The word "diet" is often times misunderstood. What you eat on a daily basis is your diet. When you are trying to lose weight and get into shape, you need to change your you diet, not go on one. When it comes to making dietary changes, there are some idiot-proof rules that should be followed.
Carbs
Carbs are your main source of energy. If you cut them out of your diet, you may lose weight fast, but then gain it all back once you start eating them again. Do not fall for the low or no carb diet.
Protein
Protein is an essential macronutrient that the body needs on a daily basis. It is used for muscle recovery and cell regeneration. Eating high amounts of it is not going to get you thin. Your body can only process so much at a time. The Recommended Daily Allowance of protein is .8g per kilogram of body weight. Follow these guidelines. A kilogram equals 2.2 pounds.
Total Calories
The key to weight loss is creating a caloric deficit. This means, burn more calories than you consume. To lose a pound a week, cut your daily total by 500 calories.
Liquid Calories
Calories are still calories, even in the form of liquids. If you really want to lose weight, eliminate the beverages that are high in calories like soda, processed fruit juices, sweetened teas, sugared coffee drinks and alcohol. Drink water in their place as it is free of calories, and it helps keep you hydrated.
Exercise
If you are going to exercise, don't be fooled into thinking you can eat anything you want. To lose weight, you still need to honor your caloric deficit. If you are feeling hungrier than usual, eat more nutrient-dense foods like fruits and vegetables.
Frequent Meals
Instead of eating two or three times a day, eat a small meal every two to three hours. This will keep you from overeating, and it will give you sustained energy levels.
Fiber
Fiber is a non-absorbable substance that can create bulk in your stomach when you eat it. This can fill you up and keep you feeling full longer, which can keep your caloric intake down. Eat fiber with all of your meals. The Mayo Clinic recommends women get 21 to 25g a day and men get 31 to 38g a day.
Breakfast
Always eat something as soon as you get up in the morning. This can prevent you from eating high-calorie foods later in the morning, and it can also kickstart your metabolism.
Extras
Go light in the sauces, creams and dressings you add on to your food. They are calorie bombs that can add up in a hurry. When you dowse your salad or baked potato, use only enough cream or dressing to give it flavor.
Fat
Just because a product says "low-fat" or "fat-free," it doesn't mean you should eat the whole box. These products get the fat taken out, but they get loaded up with sugar. In a lot of these cases, the overall calories barely even change. Examples of foods that this can be seen with include cookies, crackers, muffins, fruit bars and cupcakes.
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