C stands for: Calories Count, but it's Confidence in yourself that really matters!

In the 25 plus years I’ve been in the fitness profession, I have studied every kind of diet. We’ve had “no fat”, “no carb” (when I was really young I remember my grandmother saying she had to watch the bread and the pasta or she’d gain weight, so this is not a new concept), “grapefruit and eggs diet,” “slim fast,” “Hollywood diet,” “ice cream diet,” and “think yourself thin” just to name a few. There are so many bizarre diet's that have come and gone over the last sixty years, it's no wonder eating disorders and negative body image issues are rampant! It really is quite simple: if you eat more calories than your body requires for your weight and activity level, you will gain weight and if you eat less than your body needs you’ll lose it.

Healthy carbohydrates are both starchy non-starchy veggies!  For weight-loss, eat a whole lot of the non-starchy veggies to fill your belly.  Get creative!

That is not to say that all calories are created equal.  They’re not. We all know that proteins, carbohydrates and fats are our body’s primary fuel sources.  All three of these nutrients are necessary for our body’s ability to function. I believe that balance is best when calculating how to split your calories between the three.  Proteins and fats should each be about 30 percent of your intake, while carbohydrates should be about 40 percent.

Whole grains and veggies, RULE!  (Whole-grain pasta with veggies from my garden.)

Carbohydrates fall into two categories; refined and unrefined.  Refined are the ones you want to avoid. This would include all white breads and pastas, pastries, bagels, chips, most crackers and anything with sugar in it such as cookies, ice cream, soda, and candy bars. These are the carbohydrates to avoid and will usually be highly processed as well, but not always.  As Michael Pollan, of the book Food Rules, says, “Don’t eat anything your great-grandmother wouldn’t recognize as food.” You definitely want grains, fruits and vegetables as a part of your everyday lifestyle diet, so why in the heck would anyone want to give them up as a part of their diet?  

Fats can be an excellent source of energy. It stays in our belly longer, therefore you feel satisfied longer. Fats support our skin repair, joint function and so much more. Good fats  need to be a part of your daily diet - think olive, fish and flax oils, nuts and nut butters, and avocados.  But Omega 3 fatty acids are not the only types of fats our body requires.  We need Omega 6 fatty acids as well, again in it’s purest form. Omega 6 fatty acids work in concert with Omega 3’s (A 4 to 1 ratio, Omega 6 to Omega 3).  The trick here is to eat healthy and unprocessed Omega 6's.  Think range free, organic egg yolks (please do not use only the whites of REAL eggs, you'd be missing out on a wonderful nutrient), pure coconut, palm and vegetable oils, avocados and whole grains.

Lean turkey sandwich on whole grain bread with a whole lot of veggies!

Protein is important for the building and maintenance of muscles and organs.  The best sources are the leanest varieties: most fresh, wild fish, free range, organic poultry, eggs, some dairy, (goat and sheep products seem to be easiest to digest), leaner cuts of grass fed or wild meats and some grain and legume products.  It's best to consult a nutritionist if you are vegan as it can be very difficult to get the correct balance of amino acid in vegetable proteins.  Even if one is getting all of the amino acids in vegetable proteins, they may not be getting the correct balance and this could lead to a host of health problems.

I will be discussing ways to lose weight in my future blogs.  You can learn to eat right without guilt or deprivation, forever!

One of my favorite books  is Mindless Eating by Brian Wansink.  This book is a must read for everyone who has decided to go BODECI.  Who wants to count calories their whole life?  Who wants to live without the joys of delicious food?  I don't!  I am sure you don't either!  

Helen said this today:  "Don't beat yourself up!  If you're going to have a treat, enjoy it or forget about it!"   Well said!  Now, eat drink and be BODECI!