How important is nutrition when you’re trying to lose weight?
There’s an old saying among those who are trying to lose weight: You can’t outrun your fork. Most people take this only to mean that you have to reduce the amount of food you eat because you can’t do an infinite amount of exercise to burn off the extra calories. While this is true, there is another meaning. When you’re trying to lose weight, your body needs an optimal balance of macro- and micro- nutrients.
When your body is healthier and well nourished, it naturally wants to let go of excess weight. Some people hold on to excess body fat because of a deficiency of one or more nutrients, or because they are getting too much of one type of nutrient and it causes an imbalance. Choosing lighter fare and making sure not to overdo your quantity of food is the first step. The next step is making sure you’re getting the RIGHT foods to support your weight loss journey.
Westboro Spine & Holistic Health Center has its own unique weight loss program in Westborough, and also offers nutritional assessment and counselling. We have a personalized approach to make sure we create the right plan for you. Instead of trying to share the many ways we individualize plans, here are some basic guidelines for tailoring your nutrition so you can successfully meet your weight loss goals.
Alternative weight loss program in Westborough
Plant Based Diet and Protein are Key in our Weight Loss Program in Westborough
A plant based diet means that 70-80% of your diet is plant based, preferably organic plant based. While protein is important, and it is the driver for strong and lean muscles, those who follow the SAD (*Standard American Diet) as many American’s do, are probably getting too much protein. Most individuals are surprised to learn that protein needs are actually much less than what they have been consuming. The Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for protein for the average adult is 0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight. Depending on gender, weight, height, activity level and more, our diet should be anywhere from 10%-12% of our daily diet. Foods high in protein are also essential for the amino acids your body needs for many processes including repair of tissues, hormone balance, and healthy skin and hair.
When you’re exercising, you need additional protein, so make sure to account for this. The many great sources of protein include beans (lentils, garbanzo, black beans), quinoa, hemp hearts, tofu, nutritional yeast (cheesy, nutty flavor), almonds, almond milk, walnuts and many other nuts, spirulina, peas, brown rice, tempeh, sunflower seeds, nut butters and many more. Foods that are higher in protein can also be higher in calories, which is why it’s important to track your food. This way, you can balance your protein needs with your weight loss goals.
Vitamins and Minerals in our Weight Loss Program
When exercising, and trying to lose weight, it can be a great idea to add a high quality multivitamin to your plan. While any good food plan will include a variety of fruits and vegetables that are lower in calories and higher in micronutrients, they still might not be enough for your current needs.
When your body releases fats from your adipose tissue, it’s an additional burden on your body, and uses up resources of vitamins and minerals as it detoxifies. Making sure to get nutrients like magnesium, potassium, B vitamins, vitamin C, and calcium will help you to lose weight faster, and feel better during the process. Vitamins and minerals aren’t a “quick fix” or a “magic pill,” and none of them will let you lose all the extra weight overnight. These nutrients are essential for the body to perform well in all its functions, including maintaining a healthy body weight.
Low Calorie Trap
Some people simply look at the amount of calories in the food when they are trying to lose weight. While you need to balance your caloric energy needs with your desire to lose weight, calories are not the final answer. Choosing whole, natural foods will help to regulate your appetite, and when you want a snack of processed foods, make sure to check the ingredients to avoid all the artificial stuff. Reducing calories too low can not only mean that your body stops releasing excess fat because it thinks you’re in a starvation situation, but you also risk becoming malnourished because you aren’t getting the nutrients you need to function well in daily life, let alone exercise. These are some of the biggest things to keep in mind while you pursue your goal of losing weight. You can use these as reminders if you’re already following one of our holistic, plant based weight loss plans, or you can use this as a jump start before you even come in to see us to get your personalized weight loss plan.
References:
http://www.pcrm.org/?gclid=CI_Wxrz5htQCFYKEswodj8QFuQ
https://www.drmcdougall.com/
http://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/becoming-a-vegetarian
http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/meatless-meals/art-20048193
http://www.vrg.org/nutrition/protein.php
https://nutritionj.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1475-2891-10-9
http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/82/1/222S.abstract
https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/best-diet-quality-counts/
https://www.hindawi.com/journals/jnme/2014/421423/
http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/weight-loss/expert-answers/weight-loss/faq-20058292