Trainer Patricia Gatus corrects some common misconceptions about nutrition and weight loss
If changing how much you weigh is your goal, then you should go about it in a way that’s sustainable. Whether it’s to lose weight or gain it, health should be the priority. Cutting through the noise of varied advice online, we asked trainer Patricia Gatus to weigh in on the topic and deliver some advice for those who want to lose weight or simply stay healthy.
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On the topic of weight loss
First and foremost, know that eliminating certain food groups like carbs and doing intermittent fasting are not the best ways to lose weight. According to Patricia, these are common misconceptions people have about nutrition because eliminating types of food and drink from your diet or doing intermittent fasting does not assure weight loss.
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Instead, the best way to lose weight is by eating and drinking fewer calories than what your body’s burning. In other words, burn more calories than you consume by moving more and being in what’s called a “calorie deficit.” Patricia explains, “Skipping a meal does not guarantee that you are eating less within the day. The total calorie intake per day will highly dictate whether one loses, maintains, or gains weight.”
All that being said, while intermittent fasting can facilitate weight loss, it’s not the miracle solution for it. That’s because if you’re not paying attention to your total calorie intake per day, then you could actually be consuming more calories than you burn during your eating windows.
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This goes to show that if you do take up intermittent fasting, you would have to be as disciplined about what you eat during your eating windows as you are keeping to them. So, what should you actually be eating to have a healthy diet?
Let’s talk about sustainability
To answer, Patricia emphasized the importance of sustainable nutrition, wherein there’s more focus on consuming healthy food and drinks for health purposes. Given that a balanced diet is necessary for your health and energy levels, she urges others to eat a good mix of carbohydrates, protein, fat, and vegetable sources. Besides those, you shouldn’t forget to eat fruits and to regularly hydrate with water.
Lastly, having the discipline to have a balanced diet doesn’t necessarily mean cutting out more enjoyable but less healthy foods. According to Patricia, not having a food restriction is good even for those looking to lose weight because food is a part of one’s enjoyment and culture. Nonrestrictive eating habits could also make a diet more enjoyable and sustainable for many people.
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The trainer gives one more piece of advice, which is to think of the “80/20 rule.” This type of diet dictates that people eat nutritious foods 80 percent of the time while leaving enjoyable food for the rest of the 20 percent. “Of course, people with medical or health conditions should consult professionals on what’s best for them,” Patricia adds.
