It’s solely pure to fret, proper?
And I suppose I can solely converse for myself right here, however there’s not often a day that goes by that I’m not apprehensive about SOMETHING, whether or not it’s my children or one thing in my enterprise or the canine not consuming her dinner.
And an enormous factor I see my purchasers worrying about, particularly once they’re new to my program, is the truth that for the primary time of their lives, they’re being inspired to eat MORE. And never solely that, I’m telling them to eat meals that for many of their life, they’ve been instructed to avoid—eggs, meat, cheese, butter.
So they begin worrying that this new approach of consuming can’t probably be HEALTHY.
Are you able to drop some weight and heal your physique for all times (with out weight-reduction plan, medicine, or making your self depressing)?
Our free on-demand video coaching will stroll you thru easy methods to make this THE 12 months you set well being objectives…and maintain them.
They begin worrying about issues like energy, and fats, and ldl cholesterol—satisfied they’ll by no means drop some weight & get wholesome in the event that they don’t.
And I perceive why it occurs. As a result of we’ve all been indoctrinated by a long time of unhealthy recommendation, and sadly it’s left us all somewhat bit scarred and fearful of the improper issues.
And that’s why right now, I wished to take a deep dive into actual analysis—to actually dig into precisely why these fears are off-base, what’s truly holding you again relating to well being, and easy methods to break away with information, not myths.
So buckle up, as a result of it is a deep one. However I promise it received’t be boring.
See right here for all supply hyperlinks for supporting knowledge for this publish.
My title is Ruth Soukup and I’m the founding father of Thinlicious and the creator of the Skinny Tailored System, in addition to the New York Instances bestselling creator of seven books.
And if that is your first time studying, right here’s what you must learn about me: I’m a 46-year-old girl—ALMOST 47—who struggled with my weight and well being for ten lengthy years, failing at eating regimen after eating regimen, till I lastly determined to take a radically completely different method.
As an alternative of beginning one more eating regimen, I began researching. And I rapidly discovered that nearly all the pieces we’ve ever been instructed about well being and weight reduction, about what makes us drop some weight and what makes us fats, is completely improper. We’ve been lied to for the final 70 years. And it’s had a devastating impact on our well being.
So I modified the way in which I ate. I finished specializing in energy and began worrying about HORMONES. And I misplaced 49 kilos with out weight-reduction plan or Ozempic or making myself depressing, and now I’ve stored that weight off for years.
However that journey modified me. Frankly, I’m nonetheless somewhat pissed that I struggled for SO lengthy once I didn’t should, and my aim now could be to assist as many different ladies as potential discover out the reality. I’m obsessive about serving to ladies over 40—such as you—ditch the crap holding you again and discover actual freedom by means of remodeling your well being.
And that’s what this weblog is all about: a well being revolution that’s not about fast fixes or medicine, however actual, lasting change.
So now you realize what you’re getting your self into, and you’ve got somewhat extra context for why I care a lot about this matter!
And let me simply inform you—right now, we’re going BIG. We’re taking a deep dive into one of many largest hangups that so many ladies have relating to consuming in a approach that can truly FIX your hormones and heal your physique.
It’s one thing I hear about on a regular basis from the purchasers in my TAS program, and I suppose I simply need to set the file straight, as soon as and for all.
As a result of we’ve all been so brainwashed by all of the bullshit that we are able to’t truly imagine that ignoring energy, consuming extra fats, and never panicking over ldl cholesterol IS the way in which to drop some weight and get wholesome for all times.
It simply doesn’t appear potential, particularly whenever you’ve spent your complete life watching your energy, skipping butter, and avoiding eggs and purple meat, as a result of that’s what all of the consultants, together with possibly even your physician, have satisfied you is the one approach to drop some weight and get wholesome.
And I get it—I purchased those self same lies for many years.
However they’re lies, and right now I need to show it to you. That’s why we’re taking a deep dive into what over 50 years of analysis truly says, after which chopping by means of the noise with straight-up proof.
And simply in case you STILL don’t imagine me and need to go even deeper, I’m going to verify to hyperlink all of my sources within the present notes to be able to learn all of them for your self if you wish to.
We’re going to deal with these scorching matters separately, in three huge chunks—energy, fats, ldl cholesterol—in order that by the tip of this weblog publish, you perceive precisely what’s been stated and what you’ve been instructed, why it’s improper and what the precise analysis says, and what you possibly can truly do about it.
As a result of frankly you’re good, you’re prepared, and also you deserve the unfiltered fact, not some watered-down well being fairy story.
Energy—Why You’ve Been Tricked Into Counting
Okay, let’s begin with the factor you’ve in all probability been fascinated with virtually day-after-day because you have been an adolescent: CALORIES.
And truthfully, is there something we’ve been conditioned to emphasize over extra?
We’ve been instructed again and again to depend them, to trace them, to chop them, and above all, to “preserve a calorie deficit” as a result of it’s all simply simple arithmetic, proper? It’s simply “energy in and energy out.” In keeping with all of the consultants, energy are imagined to be the magic bullet for dropping pounds and staying wholesome.
And so each eating regimen you’ve ever been on has regarded the very same approach. You purpose for that excellent little quantity, whether or not it’s 1,200 or 1,500, or a sure variety of factors, believing in the event you can simply keep underneath that line, the kilos will lastly soften off.
Weight Watchers even tried to persuade us that “Zero Level Meals” have been the reply we’ve all been ready for. It was nonetheless nearly energy.
It’s one of many oldest myths within the well being sport, and it’s been letting you down for approach too lengthy. And in the event you’ve ever been on a eating regimen and FAILED, you in all probability already know, deep down, that there’s one thing improper with this paradigm.
So how did we get right here?
Nicely, as Gary Taubes explains in his ebook, Why We Get Fats, this complete calorie obsession kicked off someday after World Conflict II, when the “energy in, energy out” concept began taking up. It was based mostly on the legislation of thermodynamics, which says that vitality is neither created nor destroyed, however can solely change from one type to a different.
And on the floor, it sounds so logical, proper? It was straightforward to get on board with an concept that appeared so simple, so frequent sense, so scientific.
So by the Fifties, this concept of needing to depend energy was just about in all places, after which it received completely locked into place within the Nineteen Seventies and Eighties when the USDA tips instructed us all to “eat much less, transfer extra.”
And that’s proper concerning the time that Massive Meals noticed their likelihood to create a complete new class of meals, and man oh man, did they ever leap on it—pushing low-cal snacks, eating regimen sodas, something to persuade you your physique’s only a math equation: burn greater than you eat, and also you’ll be effective.
What’s worse, although, is that medical doctors purchased into it too. And so they’re nonetheless telling you to chop again, even whenever you’re ravenous your self and the dimensions received’t budge.
However right here’s the factor nobody is telling you—not your physician, or the eating regimen trade, or all these meals corporations attempting to persuade you to purchase their poisonous low-calorie processed crap.
“Energy in, Energy Out” is a lie. That’s not how our physique works.
The legislation of thermodynamics doesn’t apply to our physique, as a result of our physique is just not a easy system. It’s an extremely COMPLEX system, an intricate community of processes that every one work collectively to maintain us alive and functioning.
And the system that RULES all of those processes in our physique, the system that determines whether or not we retailer fats or burn it, the system that provides us vitality or tells us we’re hungry is our ENDOCRINE system, which is only a fancy phrase for HORMONES.
Our HORMONES are what run the present.
And all of our hormones are interconnected, all of them work collectively, which implies that if one is out of whack, they’ll all be tousled.
And the hormone that’s the largest downside for nearly all of us is INSULIN.
As a result of all these low-calorie meals we’ve been consuming are nonetheless loaded with sugar and poisonous processed components and synthetic chemical sweeteners, which has mainly brought on an epidemic of insulin resistance on this nation.
Dr. Benjamin Bikman lays this all out in a TON of element in his wonderful ebook, which I extremely suggest, Why We Get Sick.
However the backside line is that insulin resistance is working the present for 90% of us, locking in fats and holding your physique from burning it. When your insulin is excessive, your physique CANNOT burn fats. Interval. Finish of story. It doesn’t matter how few energy you eat.
And on the flip aspect, whenever you maintain your insulin low and take your hormones out of disaster mode, you possibly can mainly eat as many energy as you need or want, as long as you retain consuming the suitable sorts of meals. Your physique received’t retailer the additional as fats, as a result of your hormones are telling you to burn it for vitality.
Gary Taubes dug into this even additional in one other one in all his books, Good Energy, Dangerous Energy, the place he unpacks 50 years of analysis that present how calorie restriction fails again and again, whereas getting insulin underneath management truly works.
A 2018 JAMA research examined it—500 folks, cut up between low-sugar and low-fat diets. The low-sugar group reduce insulin ranges and misplaced extra weight, no calorie counting wanted.
A 2020 Metabolism trial confirmed the identical factor—low-sugar DOUBLED weight reduction in comparison with calorie-counting in simply 12 weeks.
And never solely that, a 2019 Diet & Metabolism research discovered that chopping energy jacked up starvation hormones by 30%, whereas consuming a low-sugar eating regimen stored them regular.
What it actually all comes all the way down to is that the factor it’s good to be apprehensive about most ISN’T energy or how MUCH meals you’re consuming, it’s whether or not the TYPE of meals you’re consuming is holding your insulin excessive.
Proper now you’re chopping energy, feeling hungry on a regular basis, and nonetheless not shedding—as a result of energy aren’t what’s driving this. They’re mainly a distraction, they usually’re stealing your vitality.
So what are you able to do about it? STOP counting—begin consuming REAL meals that retains your insulin low. Truthfully, it’s fairly easy, at the very least in principle. Stick with WHOLE meals which might be low in sugar. Meat, greens, wholesome fats. Keep away from poisonous processed rubbish. However eat as a lot as you need.
You’re not failing since you’re weak; you’re caught as a result of the calorie fable is a BIG FAT LIE—one of many largest ones we’ve ever been instructed.
So it’s time to let this one go, my good friend. The analysis backs you up, and your physique will thanks.
Fats—Why It’s Not the Villain You Assume
Alright, transferring on—let’s speak about one thing else you’ve in all probability spent an excessive amount of time stressing out over, particularly in the event you’re a baby of the ‘80s and ‘90s like me.
FAT.
I don’t learn about you, however I can distinctly keep in mind spending my highschool years satisfied that fats was the largest villain within the well being world. I truly stored a pocket-size fats gram guidebook on me always!
All whereas chowing down on so-called wholesome fat-free snacks like Snackwell cookies and Purple Vines and the worst of all—these Olestra potato chips that have been supposedly made with fat-free fats that truly simply wreaked havoc in your intestinal tract. Keep in mind these?
In any case, most of us have been conditioned to keep away from fats prefer it’s the plague—butter, meat, oils—as a result of we’re satisfied it’s why we’re carrying further weight or placing our coronary heart in danger.
And although you’ll have given up on the Snackwell cookies and Olestra chips, you’re in all probability nonetheless routinely reaching for “low-fat” all the pieces—yogurt, dressings, skim milk—considering that’s the good approach to keep lean and wholesome.
It’s one of many sneakiest lies we’ve been offered, and it’s been holding you again for approach too lengthy.
So the place did this line of BS come from?
Nicely, it began again within the Fifties with Ancel Keys and his “fats kills” principle—a shaky research that pinned coronary heart illness on saturated fats.
We NOW know that this research—and others prefer it—have been truly funded by the sugar trade, who have been apprehensive by different analysis that was clearly exhibiting sugar as the issue.
So that they rigged the system of their favor, and this new concept that fats is unhealthy took off like wildfire. By the Nineteen Seventies, it was completely locked in—medical faculties began instructing it, the USDA rolled out low-fat tips in 1977, and as soon as once more Massive Meals noticed their golden ticket.
They began pushing vegetable oils, margarine, “heart-healthy” low-fat snacks—something to persuade you that butter and steak have been out to get you.
Medical doctors after all received on board too, as a result of that’s how they have been being educated. However the actually unhappy half is that recommendation has caught round, at the same time as the entire thing began to unravel and the reality began to emerge.
However right here’s the actual story: science says fats is NOT your enemy. It’s your good friend.
A 2010 American Journal of Scientific Diet meta-analysis checked out 21 research with 347,000 folks and located completely NO hyperlink between saturated fats and coronary heart illness.
Harvard’s 2015 evaluation discovered that fats truly lowers insulin, cuts irritation, and revs up your metabolism, whereas low-fat diets mess all that up.
A 2021 Lancet research put high-fat diets up towards low-fat, and guess what occurred? Excessive-fat received palms down, dropping weight and triglycerides by 20%.
And a 2019 Diet & Metabolism trial confirmed that fat-based diets reduce irritation markers by 25%, whereas low-fat pushed them up 10%.
The reality is that wholesome fats—the non-ultra-processed variety that comes from animals and olives and coconuts and avocados—is NOT clogging your arteries or piling on kilos. Fairly the other, in truth. It’s truly holding your insulin low, regulating your hormones, therapeutic your intestine, and serving to your physique BURN fats reasonably than retailer it.
Yep, you heard that proper: fats makes you burn fats, not retailer it.
In reality, a 2020 Metabolism research discovered high-fat diets boosted fats burn by 15% over low-fat.
And a 2018 Journal of Lipid Analysis confirmed that saturated fats truly cuts leaky intestine markers by 18%.
So whilst you’re avoiding fats and grabbing all that “gentle” junk as an alternative, it’s leaving you drained, bloated, and caught. I do know that is arduous to imagine, however extra wholesome fats is what it’s good to break away.
So what are you able to do? Nicely, this one’s straightforward. Cease avoiding it! Begin consuming a complete lot extra wholesome fats, whereas avoiding the processed junk and seed oils as a lot as you possibly can.
You’re not risking your well being; you’re reclaiming it—and as soon as once more the analysis proves it each step of the way in which.
Ldl cholesterol—Why You’ve Been Petrified of the Flawed Factor
Okay, final however not least, let’s deal with the large elephant within the room that everybody freaks out about each time we speak about consuming extra fats: CHOLESTEROL.
And truthfully, has there ever been a much bigger unhealthy man within the well being world?
We’ve been taught to concern it, together with something which may elevate it, like eggs, purple meat, and saturated fats, for so long as most of us can keep in mind.
The conditioning is so deep, it impacts our meals selections with out us even realizing it.
I imply, give it some thought—what number of occasions have you ever opted for an egg white omelet or chosen rooster as an alternative of steak since you thought it was the more healthy selection?
It’s one of many sneakiest well being scams of the final century, and it’s completed an actual quantity on us.
So how did this mess even begin?
Nicely, as soon as once more, we have to return a number of a long time, as a result of this one kicked off within the Sixties with the Framingham Coronary heart Examine, which linked blood ldl cholesterol to coronary heart danger.
Fairly quickly, medical faculties, the American Coronary heart Affiliation—all the large photographs—jumped on board.
“Decrease ldl cholesterol, save lives” grew to become their mantra.
And like with fats and energy, Massive Meals and Massive Pharma noticed nothing however greenback indicators.
The meals trade pushed processed vegetable oils and margarine as “heart-healthy” swaps for butter and animal fat, whereas drug corporations rolled out statins and received medical doctors prescribing them like sweet.
We have been instructed to ditch eggs and steak and cargo up on complete grains and “heart-healthy” cereals as an alternative.
It was a full-on propaganda assault, and most people are nonetheless shopping for it, although it’s wrecked our well being in methods we’re solely now beginning to see.
Individuals are fatter and sicker than ever, and our well being nosedive traces up completely with this “low ldl cholesterol” push.
However as soon as once more, it’s all an enormous fats lie, and the analysis backs all the pieces I’m about to inform you.
First off, let’s get tremendous clear concerning the fundamentals: consuming meals excessive in ldl cholesterol—like eggs, steak, and saturated fats—doesn’t truly elevate your ldl cholesterol. Even the Framingham research confirmed that!
They actually tracked folks for 30 years in that research and located ldl cholesterol from meals barely strikes your blood ranges—lower than 2%.
As an alternative, virtually ALL of the ldl cholesterol in your physique—greater than 80%—is produced in your liver. And that’s as a result of it’s NOT some evil poison that we’ve been led to concern—it’s truly a necessary constructing block your physique must operate.
Right here’s the deal: ldl cholesterol isn’t simply sitting there clogging issues up. It’s busy constructing your cell partitions, making hormones like estrogen and testosterone, and even serving to your mind work proper.
Even LDL—the so-called “unhealthy” ldl cholesterol—isn’t doing unhealthy issues. It carries fats round your physique, clears harm, and retains your nerves firing. With out it, you’d be in hassle.
However the checks most medical doctors run don’t inform you that, which is a HUGE a part of the issue. They provide you whole ldl cholesterol, HDL, and LDL numbers, however skip LDL particle measurement—which is what truly issues for danger.
So your physician palms you a half-baked take a look at, says your LDL’s too excessive, and pushes statins.
And also you associate with it since you’re scared. In any case, all the pieces you’ve heard screams that ldl cholesterol’s unhealthy information, and in case your ldl cholesterol is excessive you would drop useless of a coronary heart assault at any second.
So let’s speak about what the science ACTUALLY says.
To begin with, you’re not about to die in case your ldl cholesterol is excessive. Even when your LDL quantity is greater than your physician thinks it must be. In reality, a 2021 Lancet Wholesome Longevity research tracked 1.8 million folks over TWO DECADES, and located definitively that folk with greater LDL DIDN’T die sooner. Many truly lived LONGER.
So take a breath.
Particularly as a result of quite a lot of different analysis backs this up, with newer research exhibiting that seniors with greater ldl cholesterol usually outlive these with decrease ranges, particularly previous 60.
Why? As a result of ldl cholesterol helps your immune system, fights off pathogens, and retains your mind sharp—stuff you want extra of as you age.
Now, let’s discuss statins—as a result of that is the place it will get messy. For most individuals, statins are approach worse than ldl cholesterol ever might be. A 2021 research on the Society of Nuclear Drugs assembly discovered people with delicate cognitive points on lipophilic statins—like atorvastatin—had DOUBLE the danger of dementia.
Why? These statins cross into your mind, mess with ldl cholesterol there, and tank metabolism in areas hit first by Alzheimer’s. Plus, they’re overprescribed—greater than 80% of parents don’t really want them, per a 2022 Annals of Inner Drugs report.
Not solely that, they jack up your danger of diabetes by greater than 46%, trigger muscle ache, and BLOCK CoQ10, which is your coronary heart’s gasoline. That’s proper, the drug your physician is telling you that it’s good to be taking to decrease your ldl cholesterol to be able to shield your coronary heart is definitely HURTING your coronary heart.
All whereas Massive Pharma’s laughing all the way in which to the financial institution. Statins are at the moment essentially the most broadly prescribed drug on the market, and medical doctors maintain pushing them regardless of no actual profit for many. It’s a rip-off, plain and easy.
Backside line right here, ldl cholesterol isn’t the large scary monster you assume it’s.
Right here’s extra proof: a 2019 Journal of the American Coronary heart Affiliation evaluation discovered no hyperlink between dietary ldl cholesterol and coronary heart danger, however did discover {that a} low sugar eating regimen cuts irritation and improves total well being.
This shouldn’t truly be a shock, as a result of we’ve recognized it for a very long time. Again in 1863, Dr. William Banting’s Letter on Corpulence confirmed low-carb, high-fat diets reduce coronary heart points. No statins required.
Extra lately, a 2020 JAMA research discovered that high-sugar diets tripled triglycerides, however eggs didn’t budge them.
Ldl cholesterol generally is a complicated matter, however what it actually comes all the way down to is that your physique wants ldl cholesterol—it’s not the enemy. It builds cells, hormones, and mind energy, per a 2018 Journal of Lipid Analysis.
The one actual menace relating to ldl cholesterol is when your LDL is made up of small, dense particles reasonably than massive buoyant ones. The 2021 Metabolism research confirmed that.
So what are you able to do when your physician tells you your ldl cholesterol is just too excessive? Nicely, it’s important to begin ensuring the take a look at outcomes she or he is are literally telling the entire story.
The traditional take a look at medical doctors run don’t.
So push again and ask for a CAC scan; it’s 90% correct for artery plaque. If it’s clear, you’re effective.
Or get an NMR Lipoprofile to examine your particle measurement. In case your LDL particles are massive, you’re effective.
Then maintain consuming a eating regimen of complete meals loaded with nutrient-dense purple meat, eggs, and wholesome fats. As a result of insulin’s the actual menace, not ldl cholesterol.
Sometimes my TAS purchasers do usually see ldl cholesterol bumps early on, however these numbers are likely to degree out as irritation drops. And the analysis says you’re secure, so now hopefully you possibly can lastly cease worrying about it!
Ultimate Ideas—You’ve Received the Energy Now
I do know this was a meaty publish and I threw a LOT of data and knowledge at you abruptly, but it surely’s SO vital to grasp the reality, which is that you just’ve mainly been fed a large pile of lies about energy, fats, and ldl cholesterol—a long time of it—and it’s stored you spinning as an alternative of thriving.
You’re not loopy for worrying—Massive Meals, Massive Pharma, and old-school medical doctors pounded this into you—but it surely’s time to let it go.
The analysis is obvious as day—insulin and irritation, not energy, fats, or ldl cholesterol, are what’s driving your weight, your vitality, your well being. Your hormones are the driving force.
Understanding this and making use of it to my very own life is how I misplaced 49 kilos and have stored it off for years, whereas consuming like a queen.
It’s additionally how I’ve now helped 1000’s of ladies over 40 do the identical with my Skinny Tailored System—aka, my TAS program.
And truthfully, TAS is superior, it truly is. As a result of although these items is easy in principle, in apply it might really feel arduous to implement. My program not solely provides you a transparent path to success, with all the sensible instruments you want, but it surely provides you the help and the science-backed training to truly implement it in your life for good.
And in the event you’re prepared for a greater approach to dwell—a way of life that won’t solely enable you to lose the burden, however truly HEAL your physique, then there’s no higher approach to try this than by becoming a member of TAS.
To search out out extra and get signed up, simply go HERE.
On the finish of the day, this isn’t nearly weight—it’s your life on the road.
You’re too drained to your children, too foggy to your objectives—these previous lies stole that from you. Actual meals brings it again: vitality, readability, confidence.
You’re not failing since you’re weak—you’ve been misled, and now you’ve received the reality.
What you do with this info is as much as you.
Be happy to share it with a good friend who’s caught in the identical mess.
See right here for all supply hyperlinks for supporting knowledge for this publish.