Eating for Health Shouldn't Be This Hard (Here's Why It Is)

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Let's be honest. You already know what you should be eating.

You know vegetables are good. You know protein matters. You probably even know that fiber is important (even if you're not totally sure why).

So why is it still so hard to eat for health consistently?

Here's the truth nobody wants to admit: You don't have a knowledge problem. You have a consistency problem.

And that consistency problem exists because most nutrition advice is designed to fail you.

The Diet Industry's Dirty Secret

The diet industry has convinced you that eating for health is complicated. That you need meal plans, macro counting, special supplements, and a PhD in nutrition just to figure out what to eat for lunch.

But here's what I recently realized after reviewing hundreds of conversations with nutrition experts on my podcast: Eating for health is not that complicated.

I know that sounds almost offensive to dietitians and nutritionists (and I have amazing friends in that space who do incredible work). But the truth is, most people struggling with nutrition don't need more information.

They need a simpler approach that actually works with real life.

Your Body Is Literally Built From Protein

Let's start with the most important thing you're probably not getting enough of: protein.

I feel like a broken record about this, but protein isn't just for bodybuilders. It's for everyone who wants to age well, keep their brain sharp, and maintain muscle mass.

A massive study I explored in Episode 250 tracked nearly 49,000 middle-aged women over several decades. The researchers wanted to know how protein intake in midlife affected aging outcomes.

The results were surprisingly clear: Higher protein intake in midlife was directly linked to better aging.

The women who consumed more protein had a higher likelihood of reaching older age in good health—without developing major chronic diseases like cancer, diabetes, or cardiovascular disease.

Think about what that means.

The protein you eat now, in your thirties, forties, and fifties, is directly connected to how well you function later in life.

What Protein Actually Does

Your brain needs protein. It needs amino acids from protein to make neurotransmitters, repair brain cells, build hormones, and ensure proper cell communication.

Not getting enough protein affects how healthy your brain is, how well you can concentrate, and how stable your mood remains.

Your muscles need protein to avoid age-related muscle loss that can lead to frailty, injury, and complications. We've all heard the heartbreaking stories about older loved ones who fall, break a bone, and never come back from the hospital.

Your bones need protein too. Getting enough can help them stay strong and decrease the risk of fractures.

Everything in your body is constantly breaking down and rebuilding. That's life. That's the process of life. Protein provides the raw materials needed for healthy rebuilding.

When you're not getting enough protein—especially when you're focusing on losing weight or as you're aging—your body doesn't have what it needs.

What happens behind the scenes? Your body starts breaking down your muscle tissue to get those amino acids for more priority rebuilding processes.

That's exactly what happens during crash dieting. You cut calories without prioritizing protein, and you end up losing muscle along with any body fat you might be shedding.

How Much Do You Actually Need?

I don't encourage people to count calories or use a food scale obsessively. Use it once in a while to learn what a portion looks like, then put it away.

Here's what I recommend: Count your servings using your hand.

A serving of protein is about the size of your palm, minus the fingers. Think hamburger patty size. It adjusts based on the size of your hand, which usually correlates to the size of your body.

Most people should aim for four to eight servings per day. If you're not focusing on protein, start tracking portions and see where you fall.

And here's the key: Protein first.

Eat it early in your meal to make sure you get it in. It's that important.

The Yo-Yo Diet Damage Nobody Talks About

Here's something nobody wants to hear but everyone needs to understand: Going on the diet, off the diet, on the diet, off the diet is actually making you less healthy, not more healthy.

We're not talking about willpower. We're not talking about character.

We're talking about what's literally happening to your body every time you lose weight quickly and then gain it back.

I had nutrition coach Jenn Trepeck on the show (Episode 285), and she explained it perfectly:

"A lot of the diets and things that we've done that create movement on the scale for a finite period of time, they quote unquote work in the short term. What we're actually losing when that scale goes down is water, muscle and bone. Not fat."

Let that sink in.

What's Really Happening During Yo-Yo Dieting

Muscle is metabolically active. Muscle dictates metabolism.

When you lose water, muscle, and bone on a restrictive diet, you're losing health. Then, because whatever plan you followed isn't sustainable, you go back to old eating habits.

You're taking in more food, often higher glycemic food. You're gaining that weight back, but now you have less muscle to burn that extra fuel.

You're gaining the weight back as fat.

Every time you yo-yo diet, you lose it as water, muscle, and bone. You gain it back as fat.

Over time, you could end up at the same number on the scale that you were before. But by body composition, you are literally fatter and less healthy than when you started.

Even if the scale says what it used to say, you didn't go back to where you were. You're in a whole new place that's farther from where you want to be.

Eating for Health: You Are Not the Problem

People often blame themselves for this. They think they just need to stick to the diet, that they don't have enough willpower, that they're lazy or can't stick to anything.

They condemn themselves and feel guilty, like they're the problem.

But as Jenn explained: "You are not the problem. The system is."

The system is designed to keep you coming back. Fast results don't last, and that's great for the diet industry. The confusion keeps you scrolling, clicking, buying.

You're not broken. The approach is broken.

The fix? Stop the dieting. Build eating patterns that you can actually keep in your life.

The Natural Alternative to Weight Loss Medications

There's so much buzz right now about medications that manage hunger to manage body weight. But there are natural approaches that don't have side effects or high price tags.

They just utilize food and give some focus in the right places.

I talked with Dr. Hehmeyer (Episode 237) about weight loss medications and what happens when people stop taking them. The most interesting part wasn't about the medications—it was about the natural alternatives that provide similar benefits.

These medications work through specific biological mechanisms. And we can access those same mechanisms naturally.

How GLP-1 Medications Actually Work

Dr. Hehmeyer broke down the four big ways these medications work:

1. They slow emptying from the stomach (food stays in your stomach longer)

2. They increase satiety hormones (you feel satisfied)

3. They decrease hunger hormones (you don't feel as hungry)

4. They stabilize blood sugar (no crashes that make you reach for snacks)

When your stomach is stretched, it has receptors that communicate to the brain: "Hey, you've been fed. You're not so hungry anymore."

That's why people on these medications say there's "so much less food noise."

The Big Reveal: Fiber Does the Same Thing

Here's the surprise that might disappoint the pharmaceutical industry:

Fiber does what those expensive medications do. Just through food.

Fiber slows how quickly food leaves your stomach, which means you feel full longer. It helps stabilize your blood sugar so you don't get those crashes. And it increases satiety hormones while decreasing hunger hormones.

The research is clear. For most people, getting 30 to 40 grams of fiber per day leads to improvements in hunger, feeling satisfied longer, blood sugar regulation, and overall metabolic health.

We're not talking about fiber supplements. We're talking about actual fiber-rich foods because they come with more than just fiber. They come with the vitamins and minerals your body needs.

Your body loves real food. It knows what to do with it.

The Two Types of Fiber

I had Christopher Reade on the show (Episode 282)—he literally reversed type 2 diabetes using one simple strategy with whole food.

He explained that there are two types of fiber:

Insoluble fiber (whole wheat, bran) is great for digestion but doesn't do much for your blood sugar because your body can't digest it.

Soluble fiber (beans, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, oatmeal, chickpeas, chia seeds) is different.

Your body can digest it, but it takes extra effort. It "gums the works up" and slows everything down.

When you eat soluble fiber with your meals, any sugar you consume or foods that will become sugar get absorbed more slowly. Your blood sugar never spikes.

Why This Matters for Your Pancreas

It's the spikiness that does damage to your body. That's what hurts your liver, your gums, everything.

When you have a sugar spike and you're healthy, your pancreas goes into hyperdrive to create insulin, which knocks out all that sugar.

But if you have type 2 diabetes, your pancreas isn't functioning as well. It can't produce as much insulin. You get spikes that show up in your A1C number.

By eating foods that slow down digestion, you never get the spikes.

Even though your pancreas isn't working as well, you're giving it a big break. By giving it a break, you give it time to heal and become more functional.

Christopher wasn't just managing his blood sugar with fibrous foods. He was healing his pancreas.

His approach was so simple it's almost offensive to the industry trying to cure metabolic diseases: 12 to 15 grams of soluble fiber per day from food. Brussels sprouts, chickpeas, beans, broccoli, oatmeal.

Regular food helped his body heal.

Start Small With Fiber

Here's the thing about adding fiber: Don't do it all at once.

Start small. Add a little bit per day. Your digestive system needs time to adapt. Gradually work your way up to where you're feeling best and noticing positive changes.

This is one of the most effective natural strategies for managing hunger, satiety, and blood sugar. No medications, no expensive supplements. Just food.

The One Habit That Makes Everything Easier

Everything I've shared today might sound great, but you might be thinking: "This still sounds complicated."

Let me give you one simple habit that can make everything work in real life.

Make meals.

That's it. Make real, actual meals.

Start your meal with protein so your body feels supported. Add fiber from foods you enjoy. Eat slowly enough to notice when you've had enough.

I'm talking about protein, veggies, healthy fibrous carbohydrates, and healthy fats. Eat those together as a meal, all on the same plate. Sit down and eat two to four times a day.

Quantities depend on your body size, goals, and activity level. But just eat square meals.

You'll get your protein in. You'll get your fiber. You'll get all the benefits we've been talking about.

You Don't Have a Knowledge Problem

Remember: You don't have a knowledge problem. You have a consistency problem.

I don't think you heard anything today that you didn't already know—that protein is good for you, that fiber is good for you, that slowing down and being mindful about food is good for you.

But consistency is the problem for most of us.

Real meals make consistency easy.

You don't need willpower. You don't need extreme rules. Just meals that actually work for your body. Just a square meal. A real one.

Keep experimenting. Keep adjusting. Keep adapting. We're all doing that when it comes to our health.

But don't stop.

I had a client recently say, "My health's been on the back burner."

You know what I told her? "Great. At least it's still on the stove."

Keep it on the stove. If it's on the back burner right now, don't beat yourself up. Just keep it a focus. Do something. Keep moving forward.

Key Takeaways

Protein Powers Your Future Health: The protein you eat now directly affects how well your brain, muscles, and bones function decades from now. Aim for 4-8 palm-sized servings daily and prioritize it first in every meal to support healthy aging.

Yo-Yo Dieting Makes You Less Healthy: Every diet cycle where you lose weight quickly and gain it back causes you to lose water, muscle, and bone—then regain the weight as fat. You're not failing; the restrictive approach is designed to fail you.

Fiber Is Nature's Weight Loss Medication: Getting 30-40 grams of soluble fiber daily from whole foods (beans, broccoli, oats) naturally slows stomach emptying, increases fullness, decreases hunger, and stabilizes blood sugar—the same mechanisms as expensive medications, without side effects.

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