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Nutrition and Calorie Tips

‘What you think you had…..’

Dr Nancy P

‘What you think you had…..’ 😬

We all know that to lose weight/fat you need to be eating and drinking at a calorie deficit. Often the problem though is our awareness and perception of what we are actually consuming. Portion control is a massive part of this – specifically underestimating serving sizes and what you’ve consumed.

Studies repeatedly show that almost everyone, even those who are trained dieticians and nutritionists (and therefore should be ‘experts’ on portion sizes etc) significantly underestimate what they’ve consumed. This is even more so when recording in hindsight. We forget things, we underestimate what we’ve had, we don’t even know we’re doing it.

For example, having some

cashews for a snack. You may think you’ve has a portion (30g) of cashews – that would be approx 176 cals. That’s not bad and can be easily factored into your daily cals. In reality though you probably had a

handful that was closer to 60g which comes in at 352 cals! That’s not as easy to fit in, and you probably barely noticed the extra cashews.

So if you’re struggling to lose weight and can’t work out why, try being totally honest with yourself and see if you may actually be underestimating things. The best way to do this is you get out the kitchen scales, weigh the portion and track the calories – before you eat them! You definitely do not need to cut things out completely – that’s totally counter productive and unsustainable long term. So instead work on becoming more aware of the actual quantities you’re eating / drinking and fit them into your diet accordingly. Knowledge is power!

Enjoy 🤗 xx

Tuesday Tip

Tuesday Tip: Tracking calories, not losing weight?

Dr Nancy P

Tuesday Tip: Tracking calories, not losing weight? 🔍

If you’re tracking your calories and not losing weight, you’re not tracking accurately. I know you may think you are, and I’m not suggesting you’re consciously under tracking but the reality it’s hard to be totally accurate.

Research shows that even the most careful trackers often underestimate their intake, and the gap is bigger than most people realize. If you’re

1,500 calories a day, studies suggest in reality, you may be consuming closer to 1,700 calories if you’re very accurate, and closer to 2,000 (or more) if you’re not. That’s hundreds of calories each day slipping through unnoticed.

In one study, adults underreported their daily calories by as much as 700 calories. That’s the equivalent of a burger and fries missing from their food diary. Even more telling, when participants were offered a financial incentive for accuracy, they still couldn’t reliably track what they ate. So this isn’t about dishonesty; it’s about the inherent difficulty of calorie tracking.

Think about it: portion sizes are hard to estimate, labels can be misleading, restaurant meals hide oils and dressings, and a quick handful of snacks often goes uncounted. Even small mistakes add up quickly. That spoonful of peanut butter you logged? If it’s actually two, you’ve just underestimated by nearly over 100 calories. Repeat that a few times a day, and it’s easy to see how the numbers add up.

So what does this mean? Is tracking pointless then? No but you have to be really honest with yourself and be open to the fact that you’re probably not tracking perfectly- no one is. So if you’re not losing weight it doesn’t necessarily mean your body is broken or your metabolism is damaged. It likely means your intake is a little higher than you think, and that’s normal. You either need to double down on the tracking and check you’re being as accurate as possible or lower your calorie goal. Track as best you can, stay mindful of hidden calories, and adjust based on results over time.

Happy Tuesday 🤗
Xx

Nutrition and Calorie Tips

Quick, easy meal…

Dr Nancy P

Quick, easy meal… 🥪

In an ideal world I’m sure we’d all have the time to prep a perfectly calorie controlled and balanced meals every day. However in reality we often need to rely on convenience foods or grabbing a lunch or dinner on the go. Whilst it may not be ideal, contrary to belief this doesn’t always have to be ‘bad’ and it’s entirely possible to still have a balanced and calorie controlled lunch. It does however take a few extra seconds in store checking the calories.

Grabbing a pot noodle may seem like an easy, quick meal and it can’t be that bad calorie wise can it? It’s gotta be better than a sandwich and a packet of crisps? Wrong. A large pot noodle is a lot more calories than you may expect – 523 cals! Whereas a chicken salad sandwich and a packet of wotsits is only 478 calories. A small saving, but if you had assumed the pot noodle was a lot lower in calories you may have gone on to eat more than that and therefore upped your calories further. Also the sandwich and crisps option is also likely to keep you fuller as it has more fibre and protein and a greater number of micronutrients.

I’m not saying pot noodles are bad – if you like them then have them! Just be aware of the calories in them. If you are grabbing a quick meal on the go just take a moment to check the cals before you decide what you’re having. Remember, knowledge is power!

Enjoy!

🤗

Xx

Tuesday Tip

Tuesday Tip: Strength Training and Brain Health

Dr Nancy P

Tuesday Tip: Strength Training and Brain Health 🧠

We often think of crosswords, Sudoku, or ‘brain training’ apps as the best way to protect our memory as we age. But recent research suggests strength training may do more for your brain than any puzzle ever could. In a 6-month study of older adults with mild cognitive impairment (a group at high risk for dementia) participants were assigned to one of four groups: resistance training, cognitive training, both, or a control group of nothing. Resistance training alone came produced the best results.

It was a simple strength training program of lifting at around 80% of their maximum strength, 3 sets of 8 reps, 2–3 times per week, focusing on major muscle groups. After six months, those who got stronger also got sharper. Improvements were seen in memory, executive function, processing speed, and attention. MRI scans even showed growth in the posterior cingulate cortex, a brain region tied to memory and one of the first hit by Alzheimer’s. The stronger participants became, the more this area grew. Interestingly adding cognitive training to resistance training actually reduced the benefits. Strength training alone not only improved cognition but maintained those gains for at least 18 months after the study ended, without continued exercise. Brain atrophy slowed, connectivity improved, and memory held steady.

Why? Building strength boosts brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), blood flow, and growth factors in both muscle and brain. In short, your muscles talk to your brain. So if you want to protect your mind, train your body. Two to three full-body sessions a week, working hard enough to challenge yourself, may be one of the simplest, most powerful ways to keep your brain resilient. Forget just training your brain, train your muscles. Your mind will thank you.

Happy Tuesday 🤗

Xx

Nutrition and Calorie Tips

‘I don’t eat much but I can’t lose weight…’

Dr Nancy P

‘I don’t eat much but I can’t lose weight…’ 🤔

A piece of toast for brekkie, bit of fruit for a snack with coffee, healthy snack bar and a sandwich for lunch with a ‘healthy’ drink, and a ‘healthy’ dinner of fish and salad….. that’s not really much for a day?…right…… 🤔

Often we think we’re not eating much and can’t understand why we don’t lose weight. It’s not until you actually add it all up that you realise you’re probably eating a lot more than you realise. The coffees, the couple of biscuits you forget about, the dried fruit snack (it’s fruit – it’s fine right?), a ‘healthy’ dinner of fish and salad … it must be ok?

It is ok and there is nothing wrong with any of that, but when you actually add it all up you’re looking at over 2,700 calories… for a ‘good’ day! Now for most people trying to lose weight or fat that is going to be far too many calories to be in a deficit which would let you lose fat.

So if you feel you aren’t eating much but you’re not losing weight/fat then maybe it’s time to just write down everything you’re eating on those days and see how much you really are consuming 🤗.

Remember – calories count!

Xx