Calorie density- Eat more plants for long term weight management

As someone who has ruminated on food and weight since those awkward teen years, I am NOT writing this post from my ivory tower. My eating habits are a work-in-progress and I still eat tortilla chips on the regular. I will say that since using this general approach to eating, it's been surprisingly simpler for me to enjoy my meals with less anxiety.

You all know there are plenty of "diets" that work in the short term. You can avoid all sugar, eat only bacon, tape your mouth shut, etc. and drop some weight. The challenge is finding a way of eating that is sustainable in the long-term, reduces the likelihood of chronic diseases, and (most importantly) doesn't suck. Enter the calorie density approach.

Utilizing a calorie density approach can simplify healthier eating (and you can use this as a guide regardless of your meat-eating status). In a nutshell, if you eat more nutrient dense foods like fruits and vegetables vs. calorie dense foods like processed foods and oils, you will likely shed weight AND not starve. Sounds pretty good so far, right?

Here's a couple of ways to visualize this approach:

Fruits and veggies fill up our bellies with fewer calories.

By the numbers....

As someone who was once deathly afraid of carbohydrates, it's taken me some time to adjust. Now I am at peace knowing that raspberries and sweet potatoes are not the devil, and should not be put in the same "bucket" as chips, crackers and donuts.

you get the idea...

I'll share a few quick tricks I've adopted for swapping out calorie dense foods in favor of more nutrient dense ones:
1) Saute with vegetable broth instead of oil. If your main goal is to keep food from sticking to the pan, this one is a no-brainer.
2) Pile your pizza with your favorite veggies (assuming there are some you find tasty!) in lieu of some of the meat and go light on the cheese. This can save you hundreds of calories in a single meal. I would NEVER advocate giving up pizza; you can incorporate it into a healthy diet with a little maneuvering. 

This isn't for everyone. Baby steps. 

3) Two words. Riced cauliflower. I was a late adopter to this one (and hated cauliflower for most of my life), but now I'm converted. Sitting at approximately 30 calories per cup vs. 200 for brown rice, it's a nice option alone or mixed with "real" rice. I'm not saying brown rice is evil. It's not. Incorporating riced cauliflower is simply one way to feel more satiated with fewer calories.

that's me for sure

 4) Consider MEASURING out a portion size when eating whole plant foods like nuts, seeds or avocado. To put it into perspective, a quarter cup of cashews has approximately the same number of calories as an orange plus FOUR cups of Trader Joe's organic air popped popcorn. You can see how one of those options will likely leave you feeling more full.

No food is off the table (pun intended), but it's important to be mindful of how different foods fit into your eating plan. Taking small steps to incorporate more nutrient dense, fiber-filled foods can help you feel better and move toward, or maintain, a healthy weight.

Today's recipe has become a new favorite as we LOVE our Mexican food. It comes from Rachel Hartley nutrition. https://www.rachaelhartleynutrition.com/blog/2015/12/crispy-baked-tofu-tacos-with-cilantro-lime-slaw  Please note, you can reduce or eliminate the olive oil the marinade and it's still delicious. Also, I prefer Trader Joe's high protein organic tofu (extra firm) for this recipe.

See you next time!