If you are trying to lose weight, you may feel a calorie is a calorie. The ultimate goal for weight loss is to burn more calories each day than you take in. But the truth is, not all calories are created equal.
Dr. Lori Catanzaro, Certified Bariatrician at the St. Elizabeth Physicians Weight Management Center feels, “By eating less processed foods and more higher quality foods, you will consume more fiber and lower calorie dense foods. This will keep you feeling fuller throughout the day and likely control the amount of calories you eat.”
A recent study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association compared the effects of a healthy low-fat diet to a healthy low-carb diet over a 12 month period. The results? The two groups lost similar amounts of weight.
Dr. Catanzaro says the results are not surprising, “The revealing word in this study is healthy. Everyone was eating higher quality foods, which implies the number of calories is less important than the quality of the calories.”
How to Incorporate High-Quality Foods in Your Diet
The study made one thing clear—healthy food can help you lose weight. Dr. Catanzaro recommends whether you choose a healthy low-fat diet or a healthy low-carb diet, make sure you can stick to it.
She said, “Think of a diet as the types of food you eat rather than a way to lose weight. A good diet and daily exercise should be a way of life. If you can do that, you should maintain a healthy weight year after year.”
Here are 7 tips to help you start a healthy diet:
- Eat more whole foods – whole grains, fruits, vegetables, beans.
- Avoid processed foods.
- Avoid added sugar.
- Plan your menu for the week and shop from the list.
- Portion your meal before you eat and don’t get a second portion until you give your body time to feel full.
- Be mindful of when you eat and what is causing you to want to eat and make a conscious decision not to let emotion cause you to overeat.
- Write down everything you eat and your activity each day to help you be more mindful of your habits. If you find emotional eating is an issue, talk to a counselor or a therapist about why you turn to food for comfort.
Visit our website to learn more about the weight-loss options the St. Elizabeth Weight Management Center has to offer. The St. Elizabeth Weight Management Center has two locations: Ft. Thomas and Florence. If you are looking for weight-loss help, you can make an appointment with one of our weight management specialists by calling (859) 212-4625.