Variety.
To tell you the truth this was going to be the topic of my next book (it still might be), but it’s become so important lately that I need to share this with you RIGHT NOW.
Variety is the ‘the one word key’ to eating healthy.
The one word that DOES NOT mean healthy is:
Avoidance.
Yet this is where 99.99% of all of our nutrition recommendations come from…foods to avoid. Bad foods. Evil foods. Food that you should never EVER eat.
“At all costs, avoid caffeine, sugar, white potatoes, saturated fat, trans fats, artificial sweeteners , artificial colors, artificial flavors, bread(gluten), legumes, dairy and anything cooked.”
I’m sure you’ve read this before.
Scaremongering.
In fact, I’d go so far as to say it is dietary extremism masquerading as healthy eating. Plain and simple.
Despite what so many people are telling you, there are NO BAD FOODS.
As Pericles said,
“It is the dose that makes the poison”.
You can have 4 slices of pizza EVERY MONTH for the rest of your life and you will NOT decrease your health (In fact, many people would suggest you would be improving your health).
If you had 4 slices of pizza EVERY DAY for the rest of your life, this is when you have a problem.
But the problem might NOT be the pizza. It could be lack of the other foods.
Again – Variety…as much variety as you can fit into your life.
What’s that old saying? “Variety is the spice of life” well this should be your healthy eating credo.
You DO NOT NEED to avoid simple sugars in your diet. If you increase the VARIETY OF FOODS you eat, it becomes VERY DIFFICULT to overeat any one food. Sugar, fat, protein, salt, you name it.
Sadly, most of us have given up on variety and have replaced it with monotonous repetition (in the name of health of course).
In the next two days, count the different types of food you eat.
I’m guessing that you surprised at the number (I didn’t make it over 20!).
Yesterday I did a tour of my local grocery store.
As I grabbed a head of boston lettuce, these were the items to the left or right of the boston lettuce:
Anise, Rapini, Beets, Radicchio, Belgain endive, leeks, green kohlrabi, swiss chard, dandelion bok choy.
Most of these are foods that I have not eaten in AT LEAST the last two months.
When I picked up my blueberries these were the items in that row that I have never tried:
Lychee nuts, ataulfo mango, red tamarillo, gooseberry.
NEVER. I have NEVER had these foods. What an absolute shame.
Even foods we have been led to believe are SUPER healthy fail in comparison to variety.
A breakfast of raw cashews, organic yogurt, and coconut flakes followed by a cup of Matcha green tea may sound SUPER HEALTHY, but without variety it fails.
A person who eats this type of breakfast every day for months on end would probably benefit greatly from the occasional breakfast of eggs and bacon, or oatmeal and blueberries…just something DIFFERENT.
Unfortunately this type of person would probably feel horrible after not having their normal breakfast, because they’ve been lead to believe that repetition equals dedication, and dedication equals healthy.
The bottom line is – To lose weight you need to eat less, and to improve your health you need to eat with more variety. I am really beginning to believe that everything else is just over hyped nutrition marketing.
BP
PS- Here are two simple tricks you can use to increase the variety in your diet-
1- Next time you go to the grocery store, pick the item to the left of the item you would normally buy. (Instead of fresh basil I bought fresh arugula)
2- Next time you go out to a restaurant pick the item below the item you would normally order.
PPS- Here is a super simple trick to help you eat less while enjoying the foods you eat ==> fasting for weight loss
Tags: eating healhty, healthy eating
Here here.
Brad – A great post. Well done.
Excellent advice. I can’t tell you how many times, in the past, I’ve twisted myself in knots over “I ate something I shouldn’t have!” It took me many years to realize that there were no bad foods, and that I shouldn’t ban anything I truly wanted. It’s a matter of focus—eat plenty of the healthy, and then let those other wonderful things through in their time.
Fantastic. Your simple approach to diet is so refreshing. I’m on my fifth fast! The whole experience has been great so far. I keep forgetting to weigh myself, but I’m definitely eating less and feel more in control. (That’s a biggie for me. I hate feeling out of control. After reading so much about low carb and Paleo and other approaches, it’s nice to just focus on eating less for a change! And it’s a lot cheaper and more convenient to not have to buy any special foods.
Thanks, Brad. It is SO refreshing and freeing to be able to STOP the obsession over food. I could never give up sugar,pizza or bread for the rest of my life AND I am so sick of having to count calories or points. I started the first weekend in January and have found it easier as the fasts continue. For the most part, on non-fast days I’ve been moderate. For times I have overdone it, it makes me look forward to the next fast. I have thyroid and menopause issues but still have lost 3.2 lbs in 3 weeks. For me this is good news AND it’s been so easy. Thank you so much, Brad. Keep up the good thinking!
That’s one thing I always tell people when it comes to diet, never avoid your favorite food. Always eat it but in moderation. Basically, isn’t diet suppose to be moderation rather than sacrifice?
Brad, I didnt know where to leave you this question, sorry if it is out of place. I am currently in pretty good shape, work out consistently and am at about 8% body fat. I was looking to find a way to gain at least 10 pounds of lean muscle over the next year without gaining any of the bodyfat usually associated with increasing your calories. I was wondering if your eat stop eat plan has any detailed plan on gaining that type of lean body mass? I am sure I would lose more bodyfat on your diet because I am very disciplined, but i would like to get my weight up from 175 to about 185 and keep the same bodyfat. Thank you.
Hi Brad
I totally agree with you. Variety, that is the answer. I have started your eat stop eat plan and I love it. Really love it. I enjoy the fasting days, I love the feeling of actually being a bit hungry. Hate feeling full and bloated. Even the black coffee tastes devine on a fast day. The interesting thing is that on the next day I actually crave healthy foods. I find that I really enjoy my food now. Of course I will also eat Pizza or whatever on occassion. I have lost a few pounds already and I absolutely love it, best “diet” I have ever been on. Now I just have to exercise a bit more. Thanks Brad, I don’t regret buying your book for one minute. Love it love it.
Ursula
Hi Everyone,
Thanks for the amazing comments on this post.
BP
Rob,
A lot of this depends on your age, height and training experience.
BP
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[...] eat responsibly when you do eat. This does not mean you have to avoid sugar or dairy products (see my last post) and to be honest, it doesn’t even mean you need to eat healthy (although I do recommend [...]
I always have a hard time with the whole practice of moderation. The idea sounds great and I’ve even tried it before but without success. For example I have a candy dish with herseys kisses on my desk. I’ve tried just having one or two a day and I always end up eating 20 or 30 of them after a while. The same thing goes for soda. I start off having one can a day and then four weeks later I’m going through a 24 case every week. For me, my best bet is to avoid those foods I know I’m going to overindulge in if I start eating them.
I like the variety idea for foods and it really makes sense to me. I like to track the nutrition info for what I eat and I notice that there are alot of vitamins/minerals etc that I don’t get enough of (RDA-wise) because my diet isn’t varied enough. It would help if I’d just learn to cook though!
http://onetopcook.com/shopping/start.php?browse=1&cat=27…
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Here’s a great idea for variety. You can have you candy dish filled with Hershey’s kisses..but only on Mondays.
Tuesdays have grapes.
Wednesday have something else. Rotate around, and keep trying new things.
BP
[...] Click here for the BEST nutrition article you’ve read in a long, long time [...]
Brad,
You are entirely on the mark about variety.
You wrote: I am really beginning to believe that everything else is just over hyped nutrition marketing.
There is one other facet almost entirely overlooked–the intrinsic quality of the foods consumed.
See my article here to compare nutrient density between green beans I grew verses green beans I purchased locally. A world of difference.
http://www.highbrixgardens.com/foods/quest.html
I think your eat stop eat will be revolutionary to the dieting industry.
Jon
Great travel page! Going to add it to my Feed Reader! Thank you!