Nutrition and Calorie Tips

On track.. or blown it?…

October 20, 2021 Dr Nancy P

On track.. or blown it?… 🤯

It’s very easy to get sucked into the idea that certain foods are inherently “good” and others are “bad”. I hear this sort of thing so often… a client may be feeling pleased that they’ve had a “good” snack – of 40g mixed nuts, and are therefore ‘on track’ . On another day they would be beating themselves up because they had a really “bad” day because they had a pack of chicken nuggets. They often feel like they’re blown everything, they’re disappointed and angry with themselves and feeling guilty.

Now I’m not suggesting the nuggets are a “healthy” option, nor am I suggesting it’s got more nutritional benefits than the nuts. They’re both very different nutritionally, and they both taste very different too. But for many people trying to lose fat or weight they might naturally assume that the nuggets are a terrible option and that by having it they’ve ruined their day (diet -wise). Whereas if they chose the nuts they would be feeling guilt-free and virtuous and like they were on track. They may even not track the calories because the nuts are such a ‘good’ option. However in actual fact the ‘good’ snack has slightly more calories and a lot more fat, than the 6 nuggets. The nuggets have slightly fewer calories and vastly more protein, so are likely to keep you satisfied for longer too.

So if you had to grab a box of nuggets (or just fancied one) when you’re out and about, then it’s not THAT bad. I’m certainly not suggesting your whole diet be made up of “junk food”, but it’s important to be aware of the facts to avoid unnecessary guilt. And remember that lots of the foods we perceive as being “good” or “healthy” may in fact be higher calorie and therefore unhelpful for weight loss if you’re consuming them without realising the calories. At the end of the day, as always, it comes down to calories. If you want to lose fat or weight, then you need to be at a calorie deficit. It’s important to still have foods you enjoy as part of an overall balanced diet. So don’t sweat it if you end up with a McDonald’s now and then if you want it, but then have a dinner with a range of whole foods and vegetables etc.

Be curious about what you’re putting in your body, look at the nutritional labels on food and don’t always assume the “health” food is the best choice.

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Nutrition and Calorie Tips

Protein snack… or just a snack?

October 13, 2021 Dr Nancy P

Protein snack… or just a snack? 🍞

There are lots of brands out that that are using the marketing power of “protein” to sell their products. The unspoken idea is that protein = better or healthier etc. The reasoning behind this is the fact that increased protein can help with improved satiety (feelings of fullness) so CAN help to prevent overeating. Also those working out may want to focus on protein to help with muscle building. For most people a balanced diet will contain enough protein so you don’t need to go out of your way to take in extra protein unless you’re a bodybuilder or professional athlete. However you may still wish to focus on higher protein foods and snacks to help keep you feeling full.

So you may well see this protein snack and think it’s a good option. However, it isn’t actually particularly high in protein, with only 4.7g. In contrast the slice of bread/toast might be perceived as a ‘bad’ snack because it’s all ‘carbs’… Yet the bread contains more protein (5g ) for fewer calories. In addition the bread is far cheaper!

Neither would actually be classed as high protein. In terms of weight loss both will probably do the same basic job – they are a good snack if you fancy it. So don’t be swayed by the “protein” label – actually check the nutritional info and then choose the snack you want!

Enjoy

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Nutrition and Calorie Tips

Pizza night!

October 6, 2021 Dr Nancy P

Pizza night! 🍕

Socialising is a really important part of a healthy lifestyle and often that will involve eating out with friends or family. There is absolutely nothing wrong with going out and eating whatever you want – be it a massive pizza or anything else.

However if you are trying to lose fat or weight then you may wish to limit these extra calories. One option is simply to avoid social situations. That’s not ideal – life will be full of social situations and if you’re trying to make sustainable changes then you can’t just avoid everything for ever! Or you could of course say “f*ck it” and just have whatever you want. Nothing wrong with that – but if you’re then likely to spend the next few days feeling guilty or being angry with yourself for not making progress etc then that’s not a good option either.

The final option is to simply switch what you have for something that’s essentially the same but just a smaller portion. In this example there’s a Garlic bread with mozzarella and caramelised onions, and a large, “rustica” Gamberone and Chorizo pizza, washed down with a couple of large glasses of wine. That could rack up over 2700 calories -which for most people is more than their daily calories. And let’s be honest, that’s an awful lot of food. No one actually needs a pizza that large… or garlic bread aswell… instead you could swap it for a “skinny” or small version of the same pizza (which almost all restaurants offer nowadays), some olives to nibble on, and a small glass of wine. Same taste, same enjoyment, you can socialise, and you’re consuming less than a quarter of the calories. And you can stay on track!

So no need to avoid pizza night, or blow the diet, to still be able to enjoy yourself. Consider simply having smaller portions.

Enjoy 🤗

Nutrition and Calorie Tips

‘Diet’ red flags

September 29, 2021 Dr Nancy P

‘Diet’ red flags 🚩

Diet culture is full of ‘solutions’ for weight loss. People pray on people’s desire for ‘guaranteed’ fixes and social media is FULL of “guaranteed” ways you can lose weight/fat. You’ll see plenty of self proclaimed fitness/health/well being “coaches” and influencers trying to suggest you really need to do whatever it is they’re selling.

There are a number of red flags to look out for when thinking about ‘dieting’.

Replacing whole foods with Juice Cleanses / Supplements or going on a ‘detox’ can result in fewer calories and rapid initial water loss and a possible calorie deficit from meal replacement. Supplements may also provide a laxative effect or promote excessive bowel movements etc which result in water loss. None of which are sustainable or healthy long term aproaches

to weight loss.

Labelling foods as ‘good’ or ‘bad’, or having ‘cheat’ meals are other terms to be wary of.

No food is good or bad – all foods are good, it’s just about quantity. Food and morality have nothing to do with each other and we shouldn’t attach guilt to eating certain types of food which we enjoy.

Excluding whole food groups (carbs/sugar/ etc) is also unnecessary and unsustainable. Unless you have a medically diagnoses reason to exclude a food then all foods can fit into a healthy diet.

Labelling foods and taking about diets and foods in these ways that cast judgment just leads to increased anxiety and confusion. Allow yourself food freedom, remove the guilt from certain foods and accept that all foods are permitted – it will lead to a far healthier relationship with food and a far happier path to weight loss. It also means you can save your pennies and avoid paying people for these products which make promises they can’t deliver.

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Nutrition and Calorie Tips, Tuesday Tip

Tuesday Tip: Just Eat Less

September 28, 2021September 28, 2021 Dr Nancy P

Tuesday Tip: Just Eat Less 🍟

If you want to lose weight/fat but don’t know where to start the simplest thing to do is – just eat less! No I’m not being facetious – just bear with me here.

As you will no doubt have realised from my posts the key to losing weight/fat is by being in calorie deficit. Obviously one really good way to do this is by counting calories. But this may not be something you want to do or feel ready to do for whatever reason.

So the simplest way to achieve a calorie deficit, without following some unsustainable diet trend, going on a ‘detox’ or excluding food groups is to eat exactly what you’re eating now…. But just eat less of it!

So instead of having seconds at dinner, just have one plate of food, instead of having 2 pieces of chicken thigh, have 1, instead of snacking on 4 biscuits, have 2, drop to one milky coffee a day instead of three… etc etc.

Just these simple changes will probably save you at least 400-800 calories a day (if not more). Best of all you probably won’t notice the changes either.

You could also try some lower calorie swaps – you still don’t need to count calories to do this. You can swap cooking oil for a one cal

spray, swap crisps for pop chips, swap chocolate digestives for custard creams, swap red wine for a slimline gin and tonic etc

Trying to lose weight/fat can seem really overwhelming and complicated at first but it doesn’t need to be. Keep it simple and you’ll see progress!

Happy Tuesday 🤗