NET less calories of the "right" foods and have more than enough!

"Can I NET fewer calories, get all the nutrients I need and still feel full and satisfied?" YES YOU CAN! 
"Can I eat less grains and still feel full?" YES YOU CAN!

Two issues I want to address:
1. reducing our consumption of grains; and
2. NET calories needed for overall health & wellness.

First, if you choose to continue eating grains, try to replace all refined grains with whole grains. Refined grains may have close to the same nutritional facts, but they have been stripped of their natural fiber that whole grains still have, which helps the body digest the food more slowly and burn the calories slower, so that you feel fuller longer, and therefore are less likely to over eat and store the unused food as fat.

However, grains are high in carbohydrates, and since most Americans eat more than enough grains everyday with almost every meal, grains are a main contributor to obesity and diabetes in this country.  Carbohydrates are very important to our overall health and nutritional needs, but we can get the daily recommended grams of carbs we need from other sources than grains.

The AMPS Lifestyle Change Plan separates the food groups into the following categories: Proteins, Starches, Fruits & Vegetables, Dairy (condiments and fats are additional items to be eaten in moderation). Starches is where we get most of our carbohydrates, which includes grains, but also grain alternatives - legumes, beans, root vegetables, higher calorie and sugar content fresh fruits, leafy green fresh vegetables. Our bodies burn these alternative sources more efficiently, without having a large amount unused and stored as fat.

Most of these grain alternatives are lower in calories, which will help you reduce your NET calorie intake more easily. Below is a typical of my grain-free daily eating...

(AMPS Plan Daily Typical)

 

 

This brings me to the second issue, NET calorie intake.  AMPS Lifestyle Change Plan recommends female NET calorie intake of 1200-1500 a day and male of 1500-1800 a day, depending on your level of activity.  That's why it's very important to track everything you eat in a program like MyFitnessPal. If  you're not tracking, you're guessing, and we all underestimate the amount of calories we're actually consuming.

 

Eating less food does not necessarily mean you're eating less calories, especially if you're eating the "wrong" foods. When you start eating the "right" foods, you find you can eat more than you expect. Also, eating less food is not the wisest way to lose or maintain weight loss. You have to eat enough of the "right" foods - the recommended daily servings from each food group, in the "right" combination to promote improved metabolism, spread out over several small meals a day!

 

If you are ready to get started on your own lifestyle change, and would like me to customize a daily eating plan for you based on your daily nutritional needs and schedule, get in touch! Also, the once a week treat is a great motivator...