faithkocon-blog

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Humans are naturally a creative species and developing new foods and recipes are no exception. With the use of YouTube, Instagram, cooking channels, and various other mediums, the information can be overwhelming. Many influencers, chefs, and regular people put out their videos and even ‘what I eat in a day’ videos. But does anyone every help their viewers by giving information about the nutritional aspects of what we put into our bodies?

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Typically, when someone hears the word ‘diet’, it is assumed that all desserts, cocktails, beer, wine, or other indulgent foods are to be avoided at all costs. Fad diets that promise “lose 30 pounds in 30 days” or provide something like a “14-day weight loss plan” can be appealing to those trying to reach a specific goal. However, these diets remove all the things we should be enjoying in life like having something delicious to eat or enjoying an outing with friends or loved ones. These plans also do not prepare or educate people on what their body needs, how to incorporate healthy foods while still enjoying others in moderation, or how to live a lifestyle that is sustainable after the end of the ‘diet phase’.

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Macros

Macros, short for macronutrients, are the three categories of nutrients you eat to provide you with most of your energy. These include protein, carbohydrates, and fats. For a balanced lifestyle and to improve weight, health, and overall physical well-being, most adults should target their macros to around 45-65% carbs, 10-35% protein, and 20-35% fat. When utilizing these as a base in determining the foods we eat, we can have and enjoy a variety of foods.

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In order to truly understand the nutritional value of food, apps like MyFitnessPal, MyPlate, and Nutritionix Track, to name a few, can be beneficial and help us be more aware of what we put into our bodies. Tracking and logging food intake is not for everyone, but by being more familiar with nutritional labels and learning how to read them, we can make better eating choices, incorporate more nutritious foods, and swap out those that do not fit within our health goals. By being aware of foods and their value, we can all live a lifestyle of the 80-20 rule. Meaning 80% of the time the food consumed is healthy and high in nutrition, while the other 20% is spent eating and enjoying our favorite treats.

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Healthy Swaps

I must reiterate this; all foods can be enjoyed in moderation! The foods listed below are not by any means ‘bad’ foods. But they can be swapped out to conserve calories and incorporate a variety of foods that are more nutritious while still having flavor!

o   Pasta: Zucchini spirals

o   Cheese: Fat free or reduced fat cheeses

o   Vegetable or Olive oil: Cooking spray

o   Fruit juice; Fresh squeezed juice

o   Traditional beef: 85% or 93% lean

o   Flour tortilla: Corn tortilla

o   Fried eggs: Egg whites, boiled eggs

o   Salted/roasted nuts: Raw nuts

o   Rice: Cauliflower rice

o   Sour cream: Greek yogurt

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And for the 21+ people out there, instead of opting for a sugary alcoholic beverage, instead try a few of these lower calorie options:

o   Whiskey and diet coke

o   Tequila soda with lime juice

o   Beer: Pilsner, lager

o   Wine spritzer with soda water

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All in Moderation

Diet culture has given us the idea that there are ‘good’ and ‘bad’ foods. While yes, some food has a greater nutritional value that others, food does not have a moral value and everything can be enjoyed in moderation. While utilizing healthy swaps like zoodles, lower calorie ice cream, or a lighter alcoholic beverage, you will not only start to see positive changes in your body but also in the way you feel. It will also make having the occasional treat even more enjoyable when the time comes.

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Macros

The two websites below will give you more in-depth information about reading nutrition labels, what macros are, and how to calculate your them for your specific body and goals!

https://www.idealfit.com/blog/counting-macros/#howtocalculate

https://www.sclhealth.org/blog/2018/10/what-are-macros-and-why-should-i-be-counting-them/

Helpful Apps/Websites

·       MyFitnessPal

·       Nutritionix Track

·       MyPlate

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Ingredient Swap Ideas

https://www.myrecipes.com/healthy-diet/easy-healthy-food-swaps

 Healthy Recipes

 https://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/17947/mealtimes/dinner/