Want optimal health? What is more important; eating healthy or losing weight?

When trying to achieve optimal health, what is more important; eating healthy or losing weight?

The answer may surprise you.

And of course, it is not so black and white.
Eating healthy absolutely helps you to live a longer life.
In fact, poor diet is the leading cause of death in the world!

So what exactly can eating healthy do for you?

Here are some top benefits of eating a healthy diet:

1. Heart health

It is possible to prevent up to 80% of premature heart disease and stroke diagnoses with lifestyle changes, such as increasing physical activity and healthful eating.

2. Reduce cancer risk

Eating foods that contain antioxidants can reduce a person’s risk of developing cancer by protecting cells from damage.

3. Improved gut health

A healthy gut contributes to a strong immune system, heart health, brain health, improved mood, healthy sleep, and effective digestion, and it may help prevent some cancers and autoimmune diseases.

4. Improve memory

A healthful diet may help maintain cognition and brain health.

5. Strong bones and teeth

A diet with adequate calcium and magnesium is important for strong bones and teeth, which can minimize the risk of bone issues, such as osteoporosis later in life.

However, is eating a healthy diet enough?

What if you eat healthy but are still overweight?
The reality is that you can eat healthily and still be overweight.

And being overweight or obese puts you at risk for disease and illness.

Being obese or overweight puts you at risk for heart disease, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, poor bone density, arthritis, metabolic disorders, sleep apnea, stroke, and even some cancers.

So eating healthy isn’t enough.
We need to achieve an ideal weight range AND eat healthy for optimal health.

If weight loss is your goal, you need to eat in a caloric deficit.

When you consume fewer calories than you burn, you will lose weight, regardless of where those calories come from.
However, when you choose junk food you will not be nourishing your body, you will have low energy, poor immune system and be increasing your risk for diseases such as diabetes.

The true key to losing weight is to eat slightly below your caloric needs (not much or you will slow your metabolism) and then make the best choices within those calories.
This will benefit your health, make you feel better, give you energy, prevent hunger, and help you to lose weight for the long term.

This does not mean that treats and indulgences are not allowed.

In fact, that all or nothing diet mentality sets you up for failure.

I believe in enjoying all foods in moderation but making BETTER choices the majority of the time.

I teach my cleints how to eat the right foods in the right proportions and quantities so they have energy, feel good, do not feel restricted or deprived, are not hungry AND lose weight.

If you are tired of diets, tired of losing weight and gaining it back, or feel that you are eating healthy but not losing weight, let’s chat.

Set up a free strategy call today.

I guarantee you will leave this no pressure, free call with information to help you on your weight loss journey.

For more tips, motivation, and support join my free FB group Weight Loss for Life with Allison Vercelli.