Calorie Education: This or That?
Here at MWU, we believe that education is so important as knowledge really is power when it comes to your health and fitness journey.
Our Dietitians understand that nutrition can be confusing especially when it is still widely promoted that you need to eat a ‘clean’ diet in order to achieve your goals - whatever they may be!
We’re here to tell you that you don’t need to eat strictly clean at all! Not only that, but if you are opting for ‘clean’ alternatives to reduce your energy intake, you may be doing yourself an injustice. Let’s break this down!
“Healthy” & “clean” food
Often when we look at ‘healthy’ and ‘clean’ foods like salads, acai bowls, and raw treats like cheesecakes and bliss balls we can automatically assume that these are lower in calories because they’re ‘healthy’ and ‘clean’ - right? This could not be further from the truth!
Quite often these types of foods are higher in calories than your usual alternative meal and snack options. For example, things we usually demonise like sandwiches, wraps, pasta, cereals and sweet snacks can often be much lower in calories than the "healthy alternative" you were reaching for.
Now, we’re not saying to never choose these options but we want to highlight the importance of your choices if you’re focusing on strict goals. While these options may be more nutrient-dense than others, it’s important to think about your diet as a whole, rather than 1-2 meals. Always ensure you are consuming plenty of whole foods to meet your micronutrient needs.
Check out the below comparisons for some eye-opening education!
Low calorie vs. high calorie options for goals
Calorie education can also come in handy for everyday eating and goal-focused eating. Selecting low calorie/high volume options can come in handy if you’re a lover of big meals or if you’re focusing on being in an energy deficit.
Whereas on the other hand, foods that are higher in calories and lower in volume may be more favourable if you’re someone who enjoys smaller meals, if you’re focusing on eating a little bit more, or focusing on muscle growth.
Eating in either of these ways can be beneficial and it’s important to realise that you can certainly adjust your meals to account for this. You can easily swap full fat sour cream to Greek yoghurt for more volume or swap particular ingredients for lower fat alternatives. Check out how we incorporate this concept in some of our recipes below:
We hope you’ve learnt a little more about calories and how to adjust your food choices depending on your goals and preferences. If you need any more help, please email our Dietitians at info@movewithus.com.
To access the full recipes for these meals plus over 1000+ additional delicious and nutritious recipes, head to the Move With Us App today!
