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 To start, it's balance between consumption and
activity
Genetics contribute significantly to a person's ability to achieve
and maintain a healthy weight.
Lifestyle choices may not always produce desired outcomes, but we
generally have control over what we choose to eat and how much, and
how much we physical activity we get.
Setting small realistic goals and building upon your successes over
time is more likely to produce lasting results through lifestyle
change than attempting to make radical changes in food and activity
choices.
Food choice pros and cons to health
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If a meal plan recommends avoiding entire food groups or
significantly restricting protein, carbs, and/or fat, your food
intake will not reflect the Dietary Guidelines for Americans and
will be nutrient deficient.
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It is important to eat a wide variety of unprocessed
whole foods that include dairy or dairy substitutes, fruits,
non-starchy and starchy vegetables including legumes, whole grains
and heart healthy fats.
Watch out for extremes
Significantly restrictive food plans can set the stage for nutrient
deficiencies.
Some supplementation through a multi-vitamin/mineral and
calcium/vitamin D may be necessary, especially when needing to trim
some calories from your intake.
Our bodies need vitamin and mineral micronutrients to perform at
peak function. Many people who do not have well balanced nutrient
intake suffer from sub-clinical nutrient deficiencies, even those
not attempting to restrict their calories.
What weight loss diet is best?
There is no scientific proof that eating more or less of certain
foods will result in weight loss. Meta-analyses of low-carb,
low-calorie and low-fat diets produce similar weight loss results
over time.
Where the difference comes into play is in maintaining the weight
loss, which is best accomplished by adopting a healthy lifestyle. A
food plan with the following percentages has been shown to reduce
and/or eliminate many metabolic disease states:
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50
percent (at least) of calories from complex carbohydrates
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20
percent (or more) of calories from unsaturated fat and omega 3
fatty acids
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(Less than) 10 percent of calories from saturated and trans fats
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20
percent (or less) of calories from mostly plant based proteins
The
simple formula
There is no magic secret. Working towards adopting an unrestricted,
but mostly unprocessed foods meal plan with adequate cardiovascular
and strength training exercise, can produce the results we want and
need, no matter our set body weight.
A word about our body fat purposes and concerns
Visceral fat, the fat that is metabolically active and surrounds the
body organs, is a big determinant of disease risk.
Subcutaneous fat, the kind we can see easily with the naked eye,
carries its own set of problems. Too much or too little also
contributes to disease development.
However, visceral fat, much like our HDL "happy healthy"
cholesterol, can only be changed through lifestyle. There is
currently no pill to increase HDL, or to selectively decrease
visceral fat.
Exercise regimens need to focus on healthy weight loss through a
nutritionally balanced diet, in addition to maintenance and/or
increase of lean muscle mass, to decrease visceral fat.
The key to weight: calories in/calories out
Here are some basics to review when making decisions about what meal
plan is best for you.
Your body performs its own unique metabolic balancing act every day
-balancing out the number of calories (or energy) you fuel your body
with against how much energy you burn in order to support normal
functions and activities.
If you take in more fuel than you need your body stores it as fat;
if you take in less than you need, you lose weight.
Yet, recent surveys show that most people don't understand this
energy balance. If you want to find out how many calories you need,
check out MyPlate.gov.
In order to lose weight, consume about 500 calories per day less
than you need, without going under 1,200 calories per day (unless
you are in a medically supervised weight loss program) to prevent
the metabolism from conserving energy output or going into
"starvation mode."
Restricting calorie intake and increasing energy output to achieve
the needed calorie deficit is best practice.
If you have higher amounts of weight to lose
If you have been morbidly obese or had extremes in weight due to
yo-yo dieting (50 or more pounds), expect to need to expend up to
one-third more calories to lose a pound of stored body weight.
Once the body has been in "starvation mode" the metabolism has
learned to conserve energy, much like we turn down the thermostat in
our home to save on the energy bill. Fat cells are more resistant to
letting go of stored energy, therefore increasing lean body mass to
increase energy output is key for the metabolically challenged to
lose weight and maintain weight loss.
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For individuals who have any concurrent health issues in
addition to overweight or obesity, it is important to see a
registered dietitian to get education and make sure your
nutrient needs will be met.
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Spread calories over the day.
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Skipping meals, especially breakfast, is linked with higher
calorie intake and weight, as well as increased risk of diabetes
development.
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To
promote healthy weight loss without hunger pangs and cravings
during a restricted calorie meal plan, choose three main meals
per day - breakfast, lunch and dinner. Possibly one to two
snacks in between will aid success.
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Foods as snacks need to be nutrient-rich and not just lower in
calories - unsweetened fruit, low-fat yogurt, or an ounce of
nuts - and they need to fit into your daily calorie plan.
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Boost high-volume, low-energy foods.
Research suggests that these foods, which provide low calorie
levels in relatively large portions, can help promote weight
loss by filling you up, yet reducing your overall calorie
intake.
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Choose a wide variety of colorful, non-starchy vegetables at
meals and don’t shy away from raw veggies as part of your snack
regimen.
Broccoli doesn't have many calories, yet it is packed with
nutrients. The volume of the broccoli adds volume to your
stomach due to water and fiber content, making you feel full,
and it will take longer to eat.
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Focus on eating more fruits and vegetables for snacks instead of
high-calorie foods like cakes and cookies.
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Follow the nutrient-rich approach
Choosing foods based on their nutrient density is an optimal
strategy for weight loss. This practice boosts important nutrients
for health while reducing overall calorie intake to support weight
loss, according to several studies.
Nutrient-rich foods contain the most nutrients per calorie. Examples
include lean meats, legume beans, low-fat yogurt and milk, raw
fruits and vegetables, and whole grains. If you eat a combination of
these foods at every meal, you can cut back on your calories and
meet your nutritional requirements.
Push fiber intake
Fiber may be one of the most important hunger-controlling nutrients
we know. Fiber is a great aid for losing weight because it can make
you feel full.
High-fiber foods take longer to chew, which increases saliva and
digestive juices and expands your stomach. Because fiber rich foods
slow down emptying of the stomach, they also help decrease the spike
in blood sugar after the consumption of a meal.
Again, increase your intake of non-starchy vegetables, fruits,
beans, and whole grains to increase your fiber intake.
Increase your daily activity and weekly fitness
Increase your physical activity throughout the day in addition to
focused activities working up to 30 minute increments if possible,
five or more days of the week.
Exercise makes it possible to create a calorie deficit and lose
weight without starving yourself and slowing metabolism.
It is important to exercise regularly. Those who do this lose weight
more effectively and are more successful in keeping it off.
Include muscle-strengthening activities at least twice per week. If
you need to, see an athletic trainer, or if you have physical issues
see a physical therapist to help develop the best exercise program
for you.
Cut down on solid fats and sugars
Dietary guidelines recommend cutting back on solid fats including
saturated fats found in meat and full-fat dairy products, and trans
fats added to processed foods. Also cut out the added sugars found
in beverages and desserts to reduce weight and lower disease risk.
Sugary and fatty, highly processed foods contain a lot of calories
and very few nutrients. Again… you guessed it, switch out these
foods for whole, minimally processed foods, such as lean meats,
low-fat dairy, whole grains, legumes, fruits and vegetables.
Fats have more than twice the calories of protein or carbohydrate.
Generally speaking, cutting back on all fat intake can be a
significant way to consume less calories for many people.
Here's the good stuff to choose
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Choose plant based, heart healthy mono- and poly-unsaturated
fats and omega 3 fatty acid sources, and include fatty fish for
your most of your fat calories.
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Nuts and nut butters including soy, flax, chia, and hemp seeds,
and nut and seed milks are good choices and help to improve
heart health instead of promoting inflammation and heart disease
as well as many other disease states.
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Choose black olives, avocado, extra virgin olive oil, canola oil
poly-mixed oils and products made from these, like margarines,
mayonnaises, spreads and salad dressings to make the most of
your fat calories.
What to avoid
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Avoid drinking your calories. Study after study
suggest sugary beverages may be a culprit in obesity. At about 150
calories a can of soda or other sugary beverage can add unwanted
calories to your food plan without offering any sense of fullness or
lasting source of energy. When you consume calories in liquid form -
without any chewing required - you're not likely to cut back on
calories at meal time.
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This same rule applies to drinking fruit juice; it's
easy to drink the calorie equivalent of two or more servings of
fruit in a few sips.
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Don’t forget about alcohol. Keep these beverages to a
minimum, meaning no more than one drink per day for women, and two
drinks for men, or just eliminate them.
The best food and activity plan for you will likely be different
than for those around you. It is important not to waste energy
comparing your individual needs to those of others and instead
channel that energy into making healthy, educated choices that are
part of a healthy lifestyle.
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