A fitness blogger named Lucy Mountain from Great Britain is trying to change the way you think about calories. Her Instagram account, The Fashion Fitness Foodie, has side-by-side photo comparisons of supposed healthy foods next to the equivalent calories of supposed junk food.
Lucy uses the photo comparisons of junk food versus healthy food to show that it’s okay to treat yourself in small portions — but it’s also possible to overeat on the healthiest of foods.
Her creative tactic is catching people’s attention and helping the change the way they count calories. It’s all about quality over quantity. Lucy’s eye-opening Instagram posts are below.
High-fat, high-oil versus low-fat, low-oil
“The only differences are the percentage of fat in the meat (12% vs 5%) and the oil (olive oil vs light olive spray) used to cook it. Firstly FAT IZ GOOD 4 U. It’s simply more calories per gram than carbs or protein. That’s it. Secondly CALORIES R GOOD 4 U. You need them to fuel your body. However making a simple swap like this could be useful if your goal is weight management and you’re getting adequate fat in the REST of your meals throughout the day ”
High-nutrient, low-calorie versus high-nutrient, high-calorie
“Neither of these bowls are ‘good’ or ‘bad’. Neither of these ingredients are ‘good’ or ‘bad’. They are just bowls of oats with different toppings. Both bowls have different calorie totals. Both bowls have different macronutrient values. Which one you might go for depends on your goal. Calories aren’t the sole indicator of ‘health’. This is a subjective term. How many calories you consume and how many you use through activity is an important part of weight management but there any many other things to consider.”
Serving of gin versus serving of white wine
“150ml Gin & Slimline Tonic vs. 150ml White Wine. Alcohol has calories and they can add up pretty quickly on a night out depending on what you drink. If you’re a regular drinker, something as simple as swapping your white wine for a Gin and Diet tonic could slice your potential calorie intake by over half. Just something to bear in mind if you’re watching your intake.”
Fresh fruit versus dried fruit
“100 calories of Strawberries vs 100 calories of Strawberries. The portion on the left weighs 300g and the portion on the right weighs 35g, however both amount to 100 calories. Don’t get me wrong; dried fruit is waaaay easier to eat when you’re on the go. So they could be a good option if convenience is the priority. But when fat loss is the goal, 300g of fresh strawberries is likely to be more satiating.”
Different types of shakes
“All three of these are smoothies. However, depending on the ingredients thrown in, the calorie content varies pretttttty massively.” 1. Almond milk plus protein powder. 2. Almond milk, protein powder, banana & honey. 3. Almond milk, protein powder, banana, honey, peanut butter, and flaxseed.
Portion control is everything
“20g of cashews vs 40g of cashews. Both are technically a ‘handful’ but there are twice as many calories in the right than in the left. Portion-sizing can be super hard to get your head around at first, especially when you don’t want to track or weigh your food. But getting familiar with the best portion size according to your personal goal and what it looks like will massively help you get there quicker.”
Looks can be deceiving
“50g Granola vs 100g Granola. Both could be considered a bowlful however the bowl on the right has twice as much in it than the left. Granola is often considered a healthy way to start the day however it’s very easy to over eat (and get stuck in that ‘milk-cereal-more milk-more cereal’ cycle. Yep I could literally go to town on a box of granola.)”
Low-calorie fruits versus high-calorie fruits
“Both of these bowls have 150g of greek yoghurt. Both of these bowls have 150g of fruit. However the difference in calories is approximately 300 calories. I’m not saying the left bowl is any better the right bowl as both are full of wonderful micro-packed foods. I just wanted to show you guys how small changes to ingredients can change the caloric total.”
Lucy Mountain is doing a great job of educating her followers on the importance of a nutrient-packed diet and to not beat yourself up over counting calories.
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