How surprising it can be to some of us to learn that the normal portions for the foods we eat are usually twice the size and amount we should be consuming. This is not entirely our own fault. We are surrounded by a constant barrage of eat, drink, and be merry messages from a variety of sources. Then when we develop a weight problem because we regularly eat larger portions and consume more calories than we burn off, we are hit with portion control and calorie restriction messages as if one has no connection with the other.
Portion control is not the solution for creating a better you in regards to health and fitness. Optimal nutrients are the real solution for optimal health and fitness. The size of the food you eat is not nearly as important as what is in the food you eat. Are the foods you are eating full of preservatives with little room left for the nutrients your body can really use? Highly processed foods are notorious for being foods having little if any nutrient value to them. When a food is processed so that it can sit on a store shelf longer before spoiling, much of its natural nutrient content is processed away. Other processed foods contain substances such as fats, which the body can only metabolize and utilize in amounts much less than commonly found in these foods. Highly processed foods also contain other substances which inhibit the body from absorbing nutrients from other foods. A diet of highly processed foods has been shown to cause high cholesterol, heart disease, hypertension, vitamin deficiencies, and brittle bone disease among many other health problems. A body that has insufficient levels of the nutrients it needs will be weak, prone to illness, and unable to carry out the functions of the body normally.
For the optimum in health and fitness forget about focusing on portion sizes and portion control. Concentrate on eating foods that are high in healthy nutrients for optimal health and fitness. You will even find that you can actually eat more of the nutrient rich foods than highly processed, nutrient lacking foods, while maintaining a healthier weight. However, the focus again should be on supplying your body with all of the nutrients it needs for normal functioning and optimal health and fitness.
Organic foods are the highest in the nutrients your body needs for optimal health and fitness. This is because the natural nutrients in these foods have not been changed through processing. Organic foods are also a healthier choice for you and your family because dangerous pesticides are not used on these foods themselves or in the fields and water sources where these foods are grown. The pesticides used to control the pests that can destroy growing crops have been shown to cause many cancers, including those in children. Organic farmers use other methods of pest control to protect their crops. The methods used by organic farmers to keep pests in check do not leave poisonous residues on food crops like pesticides do, and the food crop is not altered in any way either.
Whether organically grown or grown using small amounts of pesticides, plant foods are the best sources of the nutrients your body needs for optimal health and fitness. You will find optimal levels of nutrients in fruits, vegetables, grains, and legumes. Some low processed foods contain better amounts of nutrients than the highly processed foods, but keep in mind that in the processing of these foods, some nutrients are lost and therefore they should not be your first choice in the foods you eat for optimal health and fitness.
Ignore the barrage of advertising messages trying to lure you into eating foods loaded with fat and no nutrients with the promise that you will be happier for it. Turn your back on those portion control messages as well. Optimal nutrients, not portion control, are the solution for finding your optimum in health and fitness.
