It has come to my attention that I have not (recently or possibly ever) explained my current food goals. I know I have mentioned them in detail (see my last post about cookbooks) but I have not explained WHY these are my choices. This is that explanation.
To begin, this method of eating is described by a lot of fitness folks (at least Blogilates' Cassey Ho) as "eating clean." I'm not quite following all of the rules, but this is the basis. Eating clean involves eating whole grains, lean proteins, lots and lots of fruits and vegetables, low fat (if any) dairy and no chemicals from food processing if avoidable.The idea is to cut out all the gross stuff that gets put into processed food and eat as if you are fueling a high class engine. I use this as a basis for my food philosophy of the moment (it is ever changing) but there are details that I adjust/ have more to say about.
Let's go into whole grains a bit more, as for me this is a lynch-pin. Most people would say that if you are trying to lose weight, you should cut carbs. Get rid of them almost completely. Well, as people who have been following this blog from its inception know, I did that. It ended in disaster. Cutting one thing out of my diet (or anyone's diet for that matter) is extremely detrimental, if not physically, mentally. I like pasta, rice dishes and bread. Cutting them out made me crave them, and so I cheated and ate them, which slowed down my weight loss to the point of me giving up, loading them back on and gaining back everything I'd lost, plus half again. Now part of my problem may have been the degree to which I cut carbs, but it is safe to say I will never do that again. Instead, I have chosen to move my carbs to whole grains. How is this better? Whole grains are less straining on the body to process, they don't cause dramatic leaps in insulin levels like their refined siblings. Dramatic leaps in insulin lead to fat generation, as insulin is the molecule that helps mark excess glucose for storage. Whole grains, because of their fiber content, don't get marked this way and therefore don't get stored as fat as easily. It's exactly like eating a lean steak instead of a hamburger, only in grain form. It's just plain better for you.
Now, in my last post I made mention of a low-fat sort of goal. The reasoning for this choice is less than straightforward. I have not chosen low-fats because fat is bad. It's not! I know that fat is not more likely to become fat once it's inside me (in fact it is less so). I have chosen low fats because of calories. When it comes down to it, calories are the ONLY thing that matter in weight loss. It's all about what goes in and what goes out. Marathon runners can eat 6 hamburgers a day and not gain weight (though they will probably feel awful). I am not a marathon runner, and so I need to be more careful. By eating lower fat foods, I give myself a little extra room calorically. The higher my ratio of output to input, the better any given day is. Low fat dairy in particular is important for this, as well as the use of EVOO instead of butter when cooking.
Some of you may now say: calories? But Kiersten, you aren't even counting right now! And it's true, I'm not counting. But that doesn't mean they don't matter. Calories are the only thing that matters. I don't count anymore because it is a massive drain on my psyche. I have enough to feel guilty about without also needing that extra kick when I inevitably cross the max calorie line. I know what I should and should not be eating, and I know how many calories I'm burning (roughly) each day. I am no longer eating out everyday for lunch (heck, I rarely even have a meal I can call "lunch") and I don't usually eat much until most of my day is over and I know how many calories I have earned. It works because I never feel like I have a deficit of calories eaten compared to calories put out. As long as I have gotten off my butt and moved that day, I know that most of my hunger is justified.
The end goal of each day is more calories out than in and a balanced endocrine system without the highs and lows of refined carbs. These are the goals, following them is another post. Next week I'll fill you all in on my new exercise routine.
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