BUILDING A HEALTHIER, RESULTS-DRIVEN DIET
Eating less calories than what your body uses is the number one rule for a successful fat loss plan but we can’t ignore the quality of the food. Majoring in poor quality foods can bring out another host of issues, especially when the calories are already in deficit for fat loss.
To clarify, with poor quality foods I mean:
Highly processed foods that come in packaging and cardboard boxes.
Often an ingredients list longer than grandma’s daily medication schedule
Low in nutrients compared to calories
And with high quality foods I mean:
Fresh cuts of unprocessed meats (t-bone steak vs a sausage)
Seafood (fresh fillet of grilled barramundi vs beer battered and deep fried barramundi)
Fruits and vegetables (fresh tomato vs tomato sauce)
Whole grains (rolled oats vs a box of granola)
Nut and oils (raw macadamias vs honey roasted macadamias; virgin olive oil vs hydrolysed vegetable shortening)
When you are counting your calories and trying to hit the daily targets for your macronutrients (protein, fats, carbohydrates) it can be challenging to adhere to your calorie limits when eating poor quality foods.
Poor quality foods are more calorie dense, a fancy term that simply means that you can eat less of them to hit your daily calorie requirements.This often leads to dissatisfaction with food satiety and you’ll end up overeating because you still feel hungry.
Ever eaten a bag of lollies or potato chips and just sort of felt “empty” after it? Feeling like you need more food… It’s like going for a bad date with a person that seemed nice at first but then they just ended up talking about their aunt Margaret’s goldfish. Afterwards you just want to call your buddy to talk about real stuff.
If you pick your meals from the high quality foods and get protein and high fibre foods such as fresh vegetables and whole grains you will feel satisfied for longer. Eating high fibre foods like fresh vegetables means that the foods are less calorie dense and more nutrient dense. It’s more likely that you will feel content after a meal.
When you are content and satisfied you are less likely to have cravings and snack between meals. You are less likely to sneak in unnecessary extra calories that hinder your fat loss.
And If you feel hungry after a meal you can pile on more fresh vegetables since you cannot eat too much of them. Each vegetable you eat is like your stomach and mind getting a fibrous, nutrient rich hug from Aunt Margaret.
It is much easier to keep tracking your calories when eating from the high quality list of foods compared to poor quality. What’s common with the poor quality foods is that they are ridiculously tasty because of extra fats and sugars they are often cooked in. It’s easier to overeat potato chips than boiled potatoes.
Why most people struggle with eating higher quality, healthier foods is because they associate them with restrictions and bland meals. This a common theme with clients and often ingrained based on current eating and cooking habits. The fix is simple, yet not easy.
When you put in the effort to improve your cooking skills you can make a meal of simple ingredients taste amazing. And overtime you will come to realize that simple ingredients make a gourmet, and healthier meals than packaged, convenience driven products.