Source :- helpguide.org<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What\u2019s the best diet for healthy weight loss?
\nPick up any diet book and it will claim to hold all the answers to successfully losing all the weight you want\u2014and keeping it off. Some claim the key is to eat less and exercise more, others that low fat is the only way to go, while others prescribe cutting out carbs. So, what should you believe?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The truth is there is no \u201cone size fits all\u201d solution to permanent healthy weight loss. What works for one person may not work for you, since our bodies respond differently to different foods, depending on genetics and other health factors. To find the method of weight loss that\u2019s right for you will likely take time and require patience, commitment, and some experimentation with different foods and diets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
While some people respond well to counting calories or similar restrictive methods, others respond better to having more freedom in planning their weight-loss programs. Being free to simply avoid fried foods or cut back on refined carbs can set them up for success. So, don\u2019t get too discouraged if a diet that worked for somebody else doesn\u2019t work for you. And don\u2019t beat yourself up if a diet proves too restrictive for you to stick with. Ultimately, a diet is only right for you if it\u2019s one you can stick with over time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Remember: while there\u2019s no easy fix to losing weight, there are plenty of steps you can take to develop a healthier relationship with food, curb emotional triggers to overeating, and achieve a healthy weight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Four popular weight loss strategies<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Weight loss isn\u2019t a linear event over time. When you cut calories, you may drop weight for the first few weeks, for example, and then something changes. You eat the same number of calories but you lose less weight or no weight at all. That\u2019s because when you lose weight you\u2019re losing water and lean tissue as well as fat, your metabolism slows, and your body changes in other ways. So, in order to continue dropping weight each week, you need to continue cutting calories.
\nA calorie isn\u2019t always a calorie. Eating 100 calories of high fructose corn syrup, for example, can have a different effect on your body than eating 100 calories of broccoli. The trick for sustained weight loss is to ditch the foods that are packed with calories but don\u2019t make you feel full (like candy) and replace them with foods that fill you up without being loaded with calories (like vegetables).
\nMany of us don\u2019t always eat simply to satisfy hunger. We also turn to food for comfort or to relieve stress\u2014which can quickly derail any weight loss plan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you eat a carbohydrate-rich meal (lots of pasta, rice, bread, or French fries, for example), your body releases insulin to help with the influx of all this glucose into your blood. As well as regulating blood sugar levels, insulin does two things: It prevents your fat cells from releasing fat for the body to burn as fuel (because its priority is to burn off the glucose) and it creates more fat cells for storing everything that your body can\u2019t burn off. The result is that you gain weight and your body now requires more fuel to burn, so you eat more. Since insulin only burns carbohydrates, you crave carbs and so begins a vicious cycle of consuming carbs and gaining weight. To lose weight, the reasoning goes, you need to break this cycle by reducing carbs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Most low-carb diets advocate replacing carbs with protein and fat, which could have some negative long-term effects on your health. If you do try a low-carb diet, you can reduce your risks and limit your intake of saturated and trans fats by choosing lean meats, fish and vegetarian sources of protein, low-fat dairy products, and eating plenty of leafy green and non-starchy vegetables.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Not all fat is bad. Healthy or \u201cgood\u201d fats can actually help to control your weight, as well as manage your moods and fight fatigue. Unsaturated fats found in avocados, nuts, seeds, soy milk, tofu, and fatty fish can help fill you up, while adding a little tasty olive oil to a plate of vegetables, for example, can make it easier to eat healthy food and improve the overall quality of your diet.
\nWe often make the wrong trade-offs. Many of us make the mistake of swapping fat for the empty calories of sugar and refined carbohydrates. Instead of eating whole-fat yoghurt, for example, we eat low- or no-fat versions that are packed with sugar to make up for the loss of taste. Or we swap our fatty breakfast bacon for a muffin or donut that causes rapid spikes in blood sugar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Whatever weight loss strategy you try, it\u2019s important to stay motivated and avoid common dieting pitfalls, such as emotional eating.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Control emotional eating
\nWe don\u2019t always eat simply to satisfy hunger. All too often, we turn to food when we\u2019re stressed or anxious, which can wreck any diet and pack on the pounds. Do you eat when you\u2019re worried, bored, or lonely? Do you snack in front of the TV at the end of a stressful day? Recognizing your emotional eating triggers can make all the difference in your weight-loss efforts. If you eat when you\u2019re:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Stressed \u2013 find healthier ways to calm yourself. Try yoga, meditation, or soaking in a hot bath.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Low on energy \u2013 find other mid-afternoon pick-me-ups. Try walking around the block, listening to energizing music, or taking a short nap.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Lonely or bored \u2013 reach out to others instead of reaching for the refrigerator. Call a friend who makes you laugh, take your dog for a walk, or go to the library, mall, or park\u2014anywhere there\u2019s people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Practice mindful eating instead
\nAvoid distractions while eating. Try not to eat while working, watching TV, or driving. It\u2019s too easy to mindlessly overeat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Pay attention. Eat slowly, savoring the smells and textures of your food. If your mind wanders, gently return your attention to your food and how it tastes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Mix things up to focus on the experience of eating. Try using chopsticks rather than a fork, or use your utensils with your non-dominant hand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Stop eating before you are full. It takes time for the signal to reach your brain that you\u2019ve had enough. Don\u2019t feel obligated to always clean your plate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Stay motivated
\nPermanent weight loss requires making healthy changes to your lifestyle and food choices. To stay motivated:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Find a cheering section. Social support means a lot. Programs like Jenny Craig and Weight Watchers use group support to impact weight loss and lifelong healthy eating. Seek out support\u2014whether in the form of family, friends, or a support group\u2014to get the encouragement you need.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Slow and steady wins the race. Losing weight too fast can take a toll on your mind and body, making you feel sluggish, drained, and sick. Aim to lose one to two pounds a week so you\u2019re losing fat rather than water and muscle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Set goals to keep you motivated. Short-term goals, like wanting to fit into a bikini for the summer, usually don\u2019t work as well as wanting to feel more confident or become healthier for your children\u2019s sakes. When temptation strikes, focus on the benefits you\u2019ll reap from being healthier.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Use tools to track your progress. Smartphone apps, fitness trackers, or simply keeping a journal can help you keep track of the food you eat, the calories you burn, and the weight you lose. Seeing the results in black and white can help you stay motivated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Get plenty of sleep. Lack of sleep stimulates your appetite so you want more food than normal; at the same time, it stops you feeling satisfied, making you want to keep eating. Sleep deprivation can also affect your motivation, so aim for eight hours of quality sleep a night.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Cut down on sugar and refined carbs
\nWhether or not you\u2019re specifically aiming to cut carbs, most of us consume unhealthy amounts of sugar and refined carbohydrates such as white bread, pizza dough, pasta, pastries, white flour, white rice, and sweetened breakfast cereals. Replacing refined carbs with their whole-grain counterparts and eliminating candy and desserts is only part of the solution, though. Sugar is hidden in foods as diverse as canned soups and vegetables, pasta sauce, margarine, and many reduced fat foods. Since your body gets all it needs from sugar naturally occurring in food, all this added sugar amounts to nothing but a lot of empty calories and unhealthy spikes in your blood glucose.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Less sugar can mean a slimmer waistline
\nCalories obtained from fructose (found in sugary beverages such as soda and processed foods like doughnuts, muffins, and candy) are more likely to add to fat around your belly. Cutting back on sugary foods can mean a slimmer waistline as well as a lower risk of diabetes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Fill up with fruit, veggies, and fiber
\nEven if you\u2019re cutting calories, that doesn\u2019t necessarily mean you have to eat less food. High-fiber foods such as fruit, vegetables, beans, and whole grains are higher in volume and take longer to digest, making them filling\u2014and great for weight-loss.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s generally okay to eat as much fresh fruit and non-starchy vegetables as you want\u2014you\u2019ll feel full before you\u2019ve overdone it on the calories.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Eat vegetables raw or steamed, not fried or breaded, and dress them with herbs and spices or a little olive oil for flavor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Add fruit to low sugar cereal\u2014blueberries, strawberries, sliced bananas. You\u2019ll still enjoy lots of sweetness, but with fewer calories, less sugar, and more fiber.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Bulk out sandwiches by adding healthy veggie choices like lettuce, tomatoes, sprouts, cucumbers, and avocado.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Snack on carrots or celery with hummus instead of a high-calorie chips and dip.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Add more veggies to your favorite main courses to make your dish more substantial. Even pasta and stir-fries can be diet-friendly if you use less noodles and more vegetables.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Start your meal with salad or vegetable soup to help fill you up so you eat less of your entr\u00e9e.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Take charge of your food environment
\nSet yourself up for weight-loss success by taking charge of your food environment: when you eat, how much you eat, and what foods you make easily available.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Cook your own meals at home. This allows you to control both portion size and what goes in to the food. Restaurant and packaged foods generally contain a lot more sugar, unhealthy fat, and calories than food cooked at home\u2014plus the portion sizes tend to be larger.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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