Removing Obesity Blinders

One would think it is difficult to eat healthy based on the current obesity statistics. In fact, the increase in caloric intake, based on nutritionally poor choices, plays a significant role in this obesity trend. Granted, lack of exercise adds to the problem, but at its core is diet. What is it about healthy food that makes people choose other unhealthy alternatives? Is it the price of healthy food options? What about accessibility? Taste? Ease of preparation? There are numerous theories as to why eating healthy is not happening, the question is can we change this?

Convenience is key to the world we live in today. We live in a fast paced world and this requires options that help to keep it fast. Meals are on the run, snacks are prepackaged, and sugar reigns. However, does convenience mean sacrificing nutritional content? Do we really know what “man-made” means in terms of ingredients? The reality is that eating healthy foods is just as convenient, it just requires a little planning. It is also just as accessible at the grocery store where you shop. As for taste? Taste is acquired, especially when the senses have been dulled with too much salt and sugar.

Changing your taste pallet requires time, typically 21 days to be exact. Ask anyone who has had to give up salt and sugar in their diet or quit smoking. All of a sudden they can actually taste the food they are eating. They never knew how good strawberries were, a sun-ripened tomato, or even lemon water. Once taste has been restored and that person tries a highly processed food item they just can’t eat it. It’s too salty, too sugary.

Preparing healthy foods is easier than one might think. Yes, it requires a few more steps on our behalf from food prep and storage, but the end result is that your body is getting the nutritionally dense food it need to thrive. If we start to think about what our body really needs, perhaps we will help to change our eating habits. Rather than keeping blinders on to the truth. Eating healthy is easy, healthy foods are accessible, and cost-wise are less. No blinders required.