How I lost 40 pounds: the colorful diet

I stated earlier that half of Americans said that figuring out what a healthy diet consists of is more complicated than doing your taxes.[1] I felt that way for a long time. But, as I read carefully, I realized that nearly all the experts agree on a handful of things. Basically, they all agree we need to avoid five foods:

• Sugar
• Wheat

Let me pause there and invite you to think about all the foods that includes. Everything in the cereal aisle. All pasta. Pizza. Nearly all dessert. There is actually some difference of opinion as to whether whole wheat is off limits. I really like Dean Ornish’s approach in the The Spectrum. He says that rather than thinking in black and white terms—these foods are good, while those are bad—we do well to think of good, better, and best. Some good foods are better than others and some bad foods are worse than others. Whole wheat is better than white bread, but whole wheat is not as good as broccoli.

Two books have been released recently that explore the poisonous effect of wheat. The Wheat Belly explores how it is bad for you in a general way; Grain Brain documents how wheat will rot your brain.

Three more foods to avoid or minimize:

• White rice
• Potatoes
• Corn

If you want a simple way to remember, just think of avoiding anything white (or, in the case of corn, almost white).

These foods all have a high glycemic index, meaning, they turn to sugar as soon as they hit the bloodstream, causing a myriad of problems.

Need a name for your new diet? How about this one: The Colorful Diet. 99% of diet books and health professionals agree with this advice.

Gary Taubes advocates an Atkins-like diet and says that the reason we get fat is all the carbs. But, if you read him carefully, you will hear him say that the real problem is the bad carbs: wheat, sugar, white rice, potatoes and corn.

Colin Campbell recommends a high-carb, vegetarian approach. But, he will also point out that in the world of carbs there are good carbs and bad carbs. The bad carbs are: wheat, sugar, white rice, potatoes and corn.

Want a really simple rule to understand and remember what to eat to stay healthy and lose weight? Eat colorful foods. Avoid white foods. Avoid five things: wheat, sugar, potatoes, white rice and corn.

I lost 40 pounds by walking every day and eating colorful foods. It is a simple as that.