Avoid fad diets
Once you've decided it's time to go on a weight loss diet, it's panic time!
The first instinct is often: get the weight off as quickly as possible! No
wonder there are so many get-thin-quick schemes. But quick weight loss is
one of the first traps that lead to gaining the weight right back. Here's
what you can do to avoid the trap.
Eat, Drink
and be Merry!
Eat - If you want to keep off the weight you're working so hard to lose,
then be patient and let the right diet work for you. The optimal rate for a weight
loss diet is no more than 1 to 2 pounds a week for
most people. The miraculous stories of rapid weight loss are the results of
water loss - big deal! Drink a glass of water and the weight is back on.
Five reasons why "eating"
helps you lose weight
The key
predictor of weight gain is a low metabolic rate
Reason 1
- The goal is to
lose body fat, not water and muscle. Eating the right amount of food
helps to protect your body from losing muscle mass. The slower you lose
weight, the greater percentage of body fat loss. The faster you lose,
the more you muscle you lose. Which brings us to reason #2
Reason 2
- You don't have
to starve to maintain your new weight! Eating helps maintain your
metabolism at a higher rate. (Metabolism is the rate at which your body
burns calories). Because lean muscle mass takes more energy to maintain
it and fat is much less active (it's like a storage unit for energy),
when you preserve lean muscle mass by eating enough food, your body
needs more calories to function. This means: a lean, muscular body with
less fat (the new you) needs more calories to maintain it weight
compared to someone who loses weight rapidly. So now, you don't have to
starve to maintain your new weight.... you have arrived and will be more
likely to stay at your goal because you ate!
Eating gives you the energy you need to lose weight successfully
Reason 3- Eating enough calories while
you lose weight gives you "staying power". It makes sense: it's much
harder to stay on a very low calorie diet long enough to lose the weight
you want. Being hungry is o.k.. Feeling deprived and starved is not.
And, did you know that very low calorie diets are associated with an
increase in "binge" eating? Definitely not a good outcome.
Reason 4- When you eat enough food, you
will have more energy to burn off the calories through physical
activity. Too many times, I have heard from people who feel tired all
the time because they are trying to eat too few calories. They don't
have the energy to get through the day, much less do extra exercise to
build lean body mass and burn fat. This happens especially in women who
are exercising a lot and cutting calories at the same time - it
multiplies the effect of too few calories.
Reason 5 - This last reason
is quite simple: if you don't eat enough food, you won't get the
nutrition you need to stay healthy. One of the two main reasons people
want to lose weight is to get healthier and to look better. People who
are not eating enough simply don't look well because they aren't as
healthy as they need to be. Healthy people have better looking skin,
hair and teeth, and overall their higher energy level is much more
attractive than someone dragging around. So fast weight loss really
doesn't accomplish either the goal of looking or feeling better over the
long haul.
What's the right amount of calories for you?
Your
PersonalDiets™
plan gives you a diet with the right amount of calories to lose weight
safely and to optimize your body composition - losing more fat and less
muscle. This is absolutely key to making you successful at staying at your
new lower weight. Your weight loss calories are determined based upon your
age, physical activity, sex, height, current weight, and special needs. If
and when you need an adjustment, we will do that as part of your plan. And,
when you reach your goal weight, we'll help you determine your maintenance
plan.
See how we'll
design to your needs!
(Each diet designed by our dietitian is custom designed to your specific
needs and includes an assessment of your current diet.
PersonalDiets™
start as low as $6.65 per month. A minimum membership of 3 months is
required for all plans.)
