Calories Equal Energy
Written by Sky Taylor, Diet Bites
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How Did I Get Fat?
Often the pre-dieter will gaze into their modern day looking glass and ask (after gasping), "How did I get this fat?"
When it comes to the number on our bathroom scales it's all about one little thing - one little word, but that 'one little something' sure packs a big punch: ENERGY.
The Body & Energy Recognition
When we start our car, does the key actually do the job? Of course not. We stick it into the ignition, just like we stick food into our mouth.
Next, we turn the key - just as we chew our food and prepare it for the stomach. When the key turns over the engine - a chain reaction occurs and within nanoseconds the engine is purring.
This is just like our body after the food or drink hits the stomach. It's happy - it has energy to work with that is stuffed (hopefully) with vital minerals and vitamins that it needs for optimum healthy, for maximum energy.
Let's get back to our car's engine. What happens when the tank (our tummy) is filled with bad fuel? When it gets water in the tank? It sputters and dies out; it's difficult to get the car going, isn't it? At times, the situation will require a professional mechanic just as a sick or under-performing human body might require a professional doctor to get it running efficiently again.
In the case of the human body, food is recognized as 'energy'; the energy amounts are measured through kcalories - but over time that has been truncated to 'calories'. It might assist greatly while dieting to think about the foods that you select to feed your body as units of energy - rather than number of calories.
Think about the types of energy that you wish to input into your body while losing pounds; if it is fed foods which are minimal in nutrients then it will be difficult for the body to continue to function at its full capacity. In turn, the body will start to feel tired, weak and lethargic. When it's time to exercise, a tired body isn't going to feel like doing such.
And when the body is tired, it's generally cranky and unhappy.
Let's look at a couple of meal plates and see the defining difference in nutritional benefits. Both contain about 425 kcalories of energy.
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The Unhealthy Meal Plate
1 cup of sugar coated cereal without milk
1 vanilla cupcake with icing
1 serving of potato chips
1 diet soda
The Healthy Meal Plate
3 ounces of Albacore tuna packed in spring water, drained
2 slices of whole grain rye bread
Assortment of green leafy lettuce leaves, sliced tomatoes, sliced onions, button mushrooms, baby carrots.
1/2 cup of reduced fat cottage cheese
1 cup of any variety of melon balls
Unsweetened tea of any variety
The foods that reside within the first diet menu won't stick around for long; soon the dieter will be craving more energy. On the positive side, the healthy menu will keep the dieter satisfied until the next meal arrives as it's packed with vitamins, nutrients, a dose of dietary fiber and whole grain goodness.
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