Why I Focus on Eating Healthy Not Counting Calories

I stopped counting calories years ago. And the biggest reason for this positive change was years of restrictive dieting and food journaling that became stressful and burdensome.

Now I have a healthy relationship with food and just keep it simple and nutritious. I don't feel the need to track my calories because I eat primarily plant-based foods loaded with nutrients and antioxidants. I also listen to body cues of hunger and satiety so eat slowly and with enjoyment. 

The food I eat keeps me strong, healthy and feeling good and that's what matters. When your food is nutritious, it promotes healthiness and appropriate body weight.

 

Eating Healthy

I keep my refrigerator and pantry stocked with plenty of organic vegetables, fruits, yogurts, raw nuts, grains, and lean meats. I graze throughout the day eating small healthy meals every three hours. This keeps me satisfied and well-fueled for work and physical training. 

Maintaining a healthy body is about living a quality life. This means being mindful of the quality of food consumed. There's a big difference in choosing to eat a fast food meal compared to an organic chicken breast with mixed greens. Healthy food is nutrient-dense, fewer calories, and provides health benefits. It even looks like you're eating more when eating healthy because you are. 

This is a great example of why I don't bother counting calories. As long as I am eating lots of veggies, fruits, grains, and lean protein, the need and stress behind counting calories are pointless. I eat for health and listen to the cues of my body that tell me to fuel up.

Shop Healthy

I also apply a strategy when buying groceries. I shop the perimeter of the store and steer clear of the center aisles full of processed foods. Most grocery store setups are the same, produce to the right or left, dairy to the back, and the meat counter on the opposite side. 

Part of my grocery shopping also means sticking to a grocery list. This allows me to stay on track and on the budget. I really enjoy the local farmer’s markets and shop those for organic produce as much as possible. I also love the organics at Costco.

I believe in keeping my food intake simple. Eating healthy gets a slam for being complicated and this is really untrue. How is eating vegetables and chicken breast complicated? The problem is not with the food but how we feel about making changes to our lifestyle. Diet culture has done a great disservice to society making us feel bad for fulfilling a basic need in life - eating. 

Keep it Simple

Eating an organic apple with peanut or almond butter is healthy food at its simple best. Not complicated at all and something we can all manage. Grilling or baking a chicken breast is another basic way to eat healthily. Nothing difficult in the process. Again, the issue is believing healthy eating is some sort of restrictive diet that is a burden and doesn't taste good.

If we could just get back to the basics of eating to live, eating real food, and not stressing about it so much. Forgetting the unrealistic diets with their false claims and simply enjoying wholesome foods.

Think about our ancestors, what they ate, how it was provided, and prepared. They worked hard physically growing crops, raising cattle and dairy all from their own land. It was freshly picked, cooked, and consumed throughout the day. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner the way it should be. 

I realize many of us don't live on farms or even grow our own food. However, I do try to eat as close to farm-to-fork as possible. What I do count is quality nutrients when it comes to my calories and that's good enough for me.

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3 Reasons Why Counting Calories Isn't as Easy at It Seems

Calorie counting is easily one of the most effective ways to lose weight. Flexible dieting (or “IIFYM”) has become one of the biggest nutrition crazes as of late, with fitness influencers posting the macronutrient breakdown of their meals. They weigh their portions and track their intake. While it has been proven that a caloric deficit will ultimately result in improvements in body composition, the story isn't quite so clear cut. In fact, you may be counting your intake and misinterpreting what all of that information means.

A kilocalorie, more commonly referred to as a “calorie,” is the amount of heat that is required to raise the temperature of 1 kilogram of water one degree Celsius. While we still have a lot yet to learn about the science of nutrition and digestion, there are a few ways in which your caloric estimates may be inaccurate.

Calorie labels aren't always accurate.

Your body breaks down all foods differently, depending on their chemical and nutritional profile. For example, researcher Janet Novotny and her colleagues tested the nutritional content of walnuts. She found that we metabolized about 21% less energy than was predicted by the labels. So, a serving of walnuts might say that it is 180 calories, but we are only possibly absorbing about 145 calories. That is a pretty substantial disparity in caloric intake!

Additionally, Gebauer at all tested different types of almonds (whole unroasted, whole roasted, chopped roasted, and almond butter) in equivalent quantities. Surprisingly, the body absorbed the most calories from the almond butter, followed by the whole chopped roasted almonds. Subjects absorbed the least amount of calories from the whole unroasted almonds. It seems as though the roasting process changes the structure of the almond's cells allowing our bodies to digest more of the nut. It appears that if you're looking for the greatest bang for your buck with nuts, the raw variation is far superior to a nut butter. The exact reason for this phenomenon is unknown to date.

Another study done by Carmody et. al. concluded, "...cooking substantially increases the energy gained from meat, leading to elevations in body mass that are not attributable to differences in food intake or activity levels." This means that we are able to absorb more calories from cooked meat than the equivalent amount of raw meat. Here, the cooking process alters the way it is digested and used for energy, in that our bodies can extract more chemicals from cooked food, as they do not have to work as hard to break them down. That is to say that one would expect to consume more calories from a well-done steak than from an equivalent sized medium-rare steak.

Dr. David Bauer notes that "calories are created equal, but their availability from foods is not equal." So what we do with the calories we consume is highly variable based on the processing (or lack thereof) of those foods.

Dietary fiber can influence weight loss.

The USDA recommends that women get about 25 grams of fiber per day, and men get 38 grams per day, yet some estimates report that many people only get 12-18 grams per day. A few studies have guessed that fiber can influence not only our satiety (leading to a decrease in caloric consumption), but also the size of our waists.

A study done by Du et. al. of fiber intake in European citizens over the course of  about 7 years found an inverse correlation between cereal fiber intake and waist circumference. This means that individuals who increased cereal fiber consumption had smaller waistlines. There was a less significant effect with fiber from fruits and vegetables.

Again, these changes in body composition may be due to the feeling of satiety that comes from an increase in fiber intake, but that is still poorly understood.

So, if you eat 500 grams of oats, the overall satisfaction is going to be very different than eating 500 grams of chocolate crispy cereal. You may find yourself hungry within an hour after eating the gummy worms, whereas the equivalent amount of oatmeal could keep you full for hours on end. If you're in a caloric deficit, it's ideal to choose foods that will give you the most volume for your calories. Our bodies cannot convert certain types of fiber (insoluble fiber) into energy, and thus, it isn't fully digested and you may not absorb as many calories from it.

Your gut bacteria influences the way you digest food.

Now, the science of the gut microbiome is quite new. There aren't a lot of papers (especially not using human subjects) dissecting the gut's influence on weight gain, but the current body of evidence seems to show clear differences in the microbiome of lean versus obese populations.

Research comparing the gut bacteria in lean and obese twins found that obese individuals had a smaller variety of gut bacteria than did their leaner twins. This discussion becomes one of the "chicken or the egg," in that we do not know if the gut bacteria changes due to fat gain, or if those with a specific type of gut bacteria are more prone to weight gain in the first place. Research over the next few years will dissect this topic more.

One case study of a woman who got a fecal matter transplant from her overweight daughter (yes, that's exactly what it sounds like) demonstrated considerable weight gain after the procedure. These procedures are typically done to eliminate harmful gut bacteria, but the side effect of an increase it fat mass was unexpected. Nearly 16 months after the procedure, the woman gained about 34 pounds. After another year-and-a-half, she gained an additional 7 pounds, despite participating in an exercise program and a liquid protein diet prescribed by a medical professional. She was tested for thyroid dysfunction to no avail. While this is a study of n=1, it lead some researchers to speculate that gut health may have a significant impact on body composition.

For now, researchers believe that some individuals with less diverse microbial communities may be more likely to gain body fat, despite their dietary habits. Some individuals can slash their caloric intake down to a mere 1,200 per day and still hold on to ample amounts of body fat.

In short, even if you’re tracking your calories closely, your estimates may be 15-20% off based on the types of foods you eat and the microbes in your gut. If your weight loss is stalling, there might be more to the story than meets the eye and you may have to tinker around with your diet to yield better results. Overall, it’s helpful to consume foods in their raw, unprocessed form (when possible) as it is likely that your body will absorb less energy from them. Additionally, more fibrous foods will keep you fuller for longer periods of time. Ultimately though, your gut bacteria may be to blame for weight gain or weight loss plateaus.

Works Cited:

1. Alang, Neha, and Colleen R. Kelly. "Weight gain after fecal microbiota transplantation." Open forum infectious diseases. Vol. 2. No. 1. Oxford University Press, 2015.
2. Baer, David J., Sarah K. Gebauer, and Janet A. Novotny. "Walnuts Consumed by Healthy Adults Provide Less Available Energy than Predicted by the Atwater Factors–." The Journal of nutrition 146.1 (2015): 9-13.
3. Carmody, Rachel N., Gil S. Weintraub, and Richard W. Wrangham. "Energetic consequences of thermal and nonthermal food processing." Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 108.48 (2011): 19199-19203.
4. Du, Huaidong, et al. "Dietary fiber and subsequent changes in body weight and waist circumference in European men and women–." The American journal of clinical nutrition 91.2 (2009): 329-336.
5. Gebauer, Sarah K., et al. "Food processing and structure impact the metabolizable energy of almonds." Food & function 7.10 (2016): 4231-4238.
6. Liu, Simin, et al. "Relation between changes in intakes of dietary fiber and grain products and changes in weight and development of obesity among middle-aged women." The American journal of clinical nutrition 78.5 (2003): 920-927.
7. Novotny, Janet A., Sarah K. Gebauer, and David J. Baer. "Discrepancy between the Atwater factor predicted and empirically measured energy values of almonds in human diets." The American journal of clinical nutrition 96.2 (2012): 296-301.
8. Ridaura, Vanessa K., et al. "Gut microbiota from twins discordant for obesity modulate metabolism in mice." Science 341.6150 (2013): 1241214.
9. Slavin, Joanne L. "Dietary fiber and body weight." Nutrition 21.3 (2005): 411-418.
10. Urban, Lorien E., et al. "Accuracy of stated energy contents of restaurant foods." Jama 306.3 (2011): 287-293.

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Ending the 1,200 Calorie Myth

As the summer approaches, everyone seems to have one goal in mind: to lose weight and look great in a bikini. So how do you accomplish those goals? I'm willing to bet money that you said something along the lines of "diet and exercise." Well, you aren't totally wrong, but there's one myth of weight loss that I'm looking to dispel, and that is the idea that we need to drastically reduce our caloric intake to lose weight. Many diet products and "nutritionists" have contributed to this idea that we need to starve ourselves to get the bodies we want.

First of all, let me start off by saying how much I loathe the word "diet" in and of itself. The word diet is supposed to refer to our eating habits--it should not mean "depriving yourself of energy (calories)." I do not diet, and I never will. Rather, I attempt to eat clean, whole foods. I do not count my calories, and as a result, I never feel starved or undernourished.

Now that we've gotten that out of the way, let me explain a bit more. If you're looking for sustainable, healthy weight loss, extreme caloric restriction is not the answer! Just answer this for me: how do you feel when you're on a diet? Correct me if I'm wrong, but I'm gonna guess you said that you feel weak, hungry, or both. Here's the trap that so many girls (even myself) have fallen into: eating a small breakfast, maybe a banana or an egg, a salad for lunch and maybe another salad for dinner. While all of those foods are healthy, you're not eating nearly enough! Especially if you're exercising. 1,200 calories is enough food for a 10-year-old, at best. As a fully grown adult (or even a teenager), you should be eating way more than that. Now, I can't answer just how many calories you should be eating, because that all depends on your height, weight, gender and activity level. I can tell you, however, that it should definitively be more than 1,200.

"Food is an important part of a healthy diet." -Fran Lebowitz

Why isn't extreme calorie cutting helpful? You may see results in the short term, but I can promise you that neither your mind or your body will be able to sustain that for a long period of time. We need a certain number of calories just to maintain basic bodily functions (brain function, respiration, etc.), so if you're not feeding your body enough, you are sending your body into a panic. For women, restriction of calories can result in amenorrhea (loss of menstrual cycle), which, if sustained for long periods of time, can lead to osteoporosis. Additionally, if your body is desperate enough for fuel, it will start using muscle tissue for energy, and we certainly don't want that! Yes, you will lose fat, but you will also lose muscle along with it!

My best recommendation is, as always, to eat intuitively. Do not deprive yourself of the nutrients your body so desperately needs. If you feel hungry, eat food. If you're not hungry, don't eat! Make sure that the foods you are eating are nutrient dense so that you can get your daily recommended value of iron, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, etc. Step away from the packaged, processed crap on the grocery store shelves and head to your local farmer's market. This is something I will repeat constantly because I truly believe it: if you eat well, you will not feel hungry or deprived. You will be able to free yourself from counting calories and stressing over what to eat.

When I first started my fitness journey, I fell into the trap of trying to drastically reduce my intake. I went to the gym, walked to and from class, ate "well" (what I thought was "well" at the time), and I never noticed any change. My body wasn't getting the fuel it needed to sustain my activity level. My best recommendation is to play around with your diet and see what works best for you. Find out how much food you need to feel energized and satiated.

Remember that all calories are not created equal! Just because something is "low calorie" does not mean it is healthy! 100 calories of carrots and 100 calories of chocolate chip cookies are not the same. When you're planning your weight loss goals, make sure they are sustainable in the long term so that you can succeed and maintain your sanity at the same time.

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Calories Burned on Elliptical - Benefits and Drawbacks

ByTarsha Clark

Many people obsess over the best way to burn those unwanted calories. While there are many ways to skin a cat (so to speak), calories burned on elliptical trainer is great because they are low impact, dual action devices that are easy on your body. If you're contemplating ways to burn calories, you should understand the benefits of elliptical training.

Calories Burned on Elliptical Machines - A Full Body Workout

One of the greatest benefits of calories burned on elliptical machines is the ability to gain a full body workout. Many elliptical machines are equipped with hand poles that allow you to move your arms simultaneously with your legs. Good elliptical machines work out your arms, shoulders, chest, back and legs all at the same time. This is in contrast with the use of a treadmill, which allows you to work out your lower body only. Elliptical trainers give you the best of both worlds and help you save valuable time.

Low Impact

Some people choose to jog in an effort to burn calories and maintain a healthy lifestyle. Jogging outside or on a treadmill has its benefits, but there are also some major drawbacks. One disadvantage of jogging is that it can negatively impact your knees if it is done on a consistent basis. This happens to lead to one of the benefits of elliptical trainers. They are low impact trainers that do not cause pain in your knees or negatively affect your joints. It should be said that you may experience pain in your knees if you already have an underlying condition.

Convenient to Use

Another great benefit of using an elliptical trainer that is often overlooked is its convenience. Many machines can be stored under your bed or in a nearby closet. If you desire to train outside, elliptical trainers can easily fit on your deck or patio. Although some home models don't have all of the features offered on machines found in professional gyms, calories burned on elliptical home models are just are just as effective and real as going to a health club.

Slight Drawbacks

It would be irresponsible for me to neglect mentioning what some people consider a drawback of using exercising machines. Some people find the dual action (using your arms and legs together) to be sort of awkward, and prefer to use a treadmill or go walking or jogging. I should say that there are some elliptical machines that only offer lower body exercises. However, that kind defeats the purpose, in my opinion.

Trying an elliptical machine at a local gym or equipment store can give you a better idea of what to expect. Maintaining good posture and refraining from leaning into the handles are some key things to remember when focused on calories burned on elliptical trainers.

Ready to burn those unwanted calories and lose weight fast and effectively? Visit to Learn More about Calories Burned on Elliptical Trainers.

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The Number of Calories Burned on an Elliptical Trainer

If you have been trying to lose weight or just lose fat, then you probably already realize that dieting alone won't do it. You will need to get off of the couch and get more active. Although going for a walk is an easy thing to do, it is not always the most efficient in terms of your use of time. If you want to burn a lot of calories, then you will need to do something more vigorous than walking and that is why a lot of people are choosing elliptical trainers.

How Many Calories Burned on the Elliptical?

There are a few reasons why you can burn so many calories on an elliptical, and the first reason is because it makes you work most of your body. Although it may look like your legs and hips are doing all the work, your entire body is engaged and that means that you are burning calories.

You will find that half an hour of working out on a cross trainer is worth about an hour or more of walking at a very good pace. For instance, the calories burned on an elliptical for an average weight man is upwards of 800 calories per hour. Next to running, only swimming comes close to this kind of number. If you were walking, you would be lucky to burn 300 calories per hour.

How Do You Know How Many Calories Are Being Burned on an Elliptical?

There is no single number of how many calories you can definitely burn on an elliptical cross trainer because it depends on so many different factors. The calorie counter on an elliptical machine will give you a good estimate, but you should keep in mind that the number is based on a person of average weight. If you weigh more, then you will burn a lot more calories than someone who is slim.

In addition to your weight being important in the calculation, you should also keep in mind your overall state of fitness, your age, your gender, and how fast you are going. If you are really moving at top pace, you can actually burn up to 1,000 calories per hour, but you would have to be in pretty good shape to do that!

Calories Burned: Elliptical vs. Treadmill

Another reason why calories burned on an elliptical trainer is so good is because this machine is so much easier on your joints. Your feet never leave the pedals, so that means that there is no impact on your joints - your hips, knees, and ankles will thank you for it. Also, when you are on an elliptical, your arms and shoulders are moving, and that means that your core muscles (your abdominal muscles, obliques, and rear) are also moving. So, not only are you getting a much better workout on the elliptical than you are on the treadmill, but you are burning more calories.

What Should You Know About the Elliptical Trainer?

Before you get on any elliptical machine at your local gym, you should have someone show you all the features and how to use it. Most of the models that are in gyms these days have a number of programmable features, some of which are specifically designed for weight loss. By simply climbing on board, pressing a button or two, and starting to move your feet, you will be able to start burning calories. It may be a tougher workout than simply walking on the treadmill, but if you are looking to lose weight, lose fat, and burn calories, then getting on an elliptical is definitely worth your time.

For further information on the Calories burned on an elliptical then visit our website. Alternatively click here for elliptical trainers

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WIAW (1) & Meal Budgeting

I have never done one of these before, but I always sometimes take photos of my food and so all I needed to do was get on the ball and take everything in one day and then remember to post them! (I didn't know it was green month, but oh well).

I know that some people get tired of food photos; everything looks so gross. So, my post is twofold. I have recently been doing a little meal planning. Not so much that I am changing any buying habits, but I made a goal to do a couple of things. 1) Try/Cook a new meal each month. This has actually turned out to be more like one a week**, but I didn't want to overload myself at first. And 2) Figure out how much this is costing me.

One of the reasons I decided to do this was that a friend of mine, who goes to Starbucks EVERY day, eats lunch out probably 3-5 days a week and eats dinner out probably 1-3 times a week, was saying how she wanted to get on track with her spending. She also wants to lose weight in time for a late summer wedding. She asked for my help.

So, on top of trying a few fun new recipes**, I decided to both price out some of my meals and do a calorie count for certain meals, so I could give her a good idea of what to make for herself. It's easy for me to tell her to just stop eating processed foods, but it's hard when you work long hours, don't really like to cook, and have kids. It's easy to buy things that you can nuke or throw in a pan. So, one step at a time. First, a few easy meals. Next, the world.

So, here, without further ado, is my first What I Ate Wednesday, hosted by Jenn at Peas and Crayons. And my first Meal Budgeting post, with both dollars and calories per meal sited. I tried to keep it short, so I wouldn't bore anyone to death. To me, crunching numbers is fun. I like to be aware and this helps me.

{Breakfast} 

Quinoa/Craisins/Sunflower&Pumpkin Seeds/Almond Milk (**adapted from THIS recipe) - $0.85 /254

 Coffee (x 5 with creamer) - $0.60 /100 

{total breakfast:$1.45 / 354}

 {Lunch} 

Brussels - $0.25 / 66

Greek Salad (goat cheese, tomatoes, cucumber, corn) - $1.04 / 201 

{total lunch: $1.29 / 247}

 {Dinner} 

Mac n Cheese (**adapted from THIS recipe) -$1.58 / 220  

Brussels - $0.25 / 66 

{total-$1.83 / 286}

{Snacks} 

Orange-$1.02 / 62

The whole bag of 1/2 cup Dried Apples - $0.72 / 220

12 Chocolate Covered Gummy Bears - $0.50 / 134 

{total-$2.24 / 416}

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TOTAL: $6.81 / 1303  

(note: these totals may be off. I am not a mathematician, nor a dietician, nor an excel mastermind. I apologize in advance for any rounding errors. Calorie info taken from Loseit) **this week I also made THESE. See, Pinterest isn't a waste of time after all. 

So, what did I learn? One, even though I hear that some people spend less than $200/month on groceries, clearly I am not one of them. Not with my snack habits the way they were today ($6.81 x 31 days = $211/mo) Two, eating out is expensive. Whether your habit is a latte ($5/day) or lunch out (easily $10/day), it not only can add up, but is more than an entire day's worth of home cooked food! Now, obviously I am not making gourmet meals over here, but even with a nice piece of fish ($2-$3 per serving) or meat or a fancy sauce or dessert, you can still spend less for an entire day than you can for one meal out!

Now, having said that, next week I am going to be traveling, so will be eating out a lot. Hey, you win some, you lose some. But today I am saving my money for next week's meat with fancy sauce and  dessert!

Have you ever broken down the cost of your food by the month/week/day? How much do you spend on groceries per month?Do you ever eat only one food group or one food as an entire meal (see above lunch)?

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