Consuming nutrient rich foods & stopping to count calories can not only keep us lean and fit but also keeps us healthy & less stressed. We have enough stress in life today, do not make food into another stressor.It is wiser to consume foods that are rich in the nutrients even if it is higher in calories. Similarly lower calorie foods with no nutrition are not only useless to the body but can be dangerous.
I see people making note of every morsel going into their mouths and counting calories on different Apps and feeling depressed at the end of the day, that they either did not make it to the count or did not reach their weight goals in spite of the “right calorie count”. Tracking calories with every morsel that goes into the mouth may give a feeling of control over food, but it doesn’t ensure health.
It is not the calorie which matters, it is the nutrition which matters. It is not worthy if we reach the caloric goal with wrong foods (read as processed & refined foods labelled low calorie/low fat). These are nutritionally bankrupt, loaded with chemicals, genetically modified, allergenic and inflammatory ingredients. They leave us under-nourished physiologically, physically famished & hungry, irritable in moods, mentally foggy and leads us to a host of health issues like different deficiencies, hormonal imbalances, spikes in insulin, etc. They also inducecravings, blunts satiety signal leadingto overeating. Thus the whole purpose is lost.
On the other hand, nutrient-dense foods will not only supply the body with health-enhancing nutrients butkeeps hunger at bay, minimizes cravings,enables brain to signal belly that it’s full and help maintain stable blood sugar levels. Hence, it is important to “Eat Rightto lose weight”.
A word on identifying nutrient rich foods: All whole plant based foods in their natural & unrefined form are without doubt, rich in nutrition. Unrefined, nutrient dense foods help keep weight in check naturally, no Apps & calculators required.
My clients can vouch for losing body fat & weight in spite of eating more & enjoying their meals, without any restriction of any fruits (say mangoes), vegetables (say potatoes) nor grain (say rice).
-Dr.Gauri Rokkam,
Health Coach, M.Sc. (Food & Nutrition)
Ph.D. (Yoga & Life Sciences)
