I recently read an article which said that the loads of companies were working to cut the calories in loads of foods, in an attempt to cut down on obesity. It’s a very worthy idea, but just misses the whole point. Losing weight isn’t just about calorie reduction. And being obese isn’t just about eating too many of them. Sure, eating loads of food, way in excess of your energy output is never going to be a good idea, but calories aren’t the only factor. And the foods they are talking about aren’t exactly going to suddenly become healthy foods just because they contain less calories.
There is so much more to eating healthy than taking out the calories. If you run, ride, row or race in any way, you need calories, and you need the right ones!
Take fat, for example. The wrong fats won’t do you any good. But good fats. Well, your brain is made out of fat, so without fat, your brain isn’t worth anything. You need fat to make hormones. You need fat to digest your food. You need fat for loads of other processes. If you don’t eat fat, you can’t do any of them properly. Good fats are found in fish, nuts, avocados, coconut and green leafy veg, for example. There are loads of other foods which are high in calories, but are amazingly good for you.
So please don’t judge a food just by its calorie count!