Calories Count

Are you eating a low-fat diet rich in complex carbohydrates with moderate amounts of protein, and you’re still one of the millions of people getting fatter and fatter?

Did it ever occur to you that even though your diet may be low in fat it’s too high in calories, and that’s why you’re not losing weight?

The “eat-all-you-want-as-long-as-it’s-low-fat” approach is the reason that many people think it’s OK to eat half a box of low-fat cookies everyday as an afternoon snack…then they wonder why they can’t zip their pants!

Think of your body as a bank account: if you make more deposits than you do withdrawals, your bank account grows.  In the same way, if you consistently eat more calories than you need (and make too many “deposits” in your fat cells) your hips grow!

While there are many factors that determine how many calories your body utilizes each day, the bottom line is that you cannot eat as much as you want just because it’s low in fat; calories do count! 

 Read labels!  Before you load your grocery cart with low-fat items, remember that to compensate for the fat that’s removed, food manufacturers add extra sugar to make the food more palatable.  All this extra sugar amps up the calorie count, and even worse: the hefty dose of sugar induces an insulin spike that encourages fat storage (insulin is the fat-storing hormone!)

If the thought of putting fat back into your diet is offensive to your (brainwashed) mind, remember that your body needs dietary fat to function properly.  A meal with moderate amounts of fat will actually leave you feeling more satiated than a meal with little or no fat.  When you feel satiated, you are inclined to eat less.  It’s a win-win situation!

Think healthy fats: olive oil, canola oil, fish oils, vegetable oils, sesame oil, nuts and nut butters, seeds, avocados, etc.  As long as you don’t gorge on these foods and eat too many calories overall, you’ll find yourself filling up faster and staying full longer.

For the sake of your arteries, remember to eliminate trans-fat (this is the fat that contains hydrogenated vegetable oil) and limit saturated fats (found in animal products and are solid at room temperature.)

Bottom line: eat smart without eliminating this very crucial macronutrient altogether, and remember, calories do count!

Live with Simplicity,

TMS