Nutrition - with dietitian Liv Morrison: Kic-Start Your New Year
Jan 7, 2025
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In this insightful discussion, Liv Morrison, an accredited clinical dietitian and Kic’s in-house nutrition expert, debunks the myths surrounding fad diets. She emphasizes the importance of adopting an 'add to' mindset for sustainable eating and maintaining digestive health through dietary variety. Liv also explores how macronutrient balance fuels energy and supports a healthier relationship with food. The conversation encourages flavorful, diverse eating while challenging restrictive norms, making healthy choices feel enjoyable rather than depriving.
Fad diets are often unsustainable and lead to failure, highlighting the need for achievable goals that promote positive eating habits.
Macronutrients—carbohydrates, proteins, and fats—each serve crucial roles in health, emphasizing the importance of a balanced diet for well-being.
Incorporating a variety of whole foods enhances nutrient intake and supports gut health, encouraging a diverse diet for long-term wellness.
Deep dives
The Ineffectiveness of Fad Diets
Fad diets often promise quick results but are usually unsustainable and lead to failure within a short timeframe. A staggering statistic reveals that over 80% of individuals who start a diet on January 1st abandon it by February. People frequently return to the same ineffective diets multiple times, driven by the false belief that they are the problem rather than the diet. The emphasis instead should be on creating achievable and emotionally resonant goals that focus on positive dietary additions rather than restrictive cuts.
Healthy Eating Through Addition, Not Restriction
Instead of focusing on what to cut out of a diet, individuals should concentrate on what they can add, promoting a more positive relationship with food. For example, rather than declaring a goal to eat less takeout, one could aim to incorporate more homemade meals into their diet. This shift in mindset helps in increasing nutritional intake without the psychological burden of deprivation. It also encourages more sustainable eating habits, ultimately leading to better health outcomes.
Understanding Macronutrients and Their Importance
Macronutrients—carbohydrates, proteins, and fats—each play unique and vital roles in overall health and well-being. Carbohydrates are essential for energy and exercise performance, while protein supports muscle repair and regulates hunger hormones. Dietary fats are not only crucial for satiety but also beneficial for brain health and mood regulation. Balancing these macronutrients is key; cutting any of them out can lead to deficiencies and undesirable cravings.
The Role of Whole Foods in Nutrition
Emphasizing whole foods over calorie-counting is essential for long-term health and well-being. Many low-calorie products on the market lack nutritional value and can mislead individuals into unhealthy eating patterns. Whole foods are packed with essential nutrients that nourish the body and contribute to overall happiness and satisfaction. Instead of fixating solely on calorie content, it's crucial to consider the quality and nutrient density of the foods consumed.
The Importance of Variety in Diet
Eating a wide variety of foods not only ensures a range of nutrients but also supports gut health by providing different types of fiber. Consuming various colors of fruits and vegetables introduces important phytonutrients that benefit overall health. A diverse diet helps prevent deficiencies, metabolic issues, and even food intolerances that can arise from excessive restriction. Striving for variety should be an integral part of any healthy eating approach to promote long-term well-being.
Liv Morrison is an accredited clinical dietitian & nutritionist. As Kic’s in-house dietitian, Liv approves every recipe you see in the Kic app.
This time of year is notorious for fad diets and toxic health messages about restriction and deprivation, so this week we wanted to set the record straight.
We asked Liv about how we can eat better, including adding foods in, instead of taking them out, the importance of eating a variety of different foods, the benefits of each macronutrient (protein, fat & carbs), our hunger and satiety hormones, and more.
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