Rule#
2-Pay Attention
An article a few days ago
told you The Only 4 Things You need to do to Lose Weight
So let’s talk about Rule# 2-Pay Attention.
Stop
being a mindless eater. I know it’s extreme, but you might have to actually
read a nutrition label or two. Even if you don’t keep a food log or track your
calories or track your macro’s you’ll still become aware of nutrition. And that's a huge step forward.
I’m not a big advocate of counting calories and
macro’s for the rest of your life. You’ll get tired of it and quit or you’ll
drive yourself crazy. Some people do great with counting but most don’t.
Who should count?
·
Skinny people wanting gains. They usually eat
far less than they think they do.
·
Bodybuilders or physique competitors
·
Anyone with a specific aesthetic goal
However, I do recommend you count calories and
macros for a few weeks to learn
something.
Here are a Few Facts
·
If you want to lose fat you must put
yourself in a calorie deficit.
·
According to several studies, the average
person under estimates their calorie
intake by an average of 429 calories per day. That’s over 3000 calories
per week. That’s almost enough to gain a pound of fat per week!
·
Even dietitians under-reported their own calorie
intake by an average of 223 calories per day even though their job involves
dealing with these things on a daily basis.
·
According to a test where they ask people what
a calorie is they didn’t find a single person who could give a clear definition
of a calorie.
Are we in agreement that you need to learn a
few things? Good. Here we go….
1.
Some foods are “Calorie
Dense”
Weight and
size often have nothing to do with calories. Which weighs more an apple or a
donut? The apple of course weighs about 4 times as much as a donut. But the
donut has 2x the calories. This example is pretty obvious but not all examples
are so obvious. Pay attention…
2.
Why are all the foods you
like “bad for you”?
That conception is not
entirely true but it seems that way sometimes.
The answer has to do with
what’s called the “Bliss Point” and
makes food “Hyper-palatable.”
When you eat hyper- palatable
foods they set off a series of mechanisms in our brain referred to as the “Reward
Response System”. It’s the same system that kicks in when you take drugs or
have sex. It makes you want to consume more and overrides the system that tells
you you’re full.
The “bliss point” is the
right combination of sugar, fat and salt. That’s why you “can’t eat just one”
potato chip even if you’re full. None of these 3 things are terrible alone. (You
need some fat and salt to live). But combine them in the right proportions and
you’re going to eat too much. Food manufacturers are well aware of this.
3.
The Health Halo Effect
Consumers
believe that foods advertised as “healthy” are lower in calories so they
overcompensate by eating more of these foods.
In studies,
people who were told a meal was “healthy” ate 131% more calories even if the “healthy”
option had more calories than the unhealthy option. People can be diligent
about what they eat and still ignore how much they eat.
Even when
consumers seek out healthier meals they tend to overcompensate by adding
unhealthy extras or even adding a dessert.
Beware of
foods labeled as “organic” , “low fat”, “natural”, “diet” or “healthy”.
4.
Hidden Calories
Restaurants with less than
20 stores are not required to provide nutrition data. (Some states have passed
stricter laws concerning certain data such as trans-fats). Even if they do have
to provide nutrition data the data does not have include such things as oils
used in preparation, sauces, marinades, cheeses added to your burger, mayonnaise,
cream in your coffee…
Salads are healthy. But add
cheese, croutons, bacon bits, oil or dressing and you “healthy salad” can
easily reach 400 calories.
I could go on with this for a while but I think
you get the message- Pay Attention.
Don’t spend your life tracking every little detail
of your nutrition but pay attention and learn to compensate. Keep a log for awhile
using a service (free) like myfitnesspal.com until
you get in the habit of paying attention. Learn to ignore, or at least verify, the flashy message on the front of the
packaging and look at the nutrition data.
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