Weight loss is a difficult issue for people who are overweight. The reason it’s so difficult is that there is so much confusion about how to lose weight and keep it off. Millions of people are trying to go on diets to lose weight, and failing. Millions of people have given up on the idea of getting healthier and trimmer and getting their bodies to their ideal weight.
The workouts seem too difficult, and the dieting seems too “blah” and unfulfilling. But, there are people who are successful in their weight loss efforts-people like the beautiful Jillian Michaels, for instance. How are they doing it?
Cutting Out Your Favorite Foods Doesn’t Work
People are told that to lose the unwanted pounds, they must make sacrifices. One of the first sacrifices that they are routinely told to make involves getting rid of their favorite fattening foods-things like cookies, brownies, fast food burgers, and french fries. However, doing this actually has the opposite effect of helping people put on even more weight. How so?
American Dietetic Association spokesman Cynthia Sass, RD, tells us “I think putting your favorite foods off limits leads to weight gain because it triggers ‘rebound’ overeating. You can enjoy your favorite foods, but you must do so in moderation.”
So, how can you do that “moderation” thing? Well, simply buy less at one time, for one thing. Why do you need to buy a whole box of cherry Danishes when you can justs buy one fresh one?
Another successful method of cutting back on delicious but fattening foods is to limit their consumption to just once per week. It helps you to lose weight, rather than hindering you, if you give yourself one Who Cares Day each week. This should be the same day of every week, such as every Sunday for example. This gives you a day of splurging to look forward to all week long, and you can see it as rewarding yourself for your careful efforts and discipline for weight loss the rest of the week.
By keeping your favorite fattening foods in your diet but strictly moderated, you also save money…and you leave room for adding in healthier foods.
Add In the Protein
New research has been proving that an old idea about health and wellness has been false: cutting out protein (especially meat). Protein actually satisfies hunger better than carbohydrates and fats. Furthermore, protein is the last of the three fuels (glucose, fats, and protein) that your body burns for energy-meaning that it must first burn off the fattening sugars and saturated fats before it will touch the protein you’ve just eaten.
You can get protein from other sources besides land animals, such as fish, black beans, and whey, but in all actuality land animal sources aren’t “evil” foods, either. Eggs are the “perfect” protein (they are 100% absorbed by the body), and red meats are the most complete proteins (providing all essential fatty acids).
University of Illinois researcher of protein Donald Layman, PhD, tells us “Diets higher in protein [and] moderate in carbs, along with a lifestyle of regular exercise, have an excellent potential to help weight loss.”
So. Lose weight-eat delicious!
