With fall right around the corner, how can you stay consistent in the months ahead and maintain your beach body?
The weight-loss industry confuses us on a daily basis. Many diets have been created and promoted that drastically differ from one another. These diets have gained popularity even with very little research to support their claims. Weight loss should be as simple as addition and subtraction. To lose weight, burn more calories, eat your vegetables and pass on the dessert. Yet, the component of weight loss we often forget is not necessarily the "what" we are eating, it's the "how" we are eating.
More: Calculate your Nutritional Needs.
The A-Z Diet study compared the Atkins (extremely low carbohydrate), Zone (low-carbohydrate, high protein), Ornish (very low fat), and USDA Guidelines/LEARN (Lifestyle, Exercise, Attitudes, Relationships and Nutrition) (high carbohydrate/moderate-low fat) diets for one year and results show that all dieters lost weight over the course of the yea. Yet Atkins seemed to hedge out the most weight lost. Theories about why this group lost just a little bit more are very clear: when these folks eliminated refined foods and sweetened beverages from their diet, they also eliminated empty calories.
The bottom line when it comes to weight loss is to burn more calories than you take in. You can easily do that by shaving extra calories from food and beverages and increasing caloric burn through physical activity.
How much should I weigh?
A healthy weight is defined as the weight you would attain after a sustained period of time, (12-18 months). During this time you must eat the best that you can eat, and exercise to the best of your ability.
Take Care of Your Metabolism
Eat Breakfast
Eating breakfast is a daily habit for "successful losers." Insulin sensitivity is higher after eating breakfast. Insulin is a hormone released in response to eating. Insulin sensitivity refers to how well the body responds to the hormone insulin. When you eat more earlier in the day, your total caloric intake throughout the day actually decreases. Wake up with protein. When consuming lean protein in the morning, don't forget to add omega-3 rich eggs or egg whites; low-fat, organic dairy; lean and clean breakfast meats; as well as high protein, whole grains like steel cut oatmeal or quinoa.
Count Calories
Calories are the energy in food. Regardless of where they come from, the calories you eat are either converted to physical energy or stored as body fat. If you eat 100 calories a day more than your body needs, you will gain approximately 10 pounds in a year. About 3,500 calories equals about 1 pound of fat. For a one pound weight loss, you need to burn 3,500 calories more than you take in or cut 500 calories from your daily diet each day.