What should I focus on if I want to control my weight?
You should focus on total calories, but don’t get too crazy counting. You can start by keeping a log so you get an idea of what you are eating on a daily basis. People hate to do this and it can be annoying, but it is a great idea to see what you are consuming in order to get a baseline. We eat foods that are mixtures of the four calorie-yielding nutrients: carbohydrate, protein, fat and alcohol. A balance of these nutrients is important as they all offer value. It’s calories in and calories out overall so weighing ourselves weekly can keep us in check.
Are all carbohydrates bad?
No, definitely not. Carbohydrates can be simple to complex, and indigestible. The trouble comes from refined grains and simple sugars, which can play havoc with our body weight, blood sugar and triglyceride levels, as well as cause inflammation which leads to many chronic diseases. As humans, we prefer sweets but we can train ourselves to reach for an apple or orange instead of a cookie or cake.