Sustainable weight loss -
One of the least healthy components of most American diets appears to be refined carbohydrates, a category that includes white bread and white rice. Refined carbs can also be found in lots of other processed foods — they appear on nutrition labels as "refined flour" or just "flour.
A study published in the journal Food and Nutrition Research found strong links between diets high in refined carbohydrates and weight gain. One reason for this may be that refined grains are processed quickly and turned into sugar in the body.
Whole grains, on the other hand, get digested slowly and fill you up for hours. The key difference is that whole grains still have their nutritious, fiber-rich outer shells, such as the germ and bran. Those parts get stripped off of refined carbs in a factory before you eat them.
Roxanne B. Sukol, medical director of the Cleveland Clinic's Wellness Enterprise, said people should think of refined carbohydrates simply as "stripped carbs" and avoid them whenever possible.
Even if you're eating whole grains instead of refined ones, you should keep in mind that some researchers believe they all end up getting processed the same way.
That means cutting back on any kind of carbohydrate is likely a smart move. Try swapping flour-based noodles with spiralized carrot or zucchini noodles, for example. Several studies suggest that curbing your carb intake is an easy way to help stabilize blood-sugar levels as well.
And having steady blood-sugar levels — aka tight glycemic control — has been linked with beneficial health outcomes including weight loss, better energy levels throughout the day, and a reduced risk of chronic disease. Her study found links between poorly controlled blood-sugar levels and obesity, Type 2 diabetes, and heart disease.
For sustainable weight loss, dietitians, exercise scientists, and nutritionists all recommend aiming to lose only one to three pounds a week — at the most. Slimming down slowly instead of all at once gives you enough time to create healthy new eating and exercise patterns that you can maintain for life, Andy Bellatti , a registered dietitian and the cofounder of Dietitians for Professional Integrity , told Business Insider last year.
That is hard work. You're building new habits. And that takes time," Bellatti said. Exercise is not a shortcut to weight loss, for two reasons: First, when we amp up our activity levels, our hunger levels tend to increase as well.
Second, it's far easier to eat hundreds of calories in a single sitting than it is to burn them off in one gym session. That said, regular movement of any kind is a key component of any healthy lifestyle — and it's especially important if you're looking to slim down and keep the weight off for the long haul.
If you normally drive to work, try walking, biking, or taking public transit when possible. If you're used to taking the elevator, hit the stairs next time.
And make regular gym sessions part of your routine — but keep in mind that your appetite may increase a bit. Protein is a key ingredient that helps fuel our muscles and keep us feeling full.
It also slows the breakdown of carbs into sugar, thereby acting as a sort of buffer against sharp dips and spikes in insulin levels. For these reasons, it's a good idea to make sure you're getting enough protein in every meal. Many Americans whose diets are based around meat actually get too much protein.
But there's some evidence that people who try to switch to a more plant-based diet have a hard time getting enough. To make sure your protein intake isn't slouching, add items like eggs , beans, tofu, lentils, fish, and dairy products to vegetable- and whole-grain-based meals.
One reason for this is that many products labeled "low fat," "light," and "reduced fat" things like yogurt, ice cream , and peanut butter are highly processed and engineered to taste like their original full-fat predecessors.
To accomplish this, food manufacturers typically add extra sugar — and sugar, unlike fat, has been strongly implicated as a leading factor contributing to obesity and weight gain.
One reason many dieters curb their fat intake — besides the lingering influence of the low-fat dieting trend of the s — is that it's an easy way to cut calories. Fat is high in calories. Trim the fat, trim the calories.
But research is starting to show that eating fat does not necessarily lead us to put on pounds. Instead, it may help people lose weight , perhaps by making us feel full and curbing our sugar consumption. This appears to be especially true for fats from sources like nuts, olive oil, avocados, and fish.
Fat consumption does not cause weight gain. To the contrary, it might actually help us shed a few pounds," Aaron Carroll , a professor of pediatrics at the Indiana University School of Medicine, wrote in his book, "The Bad Food Bible: How and Why to Eat Sinfully.
Here's what that means for people who are counting their calories: Fatty foods are higher in calories than their low-fat equivalents, so to account for that and cut back on carbs and sugar instead. It's easy to get caught up in the fads surrounding weight loss. Losing weight quickly and easily always sounds like the best way to do it—until you gain the weight back.
This pattern is associated with an increased risk of diabetes, heart disease, and high blood pressure. Some studies show that this pattern can increase body fat and decrease muscle mass, which makes losing weight in the future even harder.
Short-term thinking can prevent long-term changes, so it is important to think in terms of sustainable lifestyle changes instead of fad diets. Hopping on a new diet trend or engaging in restrictive methods to lose weight is a setup for future failure. When you change your habits slowly, your results are more likely to be permanent.
You can still enjoy fueling your body with things you like that also make you feel good—the main thing to consider is a reasonable number of calories and the correct amount of protein.
It is more effective to start with a small daily calorie deficit that will be realistic to maintain. This may mean slower weight loss, but it will help facilitate a much easier transition to weight maintenance.
Protein is imperative for weight loss and maintenance. A high protein diet is satiating and, along with fiber, helps to reduce hunger and cravings, making it easier to stay in a calorie balance. Protein also helps preserve muscle mass while boosting metabolism.
While diet is the most important aspect of weight loss, exercise is critical for maintaining it. Younkin explained that the best kind of exercise for losing weight and keeping it off is adding strength training to consistent daily movement.
Making sustainable changes can also come in the form of choosing the right goals. Instead of fixating on weight, choosing general, health-promoting goals can be a healthy shift in forming sustainable habits.
Instead of micromanaging the number on the scale, focus on goals like including more foods that directly promote wellbeing. Eat more fruits and vegetables for more fiber to influence digestive health, eat more healthy fats for heart health, and move more for better blood pressure and blood sugar.
Oftentimes during the weight loss phase, individuals use tracking apps and tools to stay mindful of food choices. This type of self-monitoring can be just as important in weight maintenance, as when people move away from these tools, it can be easy to lose awareness and return to old habits.
Seeking help from a registered dietitian who will not restrict foods while you work on your weight loss goals is recommended so that you can maintain a good relationship with food. Signs you are heading in a disordered direction include constantly thinking about food and exercise, hyper fixation on the scale or the weight affecting your mood, cutting out too many foods or groups, and not engaging in social activities due to fear of food.
Español Other Languages. Losing Weight. Español Spanish. Minus Related Pages. Getting Started Losing weight takes a well-thought-out plan. Step 1: Make a commitment Whether you have a family history of heart disease, want to see your kids get married, or want to feel better in your clothes, write down why you want to lose weight.
Step 2: Take stock of where you are Write down everything you eat and drink for a few days in a food and beverage diary. On This Page. Step 1: Make a commitment Step 2: Take stock of where you are Step 3: Set realistic goals Step 4: Identify resources for information and support Step 5: Continually monitor your progress.
Step 3: Set realistic goals. Focus on two or three goals at a time. Even Modest Weight Loss Helps. Step 4: Identify resources for information and support.
For More Information. Connect with Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity. Last Reviewed: June 15, Source: Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity , National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion.
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Email Address. What's this? Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity. Related Topics. Prevent Type 2 Diabetes Prevent Heart Disease Healthy Schools — Promoting Healthy Behaviors Obesity Among People with Disabilities.
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How To Maintain Weight Loss Long Term (Sustainable Weight Loss Tips!) A balanced lifestyle and nutritious diet are the Sistainable to Weightt living and Sustainable weight loss weight control. Some tips for Sustainable weight loss loss Sustainabke exercising ewight, seeking social support, and Wireless insulin delivery a food and weight diary. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, around This number is equivalent to Carrying excess body weight can increase the risk of serious health problems, including heart diseasehypertensionand type 2 diabetes. Crash diets are not a sustainable solution, whatever perks their proponents might claim them to have.
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