I’m a Dietitian who doesn’t count calories to lose weight.

However I ALWAYS know where those calories are coming from.

Counting calories is a well-known weight loss strategy.

But often a time-consuming ‘diet’ focussed way to lose weight.

And not necessarily a healthy way to release those unwanted kilos.

One is made up of processed ingredients that quickly increase glucose levels, promote inflammation and provide zero nutrients and fiber.

Whole plant foods, on the other hand, are full of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, lots of fiber that slows down the release of glucose into the bloodstream, and does not inflame the body so work to promote health rather than disease.

So while the number of calories consumed matters, it’s more important to know what those calories are made up of.

And herein lies the point …while I don’t count calories I have a deep understanding of the fat, protein, and carbohydrate ratio of the food I’m eating….and no you do NOT have to have a degree in nutrition to easily grasp the basics.

Take a look at the Calorie Density chart below.

You can quickly see that whole plant foods have the lowest calorie density – but they’re also foods with fiber and jam-packed with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and a myriad of beneficial compounds.

Teaching calorie density is how I teach my clients to fish – so that I do myself out of a job!

Calorie density is NOT about counting calories it’s about knowing where the calories are coming from.

Calorie density refers to the number of calories per pound of a given food, and foods range from around 100 calories per pound (non-starchy vegetables) to 4,000 calories per pound (all liquid oils). 

Foods that contain a lot of water (zero calories) and lots of fiber (also zero calories) and the least amount of fat, have the lowest calorie density.

Calorie density is understanding the difference between the calories in a glass of orange juice and the equal number of calories from the 5 or 6 whole oranges it takes to make said juice.

The juice has been stripped of fiber and now has a high-calorie density.

It’s the same as eating 20-40 olives (depending on their size) and having an equal number of calories in ONE tablespoon of olive oil.

Are you starting to get the picture?

So by helping my clients understand Calorie Density (aka learning how to fish) I’m teaching them how to make choices that will help them nourish their body, balance their hormones and release unwanted weight.

Rather than just giving them a cookie-cutter diet (giving them a fish).

As luck would have it – the WHOLE foods with the lowest calorie density are also the foods with the highest nutritional content – so we want to be eating these foods!

And even better is that the lowest calorie density foods are the majority of plant foods…

• all fruit
• all vegetables 
• whole grains (oats, quinoa, brown rice)
• legumes (beans & lentils)

Healthy fats like olives, avocadoes, nuts & seeds contain some fiber but are mostly fat – so these are the foods you would moderate if you’re on a weight loss journey.

So by default, when you focus on eating the foods in the green GO section of the calorie density chart, you will consume fewer calories overall, meaning weight loss is more manageable.

But these are also high-fiber foods so you feel full and satiated… so you don’t feel deprived or hungry all the time!

If you’d like some help learning to fish you can book a no-obligation 30-minute complimentary consult.

I love empowering women so they can get back in the driver’s seat of their health.

Nic x

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