Kick start a weight loss diet now if you need!
Dietary practices of many societies have changed over the past decade as a result of increasing affluence and food availability. Ready-made, high-fat, high-sugar, high-calorie foods are the most convenient norm in this fast-paced age. If we allow ourselves to indulge too much in these foods, we may find ourselves losing control of our weight and becoming obese, which is scientifically defined as having a weight that is more than 20% expected according to age, sex, height, and build.
Nobody wants to be obese as more body weight translates into higher blood pressure, and hence higher risks for numerous potentially lethal health problems including cardiovascular disease, stroke, kidney disease, diabetes, cervical, prostate, colon or breast cancer, hypertension, high blood cholesterol, high triglyceride, osteoarthritis, sleep disorder; depression, anxiety, and back problems.
Genetic and environmental factors do play a strong role in obesity too. Some people are genetically prone to weight-gain, while others face challenging environments, like sedentary work conditions. All these, combined with sparse physical activity and poor eating habits, contribute to obesity.
Many fret and get depressed over their excess weight. But, the good news is obesity is a problem that you can control. You don’t have to be fat!
From some diet and nutrition experts, I have learnt some very useful tips on healthy dieting and an easy method to control portion sizes and eat the right foods combinations. The first tip, reduce the size of your meals by eating smaller but more frequent meals instead of three large meals, and avoid snacking in between. Pay attention to your portion sizes for each meal. Eat about one cup of complex carbohydrates or starches, such as potatoes, rice, and breads, but look for whole-meal varieties, not the over refined white stuff, the best is to be able to bake your own fresh breads (they last for only about two days, but are worth going – free of preservatives and full of vitamins!).
For protein, take a small palm size of lean meat for each meal and keep it to just 3 or 4 times a week. Substitute fish that is high in omega-3 fatty acids instead of meats high in saturated fat like hamburger. Take fatty fish like mackerel, lake trout, herring, sardines, albacore tuna and salmon as they are rich in omega-3 fatty acids. In your weight loss diet, avoid saturated fat, trans fat and high cholesterol foods by replacing them with monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats such as canola oil, olive oil or liquid margarine. Animal fats are saturated fats that get stored in layers of fatty tissues, our body doesn’t need them. Egg is rich in protein but take just two or three times a week as too much of it can raise cholesterol and is not good for any weight loss diet.
And of course, for each meal, remember to take a fist-full of fruits and vegetables to give your stomach a sufficient dose of antioxidant and that “full” feeling it craves. Take fresh fruit and not those you find in convenient cans, and don’t overcook your vegetables.
Grab a healthy snack for the road, and always have fruit, carrot sticks, or another healthy snack handy which you can use to fend off the urge for quick, high-fat food such as chocolate chip cookies, ice-creams, and sugar-filled rolls. Keep a stock of healthy snacks around your house and workplace such as seeds, dried fruit, and wholemeal crispbread. Try to cut down on chips and takeaways as far as possible, and avoid using white sugar in your daily foods such as tea, coffee, bread and toasts and replace it with natural sweetener, honey.
A glass of honey water or non-caffeinated tea helps to fill your stomach, hold cravings at bay, and is a good Personally, I like to I keep bottled water within reach at my desk all the time and take a swig whenever I feel hungry. Water is an important nutrient which is vital for a variety of bodily functions and processes including removal of waste products, carrying nutrients, and regulating body temperature. It helps reduce fluid retention, and keep bowel functions normal. Drink plenty of water – at least eight cups of water or fresh juices each day and put away coffee, alcohol, and sodas, if you are serious about following a weight loss diet and shedding the pounds. You probably know that a can of coke contains almost 10 teaspoons of sugar or the entire daily recommended amount of calories from sugar, and takes 32 glasses of water to neutralize the phosphoric acid (which weakens our bones) your body? Many years back, I used to rely on artificial sweeeteners for weight loss and to cut calories in my diet but later was shocked to discover that they are worse than table sugar! These sweeteners not only give us an acidic waste removal problem and throw off our pH balance and but also introduce toxins and damage our body in serious and irrepairable way.
Start today, gradually work to improve your good eating habits and replace bad ones, and you are on the way to achieving fitness!
Besides committing to a weight loss diet, slowly establish a start an exercise regimen. You don’t have to be an athlete to stay fit. Health and fitness experts believe that 30 minutes of moderately intensive activity, like fast walking at least three days a week, will gradually improve our fitness level. A higher fitness level will benefit you physically several ways. You will have more energy, a higher metabolism, more lean muscle and less fat. You will have more strength and energy all day. And of course, very importantly, there is cosmetic benefit of a healthy weight; you’ll feel better about yourself and your appearance. An improved self-image and self-esteem give you more confidence in social settings. Begin with manageable goals, track your progress, and find creative means and ways to cheer and motivate yourself to press on each day.
