Why Diets Don’t work but proper nutrition will!
Losing weight is simple mathematics. For every 3500 calories “saved” by taking in fewer calories than you need to sustain your weight, you lose one pound. Save 500 calories per day, every day, and you’ll lose one pound per week. When you simultaneously decrease your caloric intake and increase the number of calories required to maintain your weight through exercise, you can “save” 3500 calories even faster.
We’ve all heard the advice to eat more fruits, whole grains and vegetables for good nutrition. But did you know that those fibrous foods can also help you be satisfied with a lower daily calorie count? In fact, consuming about fourteen grams of dietary fiber a day could result in a 5-pound weight loss in 4 months. Dietary fiber increases satiety (the feeling of fullness) and thus reduces the desire for other calorie intake.
Protein-rich foods (chicken, fish, eggs) will also make you feel full and satisfied for longer periods – certainly longer than carbohydrates such as pasta and bread. Eating a balanced diet of sufficient protein and fibrous foods will help you control hunger and calorie intake. To be clear calories to create a balanced diet, need to be nutrient dense. Although a chocolate chip cookie made with butter may be 78 calories they are not the same ones you will get out of a fresh apple with skin. The cookie contains sugar, flour, butter, chocolate and a few other ingredients that make it high sugar, high fat and low nutrients. The apple contains natural sugar, fiber, and nutrients which makes it low sugar, high fiber and low fat. Both items are satisfying but one typically leaves you wanting more and the other leaves you feeling refreshed and satisfied.
Here are a few good ideas of foods to choose from:
| Food | Amount | Calories | Carbohydrate | Protein | Fat | |
| Protein | Roasted Chicken Breast | 3/4 oz | 107 | 0 | 24 | 3.1 g |
| Dry Heat Halibut | 3 oz | 119 | 0 | 23 | 2.5 g | |
| Canned in water Tuna | 3 oz | 98 | 0 | 21 | 8g | |
| Broiled Beef Top Sirloin | 3 oz | 166 | 0 | 26 | 6.1g | |
| Fiberous | Boiled Asparagus | 1/2 C | 22 | 4 | 2 | .3 g |
| Carbohydrates | Boiled Broccoli | 1/2 C | 22 | 4 | 2 | .3 g |
| Fresh Spinach | 1 C | 7 | 1 | 1 | .1 g | |
| Fresh Cooked Green Beans | 1/2 C | 22 | 5 | 1 | .2 g | |
| Complex | Broiled Pinto Beans | 1/2 C | 118 | 22 | 7 | .4 g |
| Carbohydrates | Multigrain Bread | 1 slice | 65 | 12 | 3 | 1.3 g |
| Boiled Corn on Cob | 1 C | 83 | 19 | 3 | 1 g | |
| Prepared Plain Oatmeal | 1/2 C | 145 | 25 | 6 | 2.4 g | |
| Simple | Fresh Apple w/skin | 1 med. | 81 | 21 | 0 | .5 g |
| Carbohydrates | Fresh Blackberries | 1/2 C | 37 | 9 | 1 | .3 g |
| Fresh Strawberries | 9 each | 33 | 8 | 0 | .5 g | |
| Fresh Banana | 1/2 banana | 55 | 14 | 1 | .3 g | |
| Fat | Peanut Butter w/salt | 1 TBSP | 95 | 3 | 4 | 8.1 g |
| Almonds | .5 oz | 82 | 3 | 3 | 7.2 g | |
| Olive Oil | 1 tsp | 40 | 0 | 0 | 4.5 g | |
| Avacado | 1/4 avacado | 77 | 3 | 1 | 7.6 g |
So remember not all calories are created equal. The more fibrous foods you can enjoy will help in weight loss. And its all about choices! So at Fitness Results, nutrition counseling begins with education on the right balance of your daily intake of protein, fibrous foods and fat. (Surprised? Fat is actually necessary for a balanced diet.) We’ll help you determine portion sizes appropriate to your daily target caloric intake, and provide you with a list of common foods that includes nutritional content (the amount of protein, carbohydrate and fat in a portion). With this information, you’ll be able to choose the foods you like best and won’t be bound by an unsustainable diet. That in turn will lead to a permanent change in what you eat and allow you to maintain your weight goal for life.