No More Struggles With Your Weight

Just imagine for a second that you no longer have to worry about your weight. Speculate about the meaning of your existence. So, what would it be possible for you to accomplish then?

If you weren't overweight, you could get to experience the delight of playing your favorite sport again, taking a leisurely stroll with your grandkids, or sitting comfortably in a movie theater chair. You would have a much easier time with basic hygiene tasks like using the restroom, taking a shower, and putting on clothes.

And now, keep imagining: what kinds of goals would you be able to achieve if your weight were no longer an issue? Imagine how you'd feel about yourself in such a scenario. Approximately how much cash would be spared? Imagine a world in which your only concern was maintaining your current weight. What if you could eat as much as you wanted without ever gaining weight?

I know it's too wonderful to be true. But it's not just feasible, it's perfectly plausible to get all of that and more. All of that, and better health, is possible when you switch to a plant-based diet consisting of tasty whole foods. A whole food, plant-based diet lowers the risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, arteriosclerosis, cancer, and many other chronic illnesses, as claimed by T. Colin Campbell, author of The China Study.

Obesity is an epidemic in the United States, as is common knowledge. But I doubt that there is a single overweight person that welcomes their condition. Simply looking at the people you interact with on a daily basis will convince you that around two-thirds of American adults are overweight.

Obesity-related medical expenditures in the US were estimated at $100 billion in 2002. A billion is the correct answer. And if you can believe it, that's $30 billion (or more) more than was spent in 1999. To spend billions annually on obesity-related medical treatment while millions of children throughout the globe go hungry seems ludicrous.

It's terrible that our society encourages weight gain. The "super size it," "more is better," and "I want it now" mentalities are contributing to the epidemic of obesity. Furthermore, the same system that promotes weight gain also pushes "quick fix" weight reduction options, such as diet beverages and meals, fad diets, calorie monitoring, carb counting, and food swap gimmicks.

This is not how life has to be lived. Imagine a world in which your struggles with weight no longer exist and you enjoy the best health you've ever had! With proper planning, you may put an end to all of your concerns and feelings of shame over poor food choices. The act of eating need not be seen as a chore or a scientific experiment.

Dr. Campbell claims that individuals who follow a vegetarian or vegan diet (one that excludes all animal products) have a far lower body mass index than those who consume the conventional American diet. Research participants were encouraged to consume low-fat, whole-food, plant-based meals to their hearts' content without restriction. The average weight loss in the study was 17 pounds per person in only three weeks.

I feel the need to provide some explanation here. Vegetarianism doesn't guarantee slimness, and being overweight is possible even for vegetarians. Some vegans make up for the lack of meat in their diets with excessive amounts of processed carbs like white rice, pasta, and white bread. One of the best ways to shed unwanted pounds and keep them off for good is to switch to a plant-based diet rich in nutritious foods.

Raw, unprocessed, or minimally processed plant-based foods are permitted in unlimited quantities. Raw fruits and vegetables, soaked nuts and seeds (not raw or roasted), brown rice, oat groats, and a variety of beans and legumes all fit this description. Foods such as breads, pastries, milk, cheese, items with refined sugars or artificial sweeteners, canned fruits, soups, veggies, etc. do not qualify as whole foods.

Switching to cooking with whole foods might be difficult at first, but the results are worth it. Dining In The Raw, a collection of recipes by Rita Romano, is a fantastic tool for this. Hallelujah Acres, accessible at a.com, is yet another helpful site.

Exercise is universally accepted as a means to a healthier weight. According to research, if you exercise for only 15 to 45 minutes every day, you can keep off an extra 11 to 18 pounds. That, however, is not the full tale. Scientific studies have shown that vegetarians, on average, have a faster metabolic rate, which means that their bodies make better use of the food they consume. Researchers found that vegetarian-fed rats exercised more voluntarily than those fed a diet heavy in animal protein.

Numerous Americans struggle each year with obesity and related weight-related health problems. With the right knowledge and outlook on what foods promote health, most of these issues may be solved. The issue of obesity cannot be solved by a diet plan or a diet soda. "The diet that helps to decrease weight in the short term has to be the same diet that develops and sustains health in the long run," Dr. Campbell adds. "We can manage the cause" (of obesity). Exactly where our fork splits off, there it is.

Which path will you take?