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Why Counting Calories Isn’t Doing You (Or Your Waistline) Any Good
1 August, 2017
Over fad diets? Who isn’t! The secret to never going on a fad diet again and avoiding the weight-loss-weight-gain-weight-loss cycle is to switch your mindset from counting calories to counting nutrients. The latter is much more enjoyable than counting calories as you get to focus on the quality of the food that you’re putting into your body and how your body feels once it is digested.
By choosing to focus your attention on eating nutrient-rich foods, you will start to feel lighter, more energetic, and healthier. You’ll find that you recover quicker from workouts, have a stronger immune system, and – most importantly – feel happier. No more of the “food guilt” that often goes hand in hand with calorie-restrictive diets. Foods that are rich in nutrients are also beauty foods, so you’ll notice that your skin is clearer, your hair is shinier, and your fingernails are stronger. There’s also the added bonus of a leaner figure.
What Are Nutrient-Rich Foods?
Nutrient-rich foods are whole foods rich in vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, omega-3, fiber, and protein – essentially, all the nutrients that we know are vital for health – with the least amount of calories. For example, one cup of spinach has only 41 calories and all these nutrients. One cup of Swiss chard has a lot of nutrients, but only 35 calories. One cup of broccoli is also rich in nutrients and contains 44 calories, while two cups of romaine lettuce clock in at only 16 calories.
To make counting nutrients a part of your healthy lifestyle means learning more about the health-promoting nutrients in foods. This way, you are able to create a nutrient-rich diet from your knowledge of the foods that you’re eating. Did you know kale is one of the world’s highest antioxidant foods? Or that collard greens have more calcium than milk?
Crowding Out
To start implementing this in your daily diet, use the “crowd out” method. This is a step-by-step approach that encourages you to gradually add more nutrient-rich foods to your plate over a period of time. You’ll soon start to feel and see the positive impact of these new additions on your body and overall health and replace all nutrient-poor foods with more wholesome options.
Foods to include (source locally and organically grown, where possible):
– Vegetables
– Fruits
– Nuts and seeds
– Beans and legumes
– Whole grains (quinoa and buckwheat are two of the most nutritious)
– Meats (opt for pasture-raised and grass-fed)
– Fish (line-caught and wild, if possible)
– Free-range eggs
– Herbs and spices
– Some dairy (including grass-fed cheese, milk, and yogurt)
– Dark chocolate
Foods to start “crowding” out:
– Processed foods (the best way to do this is by cooking fresh meals at home)
– Refined white sugar (sweeten with natural sources, like honey and maple syrup)
– Trans fats (opt for home-baked versions of foods like pancakes and cakes)
– Caffeinated beverages (limit these to one a day and opt for fruit-infused waters, herbal teas, and matcha lattes)
Super Swaps
Bio-individuality is especially important when making dietary changes. This means accepting that each person’s body is different and learning about what your body needs through nutrition to achieve enhanced health. The first step is to keep a food journal as this will help you learn how your body responds to the foods you eat.
Do you feel light and energized after breakfast, but sluggish and bloated after lunch? These insights can help you learn what foods make you feel your best. You will also be able to learn more about your cravings, emotional eating habits, and food intolerances. Good nutrition is also recommended for a healthy immune system, strong bones, and improving heart health.
To get started, try some of the food swaps listed below:
– Bircher muesli instead of boxed breakfast cereal
– Zoodles instead of white pasta
– Home-baked, sweet-potato wedges instead of potato chips
– A big green salad with goat’s cheese instead of a cheese sandwich
– 85 percent dark chocolate instead of a milk-chocolate bar
– Herbal tea instead of coffee
– Natural yogurt with berries and honey instead of low-fat strawberry yogurt
– Smoothies instead of milkshakes
Always check with your doctor before making major lifestyle and dietary changes.
Read the full article posted on Savoir Flair by clicking here
Count Nutrients Not Calories Food Workshop’s are held each month at Greenheart Organic Farm Shop, hosted by Heidi Jones. If you would like to attend please send Heidi an email heidi@heidijonescoaching.com
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Feeling like you need some support in making healthy food and lifestyle choice, come and join the conversation and join my Health Conscious Collective Facebook private group We support, inspire and motivate others to continue making healthy lifestyle choices. If you would like to start working with a health coach take the first step today and fill in your health history questionnaire and Heidi will personally back to you.
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