Most people think that counting calories iscritical to losing weight. I am always saying eat the right foods – high quality ones – and you should be alright. A study published earlier this year found that people who cut back on added sugar, refined grains and highly processed food while concentrating on eating plenty of vegetables and whole foods – without worrying about counting calories or limiting portion sizes – lost significant amounts of weight over the course of a year.
I am always telling my athletes to make sure that quality foods arecritical. Also, a good split of percentages of macros, depending upon your goal is critical. Iam always preaching that it is critical to stay away from processed foods for at least three reasons: first, they generally have no nutritional value, second, they cause unintended chemical reactions in the body, and lastly, they create other cravings.
In the study released earlier this year, the strategy to lose weight by staying away from refined grains, sugars and processed food and focusing on veggies and whole foods, worked regardless if the individuals followed diets that were mostly low in fat or mostly low in carbs. Their response was not influenced by genetics or their insulin response to carbs.
What you can take away from this study is that as long as you are eating plenty of veggies and whole foods, then leave the calorie counting behind. It’s easier than you think so try it.
