessPal to track everything I eat helps me assess where I need to make changes. Understanding your diet can guide you in substituting ultra-processed foods with healthier alternatives.

In future posts, I’ll delve deeper into this first step and discuss the changes I made to develop and maintain a healthier diet. For now, I recommend assessing your diet and starting to substitute ultra-processed foods with healthier choices. Please comment on what healthy alternatives you have engaged in your diet.

For those interested in further research on the scientific side, I recommend the article “Ultra-processed diets cause excess calorie intake and weight gain: An inpatient randomized controlled trial of ad libitum food intake” in Cell Metabolism (2019).