I recently wrote about fad diets- you know, those diets that come on the scene, gain popularity, spread like wildfire and than quickly die or fade out after the initial steam and excitement over the diet has ended.
Fad diets, like fads in fashion, come in quick and leave just as quickly. They do not have any longevity because they do not offer any real lasting effects. Fad diets promise quick results which helps them quickly gain popularity. But once the diets go off the fad, their weight yo-yo’s right back to their previous weight. They are also considered fads because the dieter cannot stay on them for very long and be considered healthy. For example a juice fast- can help lose some weight, but once you start eating real food again. And be careful, your supplemental insurance won’t pay for risky diets.
Diets are tricky because they are diets. The real way to lose weight and keep it off is to create a lifestyle. It is through a series of lifestyle choices, not just one month of healthy food, that will keep you feeling and looking healthier.
While a healthy lifestyle is they key to a healthy weight, there are some little tricks you can use to aid your weight loss. Many of which would not even be too far out of your routine.
- Cut out the “whites.” Refined flour and sugar has gotten a bad rap recently and for good reason. Refined means that the vitamins and minerals have been stripped from the grain to help it be more compact, which is easier for storage and sales. The downside? You are losing out on those nutrients like fiber, and the compacted substance means more compacted calories per bite. Switch out your white flour for whole wheat, and your pasta for whole wheat pasta. Not ready to cut out the white stuff? Make the switch a couple times a week and you will see a difference.
- Drink your milk. Just like the ads say, milk does a body good. Studies have shown that dieters who drink milk are more likely to lose more weight than those who did not over a two year period. Make sure it is as least 12 ounces a day and that it is the low-fat kind.
- Eat the most important meal of the day: breakfast. You have heard it in school and you have probably heard it from your mom. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. This is not something concocted by the cereal companies (most of those would not be considered good breakfast anyway.) A good breakfast helps your metabolism wake up and get going. But that does not mean with sugary cereals. My favorite? Whole wheat toast and peanut butter with scrambled eggs. The whole wheat, peanut butter and eggs are all chock full of protein, helping you feel full longer. By eating good things first, you will avoid making unhealthy, poor choices later in the morning when you are ravenous for something to eat.