Not All Calories Are Created Healthy - 4 Tips to Getting the Best Calories For Weight Loss

If you're trying to lose weight, counting calories is a great place to start. You need to burn more calories than you take in to shed unwanted pounds. If you're trying to eat for optimal health, you'll need to pick the best quality fresh, whole foods possible. Pretty simple concept to grasp, right? Unfortunately, not all calories are created equal and not all calories are good for you. Adhere to these simple tips to incorporate the best calorie strategy for you and avoid those that won't help you in weight loss or nutritional quality.

1. Junk food calories put the "Junk" in the trunk. Twinkies and burgers may taste yummy but they won't do a thing for your weight loss efforts. You might fit these junky treats into your daily calorie count but the amount of refined sugars, saturated fat and trans fats won't do your body good. In fact, these evil ingredients can over stimulate your insulin levels causing you to store all of those calories you're taking in instead of burning them right off of your body. In addition, trans fats can lead to diabetes, heart disease and hardening and clogging of the arteries. Stay away from the junk food diet and head over to your local health food store.

2. Stick to whole, fresh foods. Think fresh fruit and vegetables, fresh fish and organic chicken and beef for healthy meals. Sticking to whole, fresh foods can insure that you are getting good quality foods that lack refined carbohydrates, contain healthy fats and consist of good quality, lean protein. These types of foods will be easier for your body to digest and absorb any vital nutrients like vitamins and minerals. In addition, knowing the quality of food is important as it's best to stay away from produce laden with herbicides and pesticides, protein that has been injected with added hormones, antibiotics and artificial coloring.

3. Food labels can be misleading. Food labels can have up to a 20% margin for error in terms of reporting calories! This means, you could have a food with a total calorie count of 400 calories and the real calorie count could actually be up to 480 calories. If you're counting calories, you'll need to keep this in mind. Your daily totals could be skewed considerably. Double check calorie counts with a calorie directory book or an online calorie counter. The more information you have the better when it comes to being accurate.

4. Eating out is a mystery. Eating out is pretty convenient and it has become common place for many people in this busy world. If you're trying to lose weight or keeping track of something such as sodium to track blood pressure, eating out isn't a great option. Unfortunately, we never truly know what goes into our food when it's being prepared by someone else. Hidden ingredients such as butter and oil can really rack up calories in a hurry. In addition, we don't always know the quality of the food that restaurants order. If you're looking to get the most out of your food nutritionally and keep track of calories, you're best bet is to cook for yourself.