We have all found ourselves weak-in-the-knees for something sweet, savory or salty – when those cravings hit, they can hit hard! So what’s the best way to satisfy our cravings? Is it best to try to avoid those higher calorie, highly palatable, “bad” foods? Is it best to just cave into those cravings and eat as much as we need to satisfy that craving?
If you’ve followed my social media for a while, you know I am NOT a proponent of eliminating specific foods/food groups in their entirely – especially as a form of calorie restriction for fat loss (unless you have a medical reason to do so, like an allergy or legitimate personal preference).
While I will always encourage eating a well-balanced diet in which you’re consuming a number of different vitamins and minerals through whole foods, it’s equally, if not more important to ensure you’re also incorporating the foods that you really love, that you find palatable and flavorful; this tends to include higher calorie-dense, less nutrient-dense foods…and that is OK!
Some people will argue that…
junk food will make you gain weight
junk food is unhealthy
junk food isn’t good when you’re dieting
And I’m here to tell you that
Total calorie intake matters for body composition far more than specific food choices, especially in regards to fat loss
Calorie dense foods aren’t inherently “bad” for us. There are no “good” and “bad” foods; higher calorie foods like pizza, ice cream, chips, etc. consumed in moderation are not necessarily unhealthy
Giving yourself permission to have treats and indulgences in moderation can actually help to increase dietary adherence when you’re dieting, and dietary adherence is what generates results
This is a key concept I teach in my online coaching. Rather than feeling like you’re constantly digging your heels further into the ground trying so hard to avoid eating certain foods out of fear of weight gain, I would argue that by learning how to make these foods fit your macros, learning how to indulge here and there, practicing food balance and moderation and having the ability to eat and move on is actually more helpful and realistic in helping women achieve a better relationship with food while simultaneously reaching their health and fitness goals.