How to Choose a Diet for Your Lifestyle

Are you considering a radical change to your diet? Or, maybe even considering trying out the latest weight loss craze you saw online? Or, perhaps thinking about cutting carbs from the diet? Unfortunately, 95 percent of individuals who go on a diet end up regaining the weight they lost (and then some). Reduce the chance of becoming part of that 95 percent. Do your research, weigh your options and discuss them with a health care provider. Understanding the basics of a healthy diet will ensure your chances of success when it comes to long-term weight loss and health. 

Below are my five favorite tips to help you choose a diet for your lifestyle.

Discuss Your Options

Certain conditions like diabetes or heart failure can make certain diets dangerous. For example, if someone with diabetes takes insulin then it is important to eat a certain amount of food so that blood sugars do not drop or spike. Or if you have heart failure, then you may have a hard limit on the amount of sodium that should be consumed. It is important to be cleared by a dietitian or doctor to try a new diet if you have one of these conditions. You may also be asked specific questions about the diet to determine if it is something that can be sustained for life, because healthy diets are ones that can (and should) be followed for a lifetime.

Avoid Diets that Eliminate Food Groups

All foods can fit into a healthy diet. Telling yourself you cannot have a certain food or even worse, a certain food group, will inevitably end up in binge eating and regret. While there are certainly foods that you should eat very rarely, eliminating food groups like grains and/or fruit will never end up giving you a weight loss advantage. Any weight loss that is incurred while on this type of diet will come back, with additional weight and a poorer metabolism. Making healthy food swaps for unhealthy foods in the diet is a better, healthier, and more sustainable change.

Know it Shouldn’t Be Torture

Weight loss is hard, but it shouldn’t be tortuous. When losing weight, it is perfectly ok to feel hungry from time to time. This will eventually change as your body becomes accustom to smaller portion sizes. But if you feel ravenous, you may be restricting calories too much or perhaps you are not eating the right types of foods. Consuming fiber rich fruits, vegetables, whole grains and protein packed lean meats and low fat dairy will help you stay full and satisfied without breaking the calorie bank. Some hunger is to be expected, but if those ravenous feelings make you irritable, consider your diet foods and/or calorie goals.

Enjoy What You Eat

Dieters should avoid anything that doesn’t sound both nutritious and delicious. Because in the long run, if it’s not something you can stick with, then you shouldn’t start in the first place. Typically, dieters cannot stick with freeze dried or frozen meals for an extended period of time, nor should they. These meals are very seldom healthy or satisfying. Fresh fruits and vegetables should be a part of every meal, and they should be foods you like. While it may take some time to fully learn to love fresh tasting, healthy foods, you should find satisfaction in how certain meals and food make you feel.

Consider Healthy Meal Replacement

Nutrition is a confusing subject for many. A pay for service fee can simplify findings and put advice into practice easier than doing it yourself. However, the goal for any type of program should be to teach individuals how to eat healthy for life. Meal replacement companies vary greatly in what they do and don’t offer. Some meal plans will provide only freeze dried or frozen meals, while encouraging you to go out and buy your own fruits and vegetables. Other companies provide everything you need for a certain time period, while other newer companies delivery everything you need to create a healthy meal at home.

Conclusion

It’s important to do preliminary research on any type of diet program before beginning. Know the pros and cons, and make sure it fits well into your lifestyle. Making a choice to improve your diet and lifestyle should be a lifelong practice – not a temporary quick.

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