Weight Loss Diet – Do it Right

With obesity and related health disorders on the rise worldwide, it’s now more important than ever to keep a check on your weight and make sure you stay healthy. Current fast-paced lifestyles make it difficult to do so. Because of our busy schedules we tend to opt for easily available processed foods rather than wholesome organic foods. It’s no surprise then that 60% of the nation’s population is overweight.

While exercise might help you drop the kilos, the first and most important step to weight loss is to rectify your diet. Often the reason behind us deciding to lose weight is an upcoming event or occasion. At these times we tend to turn to crash diets. But skipping meals altogether can cause you to gain weight in the long run. The solution is to remain conscious about your weight year-round, and pay attention to what you eat. A weight loss diet doesn’t have to be a difficult thing and it doesn’t have to mean saying goodbye to all your favourite foods.

If you choose a diet plan that leaves you hungry and unsatisfied, the chances are that you won’t be able to keep at it for too long. Besides, being hungry all day isn’t healthy for you either. When you diet to lose weight, your focus should be on reducing your appetite and improving your metabolism rather than counting calories and cutting out foods entirely.

We’ve compiled a few guidelines to help you improve your diet, lose weight the healthy way, and keep it off. Follow these tips, incorporate a healthy dose of physical activity into your daily routine and you’ll be fitter and healthier in no time.

Reduce Sugars and Starches

Sugar and starch, or carbs, stimulate the secretion of insulin – the body’s main fat storage hormone. When the insulin levels in your body are reduced, it allows the break down and utilisation of fats. This helps reduce your appetite and lower your food intake without the hunger.

You can have a carb cheat day once a week if it helps keep you motivated. However, try to stick to healthy carb sources such as oats, rice, sweet potatoes and fruits.

Eat Fats, Protein and Vegetables

Yes, you read that right. Don’t try to cut out fats and carbs at the same time. Choose healthy sources of fat instead. Coconut oil is the best cooking fat to use and helps boost your metabolism. Aside from this, you can also incorporate avocado oil, olive oil or butter in small proportions.

It’s extremely important to have some source of protein in your diet. Protein gives your metabolism a sizeable boost and can help reduce your calorie intake by keeping you full. Beef, pork, chicken, salmon, lobster, shrimp and eggs are all healthy options.

Choose low carb vegetables to get your fix of fibre, vitamins and minerals. Broccoli, cauliflower, spinach, kale, cucumber, celery, lettuce and the like will do wonders for your diet.

Incorporating each of these three elements in every meal will help you stay full and keep your insulin levels low.

Lift Weights

This last step isn’t compulsory. However, when you lose weight, your metabolism tends to slow down. Lifting weights twice or thrice a week will help prevent this problem. If you are unable to do this, you can choose a simpler cardio workout like jogging or running to help boost your metabolism.

Now that you have the ideal diet for weight loss, you can get started on your fitness goals. And if you’re ever in the mood for a treat, we have a selection of deliciously healthy recipes for you.