贝琪·林奇

如果这个词 饮食 conjures feelings of deprivation and dread, registered 饮食itian Kris Lynch* has a strategy that just might ease your anxiety.

“Start thinking about all the great foods you’ll get to eat more of rather than focusing on what you’ll be eating less of,林奇建议道。, who is also a certified diabetes care and education specialist for Centura Health.

与客户合作时, 她关注健康, not 重量—although there’s often a correlation between the two. Eating more fresh fruits and vegetables, 多吃粗粮, and more plant-based proteins can satisfy hunger and contribute to greater energy, 更好的睡眠, 减少炎症, and—yes— even a reduction in body fat. But do we really need to count calories?

If your hope is to shed a few ‘pandemic pounds,’ then perhaps.

基本的会计

Calories are the way we measure food energy. Calories support growth, metabolism, and physical activity. When we eat more calories than we burn, the body stores the surplus as fat. A basic rule of thumb is 3,500 excess calories equals a pound of gain. Eating 500 fewer calories each day—or burning those units through exercise—allows most of us to shed about a pound a week. Yet everyone is different.

Portion sizes can be deceiving, too. Clients are often surprised when Lynch holds out her hand and compares it to an 8-ounce steak—and then suggests cutting the serving in half, 节省300卡路里. 这就是为什么要用量杯, 厨房秤, and nutrition information labels are good 重量 man年龄ment tools. They quantify what we consume.

Technology makes it easy to find out how many calories are in your favorite foods (even restaurant meals) through phone 应用程序s, to access online calorie calculators, and to set and track personalized 重量 goals. 参见接线盒.

But counting calories is not for everyone, Lynch cautions.

你盘子里有什么?

Lately, a great deal of attention has centered on 碳水化合物ohydrates. In fact, many people are experimenting with low 碳水化合物, high fat, high protein “ketogenic” 饮食s. And for some cancer patients or individuals with certain metabolic diseases, such 饮食s can be therapeutic.

However, for most of us, a low 碳水化合物ohydrate 饮食 is not ideal for 重量 control, Lynch says. Complex 碳水化合物s such as whole grains and 淀粉类蔬菜 are important to digestive health; our gut microbes need them. She suggests that 50-60% of our daily calories come from 碳水化合物ohydrates (mostly “complex”); 20% from protein; and 20-30% from fat.

在实践中, this means filling at least half your plate with fresh, colorful vegetables; a quarter with your choice of eggs, 鱼, 肉, 豆子。, 小扁豆, 种子, 坚果, or other plant proteins; and the remaining quarter with whole grain breads, 意大利面, 大米, 淀粉类蔬菜, 和其他未经加工的食物. Lynch also adds milk and fresh fruits to this 碳水化合物ohydrate quadrant. 这是经过修改的。”“我的餐盘”.政府” eating plan so you don’t have to count calories. If 重量 loss is a goal, Lynch recommends reducing portion sizes by one-third.

Equally important: Stay hydrated. Thirst is often mistaken for hunger, she said. Try drinking two cups of water and then decide if you still want something to eat.

最后，行动起来. Lynch suggests that it’s often easier to burn calories than it is to cut those same calories from your 饮食. Plus, any additional exercise delivers its own rewards.

*Editor’s Note: Kris Lynch is the sister-in-law of freelance writer Betsy Lynch.