“I am lucky to work with all types of incredible people, from the new mom who wants to lose the last 10 after baby, to the busy traveling finance executive, to the courageous warrior woman who just battled cancer and WON,” shares Sarah Wragge, a Holistic Nutritionist and Wellness Coach based in NYC and the Hamptons. Sarah designs lifestyle plans that are high-touch, impactful and customized to the individual. SW programs help you achieve a new sense of well-being that unfolds beyond just yourself, making you better in all aspects of your life: in your relationships, in the work you do and the choices you make.

 Sarah adds, “As different as people and their stories may seem, they all have learned somewhere along the way that it’s all about calories in / calories out to maintain a healthy weight and feel great. It simply isn’t true and I’ll explain why below.”

 

1. Quality Over Quantity

Fill your body with Nutrient Dense foods that DO something for you. A big slice of pizza really serves no purpose other than spiking blood sugar levels up and dropping them back down, only to leave you really wanting an ice cream cone. That CALM, perfectly full satiated feeling of “ahhhhhh” comes from a meal filled with the proper ratio of protein + fiber + fat + micronutrients that are only found in whole food. If you give you body the good stuff it needs, then you stop when you are full and don’t binge on empty calories.

2. Not all calories are created equal.

Let’s use snacks as an example. You can eat a 100 calorie pack of Oreos OR you can have 100 calories in the form of a hard boiled egg and some carrot sticks. Which do you think your body will metabolize and use as fuel? And which do you think will spike insulin and cause you crashes and cravings all day long? Also, which one is actually FOOD?

3. We don’t burn calories equally.

A sedentary 130 pound women with no muscle mass most likely doesn’t burn the same calories in the same amount of time as a 130 crossfit competitor. Consider your age, activity level, genetic makeup and yes your stress level! One size does NOT fit all.

4. Rest + Repair

One of the most important systems that needs rest is your digestive system. It takes 12 hours for our bodies to fully absorb and assimilate all of the nutrients you put in it the day before. Allow a 12 hour window between dinner and breakfast for optimal digestion!

5. Listen to your body.

Our bodies are ALWAYS communicating with us and it’s our job to listen. Some days your body will just NEED more food and nutrients. Other days you simply might not be as hungry. This is why it’s so important to listen and tune in to what your body needs. The old way of thinking that you can eat a set number of calories each day doesn’t make sense and won’t help you reach your long term goals.