How to cut calories without starving yourself?
How to cut calories without starving yourself?
Your body needs energy and nutrients to thrive. All foods hold a certain amount of energy (calories) depending on the amount of protein, fat and carbohydrates it contains. Weight loss is all about managing your energy intake and expenditure. Ideally, your goal should be to balance your energy (calorie) intake and expenditure to fuel your body properly and manage your weight simultaneously.
If you consume too much calories or expend too little energy, your body can store the excess calories it is not using, as fat. So if you want to lose weight, you need to consume less energy and expend more energy to dig into the fat stores.
CHOOSE THE RIGHT TYPES OF FOOD
When you are trying to lose weight, food choices are everything. The more processed and refined a food option is, the less fibre and nutrients it usually contains. Try to limit processed foods as far as possible. Choosing the right foods will help you consume the right amounts. For example:
3 ½ cups of broccoli is larger in volume and contains more fibre so it will fill you better compared to a small packet of crisps.
From this example it is easy to see how the right food choices can help.
PREPARE YOUR FOOD THE HEALTHY WAY
How you prepare food can unknowingly add a lot of calories to your meals. Rather steam and grill foods than shallow-frying and deep-frying them. Sauces, dressings and condiments add large amounts of calories to an otherwise healthy meal; they should be avoided as far as possible. Sticking to our recommended foods and menu options will keep you on track without complicating the process.
SO WHAT SHOULD YOU EAT?
The food you need to eat depends on the meal plan that you are following, but there are a few basic principles that apply to all meal plans. We’re making it easy for you to select healthy choices from various foods. Dieticians have specifically developed our eating plans to ensure that you limit ‘empty’ calories while maximising the nutrient density in your meal plans. Select your food with a focus on variety.
For optimum nutrition, eat more lean proteins, fresh vegetables, salad greens and healthy fats to support your immune system and ensure good health.
DRINKS
Diet, low-calorie and zero-sugar beverages are allowed to be consumed in moderation on our eating plans.
Water is preferred as it contains no calories, preservatives or additives. It also assists with hydration, metabolism, recovery and waste removal. You can add sliced fruits or freshly squeezed lemon juice to add flavour variety and zest. Try our detox water recipe: Click here.
Avoid all fruit juices as these contain more calories. You may consume 2 to 3 cups of coffee/tea a day and use Xylitol or Erythritol as a substitute for sugar. On all our plans you have an extra 250ml milk for daily use. If you don’t drink milk in coffee or tea, you can have a small yoghurt instead.HEALTHY FATS
When it comes to fat, quality is essential. Primarily include unsaturated fats in your diet, as these can benefit cardiovascular health. Unsaturated fats include extra virgin olive oil, MCT oil, fatty fish, nuts, seeds and avocado. Animal fats can benefit human health, particularly on a cellular and hormonal level; however, you should consume these fats in the correct amounts. Avoid processed fats (hydrogenated oils and trans fats).
Vegetables
Vegetables are full of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, and they provide high fibre levels. Colour and crunch are important; vegetables that are deep green, orange or red contain the most vitamins, minerals and health-promoting
phytochemical levels.
Proteins
Proteins can come from both plant and animal sources, and it remains an essential component of your eating plan. Choose a variety of protein options using the exchange list of your eating plan. It is vital to meet your protein requirements.
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