The new year is just around the corner and without fail, many
people make new year resolutions to change things that weren't going
right or start on new ventures. When it comes to losing weight, one of
these resolutions is often a change in diet. It appears that the "out
with the old, in with the new" mentality is at play as weightwatchers
look to try new or different diets.
Many hope to find that magic diet which will stick. Of course there isn't one, as whether a diet works or not - let's assume it is a healthy weight loss diet to begin with - depends more on one's discipline to see it through. In fact, eating right is only one of two major components in a weight loss program; the other being regular exercise.
Nevertheless, a proper diet can definitely help a person lose weight naturally. It is all about nutrition and making changes to get rid of unhealthy habits. So, what steps must one take to start eating well and avoid poor diets?
Go On A Balanced Diet
A balanced diet means that you should eat various types of food in the correct proportion, according to the typical food pyramid. This ensures your body gets the necessary nutrients to keep it healthy. Every day, you should aim to eat more of these: grains, vegetables, fruits and protein. And much less fat and sugary foods - moderation and discipline is key here.
If you are new to dieting, speak to a nutritionist first to get an assessment of your needs and other advice. He or she can help you to create healthy eating plans to get you started and tailor them for your specific weight loss goals.
Watch the Food You're Buying
Since the items in a diet need to benefit the body, conscious selection is important. This means being more aware of what you're buying from the stores. While most of us assume certain foods are good for us, many times we can be misinformed by manufacturers who use misleading terms on food labels.
By reading the labels before you buy, you take control of the decision making in what foods to buy. Always check nutritional values and don't be fooled by items labeled as "low fat", for example. Sometimes there are "hidden dangers" such as lots of sugar, salt and calories in a lower-fat product -- the manufacturer chooses just to emphasize the selling point.
When it comes to buying snacks, learn to compare between brands and select those low in saturated fats, salt and other undesirable ingredients. Don't be swayed by TV ads or slick marketing - verify before you buy. Of course, the best bet is to snack on fruits and raw veggies (think salads and smoothies) to get plenty of fiber that can make you feel full, plus lots of vitamins and minerals.
Avoid Crash or Fad Diets
Certain types of diets, such as crash diets, promise that you can shed many pounds in just weeks. While they sound good and appeal to those who are looking for weight loss shortcuts, they simply don't work for the long term. Yes, you might see a drastic drop in weight initially with a crash diet, but you can't keep it off for good.
The other type of diet to watch out for is the fad diet, or so called "flavor of the month" diet. These diets are usually backed by celebrities and weight loss gurus to lend some form of credibility. Unless those involved had really gone through the same dieting starting from an overweight condition, fad diets are just like fashion: here today, gone tomorrow.
Because these kind of diets typically focus on certain food groups to the detriment of others, you end up eating an unbalanced diet. Your body will soon complain and you'd feel sick from various side effects. Poor nutrition can lead to serious medical conditions and your health can suffer as you become more prone to illness.
Eat Right and Lose Weight
Perhaps it's time to stop searching for that perfect diet and make plans for this new year to start eating right for weight loss. By watching what you eat and making conscious food choices that make for a balanced diet, you are treating your body right and setting yourself up to lose weight naturally. You just can beat that.
Many hope to find that magic diet which will stick. Of course there isn't one, as whether a diet works or not - let's assume it is a healthy weight loss diet to begin with - depends more on one's discipline to see it through. In fact, eating right is only one of two major components in a weight loss program; the other being regular exercise.
Nevertheless, a proper diet can definitely help a person lose weight naturally. It is all about nutrition and making changes to get rid of unhealthy habits. So, what steps must one take to start eating well and avoid poor diets?
Go On A Balanced Diet
A balanced diet means that you should eat various types of food in the correct proportion, according to the typical food pyramid. This ensures your body gets the necessary nutrients to keep it healthy. Every day, you should aim to eat more of these: grains, vegetables, fruits and protein. And much less fat and sugary foods - moderation and discipline is key here.
If you are new to dieting, speak to a nutritionist first to get an assessment of your needs and other advice. He or she can help you to create healthy eating plans to get you started and tailor them for your specific weight loss goals.
Watch the Food You're Buying
Since the items in a diet need to benefit the body, conscious selection is important. This means being more aware of what you're buying from the stores. While most of us assume certain foods are good for us, many times we can be misinformed by manufacturers who use misleading terms on food labels.
By reading the labels before you buy, you take control of the decision making in what foods to buy. Always check nutritional values and don't be fooled by items labeled as "low fat", for example. Sometimes there are "hidden dangers" such as lots of sugar, salt and calories in a lower-fat product -- the manufacturer chooses just to emphasize the selling point.
When it comes to buying snacks, learn to compare between brands and select those low in saturated fats, salt and other undesirable ingredients. Don't be swayed by TV ads or slick marketing - verify before you buy. Of course, the best bet is to snack on fruits and raw veggies (think salads and smoothies) to get plenty of fiber that can make you feel full, plus lots of vitamins and minerals.
Avoid Crash or Fad Diets
Certain types of diets, such as crash diets, promise that you can shed many pounds in just weeks. While they sound good and appeal to those who are looking for weight loss shortcuts, they simply don't work for the long term. Yes, you might see a drastic drop in weight initially with a crash diet, but you can't keep it off for good.
The other type of diet to watch out for is the fad diet, or so called "flavor of the month" diet. These diets are usually backed by celebrities and weight loss gurus to lend some form of credibility. Unless those involved had really gone through the same dieting starting from an overweight condition, fad diets are just like fashion: here today, gone tomorrow.
Because these kind of diets typically focus on certain food groups to the detriment of others, you end up eating an unbalanced diet. Your body will soon complain and you'd feel sick from various side effects. Poor nutrition can lead to serious medical conditions and your health can suffer as you become more prone to illness.
Eat Right and Lose Weight
Perhaps it's time to stop searching for that perfect diet and make plans for this new year to start eating right for weight loss. By watching what you eat and making conscious food choices that make for a balanced diet, you are treating your body right and setting yourself up to lose weight naturally. You just can beat that.
The right path to losing weight comes down to selecting weight loss methods that work
and staying on track for the long term. Many people make the mistake of
not having a proper diet and exercise program, thinking there could be
weight loss secrets they might chance upon to bring them rapid success.
And then they'd fail.
Why not start on a positive note before the year is out? Hop over to http://www.WeightLossWorks.org for some useful tips and solutions to getting slim. And have one less new year resolution to make this time round.
Article Source:
http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Albert_Bohay
Why not start on a positive note before the year is out? Hop over to http://www.WeightLossWorks.org for some useful tips and solutions to getting slim. And have one less new year resolution to make this time round.
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