An easy slim diet is one diet that you are going to stick with. It encompasses a wide variety of foods, thus preventing monotony, and a healthy balance and amount of the three macronutrient sources to your body: carbohydrates, fat and protein. By monitoring your caloric intake and adding exercise, you will slim down to your ideal shape.
Healthy Carbohydrates
Focus on getting your carbohydrates from fruits and vegetables. These sources of carbs not only tend to yield fewer calories per processed carbs, but also are nutrient-dense -- full of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and fiber. Fiber is an indigestible carbohydrate keeping you fuller between meals and throughout the day, thus preventing mindless snacking between meals. Avoid processed carbohydrates, which the Harvard School of Public Health states are easily digested and tend to interfere with weight loss and promote weight gain. Carbohydrates should make up about 40 percent of your calories.
Healthy Fats
Regardless of what fad diets claim, fat is an important macronutrient for your body, aiding in growth and development, providing energy and absorbing vitamins; it also provides satiety and taste to meals. A moderate intake of fat at every meal will help you feel satisfied from a smaller amount of food. Healthy fats also have been shown to promote healthy and sustained weight loss. These healthy fats, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated, are found in nuts, seeds, avocados, flax oil and olive oil. Avoid trans and saturated fats found in fried, processed, packaged and baked goods. These increase your bad cholesterol and risk for heart disease. Aim to eat around 30 percent of your calories from fat.
Lean Protein
When slimming down, protein is especially important because it is responsible for preserving and building lean mass. As you lose weight, you want to make sure the weight that is coming off is fat, not healthy muscle. Get your protein from lean sources like skinless poultry and fish, and avoid red meat, pork, duck, goose and lamb, which are high in saturated fat. Protein at every meal also will help keep you full throughout the day since protein takes longer to digest. Get about 30 percent of your calories from protein sources.
Caloric Intake
Even though making healthy changes and additions to your diet will promote weight loss, you still need to monitor your caloric intake. Determine your caloric needs from an online resource like the chart provided by the American Heart Association or the calculator provided by Ask the Dietitian. Once you know how many calories your body needs, you can begin decreasing the number to create a 500-calorie deficit daily. This will provide a pound of weight loss per week, which is a healthy goal.
Exercise
Participating in daily exercise will increase the amount and rate of weight loss. Perform both cardiovascular and strength training exercises. Strength training helps build lean muscle, so as you are slimming down you also are carving a sleek body underneath. Exercising to burn 500 calories a day will lead to an additional pound of weight loss per week. The American Heart Association explains that exercise not only promotes weight loss but also reduces the risk of heart disease, improves cholesterol levels, manages blood pressure, boosts energy levels, manages stress, releases tension and improves self-confidence, in addition to other positive effects.
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