Read the Labels

Being in the fitness industry, we spend alot more time helping people lose fat than anything else. It amazes me how the majority of people come in with preconceived ideas on fat loss tactics. Where do they get their information? Diet books, media, friends or the often deceiving packages on foods at the grocery store? Just because it says HEALTHY, it still has calories and should be eaten according to portion size. ” The boring message is when it to food that there are two variables: what you are eating and how much,” says Dawn Blatner, R.D., and spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association.

An average adult woman should consume about 1600 calories a day, says Deanna Hoelscher, director of the MIchael & Susan Dell Center for the advancement of Healthy Living and a professor at the University of Texas, Austin, School of Public Health. It’s not jus counting calories, eating a variety of foods in proper portions will also help maintain a healthy weight.

Imagine a plate: One quarter should be a lean protein ( like fish or chicken ), another quarter should be grains ( oatmeal or brown rice ), and the last half should be fruits and vegetables. How you prepare your foods is also a very important. Improper cooking methods can rob foods of their nutritional value.

READ THE FOOD LABELS: Don’t be fooled by the NO-FAT or LOW FAT versions. When something is taken out, something else takes it’s place. Yogurt with fruit is labeled low fat, for example can have more sugar than two scoops of ice cream. In fact, some fats are healthy, for instance avocados, walnuts and salmon, these fats stave off hunger and can keep your arteries from clogging. Still, just because something is good for you, it doesn’t mean you can eat all you want. It’s not a food industry conspiracy. Marketers follow the trends, for instance the Atkins Diet, foods all over the store were labeled low carb or no carb. ( FYI: Atkins has been critisized by by just about about every medical organization known to man ). A 2008 study Arizona State University and the University of Kentucky showed that dieters will actually eat more if the portions are presented in small packages because of the reduced sizes are perceived to be diet food. Marketers and the trends, that’s why we now see 100 calorie packages of Oreos, it’s still a bag of sugar and fat filled cookies that you don’t need. Even the fast food industry is claiming to add healthier choices on their menus. They maybe healthier than other items on the menu but, that does make them healthy. It’s all in how it’s presented and just another marketing trick. Give the public what they think they want and they’ll buy it. It’s like saying light cigarettes are okay. Give me a break.

The Bottom Line: Eat less and exercise more, this is a proven method that works. Let us design a fitness and a nutrition program just for you.

Michael Joe Wilkerson, CFT, SPN
The Dang Gym