Happy Monday! Is it weird that I like Mondays? It feels like a fresh start you know? There is a lot happening this week blog and life wise. Im pumped. I got fresh highlights this weekend and I have a lash refill on Wednesday so you know it is going to be a good week. Anyyyy way let’s get into it shall we?
I want to dive head first into one of my FAVORITE things to talk about, diet. More specifically calories and why they don’t matter.
Yes that was a bold statement. I don’t believe in looking at calories. Crazy right? Hear me out. Every fad diet and women’s magazine has brainwashed us in to believing low calorie is the way to go when trying to lose weight and become healthy. In theory it sounds like a good idea… eat less, weigh less. I have tried those fad diets: low carb, no fat, no fun. Yes I dropped weight but I wasn’t any healthier. I was miserable because I was hungry. These diets have you restrict yourself or even worse cut out an entire food group which is why they don’t work longterm. In order to function your body needs carbs, veggies, fats and protein. (Veggies are in the carb family but they are sooooo important I give there own group.)
So what are calories? A unit of measurement. Calories are the amount of energy that a food//drink will give you. So it makes sense why we feel so tired, sluggish and dare I say bitchy when we are restricting ourselves. When you listen to your body and eat 80% unprocessed foods and you have an active lifestyle there is no need for counting calories.
If you are eating a high number of calories (that are processed and full of nasty chemicals) and you don’t use that energy it is then stored as fat. Why? Because back in the day when we were hunting and gathering we held on to those extra calories because we didn’t know when we would get our next major meal or when we were going to have to run from a lion. It makes sense right?
If you are eating 80% unprocessed and all natural food you will look and more importantly feel so much better.
When I changed the way I looked at food labels, I changed the way I felt about food. I used to look only at the calories and not at the ingredients. If it was over 200 calories I wouldn’t eat it. I looked for packages that said ‘Low Fat’ and ‘100 Calories Per Serving’ in bright bold font. What those labels don’t say is ‘Full of Chemicals’ and ‘No Nutritional Value’. I couldn’t tell you the last time I looked at the calorie count in any of my foods, my eyes go right to the ingredients. If I see that the ingredients are all natural, chemical free and REAL that is all I care about. If I don’t know what an ingredient is I google it. I want to know what I am putting in my body. Who cares if the calories are higher is the food is better quality?
If I am being honest, most of my food doesn’t have a label. I usually fill up my cart with veggies, leafy greens and a variety of fruits. Then I get meat, I alway organic ground turkey and chicken. Those things make up 80% if not more of my diet. Add in some brown rice, quinoa chips and a few freshly baked organic chocolate chip cookies and I’m set for the week.
My FAVORITE example when talking about my view on calories is soda. Diet soda is zero calories. My smoothies are up to 200 calories. It is a no brainer which one you should be drinking but someone who is calorie counting may be naturally drawn to the wrong choice. When it comes to making the healthiest choice the ingredients always come before the number of calories. Food is fuel and the higher quality the better. Always try to think about what you eat and how it is impacting your body.
Do you track you calories? Or do you keep a food diary? Or are you like me and adjust your diet based on your actives and how you feel? Tell me how you stay on track!
xoxo,
K
