Tag: healthy foods

Nutrition and Calorie Tips

The ‘health’ halo effect ….

Dr Nancy P

The ‘health’ halo effect 😇….

The “health halo” effect is something we all fall prey to. It’s the perception that certain foods are better for you than others due to their perceived health benefits. Usually terms like “organic”, “plant based”, “high protein”, “contains one of your five a day” are used on the packaging and there’s an assumption that this means they’re the best choice.

Now before anyone reacts – I’m not suggesting a Mcdonalds cheeseburger is a “healthy” option, nor am I suggesting it’s got more health benefits than the Biona Black bean and cashew burger. 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 instead of having a cheeseburger for lunch, they’d be better off having the Biona burger. However in actual fact that “healthy” burger has more calories and fat than the cheeseburger, and less protein. The cheeseburger is also lower in salt. The Biona burger doesn’t include the bun and other extras (including cheese) either so you’d be looking at perhaps another 300 or more calories on top (and the associated extra fat and salt).

So if you needed a quick lunch, and really fancied a cheeseburger, you’d be far better off just having one. I’m certainly not suggesting your whole diet be made up of “junk food”, but it’s important to be wary of these marketing ploys which make you perceive things as being “healthy” and therefore lower calorie and helpful for weight loss. 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. And it’s important to still have foods you enjoy as part of an overall balanced diet. So have the cheeseburger for lunch if you want it, and 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 branded “health” food is the best choice.

🤗

Xx

Tuesday Tip

Tuesday Tip: Is a calorie just a calorie?

Dr Nancy P

Tuesday Tip: Is a calorie just a calorie? 🍫

This is a very common argument when talking about calories, calorie deficits and which foods you use to meet your daily calorie goal. Often people will say ‘ah yes but a calorie isn’t just a calorie, some calories are better than others’. People will claim 100 calories of nuts isn’t the same as 100 calories of chocolate for example…

So is that true? Are some calories different?

Well technically – no – a calorie really is just a calorie. A calorie is simply a unit of measurement – it measures energy. So yes, 100 calories of nuts are exactly the same as 100 calories of chocolate in terms of the energy they provide.

However, food is not just food and the composition of those calories is where differences can arise. Different foods do have different metabolic effects. Some foods are easier and quicker to digest, some require more energy to digest (e.g this is the thermic effect of food – but don’t get too excited – the difference is pretty small so unlikely to make a massive difference to calories burned etc).

Different foods also have different effects on satiety (how full they make you feel). The nuts for example are more likely to leave you feeling fuller as they’re higher in fat and protein than the chocolate. Foods that take longer to eat will also affect fullness levels.

Also don’t forget that foods have different emotional and psychological effects too. Humans are very much driven by emotions and whilst nuts may theoretically leave you fuller there will be times when no amount of nuts will stop you wanting that chocolate bar. In those cases you’re far better off going for the chocolate bar!

Ultimately it’s about balancing all of these things in a way that lets you stick to your calorie goals. So sometimes that will mean going for the more filling option of nuts and sometimes it will mean going for the chocolate you actually want, but being aware that you may feel more hungry later and being prepared for that.

So yes, a calorie is in fact just a calorie, but food is not just food!

Happy Tuesday 🤗

Xx

Nutrition and Calorie Tips

‘It’s not worth recording…..’

Dr Nancy P

‘It’s not worth recording…..’ ☕️

If you’re trying to lose fat and are working on reducing calories then you’re probably going to be recording your cals somehow. But are you really recording everything? It’s very easy to overlook some things because they seem so insignificant.

This is just an example of an average week for many people and where extra calories can sneak in. An extra spoonful of granola with brekkie every day (282 cals), a dash of milk in your tea or coffee (assuming 2 cups a day – 560 cals), a scraping of mayonnaise on your lunchtime sandwich (3 times a week – 300 cals), a slug of oil for cooking (3 meals – 360 cals), a sneaky spoonful of peanut butter because you’re hungry (237 cals), low sugar squash (a mere 18 cals for 100ml, but 3 litres of squash over the week – 540 cals), a few cashew nuts in the afternoon (a few every day – 221 cals), a squirt of ketchup with meals (5 meals – 172 cals), a drizzle of dressing on salads (3 salads – 540 cals), and finally gravy or similar sauces on your Sunday Roast (200 cals)…. That little lot totals 3, 412 cals over the course of a week. And let’s be honest for many of us we probably have even more of some of these….

But hey, they’re not worth recording right? Wrong! A sensible calorie deficit for fat loss is around 200 – 300 cals per day. With this little lot you’ve wiped out your weekly deficit without even noticing. All these little extras sneak in without really affecting how full we feel and without us noticing but they can really add up.

So if you are trying to lose fat, or your fat (weight) loss has stalled perhaps go back to basics and double check where some little extras could be coming in? And be a bit more mindful of these, or simply record them and have them within your daily calories. 🤗

Xx

Nutrition and Calorie Tips

‘The reduced sugar myth….’

Dr Nancy P

‘The reduced sugar myth….’ 🍫

Sugar is often vilified as the cause of all health issues and as a result many companies have latched on to the idea that people are keen to reduce their sugar consumption. Now whilst sugar in excess amounts is undoubtedly not good (no nutrient in excess is) normal amounts of sugar in the diet are absolutely fine. However if you’re diabetic or trying to reduce your reliance on sugary snacks then it may be sensible to opt for some lower sugar options.

If you’re trying to lose weight (fat) then you may also decide to reduce sugar consumption. Many people equate lower sugar to mean lower calorie and would therefore go for the reduced sugar option in the belief that it would help them lose weight. In this example the actual difference is pretty insignificant.

A standard Cadbury Dairy Milk contains 534 cals per 100g, whilst the reduced sugar version contains 503 cals – a reduction of 31, which is unlikely to result in weight loss. Yes, every little bit counts, but the expectation would probably be that it was much lower and therefore you may eat a larger portion, or expect bigger fat losses from this small change.

Cadbury’s are undoubtedly aware of this as they’ve made their standard bar size for the reduced sugar option a smaller size – 85g rather than the usual 110g of a normal dairy milk. So at first glance you’d assume it was a lower calorie option. It’s not really – it’s just a smaller bar! Clever eh?

So if you’re trying to reduce your calories and are going for the reduced sugar versions of things you love just take some time to check the calories and portion sizes and see if there really is a difference. If you enjoy the reduced sugar option and it helps to keep you on track then go for it! But don’t pay more for a marketing ploy when you don’t need to. Enjoy the chocolate you like, in moderation, as part of a balanced diet 🤗

Xx

Tuesday Tip

Tuesday Tip: Sticking to your ‘diet’

Dr Nancy P

Tuesday Tip: Sticking to your ‘diet’ 🥗

Diet (i.e food you are eating for your nutritional goals not a fad ‘diet’) adherence is the most important element of successful fat loss and long term maintenance. Here are some tips to help:

#1 Eat what you like

All diets can result in fat loss, if you have a calorie deficit. Increase the chances of sticking to it by choosing foods close to what you currently enjoy. Ideally that is a balanced diet containing a range of whole foods and the ‘treat’ foods you enjoy. If you like carbs don’t cut them out, if you hate kale don’t eat it etc!

#2 Be realistic

We often have unrealistic expectations of how long it will take to achieve results. A recent study found 50% people with unrealistic expectations of their goals dropped out within a year. You can still have a big goal, just realise it will take time to get there, so aim for small losses week by week.

#3 Environment

Set yourself up for success – don’t keep tasty, energy-dense foods in the house. If you must have them then keep them out of sight and out of their packaging. Packaging plays a huge role in food association; remove the trigger (packaging) and you remove the association, reducing the chances of you eating it. 

# 4 Track progress

People often give up because they feel like they’re not making progress. Take measurements, log the weights you’re lifting, measure steps, etc. (NB If you’re relying on bodyweight then take averages over time rather than focusing on individual weight fluctuations).

# 5 Identify your hungry times

Identify when you’re hungriest – morning? Night? Lunch? Eat more when your hunger is high and eat less (or don’t eat) when you’re not. Use hunger as your guide not time of day.

#6 Set a moderate deficit

The more aggressive the deficit, the harder it is to stick to. Start with a moderate deficit of 15-20 % below maintenance cals. Remember it’s your average calories that count; if you’re within your cals 4 days and over on 3 your deficit is gone. Focus on being under on average over the week (in practice it’s easier to just be within your calories daily but this isn’t always possible).

Happy Tuesday 🤗

Xx