Wednesday, May 27, 2020

Is There Really Such a Thing as Negative Calorie Foods?

Wouldn’t it be nice to eat certain foods and lose weight? That’s the thought behind so-called “negative-calorie foods” or foods you can eat that are so low in calories they technically shouldn’t count. They supposedly take up more energy to chew and digest than they contain, so they don’t contribute to your calorie surplus (a.k.a. weight gain). The question is: Do they work?

Negative-Calorie Foods and Their Connection to Weight Loss
"Negative-calorie foods" according to some are fruits, vegetables and other low-calorie snack items—foods that we subconsciously label as “healthy” (check out the chart below for more examples). The idea that negative-calorie foods help with weight loss comes from simple reasoning:

1. You burn more calories eating these foods than they actually contain.
The idea is that negative-calorie foods are low in calories but high in fiber and water, with some items containing up to 90% water by weight. As you know, water adds volume but zero calories. Fiber, though a carbohydrate, is difficult to digest so you don’t extract as many calories from high-fiber foods compared to low-fiber foods. Fibrous foods force you to chew more often, which theoretically burns calories (though not many!).

Examples of what some call Negative-Calorie Foods
FRUITSVEGETABLESOTHER
  • Blueberries
  • Citrus fruits, including oranges and grapefruit
  • Melon, including watermelon and cantaloupe
  • Apples
  • Peaches
  • Grapes
  • Apricots
  • Tangerines
  • Cherries
  • Prunes
  • Celery
  • Lettuce
  • Onions
  • Broccoli
  • Cauliflower
  • Spinach
  • Cucumbers
  • Beets
  • Carrots
  • Green beans
  • Spinach
  • Turnips
  • Air-popped Popcorn
  • Rice Cakes
  • Edamame
  • Bulgar
  • Wheat Bran
  • Shirataki Noodles
  • Egg whites
2. You feel fuller from these foods so you eat less unhealthy foods.
The volume from the water and fiber doesn’t contribute much to calories but impacts satiety. By filling up on negative-calorie foods, you feel fuller and are less apt to choose energy-dense foods full of empty calories (think: potato chips).
While these are two enticing reasons, the reality is you can’t just count on negative-calories foods to help you lose weight because:

3. You don’t use as many calories to process and digest food as you might think.
According to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, our bodies only burn about 5–15% of calories from this phenomenon. For someone who needs 2,000 calories per day, only 100–300 calories would be used to process and digest foods. You could consume way more calories than that while watching a movie and eating a bowl of grapes!

4. Low-calorie foods may not be as satisfying as a smaller amount of energy-dense foods.
You can still overeat low-calorie foods and contribute more calories than you think to your daily intake.

Rethink Negative-Calorie Foods
A glance at the negative-calorie foods chart above might have you thinking: “Wait a minute, these foods look pretty healthy!” You’re correct. You should choose fruits and vegetables often as part of a balanced, healthy diet; in addition, the fiber in these foods make them beneficial for weight loss. The caveat, though, is your relationship with these foods. If you view negative-calorie foods as a way to put your mind on autopilot so you can eat without being mindful of calories and portion sizes, think again.

Regardless of the dietary makeup of the food you’re eating, there is no research to support that more calories are used to metabolize a food than the number of calories the food contains. When it comes to weight loss, choosing a variety of foods, burning energy through exercise, and learning about your habits through tracking is the most sustainable plan.

Via My Fitness Pal

Saturday, May 9, 2020

Can Drinking Water Really Help You Lose Weight?



💦💦 WATER 💦💦

We ALL need it! But how much AND does it really help you lose weight, lean out, etc? Well here ya go! I watched an excellent video the other day with tons of tips and studies explaining how and why it DOES! Here's a bit of it! I'll be hosting a ⚡️⚡️ FREE⚡️⚡️ Water group in a few weeks to help motivate you to CHUG 💧! If you'd like more info, send me a message through this site, in Facebook, Instagram or via email at ellieperico@aol.com! Now....for the details!

Can drinking water help you lose weight/cut fat?

Here are some studies that have been done that prove YES!

1. Drinking half a liter or 17 oz of water increased metabolism from 24-30% for 1.5 hrs!

2. Drinking water before a meal decreases appetite = you eat less!

3. Half a liter before meals lead to 44% more weightloss than people who didn't drink before meals!

4. All metabolic processes that take place in your body work more efficiently with adequate water intake. Think of it in car terms, as the oil for your engine.

How much water should I drink per day? 

The general rule is half your body weight in ounces. So, if you're 150 lbs you need AT LEAST 75oz. More if you're exercising and/or sweating for any other reason, hence losing extra water. 

What if I'm bloated? Do I drink less? 

If you're bloated, that's an indication that you're bloated. DRINK water. It seems ironic but that's your body's signal to give it H20! It retains any water you have anticipating it may not get any for some time. Similar to when you don't eat.

People think if you don't eat you'll lose weight. Not necessarily. Your body's metabolism will slow down and it will create fat stores. 

Should I drink tap, filtered or bottled water?

Ideally, the best option is getting a good quality filter and drinking filtered water from a BPA free bottle. Stainless steel is a great option. It's been estimated that 205 million Americans are drinking contaminated water, including tap AND bottled water filled with pollutants, fluoride, heavy metals and even prescription drugs! 

Bottled water is no better either! I've been drinking bottled water for years and after reading this, I'll be finishing all of the water bottles I have at home and permanently switching to only BPA free bottles like my kids use
.
They did a study that women who had higher BPA levels in their body weighed 40 lbs more than women who didn't. The BPAs are coming from bottled water, plastic containers for food, etc.

Water in general will help with weightloss not only to make you eat less but to make the body function better as a whole. Your digestive system will work better, you'll have more energy, skin will improve and you'll have less headaches. 

So remember, water is a CRITICAL part of your weightloss and/or fitness routine. Drinking water alone won't shrink your belly BUT drinking water and combining that with a proper diet and fitness routine will lead to success, NO doubt! 

Remember, if you'd like to join me 💧💧 WATER ACCOUNTABILITY GROUP 💧💧 contact me! I may be adding a bonus free meal plan with recipes and snack ideas along with daily nutrition and fitness tips just like I do in my client paid groups! JUST in time for summer 🌞👙💦