Every year, dieters are bombarded with fad diets, diet pills, and
fat-burning clothing filled with promises of quick and easy weight
loss. However, these extreme dieting trends are just a temporary fix to
your desired body image goal. Rather than surrender your body to an
all-or-nothing approach, you can lose the weight fast and safely,
without compromising your health.
Calorie Counting
The basis of any diet plan starts with counting calories. The
estimated amount of calories needed to maintain energy balance varies
with gender and age. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture
(USDA), the recommended calorie intake for women aged 19 to 51 years
ranges from 1,800 to 2,000 calories a day. Meanwhile, men aged 19 to 51
years require even more, between 2,200 to 2,400 calories per day.
Depending on your lifestyle, you may require more calories if you want
to gain weight or vice versa.
Rachel Pires, a weight loss advisor and the author of the book
Diet Enlightenment,
believes the fastest way for dieters to shed pounds is to follow a
calorie-restricted diet. “By learning to cut calories (focus on foods
that are high in bulk and low in calories) dieters can follow a style of
eating that they can stick to for life,” she told
Medical Daily in an email.
It’s no surprise you should consume fewer calories for weight loss, but just exactly how?
Cut Sugars And Starches
Diet and exercise are two vital factors in the formula for weight
loss as you’re told to “eat less and move more.” Eating less of
particular foods, specifically sugars and starches, is one of the first
steps to achieve your weight loss goals. These foods are known to
stimulate the secretion of insulin, which is the main fat storage
hormone in the body.
Typically, insulin has a lowering effect on HSL (hormone-sensitive
lipase) levels, encouraging fat storage. Cutting back on simple sugars
will lead to a decrease in insulin levels. According to Kevin Meehan, a
holistic practitioner and founder of Meehan Formulations
in Jackson, Wyo., when our insulin levels are low, HSL increases,
creating a "withdrawal" of fat from the fat cells. "As we can see,
keeping the insulin levels low will help utilize our stored fats,
creating weight loss," he explained to
Medical Daily in an email.
Lower levels of insulin means the fat is able to get out of the fat
stores, which leads the body to start burning fat instead of carbs.
Moreover, the kidneys will be able to shed excess sodium and water from
the body, since insulin levels and fluid retention are correlated. A
2007 study published in the journal
Renal Physiology,
found the decrease in insulin levels led the participants’ kidneys to
retain less sodium and water, reducing both body fat and water weight.
Add Protein And Vegetables
Cut out your sugars and starches to add more protein and vegetables
to your diet. This formula helps you meet the recommended range of grams
of carbs to consume in one day. For example, adults on a diet will
consume between 1,200 to 1,600 calories,
which means they have to aim between 135 grams to 195 grams a day on a
1,200-calorie diet and 180 grams of carbs a day on a 1,600-calorie diet.
Carb consumption should not surpass 260 grams a day.
Meat, fish and seafood, and eggs are among the best sources of
protein to help you meet your weight loss goals. Eggs are the ideal food
to eat in the morning for losing weight, without feeling famished. A
2008 study published in the
International Journal of Obesity
found the egg breakfast was more likely to enhance weight loss when
combined with an energy-deficit diet, but it does not induce weight loss
otherwise. After eight weeks, dieters who ate eggs for breakfast
experienced 65 percent more weight loss than the bagel group and saw a
61 percent greater reduction in body mass index (BMI).
Consuming the right amount of protein at meals and snacks will help balance blood sugar and stabilize energy levels. Lauren Harris-Pincus, a registered dietitian nutritionist, explained to
Medical Daily
this helps to curb cravings by managing hunger, while protein helps to
delay digestion so you feel satisfied for longer. Her weight loss tip:
Fill half of your plate with veggies at each meal. “They are low in
calories and packed with nutrients our bodies need. The fiber will fill
you up so you have less room for more calorie dense foods,”
Harris-Pincus said.
Add More Weight
Every good diet plan is accompanied by a good exercise plan. Losing
weight and keeping it off are two distinct things dieters often struggle
with. Going to the gym to lift weights will help you burn calories and
speed up your metabolism. It helps maintain your lean muscle mass and
leads to a higher metabolic rate. Shane Allen, a certified personal trainer, sports nutritionist, and weight loss specialist, told
Medical Daily
in an email: “Each pound of muscle you have, takes six calories per day
to maintain itself. Fat only needs two calories per day.” The more
muscle you have, the higher your metabolism.
Gaining muscle while losing a lot of body fat is possible even if you’re on a low-carb diet. A 2002 study published in the journal
Metabolism
found a carb-restricted diet does lead to a significant reduction in
fat mass and is connected to an increase in lean body mass. The
researchers believe this is most likely mediated by the decrease in
insulin levels.
Mindful Eating
Calorie counting, cutting sugar and starches, adding protein and
veggies, and exercise are part of the weight loss formula, but is there
anything else you can do?
Controlling your eating behavior can be as simple as changing your
plate size. We tend to eat with our eyes first. A large plate can
establish an optical illusion that lead to inaccurate estimates of
serving size. It can make a serving of food appear smaller, while
smaller plates can lead you to misjudge the same quantity of food as
being significantly larger. For example, a 2006 study published in
FASEB Journal
found when children and adults served themselves in large plates or
bowls, there were more food contents served compared to those given a
smaller plate.
Small plates can really help you see what portion control really is.
How Much Will You Lose?
People who lose weight gradually and steadily lose about 1 to 2 pounds per week
and are more successful at keeping the weight off. However, those on a
1,050- to 1,200-calorie diet who eat less and move more, can lose 3 to 5
pounds in the first week. You can center your weight loss rate based on
the amount of calories you consume and burn.
Weight loss should be effective and safe, and it starts with exercising and cutting calories.
