Perceived healthy choices

One of her favourite things.

I’m usually a Costa man but the queue was to big and we ended up in Starbucks.

I ordered two hot chocolates and was given the option of dark or milk chocolate for them.

I went for one of each, taking the dark chocolate option for myself as it is my general preference.

There has been a lot about dark chocolate and its health benefits in the media over the past couple of years.  It is generally better if you go for a decent quality 70%+ one.

The difference to your health when having it with a load of whipped cream on top and a muffin are pretty much zero.  When it came to drinking it, I noticed that the server had given them me the wrong way round and K was drinking the dark chocolate one.

Therein lies the problem, she is 4.  When we crack open our good chocolate at home, she says it is disgusting and doesn’t eat it.

The taste difference in the Starbucks one was nominal.

Now I didn’t have it to be healthy but it did get me thinking about the choices we make in an attempt to be a little more health conscious.

A friend having a salad at McD’s springs to mind; the calorie content of the salad was higher than a burger meal.  Obviously that is when you add the dressing on etc.

There are other things at play too.  Hopefully the salad would have a greater nutrient content as there should be more fresh ingredients.

Claories aren’t the most important aspect of improving your health but they are pretty damn important when it comes to losing excess body fat.

That’s why it’s worth tracking your calories occasionally and checking them against how well you are doing on the scales.

The actual number isn’t that important, the important factor is:

If your weight is going up and you want it to come down you are eating too many.

If your weight is going down and you want it to go up, you are eating to few.

It really is that simple.

You may have a slow thyroid that your GP has blamed for your weight gain.  They are sort of right.

Your thyroid might have slowed down your metabolism, that means you have to take action and slow down the calories that you eat.  Keeping nutrient rich foods as a priority.

If I could only give two pieces of advice for weight loss they would be:

1.  Drink more water.  That is, an appropriate amount for you.  We can help you work out the corect amount for you specifically.

2.  Eat more vegetables.  I meet so many people, including vegans and vegetarians, who barely eat any vegetables and certainly don’t get a portion in at each meal.

Those simple steps will make a big difference, give them a try and let me know how you get on.