Don’t just count calories (kcal). Certainly, theoretically the more calories you eat, the more you will gain weight. But it is not that simple.
1) Indeed, if you eat 100 kcal of broccoli or 100 kcal of white pasta (not whole) you will gain less weight with broccoli than with white pasta. These contain fast sugars, which raise blood sugar. We know that glucose can turn into fat. Broccoli, rich in fiber and low in sugars, will be absorbed more gradually with a lower glycemic index, not to mention that some of it will end up unabsorbed and eliminated through the faeces.
It can be said that there are good calories like broccoli and bad calories like white pasta.
It should not be forgotten that the number of calories indicates the quantity ingested but not necessarily those absorbed by the intestine, the most important point for controlling weight.
It is for this reason in particular that the famous Weight Watchers diet abandoned its points system a few years ago, entirely based on the number of calories, by directing it towards a weighting of each food. To sum up, in this diet you must not exceed a certain number of points per day, each food being assigned a certain number of points. The banana, for example, has 0 points, which means that you can theoretically consume as much as you want each day (be careful not to abuse it). As we can see, a banana contains 90 kcal per 100 g, it causes little or no weight gain.
- Fibers.
Most nutritionists constantly repeat that you need to eat more fiber-rich foods. As mentioned in point 1, these foods limit absorption in the intestine and above all slow down entry into the vascular system. This lowers blood sugar levels, so foods high in fiber have a low glycemic index. By consuming foods rich in fiber, the level of insulin is stabilized, which reduces the feeling of hunger. Fiber, as it is not absorbed, contains no calories. Discover fiber-based foods
- Beware of excess
Avoid diets that can be described as excessive. Most serious doctors and nutritionists (who try to trust the science) advise avoiding diets emphasizing very high protein intake, as well as those recommending near complete deprivation of sugar. These diets promote a “yoyo” effect, in other words the person can lose weight for a while but regain all those pounds after the end of the diet.
It is therefore preferable to change your eating habits permanently and without excess. For example, exceptionally, if you are celebrating a birthday, why not enjoy a good sweet cake.
- Stop drinking sodas.
This is probably one of the most effective ways to lose weight. When we see the sales of the big soda manufacturers, we know that there is a huge demand from the population. Unfortunately the very high sugar content in these drinks, often cola-based, are quite simply calorie bombs, and as we saw in point 1. it is not about good calories like broccoli but rather many bad calories with a very high glycemic index. An interesting way is to drink a hot soda, to realize the impressive sugar content of these drinks.
- Choose certain foods rich in protein.
To use the advice given in the previous points, a good diet should contain plenty of fruits and vegetables, including spinach and broccoli, lean proteins found in chicken or fish, cereals and foods such as pasta. or wholemeal bread.
It will be necessary to consume as little as possible sugary drinks as well as sweets, it will also be a question of eating potatoes infrequently because they are rich in starch. Choose rice and other cereals (preferably wholegrain).
A Danish study of 772 families showed that the highest protein, lowest carbohydrate diet was the most effective for weight loss. Proteins have 4 kcal per gr while fats contain 9 kcal per gr. We can also note that proteins have a better power of satiety than sugars, while we count the same number of kcal, ie 4 kcal per g of sugar.
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