If you are trying to lose weight, choosing the diet that is right for you can be tricky. Designing your own diet based around a few simple rules can help you be more successful. For example, try eliminating all sugar and flour from your diet. Sugar and flour account for a significant amount of the calories consumed by most Americans. Processed and refined foods often contain these ingredients.
Calories and Weight Loss
The only way to lose weight is to create a calorie deficit, which means that you need to eat less than your body burns. For every 3,500 calories that you cut from your diet, you will lose 1 lb. of weight, according to FamilyDoctor.org. The general advice is to reduce your daily calorie intake by 500 to 1,000 calories a day to lose 1 to 2 lb. a week. Almost all foods contain calories. Fat has 9 calories per gram, alcohol has 7 calories per gram and protein and carbohydrates each have 4 calories per gram. Lowering your intake of either of these nutrients will help you lower your calorie intake and promote weight loss.
Sugar
Sugar is a type of carbohydrate that is found in many foods and beverages, most of which are considered empty calories because they are high in calories but provide little nutritional value. Sugar is found in beverages such as soft drinks, fruit punches, energy drinks, sport drinks and cocktails. Candies, breakfast cereals, granola bars, muffins, cookies, baked goods and desserts also all contain a lot of sugar. Avoiding sugar can help you reduce your calories. Read label to ensure the foods you buy do not contain any sugar, sucrose, dextrose, fructose, glucose, honey, high-fructose corn syrup, syrup of any kind, fruit juice concentrate or dehydrated cane juice.
Flour
Flour, especially wheat flour, is a central ingredient in the American diet and constitutes one of the main source of carbohydrates. It is found in many types of bread, whether it is regular bread, bagels, tortillas, buns and English muffins, as well as in crackers, breakfast cereals, cookies, muffins, scones, pasta, cake, donuts, pizza dough and pies. Many of these foods are rich in calories and, unless they are made from whole grain flour, provide you with little nutrients. Avoiding flour and foods made with flour is a good way to eat fewer calories and make weight loss easier.
What to Eat
Eliminating sugar and flour from your diet removes a lot of foods that you would commonly eat, but you still have other options in your sugar-free and flour-free diet. This diet is a good opportunity to eliminate processed foods from your diet and focus on real, whole, nutritious foods. Base your meals on nonstarchy vegetables to get ample fiber and nutrients. Accompany your meals with a source of protein, which is the most satiating nutrient, according to a study published in the May 2008 issue of the "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition." Good sources of protein include meat, poultry, fish, seafood, eggs and cheese. Add healthy fats from olive oil, avocado, nuts and nut butter and get your carbohydrates from fruits, yogurt, sweet potato, quinoa, legumes or barley.
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