A good diet is one that will allow you to meet your nutrient needs through foods that are low in fat and calories but will satisfy your hunger and promote weight loss at the same time. HelpGuide.org recommends making changes to your eating habits slowly, which increases your chances of sticking with them. Changing everything about how you eat at the same just sets you up for frustration and makes it more likely that you will throw in the towel too soon.
Lose Weight Slowly
Many diets exist that are based on losing a large amount of weight as quickly as possible. This is not only dangerous for your health but increases the chance that you will gain the weight back. Losing 1 to 2 lbs. per week is healthy and conducive to successfully staying slim. To lose 1 lb. you will need to cut 3,500 calories from your weekly meal plan, or 500 calories per day. This will prevent you from feeling hungry all the time, which would increase your odds of binging.
Eat From All the Food Groups
Getting plenty of variety from each of the groups on the Food Guide Pyramid means that you are covering all your nutrient needs with foods that are healthy and low in fat and calories. This means including fruits, vegetables, lean protein, whole grains, low-fat dairy and healthy fats. Avoid fast food, sugary desserts, processed meats, packaged snack foods, frozen snacks and dinners, and fried foods, which are high in fat, calories, sugar and salt. They also decrease your chances of weight loss, while increasing your risk of heart disease and diabetes.
Practice Portion Control
Even eating healthy foods in huge amounts will result in getting more calories than you need for weight loss. The amount of food you need from each of the food groups will depend on your age, amount of physical activity and gender, according to MyPyramid.gov. Familiarize yourself with how much you need each day so that you are able to spread those portions out to fill the day. Use measuring tools and a kitchen scale to weigh and measure your portions until you are able to eyeball them. By keeping portions in check, you will be controlling your calorie intake and protecting your health at the same time.
Incorporate Exercise
A good diet, commercial or otherwise, will encourage physical activity as part of healthy weight loss. By combining lower-calorie foods with exercise, you are making it that much simpler to cut 500 calories from your day. If you are new to exercise, talk to your doctor before beginning any new routine and start slow to prevent injury. According to the CDC, regular workouts not only promote weight loss, but are a powerful tool to maintaining a healthy weight. Choosing exercise you enjoy will motivate you to stick with it for the long term.
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