How to Never Worry About Calories Again!!

Basically, eat whole foods and don't eat packaged food. Cutting out packaged food and making your own snacks and meals from fresh, wholesome ingredients is the key to better health.

Convenient foods sealed in a nice little (or big) package in a perfectly shaped box present a problem for many people; they're convenient! What happens when you pour a bowl of cereal, finish the puffs/flakes/crisps and still have milk leftover? Instead of simply just drinking it or finding use for it in a recipe, many people will just pour more cereal in the bowl.

YES!!

I'm guilty of doing this in the past, and even now, but I don't buy boxed cereal for this reason. I make my own cereal with plain rolled oats and add various ingredients like pureed pumpkin, carrots, eggplant, yogurt, protein powder, peanut flour, chia seeds, mashed banana, nut butter, and more.

Using stevia as a sweetener allows me to cut empty calories from sugar and still have a little sweetness.  If using banana, you'll have the benefit of natural sweetness and comfort.

When you choose to eat whole food that comes straight from farm to table and not in a package, you will naturally feel full and know when to stop.  With plenty of fiber, water, and essential nutrients in whole veggies, you can eat plenty and still have a low calorie meal.

I want so bad to explain this to the uninformed, but so many think of this as "too hard" or "there's just no use." Nonsense! I say. If you say you really want to be healthier and change your lifestyle, then do something about it!

NO!!

Give it a chance; if you're buying something packaged, make it baby carrots or a veggie mix that's precut.  These are great for snacking alone or dipping in no or low calorie dips like mustard or plain non-fat yogurt.

If only I had thought to become a nutritionist or something health and food related, I could establish a practice and help more people.  Isn't it funny (really sad) how I could try and tell an unhealthy person a few simple ways to be healthier, but they will quickly ignore my suggestions and take advice from advertising on a box of "low calorie" chips.

It should be a red flag when you see a product trying to pass itself off as being healthy by just saying it is low cal.  Then you read the ingredients and see 50+ items you can pronounce. Really? Is that healthy? NO!

So, sorry for all of the jumping around, my head spins when I get caught up thinking of the vast information out there and how people listen to the wrong things.  Usually it ties into what's easier.

The takeaway? Don't follow some diet, don't listen to or even purchase packaged food, do choose whole food like fresh produce, lean cuts of meat (if applicable), and plain legumes. Here are a few past posts for some great ideas to get started:

Healthy Food Swaps

15 Healthy Cooking and Eating Tips

Diet Fads and How to Avoid Them

Why Diets Don't Work

Simple and Healthy Snack Ideas

Hope these help! Are you stuck in a convenient food rut?  Were you in the past? If so, how have you prevailed to overcome the "easy route" and choose fresh food instead?

Do you agree with my assessment?  Whole foods = natural calorie regulation, no counting needed!  The stripped down boxed stuff will leave you constantly craving more and more and may not ever keep you satisfied.

Have a great weekend!