What are "EMPTY CALORIES" all about?
So last week . . . we spoke about some of the reasons we have "UNCONTROLLABLE CRAVINGS" . . . which make "losing weight" and our "goals" for the New Year . . . an issue!
Well today . . . let's talk about those "EMPTY" calories we consume.
Okay . . . so as a rule . . . if a food "does NOT" contain "nutrients" . . . or if the "calories" from "sugar" and "fats" . . . OUTWEIGH the "nutrients" found in that food . . . these are considered to be a source of "EMPTY CALORIES".
With a few good examples being . . . soft drinks, sports drinks, sweet tea, lemonade, energy drinks, sweetened fruit drinks, alcohol, junk food and fast food, all candy including hard candies and sweet or sour chews, cakes, cookies, muffins, donuts, granola bars, biscuits, pies, pastries, shop-bought desserts, pizza, whole milk and whole milk dairy products like cheese, butter, yogurt and ice cream . . . and convenience foods like packages snacks, chips and pretzels.
But . . . what if you're really, really hungry . . . and there's NO good food in sight???
Are "empty calorie" foods . . . better than "no" calorie intake at all???
Well . . . in a word . . . "NO"!
Why you ask???
Well . . . these "empty calorie" foods . . . contain and give the body mostly "solid (bad) fats" and "added sugars" . . . which can lead to "weight GAIN" and "nutritional deficiencies".
So . . . choosing "no" food . . . is better than choosing "empty calorie" foods . . . . until you can find a healthy "compliant" food to satisfy the need to eat.
Okay . . . so let's talk about how many "empty calories" the body can "actually" handle per day . . . because "realistically" . . . most of us are going to give in . . . and "grab" something "bad" to eat.
So here we go . . .
Based on a "calorie" intake to "lose weight" for WOMEN of 2000 calories per day . . . this is how many "empty" calories the body can safely eliminate without a struggle . . .
Women . . .
Age 19 - 30 . . . 260 empty calories per day
Age 31 - 50 . . . 160 empty calories per day
Age 51 - above . . . 60 empty calories per day
And based on a "calorie" intake to "lose weight" for MEN of 3000 calories per day . . . this is how many "empty" calories the body can safely eliminate . . .
Men . . .
Age 19 - 30 . . . 330 empty calories per day
Age 31 - 50 . . . 265 empty calories per day
Age 51 - above . . . 200 empty calories per day
So in a nutshell my friends . . . by eliminating "just" those "EMPTY CALORIE" foods "ALONE" . . . you may be able to accomplish your New Year's "GOAL" of being healthier and losing some weight.
Okay . . . so I'm sure you're thinking . . . just how hard is it "really" . . . to BURN those "empty calories"???
Well . . . those "empty calories" . . . simply put . . . turn into "FAT" . . .
And to make matters worse . . . this "fat" becomes our "interior" fat called "visceral" fat.
And "visceral" fat . . . is the fat that surrounds our "organs" causing "DISEASE".
So PLEASE . . . think twice about consuming those "empty calorie" foods
Now tomorrow . . . let's continuing our conversation about "empty calories" . . . our New Year goals and one of my little "SECRETS" as to how we can "STOP" the "UNCONTROLLABLE CRAVINGS" to accomplish our mission of a "healthier YOU"!
As always, feel free to DM or contact me at: miraclemeadows.net/contact/