I can easily track the years I gained weight and why. It all centered around poor food choices that I didn’t realize were poor food choices at the time. I was just living life.

I gained ten pounds the year my husband and I switched from snacking on veggies to snacking on fried torilla chips with melted cheese on top.

I gained 10 pounds the year my friends and I started meeting at a fast food restaurant with a play area for our once a week playgroup. I knew this food wasn’t a good choice, but it was once a week. How bad could that be? Once a week for a year, 10 pounds!

I gained 10 pounds when I began buying packaged prepared processed food from a delivery service and bulk purchases from a warehouse.

I quickly gained 10 pounds by baking and frying for my growing family. I made white bread in the bread machine, noodles, cookies for every occasion, cakes, and sweet bread. We ate a lot of meat, a lot of cheese and a lot of processed food.

Fried, beer battered asparagus was my favorite food during asparagus harvest while living in California. Fried meats, processed meats, grilled meat, mashed potatoes with a lot of butter, sour cream, and cream cheese added. Ten pounds.

Another area I had to address was the beautiful charcuterie platters I put together for my kids as after school snacks. Adding the beautifully cut veggies and fruit did not offset the incredible amount of fat I included with the processed meats and a variety of cheeses. Ten pounds, right there.

I sincerely included fresh fruit and fresh or cooked veggies in our diet, but that was not enough to offset all the damage I was doing to myself and my family by serving saturated fats and processed foods in abundance. Oh ~ but I was drinking diet soda~ridiculous, right?

Does any of this sound familiar?

The weight creeps up so quickly, but it is a beast to get rid of unless you understand how food affects your body. I wondered why the weight loss programs were not working for me long term. I could lose weight, but I couldn’t keep it off. I decided to come to terms with what I was eating and focus on understanding food.

I enrolled in an online class through the T. Colin Campbell Center For Nutrition Studies at e-Cornell called Plant-Based Nutrition. Now, your desired diet may include meat, but I have found that eliminating saturated fat and processed food has worked best for me. The series of classes included in the nutrition studies program encouraged me to look at food through a different lens, to see the value or lack of value in food, to understand the long term effects of poor food choices and the immediate benefits of choosing whole food. Whole food includes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds. This is life-altering on many levels and getting back to basic, real food was essential.

T. Colin Campbell wrote The China Study and Whole, books I highly recommend.

Plant Based Italian Chili is deliciously flavorful and filling with an abundance of vegetables and spice. I think you’ll love it!

To be continued…….

Enjoy your day!

XOXO ~ B

Disclaimer: This is my story. This is not to be used as medical advice. Always consult with your doctor regarding your health.