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Itâs Not Your Fault
Baked potatoes are healthier to eat than potato chips. You might think it is ridiculous that Iâm going over this, but youâd be surprised how many people donât know that. Itâs okay if you didnât know that either; itâs not your fault.
After teaching in both public and private schools in Chicago, I can tell you for a fact that education around what to eat and how to move our bodies is lacking. I most recently taught science to primary students ranging from first through fourth grade.
The human body was talked about in the fourth grade curriculum, but more so in the sense of the systems, not so much on how everything works together and what is needed in order to maintain functionality. Other than that, there was ZERO nutrition and health education listed in the curriculum. Thatâs not just the case in Chicago.
Look at the national level of science education across our country⌠the current Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) donât even include education about nutrition and fitness. Itâs no wonder why the obesity rates are what they are in the United States.
Left or Right?
As a parent and coach, it is my duty to set up both my children and clients for success so they can live their happiest and healthiest lives possible. Today Iâm going to drop a knowledge nugget to help you do that too.
You might think youâre being health conscious by picking the veggies chips over regular chips, but in reality⌠theyâre almost the same thing (chips are chips). They are high in calories, filled with all kinds of additives, and they donât fill you up unless you eat a very large amount of them (which leaves us feeling guilty afterwards).
Overall, they are not worth it. Youâre better off picking foods like apples, celery, carrots, mushrooms, etc. These foods are less calorie dense, keep you better hydrated, and make you feel fuller.
Look at the picture: 570g of fresh veggie snacks (LEFT) vs. 50g snack chips (RIGHT). Which is the healthier option? The answer â FRESH SNACKS FOR THE WIN! (Thatâs the left picture if you werenât sure). Why is the left picture the healthier option? Fresh snacks packs the punch with more than 10 times the volume for the same amount of calories.
Foods that are naturally loaded with more water (like grapes, apples, peppers, etc) are less calorie dense compared to foods like potato chips, raisins, and jerky. Hereâs a good breakdown of what calorie density is: https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/calorie-density. To summarize, less calorie dense (fresh) foods are better for your waistline and overall health.
What About Processed Foods?
Iâm not saying you only should have fresh foods. Fresh is always best, but some processed foods still fit in your healthy eating lifestyle. Some examples of good choices are canned tomatoes, pre-cut veggies, tuna or frozen fruit. All of these foods are minimally processed and get the okay to be on your plate.
Ultra or heavily processed foods on the other hand, should stay far away from your plates and bowls. Iâm talking about things like pretzels, raisins, cereal, granola, potato chips, etc. Itâs because ultra-processed foods have a long list of ingredients, as well as fillers, preservatives, and additives designed to enhance their flavor, texture, shelf-life, and nutritional profile.
Now You Know
Now that youâve been educated on healthy snacks, you cannot claim itâs not your fault. Pick fresh, healthy foods that are filled with water. Fruits and veggies are less calorie dense and better for your health overall. Avoid heavily processed foods as much as possible, such as crackers, cereal, Velveta cheese, and other stuff like that.
To feel fuller longer, picks foods that have lots of water in them like spinach, peppers, watermelon, zucchini, grapefruits, tomatoes, strawberries, skim milk, pineapples, oranges, mangoes, cottage cheese, etc.
Fresh foods might cost you a bit more now than the processed stuff, but think about it⌠would you rather spend the money now on fueling your body with quality food or spend the later in life on medical bills fixing your body because of your poor food choices?
Need Help? Weâre Here for You!
If youâre really ready to take things to the next level and crush all of your health goals, book a complimentary coaching call; thatâs where weâre going to get crystal clear on your vision, identify challenges, motivate the heck out of you, and provide you a roadmap to your goals achieved. Simply follow this link to Contact us.
Our team of highly experienced coaches will help you get on track. Maybe youâve been on a fitness journey and have hit a plateau. If so, our rockstar staff can help you push through that too. Regardless of where you are on your fitness journey, we want to see you happy and healthy so you can live the best life possible.