13 Apr Online Dietitian Nutritionist Discusses How High-Nutrient Foods Lead to Weight Loss: Stop Counting Calories, Start Eating What Counts

The common formula for weight loss has always been to reduce calorie intake. It seems logical that consuming fewer calories would result in weight loss. However, the human body is much more complex than a simple formula. Cutting back on calories can harm metabolism and impede recovery.

A new study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), led by Dr. Gardner, the Director of Nutrition Studies at the Stanford Prevention Research Center, has shed light on this issue. The study involved 609 overweight participants whose diets were modified. Instead of counting calories, the participants were instructed to focus on the quality of the food they ate. They were divided into two groups, a low-fat group, and a low-carb group. Both groups were asked to eliminate added sugars, refined grains, and highly processed foods from their diets. Nutrition education was a key piece of success, as participants had sessions with registered dietitians to learn how to read food labels, so they could avoid falling into the “low-fat” or “low-carb” trap without realizing the food was highly processed. The findings of the study surprised researchers and challenged many extreme diet trends.

The results showed no significant difference between the low-fat and low-carb diets. Participants did not feel deprived of foods and did not focus on counting calories. Although exercise was recommended, participants were not required to exercise, yet many maintained or even increased their activity levels. On average, participants lost between 11 and 13 pounds from the low-fat and low-carb diets, respectively.

These findings have been highlighted in an article published by the New York Times entitled “The Key to Weight Loss is Diet Quality, Not Quantity, a Study Finds,” as well as in Nutrition Action, in an article titled “Do Calories Matter?” The study also supports the European mindset of healthy eating and how the quality of food is essential for good health.

The study’s conclusion is that participants lost weight because they improved the quality of their food, not because they reduced their calorie intake. Therefore, eating clean and focusing on high-quality foods is an excellent way to achieve good health without dieting. Anyone can improve the quality of their diet without participating in a study or spending a lot of money. Here are some easy-to-follow tips to help people eat better quality food without sacrificing the flavors they enjoy:

• Substitute white rice and pasta with whole grains, such as quinoa, chia, or whole-grain pasta and rice.
• Replace crackers and chips with nuts, olives, or whole-wheat toast with a drizzle of olive oil and crumbled feta cheese.
• Replace ketchup and other processed sauces with avocado or guacamole, pico de gallo, hummus, salsa, pesto, or olive oil and balsamic.
• Cut all processed meats out of the diet and replace salami, chorizos, and ham with roasted, grilled, or shredded chicken, pulled pork, shredded beef, or even steak.
• Be creative with sweets, such as replacing ice cream and milkshakes with fruit salads and smoothies, reducing sugar in muffins and cookies recipes by up to 50%, and gradually reducing the amount of sugar used in beverages and desserts until none is needed.
• Replace cookies and cupcakes with sweet potato waffles, whole-grain pancakes, and French toast, and store them in the freezer for a quick snack.
• Introduce dark chocolate to the diet, gradually reducing the intake of milk and white chocolate.
• Don’t eliminate fats from the diet, but introduce high-quality fats, such as olive oil, salmon, avocado, hard cheese, and nuts.
• Eat high-quality carbs, such as lentils, fresh fruit, beans, steel-cut oats, and quinoa.

By making these simple changes and avoiding highly processed foods and refined sugars, people can feel healthier and achieve weight loss.