I'm sure everyone understands what calories are and most have certainly counted their calorie intake at some point.
What if I told you that there's a better way?!
I’ve learned what really counts when it comes to health, fitness and even weight loss, is macronutrients, or macros.
In simple terms, this means paying closer attention to the nutrients in our food and how healthy they are for us, rather than the number of calories they contain.
One of the problems with traditional calorie counting is that it doesn’t take into account what you’re eating, only how many calories.
Many experts believe that in order to truly battle the global obesity problem, we need to stop calorie counting and instead focus on good nutrition and dietary changes in order to enjoy longer, happier, healthier lives.
In fact, the strongest evidence through recent research shows that while calories matter, focusing on food quality is just as important for preventing weight gain and promoting weight loss.
Not overeating is important, of course, but rather than choose what you eat based only on how many calories a food contains, think about choosing high quality, nutritious foods, while minimizing lower quality, unhealthier foods.
If you’ve been following me for any period of time, you probably know what that means, but as a refresher:
High-quality foods are those that are minimally processed. That means whole foods that come from the earth, like fruits and vegetables, healthy fats from sources like nuts, seeds and coconut oil, as well as healthy sources of protein, including things like wild-caught salmon and lean, free- range meats.
Lower-quality foods refer to items like sugar-sweetened or artificially sweetened beverages, highly processed snack foods, processed “meats” like bologna and hot dogs, refined grains, refined sugar, fried foods and any food with trans fat such as most margarines and many packaged baked goods such as pastries and Twinkies.
If you just count calories, it doesn’t take into account the quality of food, and it may encourage the avoidance of foods that are good for us but naturally high in calories, like avocados, nuts and seeds.
Not only can that harm your health over the long term, it can damage your weight loss efforts. That’s because those foods contain essential fatty acids and fat soluble vitamins that support a healthy metabolism and a healthy weight.
Food triggers hormonal changes in the body — some signal the body to store fat, some signal it to release sugar and others to build muscle.
Research has found that diets based on the same amount of calories, but different proportions of fat, protein and carbohydrates, result in varying amounts of weight loss.
If you feel like you’re constantly hungry, it may be a clue that you’re consuming the wrong types of foods, rather than the amount of calories you take in each day.
When you change your diet, and begin focusing on the right types of foods, including unprocessed, nutritious, whole foods, you’ll have more energy, better concentration, fewer food cravings, and you’ll feel satisfied after your meal for several hours.
Similar calorie processed foods, on the other hand, will contribute to fat storage, sub-optimal hormonal balance and liver function.
In turn, that negatively impacts your metabolic function and how well you store and burn energy.
Those foods digest and deliver energy too quickly, which won’t give you the sustained energy you need, and contribute to fatigue, also increasing the desire to eat and drink more unhealthy foods and beverages.
Now, do you see why I don’t count calories?
Focus on nutrition in healthy, moderate portions instead!
Yours in Health,
Danette
P.S. Please share this info. with your friends and I always love to read your comments below.
You’ve probably heard the term GMO, or genetically modified organisms – but how much do you really know about genetically modified foods and how they affect your health as well as your waistline?
While some claim that GMOs are totally safe, that claim is misleading and misrepresents currently available scientific evidence that reveals the opposite is true.
Pro-GMO advocates say that hundreds of studies prove that GMOs are safe. In reality, many of these studies show no such thing, and some even raise safety concerns.
The patents on GMO seeds are owned by the biotech agrichemical companies, and those patents don’t allow unapproved independent studies.
Basically, that means that the studies often cited as supporting GMO safety, are typically conducted by scientists who are employed by biotech companies that sell GMO items. Not exactly unbiased, right?
GMOs and Weight Gain
It’s no secret that Americans are getting increasingly fatter, with more and more processed foods consumed as a part of our diets, but genetically modified crops are also believed to have a significant role in obesity too.
A long term study conducted in Norway which involved researching the health effects of GMO food, found that over a period of 90 days, rats fed a GMO-corn diet grew fatter and ate more food than rats who didn’t consume GMO foods.
Rats that ate fish that had been raised on GMO corn also got fatter.
The researchers wondered, if the same effect applies to humans, how would it impact those who ate GMO corn over a number of years, or eat from animals that fed on this same corn?
Another issue is nutrition
Nutrient levels in GMO crops, produced within the last half-century, have been found to be anywhere from 10 to 25% lower than they once were.
Experts believe that’s because the crops are bred for higher yields, like GMO crops, meaning greater quantity, but lesser quality. When nutrient levels are decreased, we have to eat more to get the nutrient levels our body needs.
Health concerns
GMOs are grown with toxic chemicals, and the resulting pesticide residues are well-known to be harmful to health.
Laboratory research using mammals fed GMOs have found adverse effects like damage to the heart, kidneys, liver, spleen and adrenal glands.
Their immune systems were also compromised – and, in some, their brain size was reduced too.
This also plays a role in weight gain. When our body is exposed to toxins, it tends to hold onto fat as a form of protection to the organs, making it difficult to lose or maintain an ideal body weight.
That’s more than enough reason to go organic, don’t you think? I mean, why make weight loss harder than it already is?! Organics don’t contain any synthetic hormones, antibiotics, chemicals or GMOs.
And, independent studies have proven that organic food has more vitamins, nutrients and antioxidants than conventional food, which is generally now just saying GMO food.
But how do you know for sure that you’re getting “clean” organic food?
By following these 3 tips you can ensure that you and your family are getting the best possible foods for your health and your waistline:
1. Whenever possible, purchase food that is both local and organic. You can find a farm, purchase from a farmers market, or join a CSA. Ask friends, family, neighbors and co-workers for referrals. If you don’t have anyone to ask, try searching online on sites like Local Harvest, which can help you identify local, organic foods.
2. Read labels. You should always be reading food labels, and that will also help you to identify organic foods.
Fruits and vegetables generally contain stickers with a PLU (product look up code) that identifies how it was produced.
Organic produce has a five-digit code beginning with a 9, while conventional produce will have a four-digit code beginning with a 3 or 4.
GMO produce has a five-digit code that starts with an 8.
3. Ask the seller. Whether you buy direct from the farmer, or at your supermarket, don’t be afraid to ask questions. You can ask, for example, whether their products are certified organic, grown using organic methods or produced locally.
Knowledge is powerful – use it as yet another weapon in your battle against stubborn pounds and enjoy a happier, healthier life too.
Your thyroid has a HUGE job! It's one of the largest endocrine glands in the body and influences almost every cell in your body.
The hormones it secretes helps to regulate heart rate, maintain healthy skin, and play an important part in metabolism.
When the gland is sluggish it, it can not only steal your energy, it can cause weight gain, dry out your skin and even trigger depression.
When your thyroid levels are out of balance, so are you. Too much or too little hormone secretion in this gland can mean trouble for your overall health, well-being and your weight.
Studies have shown that there are 10 to 40% of people in the U.S. who have suboptimal thyroid functioning.
One of the symptoms of a poorly functioning thyroid is weight gain. If you gain weight easily, or have difficulty losing pounds, despite a regular exercise program and careful eating, your thyroid could very well be out of whack.
What you eat can be important for supporting good thyroid function.
1. Cruciferous Vegetables
Eat plenty of cruciferous veggies, which means foods like broccoli, Brussel sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, bok choy and similar green, leafy vegetables. Ideally, you should be eating a mix of cooked, raw and juiced for the best benefits.
2. Coconut Oil
Coconut oil is one of the best oils you can cook with as it’s about two-thirds medium chain triglycerides, or MCTs, which are fatty acids that are directly absorbed into the bloodstream in the small intestine and used for energy.
They’ve been show to boost metabolism, and as better thyroid functioning is essentially synonymous with an increased metabolism, the oil is believed to be particularly healing to the thyroid.
3. Sea Vegetables
Sea vegetables, including seaweeds like nori and wakame, are rich in iodine. If you have insufficient levels of iodine, it can inhibit thyroid function.
You can add wakame to a miso soup, snack on nori dusted with a bit of sea salt or make nori wraps filled with wild-caught salmon, sweet potato and sprouts. Hijiki, used in a kale salad, is fabulously nutritious and delicious too.
4. Eggs
Eggs are sometimes called the Perfect Food, and when it comes to balancing hormones and supporting your thyroid, that’s especially true as they’re an excellent source of thyroid-supporting building blocks like protein, B vitamins, fat-soluble vitamins and minerals as well as selenium and iodine.
5. Chlorophyll
When you wake up in the morning, you might want to drink a shot of chlorophyll, or add a shot to your juice or smoothie. It helps to boost energy levels and eliminate heavy metals that can inhibit thyroid function.
6. Going Gluten-Free
Avoiding gluten is especially important for those who have Hashimoto’s, a disease in which the immune system attacks the thyroid, as it can initiate thyroid antibody production.
As you probably already know, gluten is found in wheat, rye, barley and any foods made with those grains. Chronic inflammation is a major factor that affects thyroid function, and the biggest source of chronic inflammation is gluten.
So, even if you don’t have Hashimoto’s, you may want to consider going gluten- free for optimal thyroid functioning.
By eating clean and smart, managing stress levels, exercising regularly and avoiding environmental toxins, you’ll be supporting a healthy thyroid and better overall health – in addition to being better able to battle off extra pounds.
The weather is getting cooler by the day here in the gorgeous Colorado mountains.
That means a lot of fun things like ski season is coming- and yes, it's the perfect time for making a nice big pot of steaming hot chili!
This recipe is loaded with great proteins not only from the beans but this stick-to-your-ribs recipe also includes quinoa.
Quinoa is a protein standout among grains (it’s technically a seed). This superfood offers a complete amino acid profile and plenty of lysine, an amino often lacking in vegetarian diets.
Important for growth, collagen formation and calcium absorption, lysine is also vital in the production of carnitine, a compound that helps the body convert fat into energy.
All that, and did I mention, it is absolutely DELICIOUS!
HEARTY QUINOA AND
WHITE BEAN SOUP
INGREDIENTS:
1/2 cup uncooked quinoa
1 large red bell pepper, chopped (2 cups)
1 large green bell pepper, chopped (2 cups)
2 small onions, chopped (1 cup)
1 stalk of celery, sliced (1/2 cup)
1 jalapeño pepper, sliced (optional)
1 teaspoon ground chipotle pepper
2 15-oz cans white beans, drained and rinsed
4 large fresh tomatoes, chopped with juices (4 cups)
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
6 oz fresh spinach, chopped (4 cups)
DIRECTIONS:
1. In a 4 quart pot, combine quinoa and 4 cups water and place over high heat.
2. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low.
3. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes.
4. Add bell peppers, onion, celery, jalapeño, chipotle, beans, tomatoes, cumin and oregano to the pot with quinoa.
5. Bring to a simmer and cook uncovered for about 10 minutes (or longer if you want the vegetables to soften more).
6. When soup is thickened and vegetables are cooked to your liking, stir in spinach and cook for 1 more minute just until the spinach wilts. Serve hot and enjoy!
You can freeze the leftovers for an easy re-heat later. Hope you enjoy it as much as my family and I do!
If you're anything like me you LOVE the Springtime!
All the flowers are blooming and new life abounds. Doesn't it make you excited to get outside and play?
We start to think about how we look in a pair of shorts or a bathing suit and focus more on our waistlines, but when Fall rolls around again and skimpier clothing is put away, the opposite is usually true – you throw on a bulky sweater or sweatshirt, and all you want to do is sit around on the couch watching TV, right?
Every year, the cycle repeats itself, over and over – negatively affecting your health and your pants size. What if you could make 4 small changes to put an end to this vicious cycle? I have you covered in this article.
Melatonin, which is a hormone triggered by darkness that makes us feel sleepy plays a role in appetite, making us want to eat more.
In the spring and summer, levels of melatonin decline with more light during the day, but in the fall and winter, those levels increase.
Colder weather also means we’re more likely to go for comfort foods like mac ‘n’ cheese, not to mention, this is the season that brings the holidays, and, what may seem like the inevitable weight gain.
Seasonal weight gain tends to vary from person to person but research has revealed we gain an average of a five to seven pound weight in the winter.
Another factor in winter weight gain may be linked to low levels of vitamin D, known as the sunshine vitamin.
The body needs sunlight to make use of vitamin D, but as there are fewer daylight hours during this time of year, people tend to go outside less.
Some studies have shown that people with lower levels of vitamin D store more fat – and, are linked to being overweight or obese.
There’s little doubt that winter creates the perfect storm for weight gain, but with a little motivation and some extra effort, you can get through it without derailing your healthy lifestyle and weight loss efforts.
Here are 4 tips to get help you maintain your weight during colder months:
1. Make exercise a priority
One of the key factors in avoiding winter weight gain is making exercise a priority. And, ideally, you should focus on getting outside and participating in winter sports that will get you outdoors too.
Taking part in fun activities like ice skating, skiing or just bundling up for a brisk walk outside will help those feel- good endorphins get circulating, and increase vitamin D levels too. Plus, getting active outdoors is a lot more fun than battling crowds at the gym!
2. Devise an eating plan for the holidays
Avoid the “all-or-nothing” strategy when it comes to holiday treats – if you don’t allow yourself to indulge every now and again, you’re more likely to binge.
Instead, savor smaller amounts of your very favorite dishes, enjoying every bite slowly and eating until you’re satisfied but not stuffed.
Eating a good, healthy breakfast that morning will not only get your metabolism going, you’ll be less likely to overdo it. Exercising before the meal is a good strategy too, as it will influence how you feel about all that food on the table.
Some foods not only reduce your risk of disease, but can help you lose or maintain an ideal weight, so be sure to keep your kitchen well-stocked.
Use lots of herbs and spices in your meals, make salads with kale or baby spinach leaves, and enjoy those sweet potatoes – they’re loaded with fiber, which makes you feel fuller longer.
4. Avoid turning to food to beat the winter blues
If you tend to get the winter blues, instead of turning to comfort foods to make you feel better, stop and think about why you’re feeling down.
You might just need to get out of the house – try calling a friend to do something active together to get outside, get your blood pumping, and get some of those wonderful rays of sunshine.
Even if it’s hidden behind the clouds, it will do your mind and body good! If the cold is getting you down, warm up with a hot cup of herbal tea.
Sometimes, when you take a step back, you realize that you’re not really hungry, but it’s something else entirely. Your body may really just be craving the chance to move more – and not that slice of cake or pie!
