Can Eating Nutritionally Dense Help with Weight Loss? OF COURSE IT CAN!
Are you considering eating nutritionally dense foods for weight loss? Back in the 1960s, only 10 percent of the U.S. population was obese. Today, a third of the population is suffering from obesity, and another third is overweight. Moreover, some research suggests being overweight is worse than smoking. Losing weight is the best medicine for reducing the risk of things heart disease, stroke, and other serious medical conditions.
When speaking about eating nutritionally dense, many will focus on the benefits of eating the foods that humans are genetically evolved to eat. For thousand of years, humans grew from primitive primates to modern humans on a diet of vegetables, fruits, nuts, berries, meat and fish. Agriculture introduced foods that are eatable, but that is not necessarily human food. This is all true, but we need to go further.
Weight gain is caused by the first law of thermodynamics, which states, “energy can be transformed from one form to another, but cannot be created or destroyed.” Calories are a form of energy. Therefore, if we consume more energy than we need, it is transformed into fat and stored for later use. Are you with me so far?
Some will argue a calorie is a calorie. So, all one must do to lose weight is either eat less or exercise more. If you need 2600 calories a day to maintain your current weight, all you need to do is reduce your caloric intake by, or burn calories through exercise equal to, 500 calories a day in order to lose 1 pound per week. Does that make sense to you?
Here is the problem with that line of thinking. Carbohydrates, proteins, and fats will all “burn” at a different rate. Think of it this way. If we were to measure the heat given off by a pound of burning wood and a pound of rusting metal, the energy would be the same. However, the wood burns in minutes while the metal may take years to rust. In the same way, high carbohydrate diets will release energy very quickly compared to a more balanced Nutritionally Dense Diet. The extra fuel turns to fat, and you are left hungry and wanting to eat more.
However, it becomes even more complicated. There is the issue of refined carbohydrates versus unrefined carbohydrates. Refined carbohydrates are highly processed foods, often containing man-made chemicals. These refined foods will digest very quickly, causing your blood sugar levels to rise suddenly and swiftly. A Nutritionally Dense Diet eliminates these unnatural and unhealthy foods.
Therefore, following a Nutritionally Dense Diet helps you to lose weight through a slow burn. When you eat whole and natural foods, your body digests it at a rate that the calories can be used during the day. Moreover, this slow burn means you feel full longer and will be less likely to overeat. While all calories may be equal, all foods are not!
What haven’t we covered yet that is important to you? If you would like to talk about the Nutritional Dense Diet, other cool weight loss trends or other related topics, please contact us today!
David Michael Gilbertson is the founder and president of 3 Elements Lifestyle, LLC., a Fitness and Weight Loss company that specializes in YOU!. With more than 15 years of experience owning, operating and managing clubs of all sizes, David lectures and delivers seminars and workshops on the practical skills required to successfully help you with your health and fitness goals. David also helps you build the teamwork, management and training necessary to open your own fitness center. Visit his Web site at: www.3elementslifestyle.com or email at daveg@3elementslifestyle.com or call 805.499.3030
