* This is part of a year-long weekly series called "52 Weeks to Eating better than Ever". 

Click on the side bar for more information and to read the previous essays.

----
​
3 Easy (but Hidden) Keys to Weight Control

Of course what you eat and how much of it are the most important things when it comes to weight control.  

But there are some simple things you can do repeatedly to keep from gaining weight over your lifetime.  Make these habits which you don’t even have to think about and they will make it so much easier to lose or maintain bodyweight.  I’ve already written about these things several times before, and they overlap with each other, but they’re worth repeating.

1. Eat a little bit of protein at every meal
2. Eat more fiber.
3. Eat things that are going to take a while to eat. 

 
A little bit of protein slows down the insulin response to whatever it is you’re eating.  The more you control your insulin and blood sugar, the healthier you’ll be.  Protein also provides crucial amino acids, vitamins, and minerals, and it will make you feel full, preventing you from eating more junk food and empty calories.  Eating fiber also fills you up, lowers cholesterol, and aids in elimination.  Fiber prevents weight gain and overeating.  Lastly, take your time eating.  Enjoy your meal, and the company if you have it.  Deliberately choose foods like lean meats, cucumbers, apples, pears, peppers, and broccoli, which take time to consume.  This will slow you down and trick your brain into thinking you ate more than you did. 
 
To control weight in the modern world, you need to pull out all the stops. 
----

Like the blog? Pass it on!

Read Next:  Win the Morning, Win Forever

* This is part of a year-long weekly series called "52 Weeks to Eating better than Ever". Click on the side bar for more information and to read the previous essays.
----
​
The following are a list of 10 ways that I personally use to eat healthy on a reasonable budget.  These are things that I personally can vouch for.  Some are so simple that you’ll wonder why you never thought of, whereas others you may immediately reject for how seemingly hard they will be to follow. 

​Regardless, you can eat healthy on a budget, so go do it!
 
Buy food in bulk and prepare it ahead of time and store it in containers.    This will keep you from making bad decisions and help you save money by buying in bulk. 
 
Bring your lunch to work instead of going out to eat.Eating your own lunch that you made at home is almost always better for you and cheaper than going out. 
 
Focus on eating things like apples, cucumbers, oranges, or salads, that take a while to eat and have more fiber.Fiber is one of the single most important keys to eating better on a budget.  Fiber-rich foods fill you up, and are less expensive.
 
Vinegar and oil are inexpensive and healthy.  A small splash of vinegar and vegetable oil or olive oil makes a tasty and inexpensive dressing on any type of salad.
 
Pasta, brown rice, whole grains, lentils, and beans are inexpensive and good for you.This could really be a separate tip, but it’s related to eating more non-animal proteins like those listed.  Animal protein (beef, turkey, chicken, lamb) is expensive so simply by eating healthier non-animal proteins like these, you can save money and be healthier at the same time.  Many people eat more protein than they need. 
 
Frozen vegetables are just as healthy as fresh.  Often, but not always, they are cheaper too.
 
Drink a lot of water to curb your appetite.Sometimes what you think is hunger is dehydration.
 
Tell your friends and family you are trying to eat healthy and save money.  Ask them to help you and be supportive.  If they’re good friends that are worth having, they will.  Your best friend is the number one predictor of obesity.  I’m not saying to ditch your friends, but I am saying that if you want to be healthier, your true friends will want this for you too. 
 
Exercise or go for a walk instead of eating.Boredom can be mistaken for hunger.  The next time you are daydreaming about food, try walking or doing a quick workout or stretches instead.
 
Stay out of restaurants with calorie-heavy menu items that are hard to resist. Better yet, stay out altogether.  Go to places which have tasty items that are lower in calories, higher in fiber, and reasonable prices.  Asian restaurants tend to be lower in calories. Better yet, don’t view restaurants as sources of food, but rather as the place for a very occasional special meal.
 

* This is part of a year-long weekly series called "52 Weeks to Eating better than Ever". Click on the side bar for more information and to read the previous essays.
----

There are several major problems with supplements, not just one.

The primary problem with supplements is that they are not regulated closely and so they should be used with extreme caution.  There have been numerous cases in recent years where supplements purported to contain one thing contained something else entirely, and in addition many supplements even contained toxic substances.  Green Tea Extract is one such supplement, among many, and it comes in many products on the shelves of health food stores.  I personally know several people who got sick from taking it, and this is only one example.  Millions of people all over the world use weight loss supplements every year, and these too are poorly regulated and their safety and efficacy is questionable.  Herbal supplements too, are not certain to be of high quality. 
 
Secondarily, I’ve found that the supplement industry feeds off unwitting consumers.  The marketing of supplements is cheesy at best and predatory at worst.  Ask yourself this: If something is really that great, does it need millions of dollars per year in advertising and marketing? Billions of dollars per year are spent every year on supplements, much of it a complete waste.  Most supplements, frankly, don’t work or have not been proven to work.  Where does the “research” come from?  Usually, from the supplement company themselves!
 
Finally, many people take supplements thinking they will make up for a poor diet and unhealthy lifestyle by popping a pill.  If you don’t eat right, a supplement is not going to do much.  If you don’t exercise, I don’t care how many supplements you take, you won’t be fit.  If you smoke and have too much stress or not enough sleep, supplements won’t make any difference.  Supplements, if they are used, should be as an afterthought to a comprehensively healthy way of life- eating right, being active, and doing things daily that are good for you mentally, physically, and spiritually. 
 
It’s not that you should never take a supplement but you should never rely on them as a primary source of nutrition and health, and you should always be extremely cautious. 
 
From now on, food is our medicine.  Food is our joy.  Food is our friend, not supplements.
 
Eating is a pleasure to be savored and enjoyed, healthily and slowly, and with gratitude and enjoyment to nourish us inside and out. 
 
Pills are to be avoided, if possible.  We know what an apple, a grass-fed steak, or brown rice is. 
 
We don’t always know for sure what that little capsule is.  Eat to be healthy, don’t take supplements to be healthy.  
 
For more info, I created a free PDF for you on supplements.  Click here to download Scott Godwin's Guide to Supplements.

-----

Like the Blog?  Pass it on and sign up!

Read Next: The "Religion" of Health

​