Dieting seems like a never-ending battle. But believe it or not, it doesn’t really matter how many calories you ingest. It’s the nutrients and the quality of the food you eat that makes a difference. So, here’s why you should stop counting calories right this very second.
Foods With No Nutrition Labels Are Better
Veggies, fruits, gluten-free whole grains, fish and meat don’t have labels on them and yet they’re packed with nutrients that will spike up your energy levels. You’ll feel incredibly energized and won’t have to waste time worrying about calories. So, stop obsessing over those nutrition labels and embrace foods that are delicious and healthy.
It’s About Quality, Not Quantity
If you had one of those 100-calorie pack of Oreos and 100 calories worth of nuts in front of you, which would you pick? Don’t lie, you know you’d pick the Oreos. We would too. But nuts have protein, vitamins, antioxidants, minerals, and fiber. Oreos are full of refined flour, chemicals, and sugar. So even though you’re ingesting the same calories, you’re getting more quality from the nuts than you ever would from the Oreos. So, which one would you choose? Still Oreos? Really?
Foods Lacking Nutrients Won’t Satisfy You
Have you ever eaten a burger and fries or an entire large pizza by yourself, but found yourself getting the munchies an hour later? You can eat tons of calories a day, but if the food you put in your mouth lacks nutritional value, your body will signal you to keep on eating until you get the vitamins and minerals it needs.
Eat More Protein To Lose Weight
Don’t focus so much on how many calories you ingest. Concentrate on protein, which fills you up, reduces your appetite and makes you eat fewer calories in the process. Protein gives your metabolism a major boost, too. So, by eating more protein you’ll see how effortless weight loss can be versus portion control or counting calories.
Choose Low Carb Over Low Fat
Low carb diets can lead to 2-3 times more weight loss than low-fat diets. The reason for that is that low-carb diets can reduce your appetite, so you’ll ingest fewer calories without even trying. Plus, it gets rid of excess water within the first two weeks of your low carb diet. Best of all? You’ll reduce bloating in the process!
Avoid Refined Carbs
Sugars like high-fructose corn syrup, sucrose, and refined grain products like white bread are low in fiber. So, your body digests and absorbs them quickly, causing your blood sugar to skyrocket. But this will cause your glycemic index to crash a couple of hours later, leading you to crave a high-carb snack. So, if you’re on a high-carb diet, choose carb sources that are unprocessed and contain tons of fiber, as the fiber will reduce the rate at which sugar enters your body.
