Really? Could losing weight be easy? You mean I do not have to count calories or workout for hours on end? What gives? The answer is caloric density. What, you say, is caloric density? It is the number of calories in one pound of any given food.
Turns out, man evolved eating a diet that averaged
under 600 calories per pound. The average person eats 3lbs - 4lbs of food per day. Combine the average caloric density of just under 600 calories per pound with 3lbs - 4lbs of food per day and you get the exact number of calories needed to maintain a healthy weight. We are designed to be a healthy weight. All we have to do is get out of the way and let nature take its course.
Looking at the caloric density chart above, you can see that if you eat to the left of the red line, you are in the caloric density zone needed to obtain and maintain a healthy weight naturally.
The really cool thing is that the foods to the left of the red line are full of antioxidants and phytonutrients; the things we need to maintain a healthy immune system and prevent disease. What's more, they taste awesome!
The red foods to the right of red line include processed foods that are full of sugar, salt, and unhealthy fats. They are also devoid of nutrients. Yes, they have calories, but they are empty calories meaning that they do not provide the things we need to stay healthy. We all know, regardless of the diet we may currently follow, that avoiding processed foods is a key to health and longevity as well as maintaining a healthy weight.
The purple foods to the right of the red line are healthy foods but very calorie dense so they should be eaten in moderation. Think about how avocados and nuts are packaged in nature - in coverings that are pretty tough to "crack." Think also about how they are not available all year round. Nuts fall from the trees in the fall - they do not grow in large bags at Costco.
You may notice that meat is not on the list. If it were, it would fall between 1800 and 2200 calories. Research shows that most meat today is a FAR cry from what our grandparents ate much less what was around 1000s of years ago. If you do eat meat, go for organic, avoid red meat as much as possible and take the approach of folks in the Blue Zones (who commonly live to 100+) and use it as a condiment on occasion (a few times per week at most) and not the main focus of three meals per day. Making this change will reduce your chances of heart disease, cancer, Alzheimer's and type 2 diabetes while helping you obtain and maintain a healthy weight.
So - what might you eat in a typical day (
Dr. Greger's Daily Dozen for optimum health - just happens to be ideal for weight loss and maintenance)?
3 servings of legumes beans, peas, and lentils - hummus counts) - 1/2 cup per serving
1 serving of berries - 1/2 cup
3 servings of fruit (in addition to the berries - can be more berries) - 1/2 cup
1 serving of cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, kale, bok choy, cauliflower etc) - 1/2 cup cooked
2 servings of greens - 1 cup raw or 1/2 cup cooked
2 servings of vegetables (can be more greens but mix it up - peppers, onions, squash etc) -1/2 cup cooked
1 TBS ground flaxseed
1 serving nuts and seeds (almonds, walnuts, pumpkin seeds etc) - 1/4 cup
2 servings whole grains (oats, quinoa, Ezekiel break) - 1/2 cup cooked or 1 slice
5 servings of water (herbal tea, etc)
If you add this up, it is less than 1400 calories (depending on your choices of fruits and vegetables (for example, bananas have more calories than blueberries and potatoes have more calories than arugula).
