Healthy Eating - Are You Missing Vital Nutrients in Your Bid to Count Calories?

By Beverleigh H Piepers   

Counting calories is still the preferred approach to weight loss by many individuals the world over. Counting calories is an incredibly flawed way to try to manage your weight and here are a few reasons...

• it is impossible to calculate calories accurately. For instance, many restaurant meals when independently audited for calorie count were found to contain 18% more than stated, with some providing almost twice as many calories as stated, and
• cooking food increases the caloric amount when compared to food left in its natural raw state.

These are just for starters, and I could go on, but this would dilute the point of the article. Perhaps one of the most concerning aspects where many diets are concerned are the statements throughout the diet plan stating...

• calories need to be counted,
• avoid foods high in calories,
• keep on counting calories at every meal.

These statements create fear in the life of dieters. And this then actively encourages people to fear good wholesome food and as a result become nutrient deficient, which invites many diseases to the table.

Here are few toxic beliefs the calorie counting industry are responsible for...

1. Choosing low-fat foods - this is a mistake. They are higher' in calories because often the reduced fat option can be loaded with sugar or artificial ingredients attempting to mimic the taste of full-fat products and satisfy us. Also, we need specific healthy fats to keep our brain healthy and our cell walls upright, so it is dangerous to skip on all products just because they are rich in fat.

Trans fats are the most hazardous fats, and these are the only ones that should be avoided at all costs.

2. Eating fewer or no animal protein sources because they contain fat - this can be detrimental to your health because although you can obtain protein from vegetarian sources, you must ensure you mix the right ones to get the complete protein that animal protein offers. Protein is a vital macronutrient because it helps aid in the repair of the skin, helps to build muscle which is our fat burning tissue, and is one of the ingredients needed to manufacture healthy hormones. Also while animal protein contains fat, animal fat is the most natural type of fat for the body to break down when compared with man-made margarine which is toxic to the body.

3. Increased consumption of artificial sweeteners - artificial sweeteners cannot be broken down by the body, and some studies have found aspartame, a common ingredient in artificial sweeteners can cause migraines, nausea, joint pain, depression as well as more severe side effects.

Although managing your disease can be very challenging, Type 2 diabetes is not a condition you must just live with. You can make simple changes to your daily routine and lower both your weight and your blood sugar levels. Hang in there, the longer you do it, the easier it gets.

For nearly 25 years, Beverleigh Piepers has searched for and found a number of secrets to help you build a healthy body. Go to http://DrugFreeType2Diabetes.com to learn about some of those secrets.

The answer isn't in the endless volumes of available information but in yourself.

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