Most people are not aware of this, but vegetable oils were not originally called vegetable oils. They were originally called seed oils. In order for a person to be able to consume vegetable oils, they all have to be chemically extracted from grain, seeds, or beans. They were given name “vegetable oil” because the word “vegetable” appeared to be healthier when marketing the products (“seed oil, “grain oil”, and “bean oil” just don’t sound as healthy in marketing!). They are literally industrial oils, and were used only as such prior to being utilized in foods beginning in the early 1900’s. Things like animal fats/lard/tallow, fish oil, coconut oil, olive oil, and avocado oil do not have to be chemically extracted to be obtained and consumed. Hence, they have been consumed for centuries.

One of the most frequently asked questions when someone is on a metabolic meal plan designed for weight loss is what to do about constipation. Constipation may occur due to decreasing carbohydrate consumption. There is nothing wrong with having less frequent bowel movements as long as they are consistent and not painful.

In the instance that it has been an extended number of days or you are uncomfortable, there are several things you can do to combat this.

DIET doesn't have to be a "4-letter" word. Let's think of it more in term of "LIFE". Now that's a 4-letter word we can live with. Well over half of Americans have tried to diet at some point in their lives. Goodness knows there are plenty of fad diets and providers that promise meals or pills to make you drop pounds.  But so many of us fail at dieting, why is that? For starters, you need to understand what your body needs because we are all different. Based on sex, age, activity level, and medical needs; every 'body' needs something unique. You can spend a great deal of cash on pre-made meals and still not lose weight or at least not as much as you may need. Maintaining a healthy weight is invaluable to maintaining good health. Heart disease, diabetes, anemia, depression, sexual abilities, and so many more issues are all exacerbated by excessive weight.

A father was beginning to groom his young son to be a hunter. As could be expected, the boy was a bit apprehensive to make those hikes through the dark woods in the early morning hours. If you hunt, camp or maybe work in the early morning hours, you know that time of day can be quite eerie at times. Well, the father could tell how his son was feeling, and one day he asked him, “Son, are you afraid of the dark?”

The boy’s response was full of wisdom. He said, “No, Daddy. It’s not the dark I’m afraid of. It’s what MIGHT be in it!”

The anxiety, fear & overwhelm associated with weight loss is often much the same...

One of the biggest beliefs in weight loss is “if I eat fats, I will get fat.” For half a century, it has been pounded in to our heads as the truth. It simply is not. Actually, eating healthy fats will do very little to have a person gain weight. In fact, healthy fats will help a person lose weight.

Fats contain 9 calories per gram. Proteins and carbohydrates each contain 4 calories per gram. So at first glance, if a person used the thinking “if I cut calories, I will lose weight” then it appears to make sense. Unfortunately, as mentioned in a previous post...