As the new year starts and we reflect on how we can improve ourselves for the new year, I figured I’d share a few tidbits that my nutrition degree taught me that might come in handy to you. Here’s what I learned:
1. “Diets” don’t work.
Okay so take this with a grain of salt. Diets work if you are consistent, BUT 95% of people do not last on any sort of diet for their entire life and often drop off, binge eat, and gain it all back. See, most diets are so restricting that they encourage you to cut out entire food groups which is soNOThealthy and so people do not last and end up discouraged, starving, and malnourished.
It is important to remember that you do not need to cut out food groups to lose weight. Your body needs these food groups to provide you with energy, vitamins, and calories that help propel you through your day. If you cut these out you will feel hungry & weak and thats no fun. Plus who wants to cut out pasta and chips anyways? Not me! Most popular fad diets call for the removal of food groups (Paleo diet= no dairy, no grains, no legumes// Atkins diet= no grains, no oils, no high-carb vegetables // etc.) So do these diets help you lose weight? Yes, usually they do help (short-term) but unless you plan on continuing these plans consistently then you are more than likely going to gain weight back once you are on your normal diet.
2. Focus on what you’re eating- LISTEN TO YOUR BODY
I hear so many people say that they aren’t hungry but they know its meal time and so they are going to eat anyways. The key is to listen to your body. If you are hungry, eat. If you aren’t, don’t force yourself. Diets usually lead to grumbling stomaches and binging, so avoid restrictive diets and instead make sure your plates are c o l o r f u l, contain all food groups, and have enough substance to keep you full for a longer period of time!
**Easy ways to make sure that you are staying full longer is to incorporate whole grains & low calorie items into the diet. Try having avocado toast, whole grain crackers with cheese, carrots and hummus, etc. to snack on rather than grabbing a couple cookies that will leave you wanting more and won’t keep you full!
3. Don’t waste your calories by drinking them!
I don’t know about you, but I would much rather indulge in a bowl of ice cream rather than a sugary soda. I know that this is not the case with everyone, but I do know that we register calories found in liquids different that the way that we register food calories (here). For this reason, when you drink soda and sugary fruit drinks you end up eating more total calories later on because you are not full from your drink.
Keep in mind sugary drinks are strongly associated with hypertension, obesity, type 2 diabetes and more. So if you are dedicated to changing your diet, this would be the first thing that I would suggest cutting back on! I used to drink a coke after high school every single day and sometimes more, but I realized that I wasn’t that attached to them and decided to cut them out completely. My diet is not perfect whatsoever but it has been pretty easy to cut them out. I will have a sip every now and then of other’s drinks but I have not had my own soda in over 8 years!!! You don’t have to cut them out completely- that might not be realistic for you, but trying cutting down and I guarantee you will see some changes quick! Plus… less soda= more calories to use elsewhere.. 🙂
4. Pay attention to the entire food label, not just the calories!
Before I started my degree in nutrition I would spend so much time trying to find low-calories options at the store. I would search for the lowest calorie items that I could find and I would be satisfied if I could find it. The thing that most people don’t realize is that you NEED to look at the other ingredients as well. An item could be 100 calories- sounds good right? But it could be jam packed with sugar, sodium, fat, and more that you should also be paying attention to. An excellent example of this is seen in yogurt. Many of them boast a super low-calorie content however if you look closely, you will see that though the item may contain 80 calories, it also has 20 grams of sugar and other ingredients that could really be hurting your diet rather than helping it. Your best bet is to eat whole foods rather than processed and if you need to eat processed (because who doesn’t) try and pick an item that has a small ingredients list (meaning it is less processed usually) and that contains a low cal/ fat/ sugar content.
5. Juice cleanses aren’t really necessary.
Recently I tried a juice cleanse just to see what it was like. It was a 3-day gig ( 3 days of drinking only juice and not eating an ounce of food) and it was miserable. Im not going to sugar coat it, but basically you drank 6 juices a day (some are green and chunky) and it is supposed to help you cleanse toxins and lose weight. Did I lose a couple lbs? Sure did. Was I starving and did I binge the second the 3 days were up? You bet I did. Juice cleanses would be great if you had a big event coming up and needed to slim down quick, because it will do that for you, but for long term purposes it most likely will not do the trick because you will just be very hungry and eat all the foods the second you are off the cleanse.
Also- juice cleanses put you at less than 1,000 calories a day which means your body will start to break down healthy fats and muscle to make up for the fact that it is losing necessary calories. This is not good! Plus… your body’s detoxification system is pretty remarkable. Your liver and kidneys do this for you 24/7 and your body is fully detoxified every few days so save your $$$ and eat fruits & veggies instead!
6. Cook dinner at home more than eating out!
Eating out is one of my absolute favorite things to do. It is so easy to meet friends for dinner, have a marg (or 3), and chow down on some fabulous food but what people don’t always understand is how much they are actually consuming. Not only is eating out pricey, it’s also usually pretty bad for you. Yes you can skimp on chips and salsa and settle for a fresh salad and chicken breast- this is a great choice- but that is not always realistic. I am so guilty in ordering a high calorie cocktail, loading up on delicious bread and butter, and ordering a large plate of spaghetti and eating every last drop. This is okay to do every now and then (gotta live right?) but unfortunately if these habits are done frequently it can lead to major weight gain. Your average entree, dessert, and appetizer at most restaurants are 9 times out of 10 going to be over 2,000 calories. So instead opt for a yummy home cooked meal where you can watch exactly what goes into your meal or select something off of the “light” menu at the restaurant!
7. Healthy snacks are key
I am so guilty of going into the pantry and grabbing a handful of chips (white cheddar popables are so delish) and feeling guilty and also still hungry… because secretly I want the whole bag…. BUT if you opt for healthier options you will feel so much better. I still love a good handful of chips, but I have learned that if you find a really great hummus and dip things like carrots and broccoli become so much more worth it AND they keep you fuller longer. This is also true for apple slices and peanut butter, cheese sticks, baked pita chips and hummus, boiled eggs, etc. These snacks will help you feel more full and help you to eat less calorie-dense/ processed items.
8. Eat fish
Most people that I know don’t eat fish and I get it. They can be quite fishy (no pun intended) and the texture is honestly usually a little weird for my taste but man are they good for you. One thing my family has started doing is making it a point to have fish once a week. Fish contain omega- 3’s which are so good for you. I won’t go into the breakdown of it but if you are interested theres lots of great articles on it. Omega-3’s are good fats that help with high blood pressure and high cholesterol. They have also been known to help with fetus development, rheumatoid arthritis, and depression as well. Overall fish are amazing for the diet! You can also get Omega 3’s from foods such as walnuts, spinach, flax, and soybeans but nothing tops that of eating fish!
9. Listen to your mom- eating breakfast really is important.
You’re probably tired of hearing that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, because I sure am. Tbh, eating breakfast is not my favorite. I generally don’t enjoy breakfast food unless its at 11 am and served with a mimosa… but its super important! Waking up and eating breakfast activates the thermogenesis process and stimulates your metabolism making it easier to burn calories throughout the day. If your skipping then you are ultimately slowing your metabolism and will most likely eat more throughout the day to compensate. Another good way to get some morning cals is to blend up a quick smoothie with natural ingredient such as the one shown in the pictures. I will add the recipe to the bottom of the post if you are interested- its yummy!
Sweatshirt: Loft Watch: Michael Kors Bracelet: Poshmark Ring: Kendra Scott
10. Drinking water is crucial to weight loss.
As weird as it sounds, water really does help you lose weight. Not only is it completely necessary for your everyday activities and general health, it does so much more. Drinking water helps you rev up your metabolism because everything you place in your body causes your body to work, helps prevent you from drinking other sugary things, and can help heed your hunger. Often people eat because they think they are hungry, but what I have learned is that our body has trouble deciphering whether or not we are hungry or thirsty. So instead of reaching for the snack, try gulping down some H20 and see if that helps curb your hunger for awhile. The recommended daily amount varies obviously based on the person/ daily activities/ etc. but it is a good rule of thumb to drink half your body weight in ounces. (Ex. if you weight 200 lbs, you would drink 100 ounces of water a day). If this is too difficult to remember, you can always stick with the 8 glasses of water a day theory and you will be just fine.
*Disclaimer: These facts are based on opinion and what I have gathered throughout my schooling and you should always seek a doctor’s advice when changing diet habits as no two people are the same!*
Smoothie Recipe:
1 c. fresh spinach leaves
1 c. frozen mixed berries
1/2 Tbs. flax seed
1/2 c. crushed ice
1/2 c. cold water
I am using a Nutribullet that I LOVE, but any blender will get the job done. Blend and enjoy!