Healthy Diet Series

What is a “Good Diet”? Part 3 – FAQs About Nutrition

March 14, 2018 /

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This is part three of a three-part series on defining a good diet. Please see part one and two for more information.

So after reading my last two parts of this series, you may have lots of questions! Feel free to comment more on either this post or my last one (or any of my other ones for that matter!) if you have any questions that I didn’t answer. But here are some that I get a lot:

Does this mean I have to eat the same thing at the same times every single day?

Absolutely not! Though consistency is the best way to achieve your goals, you’ll want to have variation in your diet. When I created the first draft of my diet I had one option per meal! I stuck with that for a while, got bored and then re-wrote my macros all over again to add variation. Fortunately the second time, and all other times after that is way easier. Keep an eye out for a post coming soon on my favorite recipes! ‘

 

Do the nutritional contents of your food really matter? 

OH.MY.GOD – I’m going to have to refrain from getting on my soapbox about this one. SOMEONE HOLD ME BACK!

And the short answer is, yes you can eat 1500 calories of whatever the hell you feel like eating that day and still lose weight, but you will likely feel like $#*%. Your body needs nutrient-rich foods to survive and flourish. Have you ever found yourself feeling sluggish, moody or hangry? I promise you the majority of these feelings are not because it’s rainy outside or because you got no sleep last night or because it’s that time of the month. FOOD IS FUEL FOR YOUR BODY. 

Here’s an excerpt from The Four Hour Body by Tim Ferris (one of my favorite books of all time – I’ll be writing a post about my experiences with the diets in this book soon but I’m actually still in the middle of the slow carb diet!) In this excerpt Tim is discussing why a calorie isn’t a calorie. 

First, he quotes Fred Stare (Founder and former chair of the Harvard University Nutrition Department):

“‘Calories are all alike, whether they come from beef or bourbon, from sugar or starch, or from cheese and crackers. too many calories are just too many calories’ – Fred Stare

The above statement is so ridiculous as to defy belief, but let’s take a look at the issue through a more rational lense.”

After smack talking Mr. Stare he proceeds to go through two interesting scenarios to help people understand how people can react totally different to food when their nutritional makeup is different – if you’re interested check out his book for more detail or wait for my blog post series on the 4HB. But here are the rules he comes up with:

“Rule #1: it’s not what you put in your mouth that matters, it’s what makes it to your bloodstream. if it passes through, it doesn’t count.”

“Rule #2: The hormonal responses to carbohydrates (CHO), protein and fat are different.”

What does this mean exactly?

“Different sources of calories = different results.

Things that affect calorie allocation – and that can be modified for fat-loss and muscle gain – include digestion, the ration of protein-to-carbohydrates-to-fat, and timing.”

So what happens when the macros I try don’t work for me? What do I do now?

I’m going to bring in the big guns on this one! My expert friend, Hillary, has this to say about how to help yourself.

“Education is power, any way you slice it. Read, research, discuss. Don’t understand words? Look them up, learn their definitions. ‘Miracle Diet’ sounding sketchy? Do some digging, find out the facts. Want some fresh perspective or firsthand advice? Take a class or chat with that dietitian you know through a friend of a friend’s sister. Use your resources!

Keep it simple. At the end of the day, there are some really simple concepts that can get you on the road to success even if you aren’t ready to get into the nitty-gritty of calculations and all. Start by knowing what your body needs, create a sustainable plan that works with your lifestyle, and have patience. Once you get some basic knowledge under your belt you’re ready to plan for macros and overall balanced eating.
Do not expect quick results or that eating one grapefruit a day will turn you into the shadow of Paris Hilton in just two weeks. Extreme measures do not yield results, but they will turn you into a manic yo-yo dieter and a growling stomach. A lot of people come to me under the impression that if they just stick to 1200 calories or less per day for long enough, they’ll achieve their weightless goals eventually. The reality of this is that its simply not safe and puts a huge amount of stress on metabolism and is a recipe for creating really detrimental eating habits down the road. Our bodies need proper and adequate fuel to function at their best and that should never be sacrificed at the expense of an unrealistic goal or lack of patience. Se goals that you know you can achieve.
If you are expecting to maintain a new physical norm for your body, do not think that you can make a temporary change in your nutrition and make that a reality. Changing your body and improving your fitness and health are achieved through a lifestyle. I know every nutritionist and health coach out there is preaching the same words, but it’s the truth. Make your lifestyle reflect your goals and change will happen with patience. There’s no special 8-week diet that will provide you with an hourglass figure a supplement that will increase the circumference of your quads by themselves. In fact, there are a lot of approaches and lifestyles that are excellent to help you achieve optimum performance and results, but it’s a matter of committing to one, being diligent and making it a part of your everyday life.There’s no magic formula, but I can promise you that dedication is key.”

Summary

Your macros and your calories need to be tailored to your preferences. Though Mr. Ferriss would disagree, none of this is an exact science. But by learning and changing your macros based on how your body responds to them can get pretty close. Just so you guys are aware, I don’t actually count my calories or my macros anymore. I do eat a pretty standard diet and I know what things fall within my diet. By living this way I never have to restrict what I’m eating because I eat the things I want to and I know how my body will react. I eat out, I drink beer (not often, but I do drink it), I LOVE ice cream, but I do all of these things in moderation. Remember that this blog is about achieving Sophrosyne, which is essentially living a life in moderation leading to a well balanced and happy life.

As always, thanks for reading!

Love,

Francesca Nicole