Some experts in the mainstream still insist that a calorie is a calorie no matter what the source and that when trying to lose weight you simply need to reduce the number of calories you consume. For decades this has been unchallenged and accepted as the gospel truth, but recent findings are proving this idea to very wrong indeed.
While it is true, that calories in their most basic form are just units of energy, when they are metabolized from foods by our bodies they can be very different. For instance, one hundred calories from pretzels look much different than a hundred calories from broccoli. I mean of course they are different, and for a supposed expert to suggest otherwise is ridiculous.
Yet that's the idea many in the old guard weight loss establishment continue to push. When you hear an advocate for a diet program say things like "you can eat all the foods you love (just less of them of course) and still lose weight" they are probably coming from this idea that a calorie is a calorie.
Let's expand on our comparison a little. When a person eats one hundred calories worth of pretzels, about 10-12, their body metabolizes them similar to the way it would metabolize candy. The pretzels would cause their body to make insulin,which just in case you don't recall from high school biology, turns sugar into energy and fat. Generally speaking the more insulin your body produces the more fat it will store. This is the factor that makes low carb diets so effective for weight loss.
On the other hand, foods like broccoli cause your body to make much less insulin and therefore store less fat. In addition, one hundred calories worth of broccoli will take up much more space than pretzels, so you'll feel fuller or less hungry longer. Very few people would feel full after eating a serving of pretzels. On the contrary, it may actually make them feel more hungry because of the way insulin acts on blood sugar levels.
The bottom line is, to really get your weight loss efforts in gear, choose wisely the kind of foods you eat. Don't worry so much about counting calories because by eating the right kinds of foods, the calories will take care of themselves.
Look for foods that are natural, like what our caveman ancestors would have eaten, fresh fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and yes, lean meats and seafood. At the same time, minimize your intake of processed foods, things that come in a box, package, or bottle. Do this and you've got a simple plan to follow that will supercharge your progress and have you dropping pounds like a bad habit.
Ron Allen has been a Heath and Fitness enthusiast for more than 25 years now. He is a senior contributor to HealthyandSharp.com a website for people interested in healthy lifestyles and weight loss methods.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ron_Allen
No comments:
Post a Comment