There is so much talk about “good diets” and “bad diets” – “good” foods and “bad”, it can be intimidating trying to run the gambit of too much information. In fact, it makes it difficult to even start because of the perceived restrictions and lifestyle changes which seem like a punishment instead of a road to a healthy life.
This is simply not the case, too much of any food is where the problem comes in. We all have an amount of calories we burn throughout the day, (TDEE – Total Daily Energy Expenditure) just existing. The problem arises when we eat over that amount. See wasn’t that simple?
Now with that being said, there are ways of eating which will fuel your body in a better way, compared to other ways of eating. For example, one Costco muffin is 672 calories, and the next meal shown is 700:
Which meal will satisfy you longer? Which meal will provide more nutrients to the body? I don’t know about you, but before I started watching what I ate, I would have 3 muffins a day on a weekend, plus meals. Why? Because they were quick to consume and delicious!!! However, they never kept me full for long, so a “real” meal wasn’t far behind.
Now here comes the simple part and a little math – 3 muffins x 672 = 2016 calories in snacks! Add in an average 600 calories each meal = 1800 calories (i.e. two eggs, two pieces of toast w/butter, 3 slices of bacon and coffee with creamer – breakfast; grilled cheese sandwich – lunch; cheeseburger and chips – dinner). I have consumed 3816 calories in one day, and pretty darn easily, my TDEE is 1787.
Stay with me just a little more math – I have stored approximately 2029 calories that day, two days like the one shown and I have stored 1+lb of fat for the week…..there are 52 weeks in a year, so a grand total of 52 pounds gained in a year. It’s as simple as that, conversely decreasing the intake of food, by just a slight deficit below TDEE will have the opposite effect.
Your body runs on all things protein, carbohydrates and fats. It is best to try and get all the macro nutrients into your diet daily. Yes even carbs! There are no bad foods, just too much of any one thing. There are many diets that restrict one thing or another, and it will work for awhile, but is it sustainable to your lifestyle? Does it feel like punishment? Only you can decide which diet will work for you.
You can start with a simple portion control plan – Palm size of protein, cinched fist of carbs, cinched fist of vegetables 5 or 6 times a day; Calorie counting ; or a macro plan. The last two I suggest a food scale which will become your best friend, and tuthfully you should have as a fixture in your kitchen anyway. Bottom line is It all depends on your goals, your routine and lifestyle which will be the plan that works the best for you.
If you have any questions on how to start please feel free to shoot me an email, and let’s get started!