Calories in, does not equal calories out

Did you know that counting calories is not an effective weight loss tool? We used to think that if we counted the calories in our food and then counted the calories used while exercising, that a weight loss deficit would occur. Sounds simple and easy, but losing weight is a very complicated process that can overwhelm even an educated nutrition or weight loss specialist.
The truth is that a calorie from one type of food is not the same as another. Meaning if you ate 100 calories from one of those 100-calorie bags of cookies, and ate 100 calories from say a teaspoon of peanut butter, you body is going to metabolize them differently. The same holds true for fructose and fruit, if you ate an apple, raisins, dates, apricots or even a banana, you're going to put yourself at risk for increased weight because of the way our bodies metabolize fructose. This is largely because different nutrients provoke different hormonal responses, and those hormonal responses determine, among other things, how much fat you accumulate.
That doesn't mean you should eliminate all fruit, but you should definitely restrict yourself to 1-2 servings a day. Then there's the other fructose, the high fructose corn syrup that is chemically made in a some lab and added to thousands of food products - even those touted as being healthy, like Special K. HFCS is an evil ingredient that you should start avoiding all at costs, especially if you're trying to lose weight.

I'm pretty sure that I've been able to keep my weight off and even continue to lose more weight because I have completely eliminated this ingredient from my diet. I'm now down another dress size. I started at a size 16 last Christmas and now I'm a size 12 and I'm enjoying a new wardrobe of tighter jeans, definition in my stomach muscles and a flat tummy! I never thought it was possible, but I am proof that you can go from being a Pop-Tart queen to a svelte mama in just 8 months! I made a goal of 15-20 more pounds by next summer and I know I can do it!

I'm excited that I've got a few friends joining me on the this journey. I'm curious to know if anyone else is embarking on a clean eating lifestyle. Leave a comment and let me know and if I can offer any help or suggestions. I'm working on a big list of meal ideas to help with meal planning. That was my biggest hurdle - planning meals in advance to avoid the last minute take-out, convenience foods and fast-food. Now, I don't eat that way and it has forced me to start thinking and planning ahead for dinner. It also helps to have a well-stocked pantry to have those special ingredients on hand. So look for that list to be coming soon.
Until next time...Eat Real Food!
Cindy