Why we cannot manage the Standard American Diet!

Almost one year ago I began my journey into understanding the "Standard American Diet" and the negative or toxic effect it was having on my life.  Since then, a number of things have become increasingly clear to me.  Calorie Density is one of the keys to knowing why the American Diet is so bad for us.  It is also the key for breakthrough health and weight loss.  Here is why!

In the chart below is a brief portrayal of the amount of calories in given foods.  Notice that vegetables are a mere 100 calories/pound.  Fruit is 300 calories/pound. Unprocessed carbohydrates 500 calories/pound. Legumes and Beans about 600 calories/pound.  Then things really ramp up.  Animal products (Meats and Dairy) are 1000 calories/pound. Process Carbohydrates are 1,400 calories/pound. Junk foods are 2,300 calories/pound.  Nuts and Seeds are 2,800 calories/pound and Oil is 4,000 calories/pound.

The diet I had been taught to eat all my life and the one I enjoyed most, was rich is the five (5) categories on the right side of the chart.  (Animal products, processed foods, junk foods, nuts and oils)  Trying to manage a diet from the right side is extremely difficult.  Measure, limit, weigh and starve yourself seems to be the name of the game!  We call this strategy: dieting.  Anyone who has tried this approach usually realizes pretty quickly that this is a wrong approach.  Because the problem is that managing the (SAD) diet cannot be sustained longterm.  Deprivation just doesn't work!  Ever heard of "Yoyoing?"

I am told Americans eat almost 90% of their diet from the High Caloric Density Foods (the ones on the right).  That is about 65% from Refined and Processed foods. 25% from Animal and Dairy products and less than 10% of our diet is from Unrefined Plant Foods (Fruits, Vegetables, Whole Grains, Beans and Seeds.)

I have discovered that if I ate primarily from the Left Side of the chart (Fruits, Vegetables, Whole Grains, Beans and Legumes) and restricted or completely stayed away from the Right Side of the chart, a whole cascade of positive benefits were experienced:

1.  Weight loss was actually rather easy.  (I have lost 55 pounds using their strategy)

2.  I was never hungry.  I actually ate more than ever before!  I just ate low calorie dense foods (from      the Left side of the chart)

3.  My total Blood Cholesterol dropped over 95 points without "Statins." Cholesterol lowering meds.

4.  My BMI (Body Mass Index) dropped from 30 (obese) to 23 (normal weight) for my height.

5.  The health benefits of this vegan lifestyle are tremendous.  This is not a diet; it is a lifestyle change!

6.  The vegan lifestyle is the only lifestyle that is truly healthy and heals the human heart.