Category: Low Fat Diets

A Simple Guide To A Balanced Diet

Be Good To Yourself This Holiday Season - Jennifer Ledford - Certified Personal Trainer and Healthy Lifestyle Coach - Balanced Diet

Eating a balanced diet is an important part of maintaining good health and can help you feel and look your best.

While doing some research for this topic, I was able to read many “definitions” of what constitutes a balanced diet.  Of all the information I reviewed, the definition I believe describes a balanced diet the best is published by dictionary.com.  Their definition of a balanced diet is “a diet that contains the proper proportions of carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins, minerals, and water necessary to maintain good health.”   It’s simple, scientific, and to the point.

It’s important to note that nowhere in the definition does it say the best diet to make you skinny. The focus is on health.

When it comes to connecting food and your health, diversity is important.  Each nutrient contributes to the overall function of your body and if one nutrient is missing, it doesn’t function  as well as it could.

It’s easy to get into a routine eating the same foods often.  Things like busy schedules and taste preferences can be a factor.  However, minimal food variation and/or elimination diets can cause you to miss out on some important nutrients that your body needs to help you age gracefully and combat disease.   

Thankfully, in the United States and many other countries around the world, we all have access to clean water so staying hydrated is one of the simplest parts of maintaining a balanced diet.

How do you know when you’re getting enough water?

The best way to tell if you are hydrated is the color of your urine. Clear to pale yellow is ideal. Yellow to dark yellow means you need water and if it looks like tea or beer ,you are dehydrated! Supplements can also cause urine to be dark yellow so keep that in consideration.

Avoid allowing yourself to get “thirsty.”  If you are getting a thirst signal, then the body is already too low on water!

Diet is very personal and we all have different energy requirements which is why it’s important to experiment and figure out what works best for you.  For example, some people need to consume more carbohydrates than others.  However, science proves that we need them to function at our best throughout the day.

At first, creating a balanced diet can seem a bit daunting if you are unsure which foods fall under the different categories.  Many foods supply multiple sources of nutrients so a diverse diet that includes lots of fruits and vegetables is usually your best bet.  I’ve put together some samples of carbohydrate, protein, and fat sources below to help you get started.

Examples of carbohydrates: Fruit, root vegetables such as potatoes, beets, and carrots, whole-grain products such as brown rice, whole-grain pasta, beans, whole wheat bread, whole oats, buckwheat, millet, whole rye, whole-grain barley and whole-grain corn, and quinoa (it’s technically a seed) are all carbohydrates. These foods are rich in fiber, vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients that are beneficial to your health.

Examples of protein sources:  Meat, poultry, fish and shellfish, dairy, nuts and seeds, beans and peas and other plants like quinoa, avocado, hemp, and soy are all protein sources.  I personally recommend avoiding soy; however, I’m listing it because it is considered a “complete” protein source.  If you like to eat it, I recommend sticking to the organic soy and limiting your consumption.  Bragg aminos are a great substitute for traditional soy sauce.

Examples of fat sources:  Oils like olive, walnut, avocado, grape seed, peanut, and coconut are all good sources of fat.   Avocados, nuts and seeds, meat, fatty fish, dairy, nut butters, olives, and dark chocolate are all considered fat sources as well.  Oils I personally avoid are any oil that is partially hydrogenated, canola, and palm oil.

Balanced Diet Research

Current research continues to prove that a whole food driven balanced diet (eating food in as close to its natural state as possible) is one of the best ways to fuel your body mentally and physically.  In fact, recent studies have shown that a whole food driven diet can actually boost your metabolism compared to a diet made up of processed foods which can cause your metabolism to slow down dramatically.

I personally believe it’s a good idea to eat as many whole foods as possible and to limit refined and heavily processed food in our diets.  Eating whole foods can help contribute to better energy.  With that being said, it’s also important to enjoy your food and not get too rigid about everything we eat.  Overly religious behavior around food can lead to dieting which can lead to stress and heartache which does not support mental health in a positive way.

Part of being healthy is to find balance in your life and allow yourself to enjoy the foods and drinks you like.  Life is too short to be on a diet!

Shared with love,
Jennifer

Disclaimer:  The information in the above article is based on general nutritional guidelines and is not intended nor should be considered a substitute for any advice provided by a medical professional.   

 

Boost Your Metabolism Eating Whole Foods

Eating Whole Foods - Blueberries - Jennifer Ledford - Certified Personal Trainer

When I first entered the fitness industry over twenty eight years ago, we used to believe that a “calorie was a calorie” and that as long as you were burning more than you consumed, you would lose weight.  You should have seen some of my lunches back then.  After eating a box of Cheez Its and some salami I’d hit the gym and teach two back-to-back aerobics classes.  At least I was getting my carbs and protein.  🙂

I still eat salami (quite often actually) and I will occasionally eat Cheez Its. However, over the years, I’ve learned that not all calories are created equal.  Based on solid science, I now focus on a health-driven approach that includes eating whole foods as much as possible and recommend that my clients take this approach to meal planning as well.

Current research continues to prove that a whole food driven diet (eating food in as close to its natural state as possible) is one of the best ways to fuel your body mentally and physically.  In fact, recent studies have shown that a whole food driven diet can actually boost your metabolism compared to a diet made up of processed foods which can cause your metabolism to slow down dramatically.  Just one more reason to avoid heavily processed low calorie diet food.  Thank goodness!

Please understand, I’m not suggesting that you should never eat anything processed.  One of the biggest flaws in the diet industry today is that they usually have too many rules and restrictions.  I want you to always feel free to live your life the way that you want to live it.

However, eating “whole foods” as much as possible can help you feel better and look better without ever having to diet in the first place.

Here are five simple tips to help you add more whole foods to your daily meals

Cook as much as you can.  One of the top reasons I encourage meal planning and cooking your own food is that you have more control over the ingredients.  You can modify recipes to suit dietary needs and have 100% control over what goes into your body.  Magazines like Cooking Light are a great place to find healthy recipes that  won’t skimp on taste or ingredients.

Buy fresh.  Shop around the perimeter of the store for as much of your food as possible.  The perimeter is where most of the fresh food is stored.

Not all processed food is unhealthy.  Food that is deliberately changed before it is made available for us to eat is considered processed.  It’s usually packaged in boxes or bags and contains more than one item on the ingredient list.

Some processed foods are actually healthy for you and can be great time savers.  Foods like precooked whole grains, greek yogurt, nut butters, frozen fruits and veggies, organic soups, and canned beans are all great examples of healthy processed foods.

Take a quick look at the ingredient list before purchasing processed food.  Ask yourself if it’s something you could make at home or if it can only be made in a lab.  If you see things like high-fructose corn syrup or partially hydrogenated fats (transfats), the food has undergone a chemical process.  I recommend avoiding these chemicals in your food as much as possible.

Load up on fruits and vegetables.  Choose recipes like stir fry’s that include a lot of vegetables.  Try adding a side salad with your dinner or lunch or including a piece of fruit with your snack.  If you like to keep it simple, fill up half of your plate with fruits and veggies and then add your protein and carbohydrate.

Know where your food comes from.  Ask your market where the food you are buying came from.  Look for meat that is grass-fed and raised without antibiotics or hormones.  Produce that travels a few hours to get to your plate is less likely to have artificial preservatives than the fruits and veggies traveling 1500 miles or more from other countries.  Buy produce that’s in season and shop weekly.  If spoilage is a concern, buy frozen organic fruits and vegetables.  They will last  longer and can be more budget friendly.  I like to buy a combination of fresh and frozen every week and then focus on using the foods that have a shorter shelf life first.  Freeze meat and defrost it as needed.

Eating whole foods is really nothing new.  It’s simply the way of life my great-grandmother would have understood living on their farm.  Food that comes directly from the farm to the table is usually about as whole as you can get.

I think my grandmother would have approved  🙂

Here’s to your health!

Shared with love,
Jennifer

You Don’t Ever Have To Diet Again

Pretty young woman in kitchen

When I entered the fitness industry back in 1989 the topic of calories was very cut and dry.  In order to lose weight you simply needed to burn more calories than you were taking in.  Fast forward to today and research is proving that there is way more to the weight loss equation than simple math and a person’s willpower.  In fact, research proves that weight loss is controlled by how our body is functioning more than our own self-control.

I’ve been helping people lose weight for over twenty six years and there was a time when a person’s inability to lose weight would be blamed on an over-reporting of physical activity and an under-reporting of food intake.   While I agree that this does happen from time to time, modern technology such as activity trackers, electronic food journals, and clinical studies are all helping researchers prove it’s usually not the case.  What we’re finding is that biology has more to do with a person’s ability or inability to lose weight than anything else.  I’ve worked with clients that were honestly filling out food journals and reporting their exercise.  Based on the old “calories consumed versus calories burned” math they should have been losing weight but the needle on the scale was not budging.  This not only frustrated them, it  prompted me to help figure out why.

Fitness, just like medicine, is always changing and fortunately we seem to be gaining more knowledge and common sense.  We are learning why the diet industry has a ninety five percent failure rate.  We are also learning how to help people not just lose weight but make balanced food choices that promote long-lasting weight loss while positively contributing to their overall health and well being.  The time has come to just say no to restrictive dieting and yes to healthy living.

Three Things You Can Do To Lose Weight Without Ever Dieting

Avoid low calorie restrictive diets.   It’s no secret that if you starve yourself you will lose weight quickly which is what makes restrictive diets so appealing.  The problem is eventually everyone gains the weight back.  Research shows that you need to eat food to lose weight.  When you cut calories way back or eliminate entire food groups, the body fights back.  Your metabolism will slow down to make up for the reduction in food and you will be hungrier.  Your level of satiety can change which will make you feel less satisfied with an otherwise normal portion size and more obsessed with higher-calorie processed foods.

Instead of restricting what you eat, you’ll find more success when you focus on a balanced diet that is centered around whole foods. A balanced diet includes carbohydrates, proteins, fruits and vegetables, healthy fats, and water. Any diet that cuts one of these important nutrients out should be avoided.

Cut back on Simple Carbs.  This is huge!  All calories are not created equal.  A can of soda and a handful of nuts may have the same calorie count but they affect your metabolism in VERY different ways.  Sugary snacks and drinks, and low fat highly processed starches, can cause your body to store calories as fat which can then cause fat cells to increase in number and size.  Processed carbs and added sugar in foods can program fat cells to grow and as a result cause someone to overeat.  When you limit the simple carbs and focus on eating mostly whole foods, it’s much easier to lose and/or maintain your weight.

Don’t be afraid to eat fat.  Whenever I review a new client’s food journal this is usually one of the number one nutrients I notice is lacking in their diet.  Dietary fat is not only helpful, it’s necessary for long term weight loss.  The body gets really good at storing what it doesn’t get enough of.  Based on the current research and an understanding of how the human metabolism works, I personally believe the low fat diet craze has contributed to many of the weight issues that people struggle with.

Olive oil, nuts, an monounsaturated fats are all part of a healthy diet and research is even taking a second look at the value of saturated fat in our daily lives.  Studies have shown that people that consume dairy have less belly fat.  Stick to whole dairy and avoid the low fat versions.  The idea is moderation.  Butter and cheese are meant to be consumed in small amounts.

Just like calories, not all fat is good for you.  Avoid chemically processed fat like partially hydrogenated oils also known as transfats which are usually found in boxed, frozen, and snack foods.  Transfats not only increase levels of harmful cholesterol in your body they inhibit your body’s ability to make good cholesterol.  Not a good combination so it’s best to stay away from them entirely.

These simple dietary strategies combined with moving more, getting plenty of sleep, and limiting stress in your life are not only the healthiest and most effective way for you to lose weight, they also help you maintain balance in your life.

To your long term health and fitness!

With Love,
Jennifer

The material in this article is intended for informational purposes only and not intended as a substitute for the advice and care of your physician.  Always consult with your physician before starting a new weight loss program or making major changes to your diet.