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Avoid Fad Diets: Healthy Weight Loss Tips that Work
Special to The Truth
Losing weight to look good
may be a great motivator. An even better motivator is to get
healthier, as excess fat tissue breeds inflammation, which
can contribute to many debilitating and deadly diseases. And
according to many doctors, even just a modest amount of
extra weight can be damaging to your health.
When it comes to diets, if
you’ve “tried them all” and failed, some experts say that
could be part of the problem.
“Most diet books and
programs promise a quick fix for weight loss -- for example,
avoiding all carbs, eating only raw foods or amping up
protein. These fad diets show little respect for the fact
that a well-balanced, nutritious diet is critical for our
bodies to function properly,” warns Dr. Jennifer Sacheck, an
associate professor of Nutrition at Tufts University and
co-author of the book, “Thinner this Year: A Diet and
Exercise Program for Living Strong, Fit, and Sexy.”
In “Thinner this Year,”
Sacheck, along with motivational speaker and co-author Chris
Crowley, offer a laymen’s explanation of the science of diet
and exercise, believing that if people truly understand
what’s going on inside their bodies, then they’re more
likely to make long-term lifestyle changes.
“You don’t need a fancy
gadget and there is no single magic exercise,” says Crowley.
“Health and wellness means a serious lifetime commitment to
good nutrition and plenty of exercise.”
With that in mind, the
writing duo is offering some tips for losing weight the
healthy way and keeping it off for life:
• Make up your mind. Set
your goal and go for it. This will mean embracing changes in
your habits and routines.
• Exercise for the rest of
your life. Stay motivated by keeping things interesting and
changing your workout routine periodically. Try new exercise
classes or sign up for a big race.
“Exercise works like crazy
and it changes lives. Big time,” says Crowley.
• Eat less and be mindful.
Don’t “super-size yourself.” At the same time, don’t skip
meals. Doing so can lower your metabolism and make you more
susceptible to binge eating later.
• Don’t eat “dead food,”
-- food that is loaded with calories and offers little
nutritional value. Skip or limit refined flour, refined
sugar, high fat meat and solid fat. Eat healthy fats in
moderation and avoid saturated and trans fat. Likewise,
don’t drink your calories. Instead, load up on fruits,
vegetables, whole grains, low-fat dairy and lean meats.
• Learn more. Truly
understand the changes that are taking place inside your
body as a result of your hard work, so you can be motivated
to keep going.
For more tips on healthy
ways to lose weight and keep it off, www.ThinnerThisYear.com.
Sustainable weight loss is
no easy feat, but with motivation, dedication and hard work,
you can feel better and live longer.
Courtesy StatePoint
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