We often think that “eating healthy” is the key to losing weight. When we get to those last 2-4 pounds though, eating healthy seems not enough. I’m here to tell you why that is.
I will start by breaking down and establishing two main differences between eating healthy and eating right, rather than just using the term “healthy” as a label. These two phrases couldn’t be more different from each other.
Eating right is the necessary consumption of calorie intake to perform at your best during the day, which is not the same as eating healthy.
For instance, you can consume salad all day because a certain diet suggests that it is “healthy” and still not be eating right because you can be underfeeding or overfeeding your body. Your body needs calories because calories are energy. The way to eat right is by eating more food. Yes, you read that correctly – you need to eat more food! You have to eat more food than what you are probably eating right now, which is the total opposite of what you have been told. This is the main reason why eating just salads or chicken and broccoli is not the way to go because that alone will not give you the amount of energy and nutrients your body needs to go through your daily routine (it does not matter if you’re a couch potato). Without a doubt, eating right is not the same as eating healthy or organic or whatever the industry fad of the time names it.
Nutrition is the most important aspect when it comes to reaching your physique goals and overall wellness within your body. However, even though it is the most important aspect, most people are unsure of where to start and do not know how to plan it properly. Nutrition is not as complicated as people see it; simply put it is calories in, calories out. If you want to burn fat and look toned, you have to eat about 500 fewer calories than what you burn. Remember, you burn calories outside of your workouts too! The human body is a non-stop machine. The body is always working and burning calories whether you are sitting, standing, sleeping, or digesting through a process called Basal Metabolic Rate. We need to figure out how many calories we burn at rest to begin playing around with the food that we eat. You may be wondering how the hell do I calculate that?
Below you will find the formula to calculate your basal metabolic rate:
Men: BMR = 10 x weight (kg) + 6.25 x height (cm) – 5 x age (y) + 5
Women: BMR = 10 x weight (kg) + 6.25 x height (cm) – 5 x age (y) – 161
When you are picking a diet, you have to choose something that works for you and something that you will be able to sustain.
Staying lean or getting to the point that you may want to get to be is not easy. However, there are ways to make it more enjoyable. Have fun with it, be creative it does not have to be constant torture.
I love sweets, desserts, pasta – we all know that! Here are some tips I use to avoid getting too crazy with my nutrition:
Sweets:
- Dessert Oatmeal: ½ cup (45g) of Oatmeal with 1 scoop of chocolate protein powder, blueberries, strawberry, blackberries, and cinnamon. (Yes, it is super sweet, but it’s delicious and I love it)
- Protein pancakes: There are a million recipes out there that you can use. I love maple syrup, but to avoid using too much. I use a measuring cup and do not go beyond 1/8 to ¼ of a cup. 1/4 may be a lot for some people, not for me. Again, I love sweets and especially maple syrup.
- Note: You can use dark chocolate as a substitute.
Pasta & Carbs:
- Substitute pasta with Zucchini or butternut squash pasta. Try to make your own sauce. You have enough time right now to google a recipe and make one that adapts to your taste.
- Eggplant lasagna. The same thing, make your own sauce.
- Be creative with potatoes and sweet potatoes. Yes, potatoes and sweet potatoes. I used to be a big fan of rice, but lately, I have come to realize that potatoes and sweet potatoes have fewer grams of carbs which allow me to eat more quantity and make me feel fuller for a longer amount of time.
Last but not least, drink a lot of water.
