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If you've been wanting to
start a diet, you are not alone. Nearly 25% of American men
and almost 45% of women are on a diet. Despite this, nearly
two thirds of Americans are overweight. Dieting is more than
losing weight. The best diet is a healthy diet — one that
you can follow as a new life resolution rather than a "New
Years' Resolution". Choosing the right foods and following a
few simple no-nonsense tips outlined below may be even more
effective at shedding the pounds and keeping the weight
off...forever.
So many of the problems I
treat in my practice as a physician are related to obesity.
If you decide to diet, then start today with these very
simple guidelines.
1. Drink a minimum of 64
oz. of water daily. Drink one glass before every meal as
this will aid in weight loss by filling you up faster.
Dehydration can make you feel hungry. Drinking this amount
of water will also help you to avoid constipation,
especially as you increase your diet of fresh fruits and
vegetables.
2. Avoid all trans-fatty
acids, as they will destroy your cholesterol profile,
raising your total and bad cholesterol and reducing your
good (HDL) cholesterol.
3. Try to consume at least
30 grams of fiber per day, with at least 15 to 20 grams of
fiber at breakfast.
4. Eat often, at least five
times a day will actually boost your metabolism and help you
to burn more calories.
5. Don't skip meals. This
will lead to overeating and extra calories that will be
stored in the body rather than used as fuel for the day.
6. Eat at least five
servings of whole fruits and vegetables a day. By doing so,
you will be certain to consume the necessary daily
requirements of vitamins and minerals. Whole fruits and
vegetables are considered "high volume" foods — high in
fiber, water, and nutrients, and low in calories.
7. Avoid processed foods,
as they are considered nutrient-poor and high in calories.
8. Eat a protein with every
meal. This will help you to feel full and prevent you from
having hunger pains 2 to 3 hours after a meal.
9. Start a food diary.
Keeping track of what you eat every day will be a constant
reminder of the fact that you are dieting. There are a
number of web pages that can easily calculate the number of
calories you consume each day, based on the information you
provide.
10. Avoid eating food high
in carbohydrates before bed. One of my patients had a bowl
of breakfast cereal before he settled in for the night. By
giving up this ritual, he was able to loose at least 5
pounds a month without a major change in his lifestyle.
11. Switch your regular
consumption of fatty beef to leaner grass fed buffalo. You
could lose up to 10 pounds the first year just by reducing
the amount of fat calories in your diet.
Be realistic with your
weight loss goals. Studies have shown that those who lose
their weight quickly are more likely to gain it back on (and
more). Modest weight loss (a pound a week) is easier to
achieve and will have significant, life long benefits.
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