LE - Quality over Quantity

What I hear over and over again blamed as the cause of heaviness is that "Portion sizes are too big!" This may be true. However, I propose that this is NOT the main problem facing the majority of the people I know who are trying to lose weight, especially women in my age range. I know many people who skimp and starve in an attempt to lose weight, and only see about 5 lbs max fall off. Within a month or so all of these people realize that cutting back on how much they eat is not a very efficient way to lose weight and also makes them feel weak and constantly hungry. Thus, I propose that, in many cases, the problem is not how much we eat, but what we eat.

One reason I chose "Let's Eat" as the title of this series is that I want eating to be portrayed in a good light. Our bodies need lots of energy in order to operate at their optimum level. Depriving ourselves is not the healthy way to lose weight. In fact, skimping can have lots of negative consequences. For example, osteoporosis rates are expected to sky rocket when my generation gets older because women are are not eating enough calories when they are teenagers. As these teenager's bones grow, they are not receiving enough nutrients to be built strong. This is just one negative result of the concept of "skimping", not to mention the fact that cutting back on portion sizes can easily lead to eating disorders which millions of women and men experience.

As part of the introduction to my nutrition class, we had to write down everything we ate for a week. We then plugged this information into a computer program which analyzed the results. It turned out that, while I was not losing the weight I wanted to lose, I was eating far too few calories for a woman of my age, height, and activity level. The feedback my professor gave was that I needed to eat different foods AND eat more of them! I took the advice and can truthfully say that while I am at the thinnest I have ever been, I eat the most I ever have. I feel energetic, healthy, and I no longer feel like I am always hungry. Hardy quantities are good...when you are eating the right foods.

So what do we eat and what do we avoid? That is what I want to touch on in the next three posts. Before I do, however, I should share this...

I want to encourage you to focus on eating right in your own home (that is, unless you eat out for most meals). Often times when I tell people what I eat, many of them get caught up on the "exception scenarios". By this I mean that I hear many questions such as, "What do you do if you go over to someone's house and they cook food you are trying not to eat?" or "What about holidays?" or  "How about when you go out to restaurants?" Those are all valid concerns. However, my general take on those issues is this: If I am eating correctly in my home, where I eat the majority of my meals, then it is ok to make a few exceptions. For example...

If my mom cooks me diner that doesn't fit the guidelines of my diet, I eat it!
If Bryce buys me chocolate, I eat it!
If I am out with my family and we decide to stop at McDonalds, I eat it!

Remember the two words that we used in the last blog? Practical and sustainable! You will not follow through with any diet that interferes with your social life. So, focus on eating right in your own home. I love the phrase, "Healthy eating starts at the grocery store." Fill your cart with nutritious food and  don't buy the junk. We tend to eat what is most convenient and accessible, so consider what you are bringing into your house. If you can manage eating right at home, splurging in the "exception scenarios" will not make you fat.  So accept hospitality! Welcome gifts! Make healthy eating a part of your home life, don't let it become your entire life.