For the vast majority of people, being overweight is not caused by how much they eat but by what they eat. The idea that people get heavy because they consume a high volume of food is a myth. Eating large amounts of the right food is your key to success.
—Joel Fuhrman, MD, Eat to Live
A common assumption is that switching over to a healthier lifestyle means spending a lot more money and time on food. That’s not true, at least not when you enjoy a SANE lifestyle. We’ll focus on approaches that give us the most results with the least investment of time and money possible. We are going to focus on simplicity and practicality instead of perfection.
We can keep things simple by breaking down SANE eating into three components:
1. Nonstarchy Vegetables = SANE Carbohydrates
2. Nutrient-Dense Proteins = SANE Proteins
3. Whole-Food Fats/Low-Fructose Fruits = SANE Fats and Sweets
Please also keep in mind that SANE eating (and the Smarter exercise we will cover shortly) should be seen as a starting point, not an ending point. We all have unique situations and metabolisms and what works for some of us may not work for others. The key is having the information necessary to create a sustainable lifestyle that keeps us happy and healthy. There is one right diet just as there is one right outfit—that is, there isn’t one.
SANE PYRAMID |
SANE PLATE |
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Finally, remember that the guidelines we will cover here are designed to help people like you develop excellent health along with a world-class physique. If your goals are more modest, then you don’t need to follow these guidelines precisely. Do what works for you. The key is letting the scientific facts guide you. In my experience, for the majority of us, effort is not the issue. We’ve tried incredibly hard, but we’ve been given the wrong set of tools. Let’s work on giving you the right toolbox to meet your goals.
Review the SANE row of the table above. I am not saying eat more for shock value. Researchers estimate that prior to the advent of starch and sweeteners, our ancestors ate up to five pounds of food per day. Thanks to all the water, fiber, and protein, SANE foods are literally larger in size than starches and sweets. Our shopping carts, refrigerators, and plates will be much fuller when we go SANE.
No more tiny, sweet, starchy breakfasts. You can have luscious omelets overflowing with nonstarchy vegetables and nutrient-dense protein, generous protein-packed smoothies, and SANE cereals (see recipes in chapter 25). No more flaccid sandwiches for lunch and soggy starch for dinner. Enjoy a double serving of delightful seafood or succulent nutrient-dense meat accompanied by a triple serving of nonstarchy vegetables. Finish up with a large chocolaty, nutty, creamy, or crunchy serving of a whole-food fat-rich SANE dessert and you will be satisfied and slim.