Knowing what to eat and when (if that is even what we should be doing) gets confusing very quickly. There are a lot of mixed messages out there telling us which type of diet we should be following. We have been taught to watch our calories and keep them under a certain amount for so long, but now it seems like all the wellness gurus are eating avocados, coconut oil, and ghee–which are all fats and pack in way more calories than their protein and carbohydrates counterparts. So what should you really be paying attention to?
Well, one thing to remember is that we have already spent a decade (plus) eating a low-fat diet, which led to a carbohydrate-heavy diet. Having a carbohydrate-heavy diet contributed to many chronic conditions like heart disease, hormone imbalance, and cancer. If anything, don’t chow down on all the carbohydrates you see left and right.
The most important thing to remember is that we are all different. There isn’t one method that is going to work for all of us. As frustrating as this may be, this is also what makes each and every one of us a unique bad ass. You will have to experiment with what makes sense for you by taking a couple things into consideration. How does your metabolism utilize calories and when do you work out? Eating whole, nonprocessed foods (organic when available) that are full of fiber, healthy fats, and protein can help you feel satiated, which gives you the freedom to not worry about counting calories. Additionally, if you find yourself still hungry after an hour or two, then you need to get a bit more picky about what you eat and make sure you are eating enough protein and fiber. Fiber is critical in keeping your blood sugar in check. Even if you eat enough, if some fiber doesn’t come with it then it could lead you to overeat when your body tricks you and sends you hunger signals.
Diving in a bit deeper, other things to take into consideration about what you should be eating and when, also, depends on your stress, your hormones, the state in which your gut flora is in, how your body releases insulin, do you get enough sleep, and which types of foods are you currently eating to name a few.
When you give your body real whole unprocessed foods, your body will know how to use them. Trust us, your body is way smarter than you think you are. With proper nutrition, you will relearn how to recognize when you’re hungry and when you’re full. Your body literally is all you need to be able to determine what foods it needs, you may just need to pay a little more attention to it!
If there is one thing to remember, remember that calories don’t matter as much as the type of calories you choose!
