19/02/2022
Nope, it's not carbs, fat, or sugar that causes weight gain.
⚖️ Instead, it’s an overconsumption of calories that causes the number on the scale to increase. It’s simple. You’ll gain weight if you consume more calories than you burn. And you’ll lose weight if you consume fewer calories than you burn. This is the law of thermodynamics, and you can’t cheat it.
🍕 Therefore, one food is not inherently more ‘fattening’ than another. It all comes down to energy balance. That’s why you can lose fat while eating ‘fattening’ foods like pizza and doughnuts. It’s just that you can’t eat as much of such foods as you can of low-calorie ones.
🥔 Now, some foods are more satiating than others. That's why some foods are more ‘weight-loss-friendly’. One 1995 study by Holt et al., for instance, found that boiled potatoes are seven times more satiating than croissants. In other words, it's easier to control your calorie intake and lose weight when consuming potatoes rather than croissants.
🍏 Thus, make low-calorie, nutritious foods the foundation of your diet. Such foods prevent hunger cravings and help you stay in a calorie deficit. That's why they aid weight loss. Examples of such foods are fruit, vegetables, fish, beans, lentils, and lean meats.
🔢 As mentioned above, you can consume high-calorie foods without gaining weight. But I would recommend you not to get more than 20% of your daily calories from junk food. Such a junk food restriction benefits not only your health but also your weight-loss efforts. The latter is because you'll be more successful at controlling your energy intake.
📲 To make sure you consume the right number of calories, make sure to track your calorie intake. Apps like Keystone and Cronometer can help you make this process easy and quick.
Any thoughts to add? Let us know below.