METAMORPHOSIS PART 1 : I USED TO BE A CHUBBY CHICKEN! ;)

GOT FAT?
Let me start off by saying, no matter how big or small you may be, we are all sexy beasts! Of course, with an ideal body weight, and proper fat to muscle ratio come the benefits of being extra sexy, and much more importantly, having better health!

Weight gain is not an uncommon problem here in the west. Canada and the United States have a pretty big (pun intended) problem with obesity. "In 2014, 20.2% of Canadians aged 18 and older, roughly 5.3 million adults, reported height and weight that classified them as obese. The rate of adults who reported height and weight that classified them as overweight in 2014 was 40.0% for men and 27.5% for women." (1)

Young overweight me... on a path to childhood obesity. If you are what you eat, then I was a chubby genetically modified freak chicken.

At the plump young age of 13, I was 5'3" and weighed 160 lbs at my heaviest. I ate a lot of chicken, this was my preferred meat group (fun fact: chicken carcasses are often injected with salt water to make them heavier and more tasty). Shepard's pie with ground beef was another favorite meal; topped with cheese, heavy in saturated fat. Who doesn't love pizza? Topped with gooey fatty cheese and meat. For breakfast I would have sugary cereals with cow milk (milk that I thought was intended for me, rather than baby cows...). My favorite snack was milk chocolate, and baked goodies (always containing butter and eggs). With this small insight into my old eating habits, it is obvious why I had a weight problem. I was consuming mostly animal products, lots of processed foods, lots of saturated fat and cholesterol, and very little fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes. Throw in an inactive lifestyle and there's a typical recipe for excessive weight gain.

Did you know chicken consumption in particular is a major factor in weight gain? Check out this short 2 minute video by Dr. Michael Gregor of https://nutritionfacts.org. A non-profit website that breaks down the latest medical literature to be easily digestible.

Chicken Big: Poultry and Obesity (2)

There is a major problem with children's health in the west. Although we are not starved for food, we are definitely starved of nutrients. There is so much misinformation that has become common knowledge. For example the idea that "milk gives us strong bones" or that sufficient protein is only found in animal products. These myths are disproved in the medical literature, but who gets their information from pub med? Most of us hear the facts from sources like television, radio, and quick google searches. To top it all off, our health system is focused on disease care rather than prevention. The information we are given about nutrition is all mixed up. We hear one thing one day, and the opposite the next day.

All of this can be overwhelming for most, who just give up and go along with the norms. Unfortunately, the norm is being unhealthy. Most of our top killers are diseases that can be greatly affected by lifestyle choices, in particular the food we eat (3). Most people are simply not educated in nutrition, and do not know how to best feed their families. It has been said that this generation may be the first who's parents outlive their children.

As a teen, I was the perfect example of someone who was headed down the path of obesity and all the complications that come with it. So how did I get out of this trap? How did I lose the weight and keep it off? I'll give you a hint, I started off my path to weight loss in a very uninformed and unhealthy way. There were a lot of hurdles, and trust me as a fat kid I hated hurdles! Eventually I found the solution of how to eat and live in a way that ensures optimal health and well being, along with a sexy bod, that is only getting stronger ;)

Stay tuned as I share with you my roller coaster journey where over time I discovered and continue to learn the secrets to healthy fat loss & muscle gain, while never having to restrict calories or feel hungry. It may sound too good to be true. The fact is that it's not easy, but we are all capable of achieving our wellness goals. Of course, it really helps to have the right scientific peer reviewed, and financially unbiased information. You'll know when you're doing it right, when you feel great and see results! Most importantly, always keep in mind that the number one thing we can do to help our body is be aware of what we put inside us... not like that, you dirty devil... it's what we eat!!

(1) http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/82-625-x/2015001/article/14185-eng.htmI

(2) https://nutritionfacts.org/video/chicken-big-poultry-and-obesity/

(3) http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/82-625-x/2015001/article/14296-eng.htm