Eat smart, not less App

NutracheckResearch* shows that keeping track of calories in a food diary can double weight loss because it makes you more aware of portion sizes and food choices. The Nutracheck App  keeps track of the calories for you.

Many people think that losing weight means eating less food. Not so if you choose wisely – it’s the type of food that’s the problem. By changing the proportions of what you put on your plate, you can still enjoy a good volume of food that will fill you up but without the high calorie count.

It’s all about energy density. Quite simply, ‘energy density’ refers to the amount of energy (or calories) per gram of food.

Lower energy density foods provide fewer calories per gram of food so you can eat more of them – it’s a good way to help control how much you eat, without going hungry. These foods often have a high water content, such as stews or soups; foods like pasta and rice that absorb water during cooking, and foods that are naturally high in water, such as fruit and vegetables.

Nutracheck is a super fast calorie counter and food diary service, delivered via an App and website, that makes tracking calories easy. Just set aside 10 minutes a day to record what you eat from over 180,000 foods and drinks in the database; photos of food are on the site to make it really easy to spot the exact product you ate. The App lets you scan a barcode and add a food in just 2 clicks.

There are no banned foods, so you’re free to choose the foods you want to eat while you lose weight at a steady and healthy rate of around 2lbs a week. It’s a fact that when we pay close attention to what we eat, we tend to eat less.

In contrast, high energy density foods tend to include foods that are high in fat and have a low water content, such as chocolate, cakes, biscuits, crisps, peanuts, butter and cheese. A very small amount has a high calorie count, which doesn’t fill you up – so it’s really easy to overindulge.

Download the App: search for ‘Nutracheck’ in the App Store or Google Play, by registering at Nutracheck. 

Top tips to lose weight

The nation’s women are obsessed with losing weight but frequently don’t succeed.  Healthy Soul does not advocate miracle diets, but like nutritionists we believe that it’s important to change your diet and lifestyle to make them a way of life, rather than short-term.

Clare Grace, research dietician at the Queen Mary University of London reports: ‘Weight gain occurs when the number of calories eaten is greater than the number used by the body.” [i] In fact, to gain, and therefore lose 1lb in weight, you’ll need to eat – or avoid – an extra 3,500 calories.’

Top tips to lose weight:

1.    Oranges and lemons – It makes for a refreshing start to the day, but that glass of orange juice packs a calorific punch with around 110kcals for a 250ml glass [ii]. Shave 100 calories from your morning tipple by replacing orange juice with a blend of PLj Lemon Juice and water.  At less than 7kcals per glass, it also delivers 75 per cent of the RDA of vitamin C in every serving so makes good sense all round!
2.    Banish the biscuit tin – It probably comes as no surprise, but biscuits are crammed with calories – just two Hobnobs clock up 142kcals!  For a more nutritious snack, nibble on a kiwi fruit and a Satsuma, just  14kcals and 18kcals a piece.
3.    Have open sandwiches – To save on the calorie content, think Scandinavian and opt for an open sandwich, using one slice of bread rather than two, which will save you around 100kcals.  Add a side salad and fat-free dressing to make it more interesting and healthy.
4.    Season for the season – Rather than smothering steamed vegetables with lashings of butter, sprinkle them with lemon juice and fresh herbs for great flavor and low calories.
5.    Smaller glasses –Every 250ml glass of wine provides 185kcals, so opt for a small glass (89kcals for 120ml) to get the taste, but not the calories.

It’s not just about cutting calories from your daily diet though – you can also make a difference by moving more throughout the day to speed up your calorie burning potential.

 

[1][i] Source: Netdoctor (http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/womenshealth/features/dietmyths.htm)

[1][ii] Source: All calorie estimates from www.weightlossresources.co.uk