Ever wondered if it was possible for you to lose weight, feel great, all without pills or diets? No fad or calorie restriction diet can ever give you lasting weight loss. The research is in: Diets don't work! But there is a lifestyle change that can give you lasting results AND prevent diabetes, heart disease and many other chronic diseases. If you are motivated and stick with it, you may be surprised to find it isn't as hard as you thought it would be. Many of my patients come back amazed at how easy it was to adapt recipes and make the changes needed for weight loss and total health.
Here's how:
- Increase your fibre intake by eating more fresh fruit, vegetables and whole grains (such as rice, oats, whole wheat bread and whole grain pasta).
- Add beans (another great source of fibre) to your diet (all kinds, including chick peas, green beans and lentils).
- Reduce all fats and replace them with the occasional half a handful of dry roasted nuts, one quarter of an avocado or small amounts of olive oil. Eliminate these completely if you want to lose more weight, or accomplish it faster.
- Get rid of butter, margarine and other saturated fats (shortening that is solid at room temperature).
- Minimize sugars in any form (ie: soft drinks, baked goods, pies, cakes, biscuits, etc). Watch for hidden sugars (read labels for fructose, glucose and anything ending with -ose).
- Exercise 45-60 minutes, 6 days a week. 30 minutes daily is what is usually recommended, but you will only maintain your current weight with that amount of exercise.
- Reduce fats in the form of meat, dairy, eggs and cheese. Most meats (including poultry and fish) are around 25% fat. Most cheeses are around 75% fat. Fat adds more than double the calories of eating carbohydrates and protein.
- Reduce or cut out alcohol. It has no negligible nutritional value and adds far too many calories.
- All carbohydrates are not equal. Know the difference between the good complex carbohydrates (ie: whole grains and whole grain foods, whole grain pasta, brown bread, legumes, unprocessed fruits and vegetables) and the bad simple carbohydrates (any food that is processed, white bread, refined pasta, white rice, puddings, most baked goods and desserts).
Dr. Amy Mullen | |
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