Are you still counting calories to lose weight?
While “calories in/calories out” has a role to play in weight loss, it isn’t the most important or determining factor.
Calories are energy but food isn’t just energy, it’s information. Food provides our cells and tissues with nutrients and building blocks. A 700 (ish) calorie meal of lightly cooked organic greens, half an organic sweet potato, and a baked organic chicken thigh (or breast) will provide you with energy plus the macronutrients (proteins, carbohydrates, and fats) and micronutrients (vitamins and minerals) that your cells and tissues are calling for while a 700 (ish) calorie meal of factory raised/caged chicken parmigiana will fill your belly but only provide you with a fraction of those nutrients and may sit like a lead ball in your stomach, which isn’t very energizing. Calories are not created equal and should not be the measure for a healthy diet. Are you eating nutrient rich calories or empty calories? Hundreds of millions of our cells renew every day (old cells are replaced with new ones). These new cells require both fuel (energy) and information in the form of nutrients to renew and be fully functional. If you’re tired, sick, over-weight, under-weight, unmotivated, dealing with chronic skin conditions, or chronic illness, take a look at the nutritional value in what you’re eating, not just the calorie count.
How does this affect your weight?
If you eat nutrient dense food, you’ll naturally eat less of it because your body will feel satiated sooner. So eating processed food, take-out, processed white bread, white sugar, and other “empty calories” will lead you to eat more which can cause weight gain. Also, toxins from processed and conventional (non-organic produce and commercially raised meat) will be stored in your fat tissue to protect your organs. So the more toxins you’re exposed to, the more fat cells are needed. I explain this further in my book The Optimal Health Cookbook: Your Guide to Real Food Made Easy, available on Amazon.
Eating food that nourishes you is one of the keys to optimal health. At Energize Body & Mind I show you easy ways to incorporate healthy, tasty food into your diet. Email me to book an appointment or schedule a seminar.