I hear some folks say "I am exercising, eating really healthy, avoiding most processed foods, but still can't seem to lose weight“ or "I have hit a plateau and unable to lose more weight, what should I do?". Understanding the concept of caloric density and stretch receptors will help decode this apparent mystery.
Caloric density of food is defined as the concentration / percentage of calories in the given weight of a particular food. Here is a great example of caloric density. A tablespoon of oil (ANY Oil) which is 100% fat contains 120 calories. To give you an idea, this is pretty much equal to 1 POUND of many types of vegetables such as cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli etc. ( Raw or cooked without oil). For more comparison, a slice of cheese pizza, a piece of cake, a donut, a samosa, 2 Ghulab jamuns, 1 serving of cooked paneer or a serving of vegetables that are fried /cooked in oil/ghee contains calories that are equal to 1 pound of fresh fruits and 2 lbs. of vegetables.
What are stretch receptors:
Our stomach has stretch receptors that track how much food is present in the stomach. These receptors sends a signal of satiety (fullness) to the brain. We typically stop when our brain tells us you are close to being full. An adult stomach can easily hold one and half liter (3 pounds) or more of food. So we can definitely eat quite a bit till we get the signal to stop. Now go back to the concept of caloric density. Even 1 pounds of oily/sugary/junk/processed food is going to be very high in calories vs 1 pounds of fruits or vegetables. Driving home to point, we might have a huge salad bowl full of colorful veggies - it will still not cross 300 calories, however by adding the standard store bought dressings that are very high in fat or drizzling olive oil the caloric density goes of the chart. If we understand this simple concept, we will be able to make better food choices especially when weight loss is the objective.
For most folks, weight gain happens very slowly - one hardly notices it till one fine day the weighing machine give us the startling news. Most food items that bought from store are processed and contains added oils. It's a great idea to read the ingredient list. In addition, Many types of foods that are cooked at home typically contain oils/butter etc. So in order to lose weight (in a healthy way), one must eat foods that are very high in nutrition (minerals, antioxidants, fiber, enzymes etc.) and lower in caloric density which essentially means avoiding oils & dairy as much as its possible. Also, be careful with Nuts and Seeds as well if you are thinking about weigh loss. Even though they contain healthy Fats, they are high in caloric density and can easily sneak up on you.
As alluded above, two of the lowest caloric density foods on the planet are Fruits & Vegetables. Majority of fruits & vegetables (except starchy vegetables) contains 200 or less calories per 1 pound of weight. In order to lose weight one doesn't need to necessarily cut down on the volume of the food. Simply choosing “Whole Plant Based Foods” that are lower on the “Caloric Density” chart and taking out the high caloric density processed foods that include added oils, dairy, sugar etc will result in consistent weight loss.
There are two primary reasons why most fruits and vegetables are low in caloric density:
1. High Water content 2. High Insoluble Fiber
Both water and insoluble fiber does not contain any calories. In addition to water and fiber, fruits & vegetables (in their wholesome state) are packed with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, phytochemicals and many other nutrients that promote health, healing & weight loss.
Importance of daily exercise:
Importance of daily exercise is paramount for overall health but is specially important for achieving weight loss goals. Following the "caloric density model" helps control what goes in the body and having a daily exercise routine helps use up the calories that are stored as FAT (Triglycerides) in the body. Any moderate to intense exercise such as a brisk walk, Jog, Run, Swim, Biking, moderate-intense yoga or going to the gym will get the job done.
Recipe for consistent weight loss?
- Eating low caloric density nutrient rich foods with daily exercise.
I highly recommend following "Chef AJ Caloric Density Chart" for weight loss. You can even listen to her on YouTube. She has an inspiring weight loss and health recovery story.
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