The weight loss game has changed dramatically in recent years, yet no one has really noticed. This is not a knock on the general population by any means. There have been very few headlines exclaiming that exercise and calorie counting are no longer as effective in the battle of the bulge. Yes, people are aware of the latest trends, from simply eating organically to the myriad different diets out there. Whether it’s a paleo diet or a vegan diet or just eating “healthy”, we are still missing the mark. Gyms across the country are still thriving, with new classes and different ways to sweat it out being introduced almost daily. The giant companies in the diet universe are still holding group sessions, with people weighing in at the front of a packed conference room, celebrating the pound or two they shed that week while struggling through each day. Don’t get me wrong, the gym is an important part of living a long and healthy life, and these trends in eating well all have positive aspects as well. The problem is that close to a century has passed and most of us still rely on counting calories when we are looking to lose weight. We have built up this false enemy; we have given calories an infinite power and every day, people set out to battle these evil calories! Yes, there was a time when simply counting calories seemed sufficient to lose weight but that time has passed. Calories are no longer the bad guy. If anything, it’s important that we embrace the right kind of calories but a new enemy has been identified. This enemy is a byproduct of processed foods; it also comes from global pollution and cleaning supplies. This modern-day foe is wreaking havoc while changing the way the body works. Toxins are a monumental threat to our health and we are still in the infantile stages of discovering what the true effects really are.
Researchers coined the term, “obesogens” to categorize some of these toxins that are plaguing our health. According to medical-dictionary.com, the definition for obesogens is: “An exogenous substance that alters lipid homeostasis and fat storage, changes metabolic set-points, disrupts energy balance or modifies the regulation of appetite and satiety, promoting fat accumulation and obesity.” This is a terrifying definition and it completely changes everything we knew and the rules we follow. These toxins kill our energy and assist the body in holding onto fat! How can we depend on counting calories when the other ingredients in our food will sabotage any attempt we make to get healthy?
