Over the last two decades after interviewing over fourteen thousand clients and having done more than seventy thousand counseling sessions you could say I have strong opinions on weight management… My views are based on the evidence historically discovered about behavior patterns, which are common and reoccurring in individuals in need of weight loss

I believe it will take more than some systematic plan of sound nutrition to solve America’s great weight problem… It will take major lifestyle reformation… Most overweight individuals I meet, have lifestyles outside their bodies hormonal design… Though many are deceived in thinking if someone could just teach me what to eat… The problem is with all the information they are fed, no pun intended, though media sources, they already know about what foods are right… They just don’t know how to0 use them right…

So a large part of my teaching is to explain the biological effect the foods we eat have on blood sugar and our bodies hormone responses… Learning how to manage these responses will do more than lose weight, it will manage body composition (muscle/fat ratio), energy, digestion, mood, recuperation, sleep and many health benefits… he large list of benefits makes this a priority to manage…

Our perception of food is as important to change as the foods themselves… One of my pet phases is food must become nutritional fuel… Now I know what your thinking, here we go, he’s going to compare me to a car… Well I guess the joke would be on you… Most who struggle with their weight know more about the gas, oil and antifreeze purpose for their car, then protein, carbohydrates and fats role on their hormonal responses…

The shame is it’s easy to learn… I could teach it to your six year old child… No, really… In fact it reminds me of a life changing counseling session I had… The session started with a client who brought her six year old daughter … She said the girl would be no trouble, she’ll just color as we speak… At the end of the meeting, the woman commented, I like your scientific and holistic approach, but I don’t think I would be able to see food is fuel… I said, “I can teach it to your little girl… She was quick to comment, “No you can’t”…

So I turned to the little girl holding up two business cards and said, “Honey in my left hand is a ice cream sandwich and my right hand is a tuna sandwich, which one would you like? She of course said, “Ice cream”… I said, “I understand honey, ice cream tastes better’”… I turned to the mother and asked, “ which of the two will manage your blood sugar? The woman replied, “tuna”.. Which will feed your muscles? She responded, “tuna”… Which will supply your body with the needed vitamins and minerals? She answered, “tuna”… Which will get you to your ideal weight and keep you there? She responded, “tuna’… Which will improve your blood chemistry and stabilize your energy and moods? Once again, she replied, “tuna’…

I now turn to the little girl and ask, “honey you can have either one, ice cream or tuna, which one do you what? You can guess what came next, the smart little girl got it, she replied, “I’ll have the tuna”…

So if you are in need of weight loss, isn’t it time we lose our child like desires, and learn how to nutritionally fuel our bodies? So the question is, will it be ice cream or tuna?

Author's Bio: 

Charles Remington is a nutritionist and herbalist who is the author of a best-selling nutritional software program. He has been a featured guest on many television talk and news shows, as well as national radio broadcasts, delivering his message that "Food’s not the problem, it’s the solution". His articles on health and fitness have been featured in national and international publications. Known to his thousands of clients as The Fat Loss Coach, his concepts on healthy weight loss are well embraced by the medical community and supported by a large insurance provider. He has conducted more than 200 seminars in the corporate, municipal and education arenas and manages a nutritional practice in Cheshire and Glastonbury, Connecticut.