Putting the Mental in Diet Mentality

 

Nutrition - a topic which many have translated to ‘dieting’ becoming a nightmare for us all.

So let’s break it down so it can become your easy reality 🔽

Whenever I say nutrition, what is the first thing that comes to your mind? 

Counting calories, not eating carbs post 8pm, saying no to sugar? 

Sorry not sorry, but nutrition in simple words is feeding yourself for overall health and growth. However, social media and many experts out there have turned it into this complex topic setting some serious rules around how you should eat, what you should eat and when you should eat. 

What if I said, you can eat anything and everything in your diet (with no hidden clause).

Let’s find out how ⬇️

- Firstly, stop labelling food as ‘good’ or ‘bad’. There is absolutely nothing like that out there, in fact all food items provide you with nutrition, just in a varying manner. For example: 100g of chocolate will give you the same energy kcal as 100g of walnuts but are walnuts considered ‘bad’ food? Nope. 

The reason for this is the quality of macros you are providing your body which determines the overall energy utilisation in metabolism. The energy from that chocolate will be simple due to it being high in carbohydrates whereas walnuts being high in fats, the body takes longer to digest which leads to that feeling of fullness for longer with sustained energy. Due to this simple reason, chocolates became the bad guy and if you wanted to lose weight the first tip anybody would tell you is: cut out chocolates even though you don’t need to. 

- Secondly, consuming lesser calories & eating before 8pm doesn’t equal to greater weight loss. If you are somebody who wakes up by 7am, how do you expect your system to have no hunger cravings when it’s past 8pm…

Looking at calories, yes it is true when you consume lesser calories than you burn, you automatically start dropping weight. But this doesn’t mean burning only FATs, it also means burning lean muscle mass. This results in adaptive thermogenesis = body deliberately slows down to preserve energy stores therefore slowing down weight loss  & favouring weight regain. Moreover, research shows as a result of metabolic slow down, our hormone leptin (which inhibits appetite and increases metabolic rate) greatly plummets causing hunger to INCREASE. Therefore, we need to eat according to our weight, height, age & activity level to achieve a safe + sustainable weight loss. 

The one equation that I rely on when it comes to my clients as well is: Mifflin-St Jeor’s BMR equation 

Men: (10 × weight in kg) + (6.25 × height in cm) - (5 × age in years) + 5. 

Women: (10 × weight in kg) + (6.25 × height in cm) - (5 × age in years) - 161.

This allows me to understand each client’s calorie requirement of a daily basis, as well as gives me a fair idea of where to fit in all those great meals since BMR accounts for 70% of your total energy expenditure. The remaining is fulfilled by basic movements such as walking, talking, digesting. Thus, eat according to your BMR + incorporate daily movement to sustain a healthy weight loss which doesn’t slow your metabolism down in the long run. 

- Thirdly, eating FATs will make me ‘FAT’. This is one of the most common misconception I hear from various people and it’s time to break it down. 

Fats are an essential source for the body as it helps absorb Vitamin A & D (since they are fat soluble vitamins; without fats they cannot be absorbed). It protects our vital organs and supports cell growth. Moreover, being the key in controlling the balance of cholesterol and blood pressure! 

So why are they the enemy in every diet? Because people fail to understand, it’s not the amount of fats you eat that matters BUT it’s the type. There are 3 types: saturated (found in butter & red meat), unsaturated (found in nuts, vegetable oil, fish) & trans (found in fried food & baked goods). Trans being a complete no, whereas unsaturated being the holy grail. 

Now let’s see how to find your balance and select the right type?

1. Using oil instead of butter: sauté food in olive oil, bake with canola oil

2. Putting Omega 3 at the top of your list: eat fish atleast x2 a week or if you are a vegetarian include sources like flaxseeds, chia seeds, beans, walnuts

3. Choose the right snacks by opting for zero trans fat products: scan the ingredients by making sure there isn’t any hidden “partially hydrogenated oil”

4. Trimming visible extra fat from your meats

5. Making your own dressings & baking your own goods: this gives you so much more control over the ingredients & is a fun experiment to do

Fun fact: fats are the last to leave your digestive tract, making it the best to help us feel longer for full & keep us away from unnecessary binging 

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Now that we have covered a wide range of misconceptions, I want you to stop being afraid of FOOD. 

FOOD IS FUEL and the key to your inner happiness, so instead of going to every extreme possible why not tip your scale towards ✨balance✨ Take your time to understand the calories you should be eating, do your groceries every week, track your calories to stay on track and eat what your heart desires by finding better ingredients to create that meal. If the results don’t follow, feel free to blame me but not until you have tried it MY WAY!

Now go, health is calling out to you.