Weight-loss Resolutions

Resolutions often come in the form of a personal wish to lose weight.  Many television programs are on the waves this season highlighting the Biggest Loser and Extreme Makeovers (weight-loss edition) while the news is broken apart with calorie counting tips, food swaps, and manufacturer promoted 'healthy choice' meal options.  Health is not weight and nutrition is not measured in calories; that being said, here are some tips for fulfilling the weigh-loss resolutions.

Your body has a basal caloric need to complete functions like breathing, thinking, growing, excretion, circulating fluids, digestion, temperature maintenance, blinking; anything your body does automatically.  Those caloric needs are easily calculated.  For women, take your weight times 10 (men, weight times 11), whatever the number is is roughly how many calories your body will use to complete basal metabolic function.  You can choose how many of these calories come from food and how many calories you use from storage, or adipose, tissue (body fat).  

Choosing calories is not the same as choosing nutrition.  When you eat mainly animal protein, animal calcium and animal fat, you are ingesting much in terms of calories and very little in terms of nutrition.  If your basal caloric need is in the ballpark of 1600 calories (160 lbs), you can easily dent this calorie count with one steak, egg and cheese breakfast sandwich and a chicken caesar salad with a glass of milk [4 oz. steak (320 calories), 1 T of butter (102), 1 oz of cheddar cheese (110), 2 large eggs (148), 1 T of mayo (57)] [4 oz chicken breast (120), 8 oz of 2% milk (122), 2 T caesar salad dressing (120)]; two meals totaling nearly 1100 calories loaded with salt, saturated fat calories and cholesterol.  -That does not include the bread, croutons, parmesan cheese, romaine, and other condiments-

So how do you choose better calories?  Three simple rules may help.  First: if you select animal food sources, the calories you consume will be high in fat and calories, low in nutrients - if you choose plant based foods the caloric value is typically low and nutrient value is high.  Second: fats that are liquid at room temperature are good fats, fats that are solid at room temp are less healthy.  Third:  when choosing foods that limit calorie consumption, choose foods with color - colorful foods are nutrient dense compared to their white, starchy counterparts.  May these three simple rules boost your energy and lower your calorie intake. 

If your wish is to loose weight this season, may I suggest you start with real, whole, naturally occurring foods.  Wash them in with water.  Give your vitamins their vitamins - B vitamins especially are a good addition to your day.  And, as you forgive your own mistakes and embark on new goals, remember to wash your hands of negativity.  Every step forward is a success!