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Home » Lose Weight » Counting calories is not the smartest (or easiest) way to lose weight – Toronto Star

What are some of the ways you can consume 100 calories? You can eat a container of low-fat yogurt, a piece of grilled chicken, a few French fries or a couple of bites of a chocolate bar. They all add up to 100 calories. But nutritionally, are they the same?

Of course not. Fact is, calories dont measure the nutritional value of food.

Think about all the ways you can consume calories. Some are healthy, and some are not. So a weight-loss program cant really just be about calories, says WW Canada (formerly Weight Watchers Canada) general manager Kevin OBrien. What weve come to understand is that calories are important, but so is satiation what will help you feel full. Are you eating foods that are nutrient dense so you stay strong and healthy without lots of peaks and valleys throughout your day? A well-designed program will track calories but also help you make food decisions that are nutritionally sound and help you feel full.

WWs new weight-loss program myWW uses the SmartPoints system, taking complex nutritional data and boiling it down to a simple, easy-to-understand number which is called the SmartPoints value. Every food and beverage is assigned a SmartPoints value, using calories as the baseline, says Camille Llosa, WW Canadas content marketing manager. Sugar and saturated fat increases the SmartPoint value of a food; protein lowers it.

Foods are assigned a number and depending on the myWW program plan, individuals are given a SmartPoints allowance each day and week. Foods lower in SmartPoints are often more satiating, helping you feel fuller for longer, which is an important issue when trying to lose weight.

SmartPoints have added advantages for dining out. While eating at home ensures youre making the right food choices to stay within your eating plan, its not reasonable to expect you wont be eating out occasionally. Assigning foods you eat in restaurants SmartPoints values is a relatively easy way to manage your weight-loss plan when dining out. Another way to optimize success is by planning ahead.

Here are some tips for planning for your restaurant meals:

1. Look at the menu online ahead of time. Establish a plan for what youll order and pre-track SmartPoints on your app.

2. Decide if you plan to use any weekly SmartPoints for a special dessert or drink while youre out.

3. Ask the server for details if you need more information about how your meal is being prepared.

4. Be creative about requesting special changes to your menu choices swapping out one side for another or ordering an appetizer instead of a full-size meal.

5. Reflect about how you did afterwards. Appreciate the hurdles you overcame and think about how you may do some things differently next time.

6. Check in with others on Connect or tips and ideas from other WW members.

Remember that eating in restaurants can pose challenges but it doesnt have to be difficult.

The beautiful thing about restaurant meals is that a few small edits to a meal can greatly increase how healthy that meal is. For example, skipping the French fries and adding an extra vegetable is an easy swap. And compared to going to a party, its a whole lot easier to plan ahead and stick to your plan at a restaurant, explains OBrien. And remember, you dont have to feel deprived, or guilty. Put it in the context of an overall healthy-eating approach. Its about finding that same balance in restaurants.

Disclaimer Produced on behalf of participating advertiser(s). Content was subject to advertiser approval and no Torstar newsroom was involved in its creation.

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Counting calories is not the smartest (or easiest) way to lose weight - Toronto Star

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Home » Lose Weight » Counting calories is not the smartest (or easiest) way to lose weight – Toronto Star