Ketchup and Fat Loss

Can you gain weight adding ketchup to your fat burning meal? It's time to set the record straight!

Imagine doing everything right when it comes to using food to lose fat, but for some odd reason you can’t seem to shed the inches as fast as you’d like. What if the only thing stopping you from shedding the inches was the ketchup (or catsup) you put on your eggs, French fries and/or burger?

To many of my client’s surprise and maybe yours – ketchup can make or break your weight loss success if you don’t know how to eat it in the right way.

Surprise … surprise

Do you eat oatmeal or grits with sliced bananas? Well, although both the hot cereal and banana are categorized as healthy, when you eat two Fast Carbs like this together you shift your body into fat storing mode. However, if you replace the banana with a Slow Carb like sliced strawberries, blueberries or blackberries you will keep your body in fat burning mode. See, the key to the Diet Free Life Methodology is combining your foods in the right way and amounts so that you are in constant fat burning mode.

Back to ketchup

Ketchup is a condiment unless you consume more than two tablespoons in a single meal. When you exceed two tablespoons the ketchup becomes a Slow Carb and no longer merely a condiment. Simply put, if you love ketchup you can indulge and still keep your body in fat burning mode. Case in point, President Richard Nixon was known to cover his cottage cheese (Protein) with ketchup (Slow Carb). With the Diet Free Life Method this would be considered a Fat Loss Burning Meal with a ratio of 1:3 (one Protein and two-three Slow Carbs). And even though he consumed about a cup of ketchup with his cottage cheese – the way he ate it made for a Fat Loss Plate, which means he was able to eat ketchup in a way to keep his body in fat burning mode!

Too much of a good thing

In North America 97% of the homes keep ketchup in their kitchen. On average, each person eats about three bottles a year and each tablespoon of ketchup yields about 16 calories – all from carbohydrates. Four tablespoons of ketchup have the nutritional value of an entire ripe, medium tomato. Knowing this, how can the consumption of ketchup contribute to your gaining weight?

Firstly, when eating French fries, who can keep to one tablespoon of ketchup? Then bring in the burger, which also has about a tablespoon of ketchup. This tablespoon also yields about 8 grams of carbohydrates. Knowing this, what about those of us who like to drizzle ketchup on our eggs and home-style potatoes? I took the liberty to measure out a Fast Carb portion of French fries and what the average person who is not aware of the right amount of ketchup may end up consuming between ¼ to ½ cup in a single meal, which would make for a Slow Carb portion and not simply a condiment serving. In other words, this amount of ketchup yields close to 100 calories and about 700 to 1,000 milligrams of sodium.

To condiment or Slow Carb

If you decide you want French fries or pan potatoes with a good amount of ketchup, make the ketchup your Slow Carb, which would mean four tablespoons or that ¼ cup. Then all you need to make a Fat Loss Plate is your Protein. Or, if you prefer to enjoy your ketchup as a condiment, keep it to no more than two tablespoons and then you have room for a full portion of Slow Carb. For instance, if you prefer to have a side of broccoli, cooked spinach or some other Slow Carb as part of your Fat Loss Plate – you could have that ketchup (condiment) on your burger and keep your body in fat burning mode.

Keeping up with ketchup

The goal of this blog is to remind you of the importance that everything we eat matters and it helps to have knowledge of even the condiments we consume. Having this knowledge only helps you make the most of your desire to achieve and keep your lean and healthy body!

Oh, before I forget, be sure to track down and enjoy Westbrae’s Ketchup, which is sweetened with fruit juice. And don’t get the low or no sodium version as it is disgusting.

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Robert Ferguson is the CEO of Diet Free Life, author, television talk show host, motivational speaker and creator of the Diet Free Life Methodology. Ferguson also created the fat loss plan for the infomercial product, Food Lovers Fat Loss System, which he no longer endorses. All updates and current information on Ferguson's methodology is available only at www.dietfreelife.com and through certified Diet Free Life Coaches.

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