#1 Dumbest Thing You Can Do to Lose Weight, Says Nutrition Expert (He Did It Too)
You might be making a huge dietary mistake, without even knowing it. Blake, aka @thenutritionnarc, is a diet and fitness influencer with over 368,000 TikTok followers, who lost 23 pounds in two months. He regularly shares videos offering insight into exactly how he did it and also reveals many of the mistakes he made – including one that the majority of us are guilty of — so you don't have to. "This is probably the dumbest thing you can do when you're trying to lose weight," he starts off by saying in a viral video, admitting that he "did it too."
White Rice Is Just As Good As Brown Rice for Weight Loss, He Says
According to Blake, a big mistake that many people make when they are trying to lose weight, is opting for brown rice over white. "When I was younger, a lot more naive and going from a bulk to a cutting phase, I subbed out my white rice for brown rice because everyone knows brown rice is the gold standard, the best possible thing for weight loss," he says. "But if we actually take a look at the composition of each of them, there is little to no difference between them."
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RDN Agrees, But Points Out That Brown Rice Is a Whole Grain
"He is correct," says The Diet Diva, Tara Collingwood, MS, RDN, CSSD, LD/N, ACSM-CPT, a Board Certified Sports Dietitian. "In terms of calories, there is very little difference between white and brown rice. Calories, carbs, and protein are all about the same. However, she notes that brown rice has slightly more fiber at 1.6 grams per serving versus 0.4 grams per serving in white rice. "Brown rice is considered to be a whole grain, whereas white rice is a refined grain. White rice has a higher glycemic index meaning that it raises blood sugar more quickly than brown rice," she says.
They Do Have the Same Calories, However
@thenutritionnarc A weight loss mistake everybody makes at some point in their life#greenscreen ♬ original sound – Blake | NARC
But, Blake does point out that if dropping pounds is the goal, "the thing that actually matters when it comes to weight loss is calories, and they pretty much have the exact same per serving," and Collingwood agrees. "Calories are king when it comes to weight loss. Calories in vs calories out is still the same basic principle."
Another Example: Sweet Potatoes Vs. Russet
He also points out that "this exact same principle goes for a ton of different foods as well," including sweet potatoes versus russets. "For some reason, sweet potatoes are idolized and seen as the superior carb source when in all reality they pretty much have the exact same amount of calories."
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Russet Are High in Antioxidants While Sweet Potatoes Are high in Beta Carotene
Collingwood agrees that sweet potatoes are another great example. "Russet potatoes actually have a very high antioxidant value, which most people don't realize because they assume 'white' means no value," she adds. While sweet potatoes are high in beta carotene, white potatoes have other antioxidants that are also beneficial. "Most people don't eat the skin of sweet potatoes versus white potatoes and the skin contains a good amount of fiber, which can help keep you more full," she says. "The trick with all potatoes (sweet or white) is to make sure you don't add a lot of fat in cooking (frying them, loads of butter, etc)."
He Uses All Natural Peanut Butter Vs. Regular Peanut Butter as Another Example
Another example? All natural peanut butter. "Look on the back of the label," he instructs, pointing out that it has "the exact same amount of calories as the full fat, full sugar counterparts."
They Have the Same Amount of Calories, But Natural Peanut Butter Has Less Additives, RDN Says
From a calorie perspective the natural peanut butter is not much different than processed PB, agrees Collingwood. "The difference comes in with the addition of salt, sugar, and fully hydrogenated oils to the processed peanut butter but it is still 90% peanuts otherwise it cannot be called peanut butter."
Related: 10 Training Tips I Wish I Knew Earlier, by an Expert Fitness Coach
Bottom Line? Read the Label, Says Blake
"In my opinion, the best thing you can do for weight loss is, when you're at a grocery store, just turn the box around and read the label of whatever you're buying. I know you may be self-conscious about looking at every single food label, but I promise it's worth it when you're eating a delicious, tasty diet, and everyone else is still fat," he concludes.
Also, Pay Attention to Portion Size, Says RDN
Collingwood adds that you also need to pay attention to the serving size when you read a label. "When you are eating multiple portions of food, that is where it adds up," she says.
💪🔥Body Booster: If you are trying to lose weight, white rice is just as good of an option as brown rice.
