With much of the population being overweight or obese, a large number of people are trying to lose weight. It may be for health reasons or because they want to look better. Regardless of the reason, many people find losing weight hard. Here are some techniques to make your weight loss efforts more effective and successful.
Try to Be More Active
If you want to lose weight you need to expend more calories than you are consuming. According to nutritionist and author Anita Bean, you should combine a lower-calorie diet with physical activity. Dieting alone can leave you feeling hungry and is less successful than the combination of physical activity and food restriction. Try to walk whenever you can, take the stairs and not the elevator. Wash your car by hand, play with your kids and do some gardening. Any additional activity you can squeeze into your day will result in more effective weight loss.
Eat Little and Often
Although counter intuitive for some people, eating more often can help your lose weight more easily. Small regular meals will stop you from feeling hungry and also raise your metabolism as eating food actually uses calories. Aim for three meals and three snacks a day at regular intervals for best results.
Consume Plenty of High-Fiber Foods
Fiber is a calorie-free food. Foods that contain lots of fiber such as whole grains, unprocessed fruit and vegetables are lower in energy, take longer to eat and are more filling. By eating high-fiber foods, you will find you feel full for longer. Also, fibrous foods are good for your digestive system. Choose unprocessed foods like brown rice and whole meal bread and leave the skins on your fruit and vegetables to add fiber to your diet.
Avoid Mixing Carbohydrates and Fats in the Same Meal
When you eat carbohydrates, they are converted to glucose. The body responds by producing a hormone called insulin which drives the glucose into your muscles for use later. Insulin also inhibits fat burning. If you consume carbohydrates and fats in the same meal, insulin will prevent you from burning fat and encourage fat storage. Meals like pizza, french fries and sweets all combine carbohydrates with fats and should be avoided for weight loss.
Cut Down on Sugar
Watch out for hidden sugars in drinks and processed foods. Refined sugar contains no nutrients: no vitamins, no minerals and no fiber. Sugar is, according to Bean, a nutrient robber. Sugar requires nutrients for breakdown but provides none itself. In addition to being unhealthy, sugar is calorie dense and can cause a psychological addiction. Consuming sugary foods causes a rapid rise and subsequent fall in blood glucose levels which can create irregular energy levels and also fluctuating hunger levels. One way to avoid too much sugar is to build your diet around unprocessed foods such as whole fruits and vegetables and avoid pre-prepared and packaged foods especially most breakfast cereals and candy.
References
- "Fire Up Your Metabolism: 9 Proven Principles for Burning Fat and Losing Weight Forever"; Lyssie Lakatos and Tammy Lakatos Shames; 2004
- "The Complete Guide to Sports Nutrition"; Anita Bean; 2009
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