Quit Calorie Counting!
Author: Shannon Miller Lifestyle
Are you still counting calories?
And still being meticulous about how many calories are in your healthy foods?
Well, it’s finally time to end that madness. You can Quit Calorie Counting.
A recent Harvard study shows that it is not the number of calories, but the kind of calories that will make the difference between lifelong weight management and a weight loss battle.
Old Way: Count every calorie, based on a mystical mathematical formula derived from the latest book or blog.
- “I heard that I can eat my weight x 10 in calories…”
- “I can have whatever I want, as long as my daily total is 1200…”
- “The fewer the calories, the more weight I’ll lose, right?”
Do you see the problem with these statements?
New Way for Healthier Eating:
- I eat when I am hungry, and stop when I am comfortable (not completely FULL).
- I eat a balanced plan of carbohydrates, protein, and fats at every meal and snack.
- I nourish my body with good foods.
Do you see the difference?
Here is how to practice the new way of eating for a lifetime of weight management, not just a temporary fix.
- Eat breakfast. Your body will start burning more calories at the beginning of the day when it is fed. Women who eat breakfast weigh less!
- Planning: Know your plan. Plan your meals and snacks in advance, with special attention to balance for each meal and snack. Each meal and snack should include a fruit or vegetable, a source of natural protein, and a natural fat. At least twice a day, it should also include a whole grain.
- Scheduling: Know when your body naturally gets hungry, and schedule your meals and snacks for those times. Don’t go too long without eating. When you get too hungry, you are more likely to make poor choices or overeat.
- Set out portions: Don’t eat out of the container. Eat on a plate or from a bowl. You will end up eating less.
- Shopping: Shop for the freshest ingredients made from nature, such as whole fruits and vegetables, whole grains, organic poultry and meats, raw nuts, and good oils.
- Avoid processed foods: If things have gone through a series of processes before coming to you, then they are full of preservatives, salt, and sugar. Eat things in their most natural form whenever possible.
- Eating out: Avoid this whenever possible, but when you do eat out, choose foods in their natural condition as much as possible.
- 80/20 rule. No one eats perfectly. But 80% of the time, make your choices impeccable. That means that 20% of the time, you can make allowances for little treats or extras. For instance, if you eat 5 times a day, then one of those times, you can add an ounce of dark chocolate or a glass of wine.
- Never starve yourself or “save up.” No matter what you are doing today, continue to follow your schedule and plan. If you are eating out later or going to a party, try to live by the 80/20 rule. But don’t “save up” by not eating or trying to reserve calories for later. When that happens, you are more likely to overeat.
No, you are no longer a slave to calorie counting. Now, you can just make intelligent, healthful choices each day.