Though I do not believe in dieting in the common sense I believe we all need to evaluate our eating habits and become more conscious of the things we eat. There is no doubting the fact that to lose weight there is a simple formula and that is to eat less calories than you burn. Research shows that it is difficult for most people to sustain a long term practice of logging dietary intake and tracking calories burned each day, especially with the accuracy needed to be 100 percent effective. Although it is not impossible to calculate some general numbers I believe we can start by making a few minor adjustments.
Do not become consumed with fad diets suggesting the elimination of carbohydrates or fats. Both are necessary to help the body function the way it is meant to function. A general rule is to keep fat intake at about 20% of your diet with carbohydrates at about 60 % and proteins at 20%. Although we do need fats in our diet we need to make sure they are considered good fats such as: fish, lean chicken, olive oil, avocadoes and some varieties of nuts. Read labels and try to stay away from saturated and Trans fats and rely more on foods with mono- and poly- unsaturated fats.
Carbohydrates are found in fruits and vegetables. Focus on choosing a variety of fruits and dark green leafy as well as bright-colored vegetables which have an increase of fiber and antioxidants. Another good source of carbohydrates is whole grains. The American Dietary Guidelines recommend eating at least half the grains as whole grains - that's at least 3 servings of whole grains a day.
As we become better educated on what foods we can eat we need to be more conscious of our serving sizes. Most research shows that one of the major contributors to the increase of obesity in the U.S. is due to gradual increase of our serving sizes. The main concern should be on the main dish for each meal with a general rule of keeping it no bigger than the size of a deck of cards (unless you have the big size deck for the visually impaired). Fruits and vegetables are low calorie foods that can be consumed without much planning. Take a few simple steps to become better educated on the foods you eat and you will begin to see a reduction in body fat and an increase in energy and overall health. Remember that there is power in knowledge so take the time and become self educated.
Do not become consumed with fad diets suggesting the elimination of carbohydrates or fats. Both are necessary to help the body function the way it is meant to function. A general rule is to keep fat intake at about 20% of your diet with carbohydrates at about 60 % and proteins at 20%. Although we do need fats in our diet we need to make sure they are considered good fats such as: fish, lean chicken, olive oil, avocadoes and some varieties of nuts. Read labels and try to stay away from saturated and Trans fats and rely more on foods with mono- and poly- unsaturated fats.
Carbohydrates are found in fruits and vegetables. Focus on choosing a variety of fruits and dark green leafy as well as bright-colored vegetables which have an increase of fiber and antioxidants. Another good source of carbohydrates is whole grains. The American Dietary Guidelines recommend eating at least half the grains as whole grains - that's at least 3 servings of whole grains a day.
As we become better educated on what foods we can eat we need to be more conscious of our serving sizes. Most research shows that one of the major contributors to the increase of obesity in the U.S. is due to gradual increase of our serving sizes. The main concern should be on the main dish for each meal with a general rule of keeping it no bigger than the size of a deck of cards (unless you have the big size deck for the visually impaired). Fruits and vegetables are low calorie foods that can be consumed without much planning. Take a few simple steps to become better educated on the foods you eat and you will begin to see a reduction in body fat and an increase in energy and overall health. Remember that there is power in knowledge so take the time and become self educated.
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