You're fat because you're starving

I know most people are going to assume that I mean this in regards to eating too few calories, larger portion size or other pieces you’ve heard before. Nope, I made the title as aggressive as I did to grab your attention.

A lot of people need concrete numbers around anything they do; I respect that, especially when it comes to nutrition. They want to follow an RD’s recommendation of macronutrient intake (carbs, protein, fat) and how many total calories that equates to in a day. These individuals will ask questions surrounding activity and how many calories I think they burned in class, during a lift, on a walk, during yard work, etc. People want to subscribe to a “calories in – calories out” lifestyle. I mean there is a science behind losing weight and that should be a simplified math equation, right? Well… no. Not at all. Not only are there so many factors that dictate what percentage of fuel (carbs, protein, fat) your body is burning at any given time there’s a rest component, endocrinology, exercise history… point of this. It’s all individualized. I’m also not going to pretend what will work for you, and your long term digestive system, will work someone else. Anyone that doesn’t spend time, as a certified professional, to work with you to develop this specifically for YOU is an arrogant asshole.

Personally, I believe in Organic farming. I believe that Organic farming was the way it always was and the way in should be. I believe that organic farmers shouldn’t have to pay the government to label their food “organic” because that was the original way. Why can’t the now conventional farming practices have to pay to have a label on their products that reads “pesticide practices, hormone enhanced or chemical shit-storm”. I mean really, these “new” methods haven’t proved anything long enough to replace the way mankind has always done something. Sure there have been advances in farming practices like planting Marigolds next to crops because they deter rodents, saving seeds from only the most beautiful of plants for next season. That is NOT the same as splicing the DNA of a plant and changing it. Please don’t even try to argue otherwise because I love a debate.

Conventional farming practices have driven us away from tried and true practices that have worked for generations. Instead of tilling the land and rotating in organic fertilizer (manure) we have gone to sprays and pellet fertilizer to boost the upcoming yield of the crop. These fertilizers will work for a little while (seasons) by providing commonly used nutrients from plants (nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and some sulfur). However, following multiple seasons growing the same foods on the same land the nutrient rich soil begins to become depleted of other vital nutrients that we once provided from organic fertilizers. This begins to provide foods that are no longer nutrient dense . They may be treated post picking to have a more vibrant color, stronger appeal to us by looking good according to the standards we have been “fed” through advertising we constantly see but are lacking a great deal to us as living beings.

So I amgoing to bring this blog back to the title. You’re fat because you’re starving.

The conventional foods in which I am describing above are nutrient lacking NOT calorically lacking. When you eat foods that just “don’t have it” your bodycould give s sh*t that you just ate a 650 calorie dinner. It is going to sendsignals to your brain that you’re hungry and you want _____ because you needit! Not because you need more food it’s because you need the right nutrients. I’msaying that your body isn’t satisfied because you haven’t actually fed yourbeautiful complex machine on a cellular level. You’re fat because your body isstarving! You are without the appropriate nutritional needs and your body willforce you to eat large quantities of food in order to quench this need and winthe battle of “will”. You tell yourself you can’t have more food because youare only thinking that you ate an ample 650 calories. You ask yourself “howcould I still be hungry”? Instead of asking yourself “what am I missing?” Thisis not something you can supplement either. Nature did it best so please don’tthink you can just take a multi-vitamin to offset your bad food choices. Ourbodies like to absorb certain vitamins and nutrients together because that’show it learned to do it following 1000’s of years of evolution. Taking a mutionly provides you with super expensive urine and a continued false confidenceabout your entire diet and weight gain.

“Is it just a coincidence that the portion of our income spent on foods has declined, spending on health care has soared? In 1960 Americans spent 17.5 percent oftheir income on food and 5.2 percent of the national income on health care.Since then, those numbers have flipped: spending on food has fallen to 9.9percent, while spending on health care has climbed to 16 percent of thenational income. I have to think that by spending a little more on healthierfood we could reduce the amount we spend on health care.”

A few things to ponder from a source I highly respect:

 “Is it justa coincidence that the portion of our income spent on foods has declined,spending on health care has soared? In 1960 Americans spent 17.5 percent oftheir income on food and 5.2 percent of the national income on health care.Since then, those numbers have flipped: spending on food has fallen to 9.9percent, while spending on health care has climbed to 16 percent of thenational income. I have to think that by spending a little more on healthierfood we could reduce the amount we spend on health care.”

 “Cheap foodis an illusion. There is no such thing as cheap food.
The real cost of the foodis paid somewhere. And if isn’t paid at the cash register,
it’s charged to theenvironment or to the public purse in the form of subsidies.
And it’s chargedto your health.”

 As anathlete and as a coach I am somewhere in the middle of these two schools ofthought. I am a scientist and believe in facts and causation. I am also arealist and believe that you can’t ignore trends and that money is really whatvotes and produces laws and subsidies. I don’t believe for a single goddamnnanosecond government is looking out for our actual health in both theimmediate or long term. If we continue to ignore the facts right in front ofour face we are going to continue to see the rapid demise of the greatestspecies on planet Earth. We may wipe ourselves out because our intelligence hasturn into blind ignorance.

 So I guessthis blog ended up being about a few points and I couldn’t allow myself to keepwriting about any one particular tangent. I always welcome feedback and wouldbe happy to dive deeper anywhere. I am passionate about health and all of thefacets that influence it. It is in the very fabric of the business itself. Truewellness is a continuum. You can’t ignore nutrition, mobility, strength endurance, and mental health, none of it. Each plays an enormous and equal part.

 The fourquotes I provided were all from an author I profoundly respect, Michael Pollen. I leave you with one more:

“The way weeat represents our most profound engagement with
the natural world. Daily, oureating turns nature into culture,
transforming the body of the world into ourbodies and minds.”