The key is to promote optimal hormone levels, specifically insulin by consuming more healthy fats and less sugar and carbohydrates. ![]() Finally we as a society are starting to realize that low fat and low calorie diets do not promote long-term heath and weight management. People were microwaving their meals and eating their snacks out of bags instead of focusing on real whole unprocessed healthy foods like fresh vegetables, fruits, oils, nuts, seeds, fish, poultry, eggs, quality beef and pork. The low fat products are full of sugar and preservatives to make the product low fat they were promoting insulin fluctuations along with unhealthy cancer causing preservatives. The low fat craze of the 80’s and 90’s is when the obesity and type 2 diabetes epidemic hit Americans hard. This is a great diet for children who have attention issues or behavior problems due to poor ability to focus. Consuming a high fat diet (natural healthy fats) promote satiety, and optimal brain health. When insulin levels increase after consuming sugar, carbohydrates or when the body is in a state of stress the metabolism is no longer able to use stored fat as a fuel source, resulting in increased fat storage and weight gain. These targets promote weight loss, while maintaining muscle mass and brain health. These macronutrient targets promote steady insulin levels and will eventually train the body to use stored fat as a fuel source. Preventive and holistic health professionals recommend a higher fat, moderate protein and lower carbohydrate diet. Sugar on the other hand contributes to increased risk for Type 2 Diabetes, non alcoholic fatty liver and obesity, which are all related to increased risk for heart disease. Unsaturated dietary fats and dietary cholesterol have now been shown to be completely unrelated to increased risk for heart disease. These recommendations were created for many reasons, one of them being old research that has now been proven to be false stating that a low fat diet will prevent heart disease. These recommendations actually promote weight gain due to insulin fluctuations and work against our body’s ability to burn stored fat as fuel source. Standard recommendations given by most health professionals include: This can be done with a food log application such as myfitnesspal, fitbit, etc. The start to achieving this optimal hormonal balance starts with counting macronutrients and aiming for a range that promotes steady insulin levels. The deeper issue and key to success with weight management is finding the right hormonal balance, specifically insulin to promote optimal fat burn and utilization. Yo-yo dieting and metabolic damage is the only result of cutting calories and over exercising. These same clients are regular exercisers who truly are “doing everything right.” The old term move more and eat less has proven us wrong for long-term weight loss. I see several clients who eat a healthy diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, healthy fats and fiber but they are so frustrated because they are not dropping weight, inches or body fat. ![]() Macronutrient counting has become more popular in the nutrition community because we have finally realized that counting calories, points and/or servings is not the recipe for long term weight loss or optimal health, if it were then the calorie counters would not be as frustrated as they are. The term macronutrients refers to carbohydrates, protein and fat as compared to micronutrients, which are vitamins and minerals. The education they do receive is very basic information based on the USDA guidelines. We have to remember that most medical doctors specialize in reactive health care and unfortunately have very little (4 college hours) of nutrition education. The scary part is that most health professionals still recommend calorie counting as the best way to lose weight, and when their patient does not see results everyone is frustrated and the patient feels ashamed despite their best efforts. This is when most people feel helpless, frustrated and sometimes angry. Sure, portion control alone might work for a while, but unless you switch to the right foods-foods that leave you satiated or even stuffed while on a caloric deficit-your self-control will eventually break down. One of the problems with traditional calorie counting is that it doesn’t take into account what you’re eating, just how many calories. What is this new nutritional logging method mean and how can it help you reach our health goals? I will explain macronutrient counting, give you percentage targets, the benefits, along with meal timing and how to easily apply it to your meals with the plate method. “Count your macros,” has become a popular recommendation among fitness, health and diet enthusiasts.
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