What makes our life style different than other cultures around the world?

Why do we suffer so much from diabetes and heart related diseases?

How can we make better decisions in choosing the right foods to support a healthy lifestyle? In my most recent trip to South America, I have learned about the eating habits that help support a much more healthy life style free; one free from prescribed medications and free from the struggles of obesity and weight related diseases, such as heart and diabetes. I observed some striking differences about how South Americans live their lives, both in their eating plans and how they approach life itself. I really believe we can learn many things from other cultures that we can pass on to our children in the form of healthier living and creating a life style change that will reduce the risk of obesity in this country. Here are some of my observations;

What you don't see in South America : fast food chains on every corner, people eating tons of processed snack foods like potato chips and nacho chips that are loaded with bad fat, high sodium, high bad carbohydrates, and tons of preservatives, donut shops or convenience stores everywhere

What you do see is people making lunch their main meal of the day and dinner the smallest meal of the day.

You also see are foods that are rich in vitamins and minerals, foods that are completely organic and eaten from their most natural state. The South American Culture consumes tons of organic and natural (and I might add unbelievably delicious) fruits and vegetables along with seafood and meats that support a natural healthy lifestyle.

The other key is they consume most of these rich in nutrient foods early in the day and reduce their food consumption later at night, as well as consuming 5-6 meals per day. This sounds familiar, with some of the latest advice from some of the current diet books out promoting smaller more frequent meals and reducing your food intake as you move towards bedtime.

Now that we have a place to start from, let's talk about the foods that make you FAT! Foods that can make you fat have a few things in common:

High in total calories

High in total fat

High in refined sugars

High in calorie density

Low in nutritional value

High in Sodium

Loaded with preservatives

Loaded with artificial fillers and additives

Come in a box from the middle aisles of the grocery store

Have words that you cannot pronounce on the label

Of course, over the years we have called these foods "junk foods" and in the United States, these "junk foods" have continued to grow in popularity for many reasons.

They are ready to eat right from a box (convenient)

They really tease our taste buds with tons of :

Salt

Sugar

Fat

They make you want to eat more and more of them

Here are the Top Foods that help make you FAT:

Ice cream, donuts, pastries, cakes, pies and cookies Typically high in:

Bad fats

Refined white sugars

Refined white flours

All fried foods

High in fat

Refined white flours from the breading

Soda and fruit juices

High in refined sugar and artificial additives

Look out for other forms of sugar

High fructose corn syrup

Corn syrup

Sucrose

Snack foods, ie. potato chips, nacho chips, etc. Typically high in:

Bad fats

Refined white flours

Sodium

Refined white sugars

Artificial flavors and colors

Preservatives that you cannot even pronounce

Processed meat items - Typically "fast food" Hot dogs, Hamburgers, Bacon, Sausage, etc.

High in bad, bad, bad, fat

High in Sodium

Usually served on Refined white flour breads

High Sugar Breakfast cereals

High in Refined white sugars

High in Refined white flours

If your meal plans are made up of a high percentage of these foods, then you are probably not reaching your fitness and health goals and are struggling to keep the weight off.