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Why I don’t count calories & my 6 top tips for managing your weight!
Do I count calories? Absolutely NOT!! I couldn’t think of anything worse than ruining every meal by counting what goes into it. In saying that I am very mindful of what goes into every meal that I eat. For me it is more about focusing on foods with high nutritional value and then pairing them the right way.
The way I look at it comes down to what foods contain protein, what foods contain carbohydrates and what foods contain fat, from there I plan my first 3 meals of the day with carbohydrates and proteins and then my last 3 meals of the day with proteins and good fats. This is a really simple way of looking at your food and it works really well and takes the guess work out of trying to know what to eat.
Here is a good outline of foods that should be included in your daily meal plan:
Good Sources of Carbohydrates – Oats, Sweet potato, brown rice, quinoa, lentils, pumpkin, beans, vegetables and fruit
Good sources of proteins – Eggs, fish, chicken, turkey, pork, lean red meat, tofu, seitan, legumes, temph (last four for any vegetarians). Also add Chia Seeds into any meals as these are a great source of protein.
Good sources of fats – Avocado, salmon, walnuts, almonds, olive oil, coconut oil
Can I put on weight even though I am eating ‘healthy food’?
The answer to this is YES!! If you are eating really healthily you can still put on weight if your portion sizes are too big and if your exercise level is too low. To avoid this I have 6 small meals a day and enjoy every mouthful knowing that in 2-3 hours I will be eating again and making sure I stay active.
I get lots of questions asking for macro breakdowns on my recipes, which I can understand, but my message is simple, eat well 80-90% of the time and you can allow yourself a portioned sized treat once or twice a week – go for it without feeling guilty.
That treat would be preferable without refined sugars or saturated fats – there are so many options today to get your sweet fix without using refined processed products – a treat that is made from wholefoods is the way to go.
Life is to short to spend time counting calories and stressing about food. Restricting yourself from having something sweet or treating yourself will eventually lead to a binge outbreak or overeating – so remember portion size, treat yourself occasionally and eat well the majority of the time.
Tips for managing your weight and staying healthy
1) Ensure each meal you have is portion sized – DO NOT over eat
2) Morning meals pair together carbohydrates and proteins
3) Afternoon meals pair proteins and good fats
4) Exercise at least 3 times per week
5) A portion sized treat once or twice a week will not have a negative effect on your weight loss goals
6) Eat 5-6 portioned sized meals per day
Always carry around a snack in your handbag in case something comes up and you are not prepared for your next meal. Almonds are great for this or a bounce ball – definitely more important to eat than to go hungry.
This is my philosophy of eating and it works well, don’t make eating well hard, make it deliciously tasty and enjoyable.
Stay healthy x