First things first.
Foods high in fats will not necessarily make you fat.
This is by far the biggest mistake I have made when it comes to dieting. As mentioned in a prior article, fats are essential for hormone regulation and mental performance. Hence, consuming a fair amount of healthy fat is very beneficial daily.
The main misconception lies within the fact that one gram of fats equals 9 calories, which is high compared to both carbs and proteins i.e. 4 calories/gam. However, going super low in fats is not healthy at all, and trust me I have made that mistake...
Currently, I am gaining weight so my fats intake averages between 70 to 90 grams a day. While dieting down, I ate around 30 grams of fats per day, which was super low. This decreased my energy and caused lots of stress. Furthermore, it left me obliged to cut on some of my favorite foods from my daily life such as peanut butter, cashews, walnuts, etc.
Another myth is that healthy food will not make you fat, no matter how much you eat.
This one hit me hard during the summer of 2017, when I had just a few extra kilos to lose and I was doing lots of sports, especially cardiovascular activities -Tennis and Basketball. I thought that no matter how much I ate fruits or any type of nuts, I will not gain weight.
So I never stopped snacking, especially in terms of eating fruits and nuts. I played tennis every day and I still gained weight at the end of June 2017. I can still recall how shocked I was back then. But my dietitian and I figured that the problem was over-snacking. I would eat three big fruit servings and a handful of nuts three times a day. This was obviously too much...
What I would recommend for anyone willing to lose weight and who loves fruit and nuts, eat two servings of fruits and a handful of nuts per day.
It is equally important to note that when it comes to food, having self-awareness over how one reacts to food is so essential. Back when I started this journey, I found myself overeating so many times without even noticing it.
Once I decided to watch these patterns more often and try to figure out what was happening, I figured that I was an emotional eater. I would eat anytime I got upset about something or felt any kind of pressure. Whether it was while watching my favorite team or player competing, or preparing for an exam. Secondly, I noticed that I was ready to eat whenever I got bored. This was an eye-opener for me and helped me control my appetite. For instance, and especially during winter, we used to have long breaks while at university, so my friends and I would decide to stay there and study for our exams. Without knowing it, we would consume loads and loads of calories coming from biscuits, chocolates, and drinkables.
After I figured out these patterns about myself, I was able to take control and my body composition improved significantly.
One of the biggest mistakes I have made in the past was not watching my drinkable calories. For instance, I used to drink a lot of commercial fruit drinks without noticing that they were loaded with both calories and sugars. And you guessed right. I did not count those calories...
Once I realized what I was doing, I stopped drinking anything commercial. And it has been ongoing for the past 2 years. Whenever I crave juice, I make my own fruity drink with my blender. On the one hand, it tastes much better. And obviously, it is healthier and calories can be easily tracked.
I will soon be publishing some of my healthy and yummy concoctions here.
Before being diagnosed with Gluten Intolerance, I was the biggest fan of cornflakes. And I still love them. And, unfortunately, most of the corn flakes are loaded with sugars. I did not notice that until I went further into researching nutrition. What I noticed is that on each food label, I needed to look deeper into the carbs section. For instance, if you look at your cornflakes food label right now and go to the carbs section, read the information below carbs, which indicates the number of sugars included. If the sugar ratio is high, I would advise you to ditch it for health reasons, and since food that is high in processed sugar will give you more cravings later during the day.
Staying hydrated throughout the day is one of the most if not the most important aspects of adopting a healthy overall lifestyle. Hence, I would recommend tracking water intake, especially for people who don’t feel like drinking water more often.
Furthermore, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine determined that an adequate daily fluid intake is:
Personally, my average fluctuates between 4 to 5 liters a day, especially since I work out daily and I drink 2 cups of coffee per day. Observe your body. It will point out whether it is being hydrated enough, depending on the weather conditions, the food intake, and the activities you undertake.
In the end, and to sum it up, balance your intake of both food and drinks, your activities -you don't need to hit the gym 5 hours a day to remain healthy- and keep a positive mindset to achieve your goals.
Remember, Rome was not built in one day as they say. The most important thing is to feel good about yourself and to plan for the lifestyle that suits you. Good luck!
Check my next article on a yummy lunch/dinner plate while eating out.
Pierre, the Healthy Foodie
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