diet

Calories That are Right for You!

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You read a food label and it says based on the 2000 calorie per day diet. We read blogs and articles that say you should eat 1500 calories while others say less and some say more.  We search and search for the exact number, the right number, leading to confusion and frustration.  Many people come to me already having picked a number that they think is the correct amount of calories for them, saying they’ve tried to maintain these calories but they just don’t feel healthy.  There is no General number for the correct amount of calories for everyone.  Just as our mothers told us we are all special we really are all special and unique and the calories you need should be based on your lifestyle and individual needs.  

Here are some questions to ask yourself before you start a calorie counting diet.

  1. How active are you?  This should include whether you work in an office, how much TV you watch and how much physical activity you were doing every day.  
  2. How many hours of sleep are you getting every night?  While we are sleeping we are using far fewer calories and our bodies are absorbing more of the calories that we’ve eaten throughout the day.  
  3. What kind of calories are we consuming?  If the majority of your calories are coming from nutrient-dense food such as fruits and vegetables you can have higher calorie intake.  On the other hand, if you’re eating calorie-dense food with little nutrients such as processed or fast food your calorie needs will be lower.
  4. How hydrated are you?  If you’re drinking plenty of water the food will move a little more quickly through your digestive system, and your nutrient absorption will increase while fibrous foods will move more efficiently.  
  5. And most importantly what is your resting metabolic rate?  This is a number of calories that are needed for your body to do its routine tasks such as breathing, keeping your heart beating and your brain going.  There are complicated equations that professionals use to get the exact number but you can estimate your resting calorie needs by taking your weight in kilograms and multiplying it by 25.  This is a base number and the bare minimum amount of calories that you need.  

Under eating is just as unhealthy as overeating and it is important to keep up a healthy calorie intake to keep your body from going into states of starvation.  Is also important that you’re not eating too many calories. This can put your body into a state of constant storage slowing your metabolism increasing weight gain.  

If you are looking for help in determining the exact number of calories that are right for you, my services are available.  Email me your questions and we can set up a consultation time.  

~Tara

Contact me now to schedule a free consultation

Why are we Craving those Carbs and how to lose weight!

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We crave those carbs because of the biological need our brain has for carbohydrates. The brain is the most energy demanding organ in the body and just like all cells in the body, the cells of the brain run off of glucose.

Before we can talk about craving carbs, we have to take a brief moment to talk about glucose. Glucose is a simple molecule that is the gasoline for the body.  When you google glucose the word sugar is all over, there is so much hype and misinformation around this small and important molecule.  The facts are this.  Your cells need glucose like your car needs fuel.  In this modern world of convenience there is a plethora of this fuel available.  We flood our bodies with it and there is an overflow that our body converts to the only form of storage it has, fat.

Now here is the part that people don’t talk about. It is easy for your body to use the food you eat to make glucose right away. It is fairly easy, however very taxing on the liver, to store the excess glucose as fat. Your body can turn that fat back into glucose; however, it is not as easy as it was to store. Your body can also make glucose from protein; however, this causes the release of byproducts that can cause damage.

Just to highlight the complicated processes going on when you eat

Your body craves those carbs because it is the easiest and most efficient way to get glucose to the brain. When your brain is in need of glucose it makes you irritable and also can mimic the symptoms of depression. This is your brains way of telling you it is hungry.  Then we crave those carbs!

Now it is not the carbs that are bad, it is the flooding of the system with them and overwhelming tendency to eat way more then we need. To stop this cycle and create healthy habits we need to stop starving our brain and also stop flooding the system.  The best way to do this is to eat small meals throughout the day, with the regular small intake of carbohydrates. I think the best inspiration is results.  When you are eating small meals throughout the day, your body stops storing so much, you start to see weight loss.  Your brain is not starving for energy, there is no rush of dopamine causing the highs and lows.  This in turn speeds up your metabolism, leading to more weight loss, and a new cycle arises.  One where you feel energized and losing weight.         

Contact me now to schedule a free consultation