Quality not quantity when dieting :: Healthier Me Blog at Lincolnshire Nutrition

Quality not quantity when dieting

Posted on 12th July 2011 | There are 0 comments. Why not be the first?

It appears that experts finally agree that counting calories is bad for you! If you come to my Healthier Me Club on a Tuesday night you could have found that out long ago. It seems that as a population obsesssed with dieting, we get so fixated on the number of calories, that we forget about the quality of food that we eat.

Fat does contain about twice as many calories weight for weight as protein or carbohydrate, and losing weight does ultimately rely on the "fewer calories in than out" equation and it seems that many people are following a low-calorie diet by cutting out fats. However, it's better to eat a healthy balanced diet with good quality fats in, that supports all our body's functions than concentrating on cutting out just one food group.

If we concentrate on one aspect of our diet, we're more likely to neglect other areas and in the case of cutting calories or fats, it seems that we've forgotten to make sure we eat a minimum of five portions of fruit and vegetables a day. One lady I saw recently was on a very low fat diet, but had plateaued with her weight loss, and seemed surprised when I told her to eat more good quality fats. These essential fatty acids should really be called essential thinny acids as they boost metabolism which burns calories faster, and as the name suggests are essential for health. Unfortunately, people do go too far and it can end up in vitamin and mineral deficiency, particularly vitamins A, D, E and K which need fat to be absorbed. Deficiency in these can result in heart problems, immune problems, depression and an increased cancer risk.

I take a practical approach to diet and believe that if you eat three times a day it has to be enjoyable. All this calorie counting can really turn people against their food and take the joy out of eating. Put your body into any kind of stress and suddenly, you're a lot less able to digest and absorb your food, so for some people eating without enjoyment means they're getting even less nutritional value from their diet.

So, what is the best way to lose weight? Firstly, enjoy your food! Then make sure you get at least five portions of fruit and vegetables a day, and eat these from your plate first. Eat nice and slowly and chew thoroughly and you'll feel fuller sooner. You should never feel hungry on a sensible weight loss diet, so if you do get hungry, you're doing it wrong!

If you would like to know more, or have a consultation with me to see how to improve your diet for any health reason, please contact me.