Eating Healthy Might Be Making You Fat

Okay I know what you are thinking, I’ve lost my mind… You probably think “if I eat clean then I will lose weight.” While this certainly can be true, if you aren’t tracking what you are eating you might be consuming just as much or MORE calories than you think! 

For example, avocados, quinoa, beans, and nuts are all really healthy foods. But without portion control, they can actually cause you to gain weight and eat more calories / macronutrients than you intended. Similar to tracking a budget, you need to know how much is being spent to avoid going over. This is the same when it comes to food. Everything needs to be consumed in moderation, EVERYTHING! 

This is where flexible dieting comes into play. Flexible dieting allows you to track your macronutrients and calories, and as long as you hit those numbers you can eat what you want. Yes, even a donut! The idea is that you eat your three meals a day (or six depending on your lifestyle) and after consuming the bulk of your calories, you can choose to have a sweet or a snack to help fill the remaining macros. This method also helps prevent binge eating because you don’t feel deprived of the foods you enjoy. Again, everything in moderation!

No matter what program you follow -- Keto, Paleo, Whole30, or anything else -- too much of a good thing will not help you reach your diet goals. The fundamentals for losing weight is calories in vs calories out. If you are operating in a deficit, you will lose weight. This is why portions are so important, 500 calories of broccoli is still 500 calories. The only way to truly know if you are truly in a calorie deficit is to track your food and portions.

Recently I found this awesome product called PortionMate (use the code SHOP5) that basically helps take the guesswork out of estimating your portion size. Essentially, it’s a ring that estimates the portion size for each food group based on the recommended amount you should be consuming. It helps you stay away from overeating healthy foods, without weighing your food all the time. This is a great tool you can use on the go when a food scale isn’t an option. Obviously, if you want to get really serious and very accurate, then you can buy a food scale. 

If you are looking for more tips, tricks, and recipes, check out my private Facebook Group for moms who are looking to lose weight!