Not All Calories are Created Equal
Friends we’re here to help you out with something, give you a heads up, you know like when a good friend lets you know you have food in your teeth or sends a warning before you walk into a BBQ that your ex will be there, with their new +1, in these situations, a little intel, can go a long way.
So here’s the scoop – please, stop counting calories.
The caloric craze is so, dare we say, 1990s. Its time has come and gone like low-fat Triscuits, the Atkins diet and snap bracelets. Though we wouldn’t mind to see the latter make a come back, counting calories on the other hand, has got to go.
Over here at Raleigh Raw, we see juicin’ as a lifestyle, an ongoing detox for the mind and body and a way to fuel your body to reach its full potential.
Whether your goal is weight loss, to increase your energy levels, adopt a healthier lifestyle or just to exude a better vibe to everyone you encounter, chasing down the calorie will almost always take us in the opposite direction of that intent.
This number counting neurosis leaves us irritable, frustrated, more likely to rebel against a diet and not to mention, the least favorite member of your crew at brunch for your neurotic calorie crunching of your side salad, with no dressing.
Don’t be that guy or girl.
Here’s how to get with the times and retrain your brain towards a clean eating attitude.
Not all calories are created equal.
Calories are a measure of the unit of energy provided by a food or genetically processed concoction we pretend is food. They are not all built the same and have different effects based on what our body does with the calorie. The way our body will burn the calories will depend on what we’re consuming.
What would a handful of Cheetos motivate you to do? Prolly’ just eat more. A cucumber summer salad? You’d probably want to get up and do something with that fuel, and that’s how your digestion views calories, it moves through the organic, clean, ones and lets the processed ones sit and stick to the body. This is why simply evaluating our options based on a number doesn’t quite add up.
Choose Real Food.
Prioritize quality over quantity and you’ll eat less overall. Organic, raw, foods that are consumed closest to their natural forms tend to keep us full longer and more satiated to reduce cravings that lead to snacking and overeating, which is the primary cause for exceeding our needed caloric intake.
We advocate a plant heavy diet, and live by two of Michael Pollan’s food rules to keep our grocery cart in check: (1) shop mainly the peripheral of a store and (2) if you’re grandmother wouldn’t recognize it, your digestive system probably wont either.
Invest in You. Think Long Term.
Counting calories may provide a very short term result but if you’re truly looking for a sustainable lifestyle, you’ll need a different strategy. Calorie cutting can actually have negative effects on the body because it denies it of certain nutrients needed for everyday energy and creates long term issues like slowed cell regeneration, inflammation and overall poor internal health.
Our final point, to tip the scales towards our seductive, colorful and raw way of living and juicin, the boost you experience from a juice cleanse will have you tossing your calorie calculator aside and feeling motivated to exercise double time, which will in no time burn off those unproductive calorie concerns.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Ali Van Putten is a blogger, entrepreneur, and obsessive compulsive juicer who collaborates with the Raleigh Raw crew to spread the good vibes. She is a certified Holistic Health Coach through the Institute of Integrative Nutrition and a Jivamukti Yoga Teacher. Her site Createapreneur provides tools for creative entrepreneurs to build their brand, business and most importantly, to live life outside of the conventional lines.