Finding Good Calories in Everyday Food
November 28, 2011, By Ed Scow 0 comments
Do you think quality is more important than quantity? This is a concept I often find myself talking about with clients.
Some have trouble getting rid of the "total calorie" muddled thinking (there really is no true number for you as an individual because it would change daily), and instead focusing on the simplicity of food.
One of the main ideas I try to instill in my clients is that if you fill your diet with good stuff, total calories aren't that important.
My rationale is that if you eat mostly fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, lean meats, etc.—and limit, or eliminate, the processed foods, alcohol, breads and even some dairy, your body will TELL you when it's had enough and after a few weeks your body will begin to recognize foods it really enjoys (and that boost your energy levels) and foods it absolutely hates (and that make you feel like hell).
Here's a sweet little conversation I had recently with a client.
It started off innocently enough: "Ed, I have a question."
"Okay, crazy lady...shoot."
"You tell us we should have things like plain almonds along with an apple as a snack, but that's a lot of calories. Why can't I just have a candy bar instead? The candy bar is actually fewer total calories than your snack and aren't calories more important?"
At first I didn't know how to respond.
That's not totally true because the first thing that popped into my head was to jump up and down while smacking myself in the forehead and holding my breath until I blacked out. I thought better of that and realized that this was a good question and a good learning experience for both of us.
I said, "You have to stop thinking 'calories' and start thinking 'nutrition'."
