Diet dos and donts
Keeping a diary of what you eat can double your weight loss, one of the largest and longest-running studies of weight loss maintenance found. People who succeed at losing weight and keeping it off weigh themselves often, research shows. Video: Cancer Takes a Toll on a Small Town. And a written record makes you more accountable, so you think twice before you scarf down food. Even though this may not sound like a lot, think in the long term. Fat has been given a bad rap over the years, but not all fat is bad for you. Eating Disorders: When Food and Weight Take Control. Weight loss experts recommend planning your meals and snacks to make sure they fit into a well-balanced diet plan. Having small, nutritious meals and snacks between meals has been shown to help people lose more. Worse yet, your metabolism slows at night, which means many of the calories you eat late in the evening will be stored as fat. A step on the scale at least once a week seems to build awareness best. Leftover from the days when we braved the elements with little clothing, brown fat burns calories for heat. Asprin: The Wonder Drug in Your Medicine Cabinet. Research does show you can lose unwanted weight by starving yourself. The problem is that up to 50% of that weight loss comes from muscle tissue, not from fat. Keep a large water bottle at your desk, and take generous sips frequently. For someone who weighs 150 pounds, that amounts to 45 fewer calories burned each day. Drinking water, especially before mealtime, helps fill you up and makes you eat less. There are many quick, healthful breakfast foods you can stock in your pantry. Sleep Loss Tied to Changes in Gut Bacteria.
When your kidneys are moving water through your body, your water weight is lower. In fact, some fats are essential for weight loss. Less than 10% of your calories should come from saturated fats, say government dietary guidelines. When you activate your brown fat, you burn extra calories and boost your overall metabolism. And five pounds of muscle that previously burned 50 calories per pound equals a 250-calorie reduction in your metabolism. Then make an additional effort to ensure your lunches and dinners are nutritionally balanced. Despite the popularity of low carbohydrate diets, your body needs this important fuel to work. My all-time favorite source of healthy fat is flaxseed oil derived from flax seeds. But, if you eat too close to bedtime, your body will spend its energy digesting the food in your tummy and not recuperating your muscles. While you sleep, your body actually repairs and rebuilds your muscles. Colon Cancer on the Rise Among Young Adults. Everything You Need to Know to Start Yoga. Replace butter and processed foods with more healthy polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats, like olive oil, cold water fish, tofu, avocado, and small amounts of nuts. Few people drink as much water as they should. In one study, women who were urged to eat slowly ate fewer calories and drank more water than when they were urged to eat as quickly as they could. On the other hand, every pound of muscle you lose on a starvation diet slows your metabolism down by 50 calories a day. Regular breakfast eaters are leaner than those who start the day on an empty stomach. So while you may be proud of the 10 pounds you lost by eating only celery and carrot sticks, five of those pounds are likely from muscle loss. Your body needs some dietary fat to function. Besides, fat can help you feel full after eating, which may curb your desire for seconds or dessert.
