Conversely….. A calorie surplus, where more calories are consumed than expended, often results in weight gain and can introduce excessive unhealthy foods into the diet. This overconsumption typically includes foods high in inflammatory fats, artificial additives, food dyes, and preservatives. These substances are prevalent in processed and junk foods, which are calorie-dense but nutritionally poor. Over time, a diet high in these components can lead to chronic inflammation, increased risk of cardiovascular diseases, insulin resistance, and other metabolic disorders. Additionally, the consumption of preservatives and artificial additives has been linked to adverse health effects, including allergic reactions and potential long-term impacts on gut health. Thus, while a calorie surplus might be necessary for certain individuals like athletes, it is crucial to ensure that the extra calories come from wholesome, nutrient-rich sources rather than unhealthy, processed foods. How to Keep in Check: Calorie Deficit Nutrient Intake: Ensure you're consuming a balanced diet rich in essential vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Focus on incorporating a variety of vegetables, fruits, lean proteins, whole grains, and healthy fats to prevent nutrient deficiencies. Energy Levels: Monitor your energy levels and overall well-being. If you experience fatigue or other signs of inadequate nutrient intake, reassess your diet to include more nutrient-dense foods and possibly consider a multivitamin or specific supplements. Calorie Surplus Quality of Calories Prioritize consuming nutrient-rich foods over calorie-dense, unhealthy options. Ensure that the extra calories come from wholesome sources like lean proteins, healthy fats, whole grains, and vegetables rather than processed foods high in unhealthy fats, sugars, and additives. Weight Gain and Health Markers Regularly monitor your weight, body composition, and other health markers such as blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and blood sugar. This helps ensure that the weight gain is healthy (muscle as appropriate) and that you're not increasing your risk of chronic diseases. In a study at Penn State University, researchers asked 186 women—who they classified with “overweight” or “obesity”—to rank the “foods you can’t resist and find hard to stop eating.” The foods that most frequently topped the participants’ lists: 1. Ice cream 2. Chips 3. Chocolate 4. Cookies 5. Pizza The scientists then had participants follow a 12-month weight loss program, and monitored their strategies for managing these “problem” foods. The result: Overall, the total avoidance of problematic foods—what you often see on “extreme” diets or “quick-fix” weight loss plans—wasn’t an effective strategy. So what did help? Limiting the portion sizes of problem foods—instead of giving them up altogether—was strongly related to weight loss. In fact, participants who used this strategy the most lost, on average, nearly double the weight as those who used it the least (15.8 pounds versus 8.3 pounds). To be sure, if some foods make you feel out of control, you may want to put some boundaries around them. That doesn’t mean you can never eat them. It just means you’re aware they may be a problem, and you’re going to be intentional about how and when you eat them. (A coach can help you with this.) The all-or-nothing approach will often set us back in the long run because it is not as sustainable. If you are someone that has experienced chronic yo-yo dieting and can’t seem to stick to something long-term, evaluate your efforts and see if there are any extremes present. These efforts might need to be replaced with moderation and boundaries. Instead of completely removing certain food groups, starting by limiting them and by adding in “good” food groups that are currently absent. The addition of good food will usually help weed out the bad food over time. PMID: 32234531Maintaining a calorie deficit, where the body consumes fewer calories than it expends, is a common strategy for weight loss. However, this approach can have significant downsides, particularly concerning nutrient intake. When calorie intake is restricted, it becomes challenging to consume sufficient quantities of essential nutrients such as vitamins, minerals, and fiber. It can become easy to avoid certain foods or starve oneself into eating less than one may need. In a calorie deficit, the limited food quantity can lead to deficiencies, resulting in symptoms like fatigue, weakened immunity, and impaired cognitive function. Balancing calorie reduction with nutrient density requires careful planning to ensure all essential nutrients are adequately consumed.
What foods do I need to stop eating?
Roe LS, Rolls BJ. Which strategies to manage problem foods were related to weight loss in a randomized clinical trial? Appetite. 2020 Aug 1;151:104687.
