Sneaky Tricks

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Ever hear somebody say “a calorie is a calorie is a calorie“?  Do you agree?

Come on, I’ve got something to show you.

Last week I attended a screening of “Fat Sick & Nearly Dead“.  I’m not going to go into the detail of the film though I highly recommend seeing it (it’s on Netflix) – you can read the summary and watch the trailer here.

One of my favorite parts of the film was when Dr. Joel Fuhrman, author of “Eat to Live”, displayed this photo:

(I know, I wish it was in color so it didn’t look like an SNL spoof of a 1950′s PSA.)

But, hello! When you look at this how can you possibly say that all calories are created equal? This is why crowding out is such a great healthy-eating strategy.

Strategy for Eating Well Without Depriving Yourself: Crowding Out

If you’ve been on my list for a while, you know I’m a huge fan of crowding out: eating MORE of the good stuff and letting that automatically crowd out the “bad stuff” instead of relying on your own willpower to avoid it.

Trying to eat better but still crave some “naughty” food like french fries, a hot dog, or cake?  Fill up half your plate with vegetables and eat them FIRST – especially dark leafy ones like kale, spinach, and broccoli.

THEN, move on to the food you really crave.  You’ll naturally eat less without having to rely on that pesky willpower.  You’ll just have no friggin’ room left for it!

You’ll walk away satisfied because you let yourself indulge, but won’t feel guilty or bloated.  It’s a win-win!

The more you add in the greens, the less your body will crave the food that doesn’t make you feel so hot.

This Week’s Experiment

This week, go out to eat.  Pick your favorite restaurant.  Pick the best-looking, most indulgent thing on the menu.  Then pick a nice green – perhaps it’s a hefty dark leafy salad or a side of sauteed spinach or broccoli.

When the food comes, eat the greens first.  Then move on to the “naughty” stuff.  Report back with how you feel and whether you ate less than your normally would.  Enjoy!

P.S. If you agree you should be eating more veggies but just wish they tasted more interesting, get your bum to my class next week: Irresistible Vegetables.  I’ve got 3 spots left.  If you don’t live close by, make sure you’re on the list because I’ll have a few ways you can learn these recipes and tips virtually!