Myth: Calories in = Calories out
When you eat more calories than you burn you gain weight.
When you eat less calories than you burn you lose weight.
Truth: Calories are NOT made equal.
Eating a pizza and a doughnut for lunch versus eating a roasted chicken with salad and avocado may have a similar caloric intake but how the body absorbs and uses the nutrients from these foods is very different.
The belief that eating less calories than you burn will lead you to weight loss is a bit off.
Taking the lunch example above, one would simply remove the doughnut at lunch to cut down calories and they will technically be in a calorie deficit for that meal and eventually lose weight.
If one were to only eat pizza, even if less calorie dense a meal than roasted chicken and avocado, the body will possibly respond to the calorie deficit in the short term, but in the long run will suffer from malnutrition. This will most of the time cause deficits in your health, your energy, mental state, performance in and out of the gym and will not produce the results one is seeking. They are more likely to look and feel like a dehydrated French frie.
This concept of calories in = calories out does not take into account QUALITY OF NUTRIENTS, hormone, stress levels, insulin resistance, gut health, physical activity during the day, sleep quality, menstrual cycle, sleep, hydration to name a few factors that have an influence in weight loss and fuel absorption.
Now no one is saying pizza is bad or doughnuts are bad. They are quite tasty. But one should not rely on those sources of food to provide them the nutrients that their body requires to run a happy life. Even if in a calorie deficit. The goal is to ensure your basic body needs are met while trying to lose weight.
Instead of obsessing on caloric intake and going crazy calculating calories on a tracking app, focus on fuel that will nourish your body and soul. Eating whole foods is the best starting point for someone seeking to lose weight, and increase health and performance. Whole foods remain as close to their natural state as found in nature. They are not significantly transformed or have added sugars, starches, flavourings, or other manufactured ingredients and do not have an oddly long shelf life. A great rule of thumb is if you have to pull out your phone to google half the ingredients listed on the label, most likely those aren’t going to be ingredients you want in your body.
Here are some examples of whole foods:
Meat, poultry, whole eggs raised without antibiotics or hormones
Fish (halibut, cod, salmon, snapper, sea bass, shrimp)
Unprocessed dairy products (feta cheese, parmesan, Greek yogurt, cottage cheese)
Dark leafy greens (spinach, kale, Swiss chard, bok choy) Veggies (broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, bell peppers, eggplant, carrots)
Fruits (grapefruit, oranges, berries, bananas, apples)
Fats (avocados, walnuts, almonds, chia seeds, olive oil)
Whole grains (quinoa, barley, amaranth, brown rice)
Legumes (black beans, lentils, chickpeas) – MUST BE WELL COOKED
Bringing awareness to the quality of the food on your plate, combined with eating enough throughout the day are the natural basics to learn in order to lose weight and maintaining a healthy body. Try to be as consistent as possible eating 3 meals a day. Preferably at the same time every day.
To give you a good idea of what you should be eating, try the hand portion measurements.
The table below is a starting point guide of portions per meal if eating 3 meals a day. This may need to be adjusted over time depending on:
your body composition, awareness of purpose, digestion, daily energy rhythm, food quality, and gender.
Women:
1 Serving of Protein
1 Serving of Carbohydrate
1 Serving of Vegetables
1 Serving of Fat
Men:
2 Servings of Protein
2 Servings of Carbohydrate
2 Servings of Vegetables
2 Servings of Fat
Some symptoms to take into consideration that you are NOT eating enough are: low energy levels, hair loss, constant Hunger, inability to get pregnant, sleep Issues, Irritability, feeling cold all the time, constipation, anxiety.
It’s preferable that you change your perspective and focus on quality ingredients over counting calories. Your body needs these different nutrients (proteins, carbs, vegetables, and fats) to be healthy and thrive. To be vital and vibrant.
Independently if your goals are to lose weight, be healthy, performance, all have a common starting point: Consistency. This is the magic pill. If you don’t know where to start, I suggest starting with small actions that will be sustainable. For example, start eating breakfast EVERY DAY no matter what. This can be a great starting point for a lot of individuals. Then we can start by being more precise and add a protein on every meal. As you see these changes are maintained and you start seeing results, we can move to another level of refinement.
If you feel you are overwhelmed with nutrition and have tried many things but failed every time, maybe it’s time to seek help. Feel free to reach out and contact one of our coaches (info@mfotraining.ca). We are here for you ☺
Remember, keep it simple but consistent, eating should be sustainable and also enjoyable!