Calories count!
SO... DO CALORIES COUNT?
The greatest predictor of adult onset - degenerative illness is excessive body weight. This includes cardiovascular disease, degenerative arthritis, some cancers, and diabetes. It is important to keep it in check.
In my years of study and practice experience, I have explored many methods of weight loss. These range from nutritional meal replacements, fad diets, recipes of the month, etc. Basically, there two proven methods to losing excess body fat. The first is to be more active and eat less. The second is to eat less and be more active. No matter what the diet or gimmick, it all comes down to either of those simple formulas.
There is some evidence that low carb diets like the Atikin’s plan are more effective than traditional diets. Such diets do encourage you to be more aware and selective of what you eat...and that’s not a bad thing at all. Yet the benefits come mostly from a reduction in calories and not some miraculous metabolic process.
A healthy person can tolerate a low carb diet for a few months, but over the longer term, shortages in dietary fiber and plant nutrients - phytofactors - can lead to progressive illness. We can imagine a life without beer, pizza, and ice cream... but why would you?
A healthy life does not have to be without its pleasure. Consider the French Paradox. This is a culture know for rich food high in fat and calories. Yet generally, there is far less obesiety and cardiovascular disease in the France. The reason seems to be that despite the rich content of the food, the French eat smaller portions. The meal is an event to be enjoyed. Rather than taking time away from a busy schedule, it is a way to enjoy life! Time is taken to enjoy the ambiance. To taste a small bit of food and savour the morsel, just as one will savour the sip of wine to blend its character and ehance the experience. By taking small bites, eating slowly, taking time to truly enjoy the meal, the person effectively eats slower. This gives the stomach time to signal the mind that it has been satisfied with less food. Less food = less calories.
By comparison, in the Western world, we feel ripped off if the plate is not filled to the edges with food, often empty calorie - high fat fries. We woof our food down, barely taking time to chew and taste it. Gotta get back to work, or the television show... We tend to stuff our stomachs and only stop when it becomes physically uncomfortable, rather than satisfied.
Cultivate health by enjoying whole grains, more fruits and vegetables, eat better, eat less and chew longer. Stop eating when you are 80% satisfied. Avoid processed and junk foods. Be more active.
The greatest predictor of adult onset - degenerative illness is excessive body weight. This includes cardiovascular disease, degenerative arthritis, some cancers, and diabetes. It is important to keep it in check.
In my years of study and practice experience, I have explored many methods of weight loss. These range from nutritional meal replacements, fad diets, recipes of the month, etc. Basically, there two proven methods to losing excess body fat. The first is to be more active and eat less. The second is to eat less and be more active. No matter what the diet or gimmick, it all comes down to either of those simple formulas.
There is some evidence that low carb diets like the Atikin’s plan are more effective than traditional diets. Such diets do encourage you to be more aware and selective of what you eat...and that’s not a bad thing at all. Yet the benefits come mostly from a reduction in calories and not some miraculous metabolic process.
A healthy person can tolerate a low carb diet for a few months, but over the longer term, shortages in dietary fiber and plant nutrients - phytofactors - can lead to progressive illness. We can imagine a life without beer, pizza, and ice cream... but why would you?
A healthy life does not have to be without its pleasure. Consider the French Paradox. This is a culture know for rich food high in fat and calories. Yet generally, there is far less obesiety and cardiovascular disease in the France. The reason seems to be that despite the rich content of the food, the French eat smaller portions. The meal is an event to be enjoyed. Rather than taking time away from a busy schedule, it is a way to enjoy life! Time is taken to enjoy the ambiance. To taste a small bit of food and savour the morsel, just as one will savour the sip of wine to blend its character and ehance the experience. By taking small bites, eating slowly, taking time to truly enjoy the meal, the person effectively eats slower. This gives the stomach time to signal the mind that it has been satisfied with less food. Less food = less calories.
By comparison, in the Western world, we feel ripped off if the plate is not filled to the edges with food, often empty calorie - high fat fries. We woof our food down, barely taking time to chew and taste it. Gotta get back to work, or the television show... We tend to stuff our stomachs and only stop when it becomes physically uncomfortable, rather than satisfied.
Cultivate health by enjoying whole grains, more fruits and vegetables, eat better, eat less and chew longer. Stop eating when you are 80% satisfied. Avoid processed and junk foods. Be more active.
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