Food Fads and Dodgy Diets
In today's culture of people feeling that they must be the perfect shape to be acceptable to society, there are many unhealthy and unnatural diets and fads around that some believe are the solution to their problems.
One of the oldest fad diets is the cabbage soup diet. This consists of eating nothing but cabbage soup for several weeks. Granted, some people do lose a few pounds during the diet - but, usually gain the weight just as quickly as they lost it in the beginning.
We have all heard of the protein diet, the low carb diet, the milkshake diet etc. However, if these diets truly worked then they would be extremely popular and everyone would be following them. Avoid weight loss pills, they work similar to amphetamines to suppress your appetite and can be dangerous.
The only real - and safe way to lose weight - is to combine a healthy diet, including foods from all of the food groups and combining your diet with exercise to create a calorie deficit. Crash dieting and trying to lose two stones in a week isn't going to work; you should aim for a steady weight loss of one to two pounds per week, nothing more. This will ensure that you remain healthy.
Incorporate your new, healthy diet into your lifestyle so that it becomes second nature. If you tend to overeat, then consider purchasing a "portion plate." Portion plates are divided into three sections and can help to control your food intake at mealtimes.
Why starving yourself will not help you to lose weight
You have decided that you want to lose weight and are determined. So, you snack on minuscule portions, nibble carrots or simply choose to stop eating for a few days such is the urge to make that zip fasten.
But, nothing is happening.
Why am I not losing any weight if I am hardly eating anything?
It would be reasonable to assume that because you are eating less calories, you should be losing weight. However, when you severely restrict your food and calorie intake then your body will go into "survival" mode and will conserve the fat supplies that you have to enable your body to carry out every day functioning. You will also suffer loss of muscle tissue which will slow down your metabolism further. Kick-starting your metabolism each day is an important step on the way to weight loss so eating a healthy and sensible breakfast such as wholegrain toast with egg or portion of cereal is far more useful than opting out of breakfast altogether.
Restricted diets can also lead to a multitude of other health problems and diseases; underactive thyroid, heart problems, reduced immunity, brittle nails and depression can all be caused by not eating a balanced diet.
In addition, it has been proven that losing weight safely at a rate of 1-2lbs a week is far more effective and you will be more likely to retain the new, slimmer you. Most adults need to eat at least 1200 calories a day to maintain their health. The most effective way of losing weight is to eat a healthy and balanced diet and combining this with exercise to burn off the excess calories. Even if you are not used to exercise, gentle swimming and walking for 30 minutes 3-5 times a week can be very beneficial until you become fitter and are able to sustain an exercise routine of higher intensity.
Overall, there is no such thing as a miracle diet. Avoid these claims at all costs. By following a balanced and nutritious diet, and leading an active lifestyle you will lose weight and remain healthy. Also, it is very important that you don't miss out on breakfast as this will kick-start your metabolism for the day.
In today's culture of people feeling that they must be the perfect shape to be acceptable to society, there are many unhealthy and unnatural diets and fads around that some believe are the solution to their problems.
One of the oldest fad diets is the cabbage soup diet. This consists of eating nothing but cabbage soup for several weeks. Granted, some people do lose a few pounds during the diet - but, usually gain the weight just as quickly as they lost it in the beginning.
We have all heard of the protein diet, the low carb diet, the milkshake diet etc. However, if these diets truly worked then they would be extremely popular and everyone would be following them. Avoid weight loss pills, they work similar to amphetamines to suppress your appetite and can be dangerous.
The only real - and safe way to lose weight - is to combine a healthy diet, including foods from all of the food groups and combining your diet with exercise to create a calorie deficit. Crash dieting and trying to lose two stones in a week isn't going to work; you should aim for a steady weight loss of one to two pounds per week, nothing more. This will ensure that you remain healthy.
Incorporate your new, healthy diet into your lifestyle so that it becomes second nature. If you tend to overeat, then consider purchasing a "portion plate." Portion plates are divided into three sections and can help to control your food intake at mealtimes.
Why starving yourself will not help you to lose weight
You have decided that you want to lose weight and are determined. So, you snack on minuscule portions, nibble carrots or simply choose to stop eating for a few days such is the urge to make that zip fasten.
But, nothing is happening.
Why am I not losing any weight if I am hardly eating anything?
It would be reasonable to assume that because you are eating less calories, you should be losing weight. However, when you severely restrict your food and calorie intake then your body will go into "survival" mode and will conserve the fat supplies that you have to enable your body to carry out every day functioning. You will also suffer loss of muscle tissue which will slow down your metabolism further. Kick-starting your metabolism each day is an important step on the way to weight loss so eating a healthy and sensible breakfast such as wholegrain toast with egg or portion of cereal is far more useful than opting out of breakfast altogether.
Restricted diets can also lead to a multitude of other health problems and diseases; underactive thyroid, heart problems, reduced immunity, brittle nails and depression can all be caused by not eating a balanced diet.
In addition, it has been proven that losing weight safely at a rate of 1-2lbs a week is far more effective and you will be more likely to retain the new, slimmer you. Most adults need to eat at least 1200 calories a day to maintain their health. The most effective way of losing weight is to eat a healthy and balanced diet and combining this with exercise to burn off the excess calories. Even if you are not used to exercise, gentle swimming and walking for 30 minutes 3-5 times a week can be very beneficial until you become fitter and are able to sustain an exercise routine of higher intensity.
Overall, there is no such thing as a miracle diet. Avoid these claims at all costs. By following a balanced and nutritious diet, and leading an active lifestyle you will lose weight and remain healthy. Also, it is very important that you don't miss out on breakfast as this will kick-start your metabolism for the day.
Lisa Barnes is a certified nutritionist and holistic therapy practitioner. For more information, help and support visit: http://www.eatingforahealthymind.com
For information about Lisa. visit: http://www.lsb-editing.com
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