Let’s follow up with the “Mindful Eating Practices” from our last blog. Have you added any of these strategies to your daily and weekly routines? If not, how come? Forgot? Well, here is your reminder 😊
In reading more about nutrition I came across this chart from the University of Michigan (see below). I often have the conversations about carbs being the enemy for weight loss. While too much of anything may not be good carbs alone are not bad. In fact they are NEEDED for your total body function. Here is something to consider when it comes to carbs. What comes WITH the carb-item in question can be have long-term consequences.
Take for example the first item in the chart below. Pizza. How much fat and sodium is involved in this product? Toppings matter too! How about what kind of sauce do you have on your pizza? Is it full of olive oil, avocado oil, sugar? I recently switched my pasta sauces to only being made with avocado oil. Why? Well, because olive oil for me causes an inflammatory response. Anyway, I digress. Back to the carb discussion.
Activity: Pick any item on the chart below. Take a minute to check each one you have eaten in the last week. Now, add up all the grams of fat. Next, add all the mg of sodium. Take the total for each and divide by how many times you had that item in a week. For example, pizza twice a week would be 10grams/slice, having 4 slices in one sitting that is 40grams of fat. That is fat content for ONE item out of your daily diet intake. For an average female on a 2,000 calorie diet between 44-78grams of fat are recommended a day. For one meal I would have come close to eating my recommendation. That means, no more fat for the day.
Do you see what I am getting at? Your diet is much for than just the macronutrients: Carbs, Fats, Protein. Start looking at what else is in each food item. This will create awareness of the vitamins, minerals and all other micronutrients that perhaps we are overindulging on, or even, lacking!
Food cravings will tell you a big picture as well. It may be food addictions which is a conversation for later. But if for some reason you are buying potatoes more and at restaurants asking for a potato side, consider that you may be lacking Vitamin A.
The whole point is to be AWARE of what your body is telling you. AND, do something about it so that you can perform at your highest level. Take into account more than just "eliminating carbs will help me lose weight." There is so much more going on internally than we know. The body is amazing. Let's live our best yourselves by understanding more of how it is designed to function.
-Stacy Davis, Msc., PFT
#weightloss#personaltrainer#eatbetterforhealth
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