#1 Weight Loss Food Mistake You Are Making
Blake Sanburg, aka @thenutritionnarc, is a diet and fitness influencer with over 368,000 TikTok followers. Many of his videos go viral for a good reason: He shares helpful information about how he lost 23 pounds in two months. In one of his recent videos, he revealed one of the biggest mistakes people make while trying to lose weight, and it might surprise you because he uses one of the trendiest breakfasts of the decade as an example.
Stop Idolizing Avocado Toast
Blake claims that the "idolized avocado toast" is a "top tier example" of how "eating for health is not the same as eating for weight loss." While avocado toast boasts many healthy benefits, as it is loaded with healthy fats — it can promote heart health, reduce risk of macular degeneration, and help your body absorb vitamins, according to our sister site Eat This, Not That! — it also comes with 330 calories, he says, while the "demonized" Nutella toast only has 204.
He Doesn't Think It Will "Fill You up More"
@thenutritionnarcEating for health is not the same as eating for weight loss♬ original sound – Blake | NARC
"I don't care how much healthy food you're eating, if you're not in a calorie deficit, you're not going to lose weight," he points out. "I have seen people gain weight and get obese off of eating stuff like this. It is a rare case, but it is completely possible," he continues. While he predicts that commenters will try and say that avocado toast will "fill you up more" and "make you more satiated," he doesn't believe that is the case.
Related: I Lost 40 Pounds in 4 Months With These Simple Tricks
Studies Confirm: You Need a Caloric Deficit to Lose Weight
There are a few studies, including a 2019 study in Nutrients, finding that daily avocado consumption can prevent weight gain, and a 2021 study in the Journal of Nutrition that may help to reduce visceral fat among females. However, Blake is correct that weight loss comes down to an equation of calories in versus calories out.
Sometimes, Pizza May Be Better Than Pasta and Salad
His second example is a salad and pasta at 1,250 calories compared to an entire margarita pizza at 807. "This is exactly why when you go out to eat, I always preach to get something you're going to enjoy," he says. "If the calories aren't listed on the menu, you're taking a shot in the dark anyway, so might as well get something you enjoy. Everyone needs a mental break every once in a while, and I think going out to eat is the perfect opportunity for that."
Related: I'm a Nutritionist and These are the Best Banana Recipes For Weight Loss
Lose Weight Your Way
"Another thing to keep in mind is that the healthiest thing you could possibly do if you're overweight is to lose weight no matter how you do that," he also claims, referencing "that dude who ate Twinkies" and junk food and "improved all his health markers just because he'd lost weight," he says. "Of course, that's not the ideal way to do things, but if it's between eating Nutella toast or staying the same obese weight, Nutella toast is the winner."
💪🔥Body Booster: One serving of avocado toast boasts more calories than toast slathered in Nutella chocolate hazelnut spread.
