I was out at dinner with a good friend last night and I started to think as I was eating my dinner about the amount of girls that ask me about calories and how many calories they need to eat each day to be healthy!
Too many women are obsessed with the amount of calories they consume. It is OK to be mindful of what you eat, but it is also dangerous to become obsessed with the dreaded calorie counting!!!
I for one, have never been one to count the amount of calories I am eating. When I am in preparation for a competition I weigh my food and of course I am much more diligent with my portion size as it is crucial to have the right amount of nutrients at certain times during the day. But I am always giving my body the right food at the right time, especially for the amount of training that I am doing.
I know for a fact there are girls out there who will consume a large (but, healthy) dish and then straight afterwards they feel guilty that they have gone over their quota of calories for the day. They go on to think... "Ugh, this has 300 calories in it, I will have to train these off right away"!
Food has to be thought of as something delicious, something we need for energy. If you are a active, healthy women then you need fuel for your muscles, you need calories to survive!
Too many women these days think of calories as something that will in turn make them fat. We count calories, analyze calories, and curse calories, wrongly believing that they are evil and will pack on the pounds.
It can become so obsessive that it will take over your life.. It is extremely unhealthy and you run the risk gaining weight because you aren't eating enough, so your body will hold onto everything it can, also drastically slowing down your metabolism.
All of you out there who can relate to what I am saying and have adapted that 'calories are evil' need to think of it like this...
"You need to start looking at calories as fuel, rather than something that will make you gain weight."
Yes, many of us know deep down calories provide energy and fuel, but we never take a second to think about it, and really believe in it.
You run the risk of destroying your body, not to mention your mindset all at the same time!
So take a break from reading the labels on every little thing and start enjoying life and eating because it makes you feel good and provides you with the energy you need to get you through the day.
We read so many diet articles, books and magazines about how we need to "watch our calories, and keep an eye on our portion sizes, but there's never anything about how we need to consume healthy, good, hearty food (yes, with calories-sometimes lots of 'em) to live a healthy lifestyle as an active woman!
Believe it or not, but from lots of reading and research, I found that an average weight 30 to 45 year old woman who exercises regularly needs up to 1800- 2000 calories a day to maintain a healthy weight. And to think most of you out there are probably eating half that!!!
No, I'm not saying dive into everything in sight like french fries, cupcakes, pizza! I'm saying fuel your body with the right foods at the right time! Fuel your body with lean protein and whole grains and you won't need to be counting calories and analyzing what your consuming every friggin' minute.
Us women need to stick together and send out the message that instead of obsessively watching our weight and counting calories in the hope we will remain skinny 24/7, we should instead be concentrating living healthily.
Enjoy life and enjoy good food, life is too short, don't waste it!
Juz xx
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