Calorie counting is a popular method of keeping track of food intake when trying to lose weight, but it’s not effective if you don’t think about the quality of food you’re consuming, a holistic health coach has warned.
While you may think that the act of creating a calorie deficit between the food you’re consuming and the number of calories you are burning each day is enough, Georgia Smith, founder of The Balanced Boss, says that it’s important to remember that not all calories are created equal. This means that if you’re eating a high number of ultra-processed foods (UPFs) within your calorie deficit, you will likely not lose as much weight as you would through eating a balanced diet of predominantly whole foods.
Speaking to HELLO!, Georgia explains: “The definition of food is ‘any nutritious substance that people or animals eat or drink or that plants absorb in order to maintain life and growth’. For this reason, I prefer to call UPFs ‘food-like substances’, given that they contain very little nutritional value for supporting life or growth, rather the opposite.”
She added: “It is important to remember that food is not passive – it is not merely a collection of calories that will make us fat or thin. What we consume acts as signalling messengers to our cells, communicating with them on how to operate our bodily functions.”
The impact of UPFs on weight loss
UPFs will disrupt weight loss efforts by altering our bodily functions, even when eaten in a calorie deficit, in several ways. “First, UPFs tend to interfere with our body’s natural hunger and fullness cues,” Georgia says. “Leptin and ghrelin are two key hormones that work against each other to regulate appetite and energy balance within the body, with leptin signalling to the brain to reduce appetite and increase energy expenditure, and ghrelin, known as the ‘hunger hormone’, signalling to the brain to increase appetite, food intake and reduce energy expenditure.”
Research has shown that ultra-processed foods cause an imbalance in these hormones, causing increased hunger, overeating, and weight gain. But the health and nutrition coach warns that their effects on hormones don’t stop there.
“For women in particular, the refined carbohydrates and additives in UPFs cause blood sugar spikes, raising insulin levels, which trigger the storage of excess glucose as fat and the inhibition of fat breakdown for energy. This also puts women at risk of reproductive health conditions such as PCOS,” she says.
“UPFs are shown to significantly disrupt gut health by weakening the intestinal barrier, reducing the diversity of bacteria and favouring the growth of potentially harmful bacteria. All of which promotes inflammation and negatively affects metabolism and hormone balance – and therefore, weight management.”
The digestion process and weight loss
Keen slimmers should also consider the thermic effect of food, or the energy that our bodies use to digest and process food. “Whole foods like whole proteins, fibrous vegetables, and complex carbs require significantly more energy to break down, meaning the body absorbs fewer net calories compared to UPFs,” Georgia says. “In essence, two meals might contain the same number of calories on paper, but your body actually retains less energy from the whole food meal.”
“This Nature Medicine Study is a wake-up call that the Public Health guidance needs an overhaul, taking the processing of foods into account,” she concluded. “It’s time to revisit dietary recommendations alongside outdated biomarkers, like BMI, as screening tools for health status.”
Tips and swaps for healthy weight loss:
Healthy weight loss doesn’t have to be complicated or require you to memorise the calorie count of all your favourite foods. Instead, try the following tips from health coach Georgia, and you may soon notice you are shedding pounds sensibly and sustainably.
Prioritise protein at every meal
Protein helps stabilise blood sugar, nurtures our muscles and keeps us fuller for longer. Breakfast is particularly important for laying the foundations for the rest of the day. Swap sugary cereals or toast for breakfast for Greek yoghurt with berries and chia seeds, or eggs on seeded sourdough with avocado.
Swap processed snacks for whole foods and homemade options
Snacking all day on UPFs will keep blood sugar levels elevated. Rather than shop-bought cereal bars and crisps, opt for a handful of nuts, apple slices with almond butter, or boiled eggs with sea salt, or make your own home-made protein bars without any added sugars or artificial ingredients – like these. These will keep you energised without the crash.
Carbs are not the enemy, but choose wisely
Swap white pasta and processed bread for fibre-rich options like quinoa, sourdough, sweet potato, or whole grains. They’ll digest more slowly, reducing blood sugar spikes and helping prevent cravings. Top tip: pre-cook your carbs and let them cool before eating. Cooking and then cooling starchy carbohydrates can increase the amount of resistant starch they contain, which is a type of fibre that’s beneficial for gut health and can help regulate blood sugar levels.
Crowd in, rather than cut out
Instead of focusing on restriction, think about what nourishing foods you can add to your plate: leafy greens, healthy fats like olive oil or avocado, fermented foods and drinks for gut health. Over time, the ultra-processed options are naturally crowded out. Explained here.