Are you Willing to Lose Weight at the Cost of your Health?

Metabolic HealthWeight LossBlood Glucose Control

25 Oct

It really gets my goat when I see dietitians and nutritionists promoting foods that are highly processed, especially in the low-carb or keto spaces, where the narrative is: “As long as it’s low carb, it’s all good.”

Popular low -calorie, artificial-sweetener loaded sauces, diet puddings, low-cal jelly, sugar-free snack bars… are touted as health foods aimed at fat loss.

And sure, if you’re only looking at weight loss, they can work. But when it comes to healthy weight loss, supporting metabolism, gut health, hormones and long-term wellbeing, in my opinion, these kinds of shortcuts do clients a big disservice.

In today’s age of social media “experts”, anyone can promote an extreme diet, cut out whole food groups, and have hundreds of thousands of followers. But more followers doesn’t equal better health. Our bodies don’t run on clever marketing, or Influencers, they run on food, real food, as our fuel source and essential nutrients for the body’s systems.

Food is literally information for our DNA. If we’re constantly feeding our body foods that are heavy on additives, preservatives, and artificial sweeteners, which we know disrupt the microbiome and promote inflammation, then the question becomes: is the weight loss worth it?

**What the Research Shows**

When we look at wholefood dietary patterns rather than processed diet hacks, the evidence is compelling. For example, adherence to the Mediterranean diet, which emphasises vegetables, fruit, legumes, whole grains, healthy fats lsuch as olive oil, fish, and minimal ultra-processed foods, shows strong links to reduced risk of chronic diseases.
A meta-analysis of 17 randomised controlled trials found that the Mediterranean diet significantly helped in the prevention of chronic diseases. PMC
Another showed that the more people followed a Mediterranean-style, real-food way of eating, the *less likely* they were to develop chronic diseases. PubMed+1
Increasing adherence to the Mediterranean diet is also tied to better quality of life, vitality, and physical functioning, particularly as we age. MDPI
The takeaway? It’s not just about losing kilos. It’s about feeding your body in a way that supports longevity, resilience, hormone balance, gut health and everyday energy.

How to Switch to Wholefoods, Naturally and Enjoyably!

In my latest Whole Health Revolution podcast episode (Episode 29), I talked all about this, and gave a few tips on how to make the switch effortless:

Start small: Pick one category (e.g., snacks, breakfast or sauces) to upgrade this week.
Swap, not overhaul: Instead of banning everything, replace one processed item you use frequently with a real-food alternative.
Build your pantry of staples: Things like oats, brown rice/quinoa, lentils/chickpeas, eggs, canned salmon, olive oil, frozen vegetables/berries, nuts & seeds.
Keep meals simple: Protein + colourful veg + healthy fat = nourishing. Doesn’t need to be complicated.
Enjoy the journey: When you start eating more whole foods, your taste buds begin to reset (within 2 weeks!). That means you’ll start enjoying real food more.
Focus on value, not perfection: It’s not about being flawless every meal. It’s about consistent choices that support your body.

Here’s one you can act on now:

Take a look at your snack drawer. Replace one ultra-processed snack you reach for often with a handful of nuts and berries, or some homemade bliss-balls. Notice how your energy, mood or cravings feel differently over the next few days.

Ultra-processed “healthy” foods might seem like an effective shortcut. But they often short-change your body. If you want healthy weight loss, a strong metabolism, smoother hormones, stable energy and a gut that’s supported, then you need real food, not gimmicks.

The research backs it. Your body demands it.
And your long-term health deserves it.