Though studies have shown that reducing calorie intake can make a significant difference in the health of obese people, it was not certain if the same benefits would be seen in individuals who were otherwise within a healthy weight range, or slightly overweight. The participants in this recent study were to restrict their calorie intake by 25%, and even though they were only able to achieve a 12% reduction during the two years of the study’s operation, participants still felt better and lost weight.
Reducing Caloric Intake
Reducing caloric intake has a host of positive benefits for the body, but cutting calories doesn’t necessarily mean eating less food. You can cut calories from your diet by replacing high-calorie foods with foods that are lower in calories that will actually fill you up. Foods with higher fiber content are the go-to choice, allowing you to eat less and feel full sooner and for longer. Plus, high-fiber foods are nutritious and necessary for your body’s digestive and cardiovascular health.
Reducing your caloric intake means you have to pay close attention to your portion size. We often take in more calories than we need simply because it is on our plate, so to speak. Using a smaller-sized dish or bowl can immediately make in difference in your ability to control your portions, and you may find yourself naturally eating less right away.
Remember, eating a low-calorie diet should never mean eliminating any food altogether. Fats, carbohydrates, even some sodium, and sugar, are necessary for the body to function properly. There are ways, however, to get those essential nutrients without adding too many calories to the diet. Replacing High-fat and high-sugar foods with fruits and vegetables that are rich in fiber, vitamins and anti-oxidants will help you control your appetite while getting the nutrition your body needs to be healthy and feel healthy.
Diet and Mood
When you are reducing your calorie intake, you have to be careful that you don’t go too far, or that you don’t leave out important foods and nutrients that the body needs to function. The foods that we eat can have a profound effect on how we feel, not only physically but also mentally and emotionally.
So how does what we eat affect our mood? In a word, chemistry. The foods that we eat contain different levels of amino acids, carbohydrates, enzymes, fatty acids, minerals, proteins, and vitamins. These nutrients are used by the body to manufacture chemicals in the body that form the structures of our body, organs and tissues, blood and bones, and everything else.
Among the chemicals produced by the body from food are neurotransmitters. Neurotransmitters, including dopamine, glutamine, serotonin and endorphins, are used by the brain as conductors for brain waves. When your body is not producing enough of these chemicals from food, it can result in depression, anxiety, an inability to concentrate and a poor memory.
Choosing the right foods when cutting calories is vital to maintaining your mental health. Load your daily caloric intake with high fiber grains, fruits and vegetables, and don’t forget to include healthy fats, which the brain needs to properly function.
Diet and Your Sex Life
Speaking of functioning, you wouldn’t think that cutting calories could have a positive effect on your sex life, but it’s true! Eating the right foods, and keeping your waistline slim, can do a lot to improve your sex drive, regulating hormone levels and increase your libido.
Alcohol and greasy, fried foods can decrease testosterone levels and lower the sex drive, especially for men. Trans-fats, the dominant type of fat in fast foods and many snacks, also can hurt sperm production in the body, resulting in a higher count of abnormal sperm. So the next time you are thinking about indulging, replacing those “junk” foods and alcohol with fruits and vegetables. Watermelon, garlic, onions, and legumes are all high in a phytonutrient called citrulline, which the body converts into the amino acid arginine. Arginine boosts nitric levels in the body, in much the same way Viagra and other vasopressor medications used for erectile dysfunction do. This boost of nitric acid causes blood vessels to dilate, easing blood flow and making it easier for the natural progression or arousal to occur.
When we are under stress, regardless of the source, we often turn to food as a means of comforting ourselves. Unfortunately, the foods we so often turn to are high-calorie “comfort foods” and, while they may make us feel better at the moment, in the long-term they are actually the worse possible choice. High-fat, high-sugar foods drive up your blood pressure, raise your cholesterol levels, and affect the entire digestive system as it struggles to deal with the toxic foods coming through. This results in inflammation within the body and further stress that makes us feel lethargic and even less capable of dealing with the stress we had before.
The concept of comfort food is a good one, and you can still turn to your favorite snacks for comfort in getting through tough times. The key is to choose healthier comfort foods. High-fiber foods, especially carbohydrate-rich foods, stimulate the brain to produce serotonin, a hormone that calms and relaxes us. That’s why you may feel unusually mellow after a meal that includes baked potatoes, whole grain pasta or brown rice. As always, fruits and vegetables should be the go-to snack. Packed with vitamins and other nutrients, fruits and vegetables boost your immune system and supply plenty of the antioxidants we need to repair the damage and inflammation that stress causes within the body.
Regardless of your motivation, whether it is for general health reasons or to increase your libido, to lose weight or improve your cholesterol number, cutting calorie is a healthy and wise choice. How you cut calories from your diet may be even more important. Calorie cutting means making the decision to reduce the number of calories you take in overall; to reduce or eliminate calories from troublesome sources, such as “bad” fats and sugars; to limit your alcohol intake, and to take comfort in new foods. These choices will all have a profound effect on your health and well-being, keeping your waistline trim, your state-of-mind sunny, and your sex drive in gear.
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