by Anna_d on February 23, 2010
You’ve probably seen a list of “healthy foods” to eat before. Maybe it was given to you by your doctor, your nutritionist or your personal trainer. This list probably included somewhere along the lines of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, high fiber foods, lean meats, etc. A list is a good thing to have if you have absolutely no clue where to start. But, with information being widely available to us nowadays, I’m sure that we’re not short on information about which foods are healthy. So, I decided to talk about the difference between nutrient density and calorie density and why most experts recommend nutrient dense foods.
Nutrient density refers to the amount of nutrients that are present in foods. The higher the nutrients such as vitamins and antioxidants in a certain type of food the more nutrient dense it is. It just so happened that most fruits and vegetables are high in nutrients and low in calories. So, this is the reason why these are good for our health especially if we are trying to lose fat. For instance, you can eat a lot of broccoli, asparagus, spinach etc., and feel full without worrying about gaining weight. In addition, you will also get tons of vitamins and antioxidants that will help your body function better. This makes sense if you’re on a reduced calorie diet because if your choices are limited then you’re better off with foods that will satisfy you and your body’s needs.
On the other hand, calorie dense foods are foods that are..well – high in calories without much benefit to your body. They are also usually high in fats that do not do your heart any good either. Foods like marshmallows, donuts, cupcakes, and all the other things we consider “junk” food are typically referred to as empty calorie foods because they are void of any nutrients and yet they stack up the calories. For example, if you eat 2 donuts, you will most likely eat the amount of calories that are equivalent to about 2-3 meals. As evident, this is definitely not good if you’re on a limited calorie budget.
Good Food vs. Bad Food
I never like to label any foods as bad. This is why I put the terms “bad” and “healthy” in quotation marks. In my opinion, living a healthy lifelstyle means that we learn how to live a balanced life. In my terms, this would mean that I can have my chocolate cake every now and then but, most of the time, I am eating nutrient dense foods. In that regard, can you lose weight even if you only eat 5 donuts a day? The answer is yes. You will probably have a lot of cravings and not really look fit but you can lose weight if that’s all your after. Eating nutrient dense foods if yis a better strategy because of all its benefits to our body and our satiety especially if you want to lose weight and live a healthy lifestyle. This does not mean that you can’t enjoy calorie densed foods that you love. You’re just going to have to learn to enjoy them less often.
I believe in striking a balance between eating healthy and enjoying my foods. Just because you’re on a mission to live a healthy lifestyle, it doesn’t mean that junk foods are eternally banned from your list. So, now I leave you with a question: How do you strike a balance in your diet and exercise?
by Anna_d on February 16, 2010
Today, I wanted to share with you a very powerful and effective tool that you can use when motivation is not enough (which it usually isn’t) in your fitness journey. This strategy is called finding your “why.” These are the reason or reasons you told yourself for starting on the path to fitness. You may have known these reasons all along but they may be hidden or unclear to some of you.
Your whys can be a lot of things. It can be the very first reason that gave you that turning point into wanting to lose the extra weight. Maybe it’s that time when you were getting ready for a casual dinner with friends and didn’t like getting ready because nothing fits you. I was there at some point too. It took me awhile to get ready because I had to try on several outfits so that I can choose the one that best hides my love handles. Your turning point may be different. It can be even deeper that just not fitting into clothes but it’s important to remember them especially during your most difficult times.
To give you a clearer idea, here are some of my “whys” and how I think of them on a daily basis:
When I first started, I like to imagine myself having already achieved my goal. This can be something like a vision of me standing in front of the dressing room mirror at the mall while trying on the perfectly sized jeans and jumping for joy because they actually fit me. (I know it sounds silly but it works.)
I also had an idea of who I wanted to look like. A role model who will inspire me to go for my goal in full blast. For most people, this person would be a celebrity and for me it’s Jessica Biel. She still looks womanly and yet she has muscles in all the right spots. I always have her in the back of my mind whenever I felt the need to reach for dessert which is my main nemesis.
The other thing, and one that’s important to me, is knowing that if I keep doing my workouts and eating the right way, that I will be strong as an Ox when I get older. I don’t ever want to be the old lady in crutches who can’t live by herself. I want my quality of life to be at its best even at age 60, 70 and upwards. I imagine an older version of myself and still lifting weights, rock climbing, or just living an active lifestyle in general.
Why This Strategy is Important
When the going gets tough, these are 3 powerful images/visions that I use for myself. When I first wrote them, I got very emotional and you might get that way too. This is a sign that you are doing it right and you really go to the root of your whys.
Your “whys” may be totally different from mine. Maybe you want to be healthy so you can keep up with your kids, or you want to build confidence when you start dating again, or feel good that you’re doing something good for yourself. Whatever your “whys” may be, remind yourself of what they are everyday and keep it front and center. Pretty soon, you will reach your goal and feel proud of yourself.
Your homework is to come up with your “whys” and write them down. You can even post it in the comments section once you’ve come up with your list or just write them down where you can see the list everyday. This strategy is very effective because it helps us with changing our mindset and our habits. When it comes to losing weight, even the best exercise or nutrition plan in the world is useless if you don’t have the right mindset as a strong foundation. If you really want weight loss success, do this strategy and do it everyday.
