Some people eat out of sheer love for food. After all, food is one of life's greatest pleasures. Some people eat poorly because it's easier or cheaper to eat poorly. Whatever the reason for our specific diets, the end result is the same: as a society, developed countries around the world have populations experiencing obesity in record numbers.
That means that people in record numbers are also flocking to fad diets, looking for a fast weight loss diet plan to drop the extra pounds as quickly as possible. This in itself is not a bad thing, but what is troubling is the lack of any scientific basis behind many of the most popular diets available today.
The truth is that following any one structured diet will probably only result in short-term weight loss. To be effective over the long-term, what's needed are lifestyle changes or a different approach to eating. Once the weight begins to fall off, it becomes time to focus on lifestyle changes that combine to form an approach to dieting that can be more effective than a diet itself. Here are a few of those lifestyle changes:
You must exercise: it's easier to just diet, but you'll eventually plateau. You need to exercise to improve your results and help break through any barriers along the way. If you're out of shape, start walking. If you have bad knees, try swimming or rowing. Just do something!
Use intervals: if you're relatively fit, drop the cardio and replace it with interval training. You can replace a one-hour cardio session with a 20-minute interval session that will help you burn calories for a full day after completion!
Avoid high-glycemic index foods: if a food has the potential to raise your blood sugar, avoid it. You can make exceptions to keep from getting bored, but as a rule of thumb, cut out anything white: white rice, white bread, sugar, potatoes, etc.
Eat protein: protein keeps you fuller longer because it takes longer to digest. It also fuels muscles for repair, and requires energy to digest.
Vary your protein sources: you don't have to limit yourself to chicken, beef, and fish on your diet. Add in a small amount of soy protein and plant-based proteins. For example, black beans are an excellent food source. They have a low glycemic index, are high in fiber, and high in protein.
Build muscle: the more lean muscle mass you have, the more calories your body will burn during daily activities. You can essentially turn your body into a fat burning machine by building extra muscle.
Consume fiber: not only does fiber help your digestive system, but it also requires energy to digest. Some high-fiber foods require more energy (calories) to digest than the foods themselves have. Blueberries are a perfect example. Your body will burn more calories digesting a cup of blueberries than are in the berries themselves.
Eat breakfast: not just a piece of toast, but a good 300 to 400 calories at breakfast. There's a reason why eating in the morning makes you feel hungrier during the day: because it jump starts your metabolism.
Work out in the morning: you should exercise regardless, but why not move your workouts to the morning? This gives you two benefits: 1) if you exercise before you eat, your body has no carbohydrates to burn for energy, so it's forced to burn fat; 2) it will make you want to eat breakfast, which will in turn refuel your muscles and keep your metabolism cranking.
Mix up your caloric intake: don't starve yourself every day because your body will eventually begin to conserve all of the calories that you consume. Instead, shoot for a daily deficit, but every three to four days, add in a normal calorie day to keep your body from going into starvation mode.
Schedule a cheat day: there's nothing like a good cheat day to keep your body guessing, to increase your body's fat burning hormone levels, and to keep you motivated to continue your diet. Add a cheat meal every week, or a cheat day every two weeks where you can satisfy your cravings. You'll see a slight yo-yo in your weight, but your overall trend will still be lower, and that's better than being forced to break off your diet for good because you couldn't deal with the cravings.
Dieting shouldn't be that difficult. The fact is, you will be more successful if you can stick with an approach for the long-term than if you jump on a fad for the short-term. Keep these tips in mind as you begin your weight loss plan, and shoot for long-term lifestyle changes!
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