Re-evaluate if you think that your health and weight problems are merely a result of consuming too many calories. The type of food and the nature of calories you consume significantly affect your health and fitness.
A popular weight-control strategy is restricting calorie intake in daily meals. You might think you’re staying within your limits by eating fewer calories and opting for ‘low calorie’ options, but this could negatively impact your health. The truth is, focusing solely on calorie-count is an oversimplification, and it doesn’t address the more critical point in determining health: nutritional density.
Weight vs. Health
The misconception about a low-calorie diet is that it helps in both weight loss as well as keeping you healthy. Although being overweight may indicate poor health, being thin or skinny doesn’t guarantee good health. Counting calories significantly helps in losing weight, but it doesn’t prevent you from getting sick or developing health issues.
Good health doesn’t merely involve lower-calorie consumption and burning more calories. People with normal body weight can still suffer from depression, anxiety, fibromyalgia, heart disease, high cholesterol, migraine headaches, irritable bowel syndrome, and other ailments. This is because body shape and physical fitness aren’t always indicators of good health or immunity against sickness.
A Calorie is Not Just a Calorie
A low-calorie diet can lead to illness and increase the risk of disease if it lacks nutritional density, low glycemic index (it doesn’t raise your blood sugar too fast), and alkaline-based content (mostly fruits and vegetables). Therefore, you must emphasize eating whole, unprocessed foods. By doing so, you will not only lose weight, but you’ll also optimize the health benefits of the foods you consume.
For instance, a blueberry breakfast tart and a hot dog may have a similar calorie count, but the nutritional contribution of each varies significantly. The hot dog contains more total fat, cholesterol, and sodium, and zero dietary fiber. Although higher in calories, the blueberry tart is a healthier option. Similar is the case when comparing a regular-sized candy bar and canned chili con carne. The calorie count may be comparable, but nutritional values differ significantly.
Importance of Food Quality
To stay healthy, you need to consume adequate amounts of fresh, whole foods and minimize processed or fast-food products. Make whole fruits and vegetables, lean meats, fish, and low-fat dairy products the foundation of your diet. Incorporate protein and dietary fiber into your meals to provide energy, balance blood sugar, and promote general health.
Fresh or filtered water intake is also an essential factor in maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Adequate water replenishes and hydrates the body, aids digestion and detoxification, and helps eliminate toxins.
Make the Right Choices
Ultimately, focusing exclusively on calorie control and restriction is a misguided approach to weight loss and health. Be mindful of the types of calories you’re consuming and their nutritional qualities. Choose whole foods for their health benefits and base your diet around them, without neglecting to strike the right balance between calories and nutrients. Remember that food quality is more important than the number of calories in the food.
