All Excuses Are Not Created Equal

How many times have you told yourself this: "On workout days, I can eat whatever I want, it'll all balance out."

Your workout may promise to burn 800 calories, but don't treat yourself to heavy cream pasta or cheesy nachos. A lot of people overestimate the number of calories one burns because everyone burns calories at a different rate. You wouldn't want to undo all of your hard work, would you? To lose weight, you still need to take in fewer calories than you burn. You have heard this 100 times but it is true! I want to make sure you aren't using any of these "reasons" to cut calories. Here's a few that I have heard time and time again:

"If I skip breakfast I can cut major calories"

Making healthy choices first meal of the day means you are fueling your body in the right way and you can function better and that means better calorie burn during the day. Doing this means you are less likely to be plump. One of the reasons is when people are hungry they don't always make the greatest food decisions. If you can't eat first thing in the morning keep a piece of fruit and protein bar handy for a mid-morning meal.

"I'm not gluten intolerant (or some  but if I eat gluten free I'll lose weight"

Eating trendy foods does not equal weight loss. A lot of "buzzword of the moment" foods can be loaded with calories. You should know that most Gluten-free foods are just as filled with carbs as the non gluten free choice. Oh and vegan goods sometimes are full of calories. It's perfectly fine if you eat these foods because you need to. That is why they exist but know that, like everything else, some choices are better than others. Read the food labels before you buy and note the calorie content and serving size!