Whether you are trying to lose weight, gain weight or maintain your weight, your diet will be key in achieving your goals. Despite your fitness goals, eating a healthful and balanced diet can improve your overall health and lower your risks of cardiovascular ailments such as heart disease and stroke. Remember to consult your doctor before you make dramatic changes to your diet and current levels of physical activity.
Eat Good Fat, Avoid Bad Fat
Even if you are trying to drop pounds and inches, dietary fat is still a mandatory nutrient for optimal health and weight loss. According to the University of Washington, fat should not exceed 30 percent of your total caloric consumption. The Harvard School of Public Health states that good fats are unsaturated fats. Good sources of unsaturated healthful fats are fish, olive oil, avocado, grapeseed oil, canola oil, walnuts, Brazil nuts, pumpkin seeds, soy beans and flaxseed. Saturated fats and trans fats are bad fats. Red meat, whole-fat dairy products and coconuts have high levels of saturated fat. Trans fat is found in fast food, fried foods, commercial baked goods and foods made with margarine. A quick look at the nutrition facts will tell you if a food is high in fat and what type of fat it is.
Eat Lean Protein
Replacing high-calorie protein foods with lean protein foods will help you cut calories and help you avoid saturated fat. Healthful lean protein foods include skinless turkey, skinless chicken, egg whites, salmon, tuna, herring, shrimp, crab and most other seafood or shellfish. Skim milk, unsweetened soy milk and fat-free cheese are also healthful protein foods. Beans, such as kidney beans, white beans and pinto beans, have a fair amount of carbohydrates but are also an excellent protein source because they are high in fiber. High-calorie protein sources such as red meat have additional calories from saturated fat. The Harvard School of Public Health gives the example that a 6-oz. porterhouse has 38 g of protein, but 44 g of fat with 14 g coming from saturated fat. A 6-oz. piece of salmon has 34 g of protein but only 4 g of saturated fat.
Eat Good Carbohydrates, Avoid Bad Carbohydrates
Replacing foods that are high in simple sugars with foods that are high in complex carbohydrates will help you lose weight. Foods that are high in sugar replace your blood sugar levels and encourage your body to release insulin which leads to fat storage. Foods that have carbohydrates that are not sugar have a far less dramatic effect on blood sugar and insulin release. Good carbohydrates include whole grains, whole wheat pasta, rice brown, all vegetables, all fruits and beans. Bad carbohydrates or high-sugar sources include candy, ice cream, soda, white potatoes, white rice, and anything with high-fructose corn syrup. The glycemic index or GI is a scale that shows the potential effect of a food on your blood sugar level. For weight loss, low GI foods are desirable, high GI foods are not.
Calorie-Free Bevereges
Drinking beverages that have calories can very quickly add significant amounts of calories to your diet. If the drink has sugar or added sweeteners, it will increase your blood sugar levels. Soda, sports drinks and fruit drinks not made from whole fruit should not be on your grocery list or in your refrigerator. Calorie-free beverages such as water, tea and unsweetened coffee are suitable diet-beverage replacements. Diet soda is suitable, but the Harvard School Public Health suggests that you drink it only in moderate quantities.
References
- University of Washington: Estimating Nutritional Requirements
- Harvard School of Public Health: Fats and Cholesterol: Out With the Bad, in With the Good
- Harvard School of Public Health: Protein
- Harvard School of Public Health: Carbohydrates
- Harvard School of Public Health: Sugary Drinks or Diet Drinks: What's the Best Choice?
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