It's NOT Just Calories In VS Calories Out!!!

I see people all the time say that weight loss is just as simple as "calories in/calories out" but, that is a serious oversimplification!!!! I want to share what i have learned about the OTHER FACTORS involved so others don't make the same mistakes i have made in the past. There are a variety of factors involved with why we all became overweight, and stayed that way, despite great efforts.

Factor 1: STRESS
Stress releases stress hormones within our bodies that not only make us desire more food, they make our bodies go into a storage state. Google "Cortisol"

Factor 2: HYDRATION
Most of us don't drink enough water. In addition, most of the man-made foods we eat have low water content, compared with the foods we would eat in nature. This makes our water requirements even greater. Water is necessary for almost every function of the body, including flushing out toxins from cells. You should be peeing clear.

Factor 3: UN-NATURALLY CONCENTRATED FOODS
Most man-made foods that we eat have a high concentration of calories, without much or any fiber or water. They don't fill up our stomachs, but they do provide us with a lot of calories. They are also stripped of most mirco nutrients. It is very easy to eat too many calories without our bodies telling us to stop eating. As Doug Lisle says, "Our mechanisms of satiation are being fooled". Even when we have had ENOUGH calories, we desire MORE because our stomachs aren't full.
Google "Dr. Doug Lisle, Pleasure Trap"

Factor 3: UNDERNOURISHMENT
ALL processed food has been stripped of at least some of it's nutrients. ALL cooked food has had at least some of it's nutrients destroyed. Most of the minerals that are found in normal plants are not replaced in the soil each year, so most commercial produce is deficient in proper minerals. Plus, once a plant is picked, the nutrients start degrading. By the time we pick it up on the grocery store shelf, it's already at least a week old. All of these factors combined mean that we are not getting enough nutrients. Despite getting more than enough MACRO-NUTRIENTS (calories), we are not getting enough MICRO-NUTRIENTS (vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals, etc). When we don't get the micro nutrients we need, we are starving internally, and the hunger signal remains strong, so we continue to eat. Unfortunately, most people continue to eat foods that have high calories, and low micro nutrients, further exacerbating the problem.

FACTOR 4: TOXICITY/FOOD CHEMICALS
Most of the food that we eat contains preservatives, artificial flavorings, artificial colorings, etc. The body is not made to process this stuff. The body sees these chemicals as irritants, and acts to remove them from the blood stream. It either creates mucus to flush them out, or stores them in fat cells. When the body takes on these chemicals in the fat, they alter the body's ability to utilize the fat stored in the cell properly. This is very over-simplified. Research this topic. Seriously.
Google "Dr. Joel Fuhrman: Toxic Hunger"
Google "Jon Gabriel Method"

Factor 5: MSG
Several of the food chemicals in most of today's food make you want to continue eating, even when you are full.

Factor 6: ADDICTION
Many of the additives and processed foods today are physically addicting. Don't believe that big food companies would stoop to that level? Why not, the tobacco did it too. Think you are an "over eater"? Ever wonder why you can't seem to control yourself when food is concerned? Ever tell yourself, "I'll just have one" and then have more? ADDICTION.

YES, calories in, vs calories out is a big factor, but there are many other things to consider. You need high quality calories or you will be fighting with your hunger drive all the time.

High quality calories? You've heard it before. High quality calories come from:
High water content, high nutrient content, high fiber content, natural, unprocessed, local, fresh, organic, plant based foods. Yes, i'm talking about fruits and vegetables.