Hi Friends!
As I mentioned yesterday, I’m in California this week thanks to The Almond Board of California! After a lovely meet and greet dinner last night, we’re spending the day today listening to various presentations and learning all almonds! It’s going to be a busy few days, so I have my lovely friend Amy filling in for me here on the blog today! Amy is a fitness coach and writer at Strong Inside Out, and she tours the country teaching bootcamps to benefit suicide prevention charity. She is tackling a subject that I’m extremely passionate about as an RD…calories. More specifically, she’s arguing that a calorie is not just a calorie…and she’s making the case for REAL food, which I love! Take it away, Amy!
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Back at the beginning of my fitness journey, I had very different goals than the ones I have now.
My #1 Goal? Get skinny like a supermodel.
Having moved out to LA by myself at 19, I was a bit impressionable. I started reading magazines that told me, “It’s all about calories in, calories out!” or “Just eat less and exercise more!” So I started to focus on cutting my calories, while maintaining an exercise routine that would lead to a 1 pound deficit every week.
There was just one thing keeping me from success: my love of sugar.
I have a cuh-razy sweet tooth! I didn’t know anything about macronutrients, vitamins or minerals, but I knew that I wanted cookies! So rather than eating sweets in moderation and focusing on whole foods full of nutrients, I decided to get my calories in the form of the glorified 100-Calorie Packs of cookies and chips and more fun stuff I just didn’t want to give up.It was no wonder I started feeling faint all the time, needing nap breaks at work and feeling too shaky to complete my 30-minute elliptical workout every day. I felt like my brain was swimming in a pool of jello all the time!
I was starving my body of what it needed. I was lacking protein and healthy fat because I would have rather eaten something that resembled the baked goods I loved than risk a higher calorie count with some nuts! No matter that those artificially-sweetened substitutes didn’t taste anything like the original…
Only a few months in to my journey, I hit a plateau that didn’t budge for a solid few weeks and got so frustrated that I canned the whole thing, gaining back all the weight I’d lost… and then some. I was so angry with myself for not having the willpower to just eat fewer calories. So what if my brain was dying? The skinny girls could do it, so why couldn’t I?!
Why Processed Foods & Sugar Substitutes Can Be Detrimental To Your Weight Loss Success
Here’s the thing: artificial sweeteners found in 100-Calorie Packs or Diet versions of the sweets we love can actually be worse for you than the real S word. (Sugar, you silly!)
What happens when you eat artificial sweeteners is that your body’s insulin response launches when it tastes something sweet (just as it does when you eat sugar), but then your reward center doesn’t get the signal that real sugar sends, leaving your mind craving and craving and craving until you either go to bed miserable or binge eat to satisfy the intense yearning for sweet stuff. Additives found in those processed food items can be just as harmful if not more so! The act of processing foods often times removes most of the nutrients from the food. It can also impede our body’s ability to process any nutrients that remain thanks to added chemicals you’d be surprised to even find in food.
Want another reason to avoid the diet stuff? If you’re consuming calories without nutrients in mind, you may be setting yourself up for failure. Muscular failure. In order to recover from workouts that raise metabolism and get you that lean, toned look, you need to feed them the nutrients they need, otherwise, your body will turn catabolic and start eating itself. Say no to Zombie body. 😉
While weight loss is largely about calories in, calories out, there is a whole lot to be said for going through the process feeling energized and in control, rather than faint and constantly craving “naughty” foods.
It wasn’t until years after my weight went back up, when I was already a personal fitness trainer and had lost a bit of it, that I decided to focus on health and wellbeing instead of solely on looks. I started thinking long-term health and fitness, and what kind of example I wanted to be to my clients, blog readers, and even future child (way future… I’m not quite there yet). I filled my diet with leafy greens, lean proteins, fruits and healthy fats, and my body reacted splendidly. My energy went way up, and my body fat percentage went way down.
I went from about 24% body fat to a steady 17-18%, just be refocusing my diet on whole foods.
The Case for Whole Foods
Here’s the down and dirty truth of the matter when it comes to weight loss: your body needs a certain amount of macronutrients, vitamins and minerals to sustain optimal function at all times.What’s the point of being skinny if you don’t even have the wherewithal to experience it? If your body can’t recover correctly or your workouts make you feel like death by the end?
Eating a whole-food diet that feeds your muscles and brain like it needs to be fed, makes the process of weight loss much easier on your body. Losing weight is a traumatic experience for your body after getting used to holding on to the excess fat. It gets rid of fat because it thinks you need the fuel; it thinks you’re dying!Take some stress off your body by making sure you get adequate nutrients through eating a varied diet of vegetables, fruits, organic meats and healthy fats. You won’t find the nutrients in processed junk that you will in whole food, and if you do, your body may not even be able to use it because of other additives.
But What About My Sweet Craving?
Unfortunately, I didn’t lose my sweet tooth when I lost the body fat, but even so, I have maintained my lower body fat percentage thanks to relaxing a little on my view of “naughty” foods. Now, I live by something called The 90% Principle. Considering that I eat about 5 meals a day including snacks, that makes for 35 meals per week. 10% of those meals (3-4) I allow myself to go off-plan and have the full-fat, full-sugar version of what I crave (or try one of Lindsay’s awesome recipes!). With this restriction-free philosophy, I’ve been able to maintain my lower body fat percentage without feeling deprived! Some people can even do it with 80% clean.
When it comes down to it, fit, healthy people think long-term instead of immediate satisfaction.
Sure, weight loss is possible with processed, fake foods, but what kind of life are you living if you’re tired, achy and only half here all the time? You deserve to live a vibrant, present life as a healthy, fit person. To do that, you need nutrients found in whole foods, not empty calories that cause nasty side effects.
Eat for life, and enjoy the ride! You are worthy of this life you’re creating!
Enjoy!
–Lindsay & Amy–
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Great post! I struggled a lot with weight loss when I was younger, and I definitely had WAY different goals compared to now. I totally thought everything was just about calories and that’s all I ever focused on. I’m so glad I learnt more about nutrition along the way and know it’s about the quality of food we are putting in our bodies.
And yes to focusing on long term health!
Woohoo! Warriors for long-term health UNITE! 😉
Hi Lisa,
We all struggled! It’s easy to start a weight loss program but the hardest part is to maintain it. I totally agree with you. Healthy diet is very vital since we can’t out exercise a bad diet. That’s a fact! 😉
Love love love this! I used to have this argument all the time with my husband, that a calorie is NOT just a calorie. Besides all of the amazing health benefits of “real food”, you can also eat so much more! Thanks for reiterating this crucial information. 🙂
Happy to re-affirm your argument, Kelly! Show this to your hubby for back-up! 😉
Great explanation! I always tell clients you can lose weight eating just about anything as long as you eat less. However, how you look and feel in the process and the type of weight you lose has everything to do with the quality of food one eats.
Indeed, Pamela. To keep that lean, strong look, we need adequate nutrients! …which means so long to empty calories from sugar-free nonsense. If you have a little bit of what you’re really craving, you’ll be satisfied with less instead of trying to fill that void with foods that don’t fulfill you!
really great post with lots of good information!! i wish all these “diet” foods would just stop and people would start eating whole foods.. that would probably solve so many people’s issues – amy is one great example!!
Thanks, Linz! I wish that real moderation was universal knowledge. I think that would make it easier for people who have that mindset of “good” and “bad” foods. Glad you liked the post!
Thank you Thank you! This was so wonderful to read!!
I am in the process of gaining weight right now in order to get healthier…and sometimes it is so mentally hard because it seems to go against what my brain thinks– more food=looking bad. But this post helped me to remember that more Real and Good and Whole food will help me build on muscle, put on healthy fat that my body needs, and get me STRONGER!!
Seriously, this post was just what I needed this morning 🙂 Thanks girl!
Oh sooooo happy to help, Andrea! Best of luck in your journey to ultimate health!
Great post Linsday!
I used to work with females with eating disorders actually and it was hard to show them while yes this has less calories the cravings it gives you as well as the effects on your body don’t do you any favors.
Yes, overcoming those disordered thoughts around body image and calories is tough. I work with clients that are in recovery from eating disorders as well, and it’s always a hurdle in the beginning to get them to start viewing healthy fats as friends, not foes! But the difference it makes in their energy, skin, body composition and overall well-being is just awe-inspiring.
Thanks for doing the work you do!
it’s amazing what REAL food can do for fuel and your body, yes! way to realize that Amy! great read
Thanks, Lindsay! 🙂
So interesting to learn how our body reacts to different foods. Had to laugh at the Twinkies because my husband ran out and bought a box now that they are back on the market. They are his vice, not mine!
Haha! That’s a battle for another time, right? 😉
Such a great post!! I was just blogging yesterday about how I used to be one of those 100-calorie-pack people! Whole foods DEFINITELY give me more energy and I feel way better!
Great minds think alike! Glad to hear you’ve seen the light, too. 😉
This is a GREAT post and an awesome reminder to everyone. Whole foods for the win!
Goooooooooooooooal! 😉 Thanks for the kind words!
Sensible, smart advice from someone who has ‘been there’. Well done!
Happy you’re digging it, Julia! 🙂
I love this! Thanks for sharing 🙂 Also, Lindsay have fun this week! Can’t wait to hear all about it!
You are very welcome, Tara! 🙂
Great post!! I’ve struggled with my weight from my early twenties on… & it doesn’t get easier! Calorie counting was a great help to me in the past, but lately, it’s only stressing my body… & me, so I’ve just recently given it up after over 5 years of counting. I think if I eat well & stick to mainly whole foods my body will eventually figure it out & find it’s “happy weight”. Hopefully. 😉
Amy, you look great, BTW!!
Congrats on rising above the calorie count, Karey! Thank you so much for the compliment, too!
If I can offer you one piece of advice: take some time to de-stress. Stress is one of the main reasons people hold onto excess weight when they’re doing everything else right. It’s happened to me multiple times!
Hope that helps, and good luck! 🙂
Great post Amy!!! I am a whole foods person too or for the most part & eat mini meals. Those that know me & read me often know I love my weekend cookie treats & if I decide I want more than 1 a day on the weekend or even make the choice to break loose during the week, no worries cause like you, I am a balanced person with about 85-15 or 90 -10…. I find what works for me.
I do use artificial sweeteners in coffee & other things but they don’t seem to affect me & maybe because I do eat whole foods during the day! 🙂
Some people handle artificial sweeteners better than others so maybe you’re one of the lucky ones. Yay! 😉
Sounds like you’ve got it down, Jody. So awesome to hear!
Great post!! This is wonderful information that is super helpful.
Thanks, Lora! Glad you liked it!
Love this post! I completely agree- a calorie is not just a calorie. When you think about how food is digested differently and how something makes you feel (ie a veggie omelet vs a donut- may be the same calories but you can be starving after the donut an hour or two later)… it’s such important information. Thanks for sharing!
Happy to, Laura! Sharing is caring! 😉
I really like your 90% rule! That’s a fantastic idea. I think I’ve unconsciously adopted a similar routine but didn’t really think of it in a percentage. Your weight loss is inspiring!
Thanks on all fronts, Samantha! The 90% rule is a great way to stay sane when you’re trying to lose weight or simply stay healthy. Highly recommended! Please do let me know how it goes after a few weeks trying it out!
Fantastic post! So many people tend to just focus on the calories and not where the calories are coming from. I’m struggling with this right now with clients. I know that it’s hard to make changes, but the more you cut out the crap, the less you crave it.
Very very true, Heather. I’ve been eating reeeally clean for my upcoming wedding and junk food is just not as appealing as it was when I was eating it all the time.
Great post! There definitely is a lot of emphasis put on calories these days, and it really isn’t a good thing. People get so caught up in it and then it turns into an unhealthy obsession. For me it’s all about eating a balanced diet and enjoying those indulgences every once in a while.
You hit the nail on the head there, Holly! Obsession is one of the all-too common drawbacks of calorie counting. I know I fell into it, and it got to a really unhealthy place. I feel so much calmer and have a lot more freedom using The 90% Principle.
Such valuable information in this post! When I first wanted to lose weight in university, I was definitely way too focused on calories and basically just trying to keep them at a minimum. Once i started looking at whole foods and trying to fuel my body optimally, I noticed a huge difference and how I felt and how I looked. It’s definitely the way to go – we need to focus on the quality, as opposed to quantity of our calories!
Amen, sister! 🙂
I went through the same thing before switching to a vegan diet full of whole foods {and now vegetarian}. I was amazed that I lost MORE weight eating more calories because I didn’t go overboard when I allowed myself to have the real stuff. I also think that this type of eating was just POPULAR back then and now it’s popular to eat organic, all natural whole foods. So glad we are making the switch as a society!
Me too, Ashlee! Glad you’ve found a lifestyle that works for you!
Amen, sister! Right out of college I fell into the calories in/calories out trap too. I would literally pack 100-calorie portions of Sour Cream & Onion Pringles for snacks during the day and pat myself on the back for my nutritional prowess! Oh my, how I’ve learned 🙂
Love this post! Calories are important, sure, but they’re definitely not everything!
Word, Rachael. Word. 🙂
Love this post! I went through a similar progression with my own diet in my college days. I was all about low calorie food and could care less about the quality. Now I truly believe that the quality is so much more important than the calories.
College age seems to be that age when we start exploring into what it really means to take care of ourselves. I’m hoping that the magazine advice is starting to shift now that all this new science has come out. Here’s hoping! 🙂
Thanks for this post! I was just talking about this yesterday. I was also on the “diet foods” train for a while, and while I did lose weight, I felt awful. I feel so much better, happier, energized, and stronger when I’m eating whole foods. On occasion, I still feel myself shying away from some “dense” (calorie-wise and nutrient-wise) foods, so this is a great reminder!
Ah, you have the leftover “Ewwww, calories!” voice in the back of your head, eh? No worries; it will get quieter with time. Just keep focusing on what nourishes you! 🙂
This is such a great post, Lindsay! I started the transition to whole foods a few months ago and can feel a huge difference.
Thanks, Jennie! Glad you liked it!
This is great! Whole foods are so much better for your body – they make you feel better and allow you to function at a better rate. Quick question – what is your take on truvia? Does it cause the same sugar/insulin spikes as other “fake” sugars?
Ah, truvia. So here’s my two cents: there isn’t enough research to tell for sure, but I can tell you from personal experience that my cravings spike after using it. That could be just me, or the reward receptors that I talked about in this post could not be getting that reward they expect when I eat something sweet, which leads to the cravings. If your body doesn’t feel different, and you don’t get cravings afterwards, I think Truvia is your safest bet as far as artificial sugars go. I still don’t ok it for my clients if they’re trying to lose weight, though. Not worth the risk of a binge. Hope that helps!
I TRULY believe a calorie is NOT just a calorie and I have tested this on myself enough to know that I am correct – It takes far more effort to digest protein that carbohydrates – and I would much rather chow down on healthy protein as opposed to fatty ham or some crap! I hate when people say, a calorie is jut a calorie – BAHHHH! NOOOOO! lol
Hahahaha! I love this, Gigi, and you’re totally right! I’m with you, sister. 🙂
LOVE this! I couldn’t agree more. I noticed a huge difference in how much better I felt overall when I cut out processed foods. Thanks for sharing your story, Amy!
You are so welcome, Dana! Thanks for loving it! 😉
Love this post! So many of us (including me!) are guilty of purely counting the calories when we first start out trying to lose a little weight. I’m much more conscious of what makes up those calories now and I am much happier with what goes into my mouth each day, knowing it will keep me strong enough for my running.
That’s such a great way to do it, Mary; focus on what you want to fuel your body for and take the obsession away from the calories! I bet eating whole foods makes you run faster, too!
So.much.LOVE for this post! I definitely fell victim to the mentality that snack packs, low-calorie everything, and fat-free foods would help me lose weight, and while yeah… they might have at first… it wasn’t a lifestyle that was maintainable and it definitely took a toll on my health. It took a good long while for my system to recover from the harsh restriction and stress from overexercising, but I found that focusing on whole foods and maintaining a good balance between healthy eats and treats was key.
We are very much the same, my friend. Very happy to hear that you’ve come back from the brink. Stay strong, Amanda!
I use stevia, but im wondering what you think about that? I really want to see a nutritionist for reasons like this post. I love love love this post and I am now truly inspired! I am leaning towards the 90% rule which is prob way better to follow than just one “treat” meal a week. I like 3-4 meals way better and to know that you are still eating clean 90% of the time is so awesome. This really hit the nail on the head for me. Ive really trying to give up the artificial crap and this really inspired me to stop! Thanks 🙂
Becky asked the same thing! It’s a tricky subject because stevia is natural, but what does it do to our body/brain when we eat it? So like I told her, I haven’t seen enough research to back up whether or not it creates the same insulin spike that sweeteners do, but I know that personally, I do get sweets cravings after using it. I seem to get hungry faster after putting it in coffee. For that reason, I have clients test it sometimes if they say they reeeeeeally need it in their coffee or something. But most of the time, I have them cut it completely along with sugars and processed junk. Hope that helps!
I love this post! I don’t like when people tell me to not eat certain foods because it’s high in calories…for example an avocado…If only they new 😉
Mmmm avocadooooo. 😉 Glad you liked it, Mandie!
Absolutely love this and totally agree with everything Amy says here! I too have had to refocus on overall well-being, not just aesthetic. Actually, focusing on fueling my body with real foods and exercising regularly has done me MUCH better than merely cutting calories.
Great post!
Thanks, Alison! Glad you’ve been able to refocus on total health, too! 🙂
it’s so very true that 1 calorie of a 100 calorie pack is not 1 calorie of let’s just say an apple. i lived off those 100 calorie twinkie and hostess things in college! now i eat less calories but am more satisfied because they come from whole foods! the thing not the store 😛
Haha! You mean Whole Paycheck? 😉 I bet your body composition is different, too, huh? Happy to hear you’re eating for life!
Awesome post and one I’m going to share with lots of people who don’t get it. Great journey to health on your part!
Thanks, Misszippy! I appreciate that!
Love, love, LOVE this! Thanks for sharing :).
Happy to, Hannah! 🙂
First, I had NO IDEA they made sugar-free Peeps, umm, what?! I hate to say I want to try one, but I do. haha
I used to eat sugar-free everything, literally, everything, and fat free too (back when I had an eating disordeR). I’m so glad I’ve found the right path.
I do want to ask, can you show me where you read about how sugar-free foods spike insulin but then leave your body hungry? I know I’ve read that but I thought that evidence was inconclusive.
Good question, my friend! The insulin debate is indeed a little hazy to say the least. Here’s one: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18556090. And here’s another one: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S003193841200193X. That said, research is still scant on the actual insulin response, but it seems that more and more studies are showing that long-term effects are not good (like, brain-chemistry-altering-not-good).
I wish I could find the original article from my research, but I have just looked around for 20 minutes and can’t find it! Will comment back again when I do. 🙂 Thanks for being interested!
great post! so helpful when planning out meals and ways to be healthier. i started out small by making much better lunches for work (i.e. salads with tons of spinach, chopped up vegetables, some nuts, avocado, and a little bit of cheese-no dressing though instead of my daily run to dunkin donuts for a bagel and ice coffee) and have noticed a change in my weight (and my wallet!)
That’s so awesome to hear, Sarah! Kudos! 🙂
Beautifully written post! Straight to the point and true. 🙂
Thanks, Christina!
What are your thoughts on Stevia? I’ve cut out artificial sweeteners but then still sometimes use Stevia for baking or sometimes in tea but I’ve wondered whether it has not as bad of an effect on your body but still not great?
Love love love this post it is so great and inspiring 🙂
Hey, Jan! Actually, a couple ladies asked the same question. I responded in detail above to Sara and Becky so take a look-see and let me know if you have any other questions! 🙂
Loved the post! I need to check out your blog. What you said seems as though it would apply to frozen meals as well. I think people are easily fooled by the low calories, but they are pumped with sodium…
Yes! So true, Ky. I’m a big fan of frozen fruits and veggies, but frozen meals are almost always a no-no in my book. Just too many preservatives and additives for my tastes. Thanks for adding that! 🙂
You’re so absolutely right. I don’t think I’ll ever lose my sweet tooth but by focusing on eating REAL clean foods all week long, lifting a lot of weights, and splurging on sugar every Saturday I finally feel amazing. And the best part isn’t even how I look but how I FEEL. Rock on, sugar sister 🙂
Yeah, sugah sistahhhhh! I love that! 🙂
GREAT guest post! So well written…so many people I would love to send this to! Thanks for sharing! 🙂
Please do! Thanks so much for the good vibes! 🙂
Oh so true! I struggled with my sweet tooth all my life – and when I started leading (what I thought at the time) was a ‘healthy’ (aka restrictive) diet I would just end up getting overwhelmed and binging on sweet non-foods. Then I found a truly healthy way of eating (no restrictions, just real foods and plenty of good fats) and my cravings have gone down so dramatically. What’s more, I enjoy my eats and have no reason to go nuts on the junk! Great post Amy, will be jetting over to your blog now!
So awesome, Cat! Congrats on turning toward the REAL side, and looking forward to having you at Strong Inside Out! 🙂
I loved this post! Thank you so much for sharing! I first heard the phrase “a calorie is a calorie” when I was recovering from my eating disorder, and at the time, it really helped me get back to a healthy space. But I didn’t just want to be recovered, I wanted to know more about health and how to make my body healthy, not just not-anorexic. The more I learned about nutrition, the more I realized that calories aren’t the issue–what’s more important is to eat a variety of nutrient rich food to help your body function the way it’s supposed to. I’d say I’m probably at about 85% clean/nutrient-rich foods and 15% fun foods, and that’s a good balance for me to help me be at a healthy-weight but also not be deprived.
Kudos to you for having the strength to overcome your disorder, Alex! I can’t tell you how happy it makes me to hear that you’re healthier inside and out. 85% works really great for many people so if it’s working for you and not making you feel deprived or obsessive, I say go for it! Stay strong, girl. 🙂
Aw thanks so much, Amy! That’s so kind of you!
Cool, Jess! Thanks for the shout out! 🙂