Everyone has heard of the Adkins, The South Beach, Weight Watchers, The Mediterranean, etc. What they all have in common is the obvious: reduced caloric intake for the dieter. You've heard that the "good fats" in olives, nuts and dark chocolate will help you lose weight. You've also heard that eating lots of dairy products will help you lose weight. But then you hear that dairy and wheat are bad foods. No wonder our overweight citizens fly from one thing to another looking for the magic diet to solve their health issues and improve their self esteem.
Guess what? Calories VERY MUCH count. At the end of the day, the number of calories you consumed versus the number of calories you burned will leave you with either an excess or a deficit that will contribute to whether you lose, gain or maintain your body fat percentage.
I am a believer in an EDUCATION in calories for everyone concerned with weight. Within a week or two of reading labels, measuring, journaling and totalling, it's all there in your head. You will already know that the pasta on your plate looks like about 400 calories before they add the sauce. Because it is tossed with a monounsaturated fat such as olive oil will NOT negate the calories you consume in that meal. Furthermore, the olive oil (as healthy as it may be) will contribute another 100 or so calories to the plate.
Monounsaturated fatty acids found in olives, olive oil, nuts, seeds, avocados and dark chocolate, while they may contribute to good health, will NOT help you lose belly fat when eaten in meal-sized portions. In fact, they can help you GAIN weight because they are high extremely high in calories. Consider the Mufas as a garnish - three olives on a salad, two slices of avocado on a sandwich, one small square of dark chocolate as a treat, a teaspoon of olive oil to saute some veggies or lean protein. Half an avocado stuffed with tuna salad is fat-laden and calorie rich. A half cup of almonds is way too much for a snack! Noshing on olives between meals can totally sabotage a weight loss goal.
Be smart. Do your homework. Get an education in calories. These days, the information is immediately at your fingertips in most case. Ah! But what is a serving? MEASURE so you don't fool yourself into thinking your 400 calorie snack is actually 200 calories.
Be even smarter. Hire a registered dietitian to educate you on protective eating to avoid health risks and to ensure you are balancing your macro-nutrients.
Don't eliminate food groups because you heard someone say dairy and wheat are bad. If you are having digestive problems, explore the possibility you have an allergy to one or both of these important food sources with your physician. If you eliminate them, you will need to make up the lost nutrients through other sources or supplements.
Above all, enjoy your food, just be smart about it.
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