Gross – It’s No Wonder We’re Fat!

You’ve probably already seen This is Why You’re Fat, a website devoted to spectacularly fattening foods such as bacon bouquets and deep fried pancakes.

Most of us probably don’t eat these sorts of stunt foods except on very rare occasions, yet an increasing number of us are overweight. Although for some there can be genetic causes, for most of us it’s because of the kind and quantity of food we eat and a lack of exercise.

Too Many Calories; Not Enough Exercise

Calories add up faster than interest on a subprime credit card and exercise burns a whole lot fewer than you’d think. An extra 100 calories a day, or about the amount in 20 peanuts, adds up to 10 extra pounds a year. It would take a 150 lb woman walking at a moderate pace 20 minutes to burn off 100 calories – exercise is important for a whole lot more than burning calories, but it’s not a magic ticket to get to eat whatever you want and not gain weight.

Many of us have grown used to smothering our foods with sauces, condiments and extras that add copious amounts of fat, sugar and salt. Our taste buds have been dulled by extra cheese and ranch dressing and ketchup and honey mustard. We often glop these things on without stopping to taste our food without it and wash them down with high calorie drinks that have no nutritional value.

This is Why You’re Fat

We’ve somehow gotten the message that wholesome food is too time consuming, too expensive and is dull or lacking in flavor. So we dread eating a healthy diet of fresh produce, lean protein and whole grains and “cheat” by dipping processed foods into vats of fat, salt and sugar.

Something is completely backwards. It’s like cheating on your good looking, intelligent, kind spouse with a serial killer who has a serious hygiene problem.

Why do we keep doing this to ourselves?

Sure, many of these gross foods taste great in the moment, but most of us find that the less we eat overly processed, overly gunked food, the less we crave it. And often, when we have it, it disappoints.

Think about how you feel after you eat a heavy meal packed full of salt, sugar and fat. Sluggish and gross, most likely. Later on, you might find yourself in some discomfort from constipation or diarrhea and might have a headache from trying to process all the sugar and salt you’ve ingested.

So not only have you ingested too many calories and an excess of fat, sugar and salt, you’re not feeling especially inclined to get up and move. And later, when you’re hungry again, it’s likely you’ll repeat the cycle because you think it will be too much effort to make a healthier choice.

You can break the cycle!

Understand that you and your health are worth making the effort to eat right and exercise. You will be surprised at how little extra effort it really is once you establish good habits. It won’t take long until you are enjoying the clean, fresh flavors of wholesome food and feel a bit queasy at the “glob and overload” method of cooking.

Once you make these small lifestyle changes, it will pay off in more energy, fewer headaches, fewer digestive problems and better overall health and self esteem.

Tracy O’Connor is the mother of 5 boys and a ghostwriter who also writes a personal humor blog.

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