6 Eating Rules For Faster Weight Loss
Follow these simple guidelines to stay full and speed weight
loss
Reach for high-energy foods
Your body needs fuel to exercise, and the source of that
fuel is food. That's why some people report feeling hungrier when they start to
work out. If you're trying to lose weight, this could be counterproductive—unless
you find the right balance of healthy, filling foods.
The typical American diet is loaded with refined or simple
carbohydrates such as white flours, rice, and pasta, and pastries, soda, and
other sugary foods and drinks. These carbs, which lack the fiber found in
complex carbs (whole grains, fruits, and veggies), are metabolized by your body
quickly. So while you may feel raring to go after eating them, that energy
boost will soon be followed by a major energy slump, making it hard to give
your all during your workouts.
In addition, if many of the foods you eat are metabolized
quickly, you'll find yourself feeling hungry more often, which could mean more
snacking and a higher calorie intake. To keep from eating back all the calories
you've burned, stick to a diet based on these 6 science-backed components.
1. Fiber
Eat at least 20 grams of fiber per day from whole grains,
fruits, and vegetables. Fiber helps keep you feeling full longer—a
big benefit when you’re trying to lose weight. A study from
Brigham Young University College of Health and Human Performance demonstrated
that women who ate more fiber significantly lowered their risk of gaining
weight. Each gram of fiber eaten correlated to 1/2 pound less body weight. The
researchers suspect that the higher fiber intake led to a reduction in total
calories over time.
2. Calcium
& Vitamin D
Strive for three servings of calcium- and vitamin D-rich
foods a day. These nutrients often occur together in foods, especially dairy.
Calcium and vitamin D work together in your body, primarily
to strengthen your bones. But if the latest research is any indication, both of
these nutrients may flex some muscle in your weight loss success. Dairy foods
are the prime source of calcium and vitamin D in the diet. In a study from
Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, college students who came
closest to meeting the three-a-day dairy requirement while eating an otherwise
healthy diet weighed less, gained less, and actually lost belly fat, compared
with students who consumed little or no dairy.
Moreover, vitamin D by itself may play a role in weight
control. Extra body fat holds on to vitamin D so that the body can’t
use it. This perceived deficiency interferes with the action of the hormone
leptin, whose job is to tell your brain that you’re full. And if you can’t
recognize when you’re satiated, you’re
more likely to overeat.
You may also want to consider a vitamin D supplement. The
latest research suggests that this nutrient may be a factor in protecting you
from everything from heart disease to memory loss and even chronic pain.
Evidence is mounting that we need more than the current recommended intakes,
especially as we age, because older skin produces less vitamin D (and
sunscreens block the body’s ability to use sunlight to produce
this vitamin). That’s why the leading experts in vitamin D
research are now recommending a daily supplement of 1,000 IU of vitamin D—the
kind most readily used by the body.
Daily Recommended Calcium Intake
Men and women ages 19-50: 1,000 milligrams
Men and women age 51+: 1,200 milligrams
Daily Recommended Vitamin D Intake
Men and women ages 19-50: 200 IU
Men and women ages 51-70: 400 IU
Men and women age 71+: 600 IU
3. Good fats
These include monounsaturated fatty acids and omega-3 fatty
acids, found in oils, nuts, avocados, certain fish—and
yes, even chocolate! Eat 3-4 servings daily.
A study published in the journal Appetite shows how these
fats—besides being good for your heart—can
help you feel fuller longer after meals. The study participants with a higher
intake of omega-3 fatty acids (more than 1,300 milligrams a day, either from
foods or from supplements) reported feeling less hungry right after their
meals, as well as 2 hours later, compared with a lower omega-3 intake (less
than 260 milligrams a day). Less hunger means less munching and an easier time
keeping calories in check.
More specific research has been done on walnuts, a good
source of monounsaturated fats. An Australian study had participants follow a
healthy low-fat diet, either with walnuts or without. Both groups ate the same
number of calories and lost approximately the same amount of weight at 6
months. But during the next 6 months of the year long study, the walnut-eaters
continued to lose weight and body fat, while the other group stopped losing—even
though they were still following the same diet.
4. Protein
Aim for three servings of lean protein (such as fish, white
meat chicken and turkey, pork loin chops, and lean beef sirloin) per day. In
addition to being an essential nutrient, protein helps to keep you feeling full
longer, which is a big benefit when you’re trying to lose weight. In a small
2009 study, participants who ate a higher-protein breakfast were more satiated
afterward (and took in fewer calories at lunch) than those who ate a
low-protein breakfast. (Be sure to vary your protein sources and include plant
ones, too.
5. Water
Studies from Stanford Prevention Research Center suggest
that water helps promote weight loss in two ways. First, drinking more water—at
least 4 cups per day—was linked to a 5-pound weight loss
over the course of a year. According to the researchers, this amount of water
increases the amount of energy or calories your body burns. Second,
substituting water for sugary drinks—sodas, sports drinks, flavored drinks,
and sweetened milks, coffees, and teas—resulted in even more weight loss. The
exact number of pounds lost depended on how many sugary drinks were consumed in
the first place, and how many were replaced with water.
Still don’t think you can give up your sodas and
mochaccinos? Then consider this: It’s been shown that when people consume a
certain amount of calories, they’re more hungry and more likely to
overeat at their next meal when those calories are in liquid rather than in
solid form. Translation: If you eat a 200-calorie snack, you’ll
be more satisfied afterward and eat less later than if you drink a 200-calorie
beverage. So frequently drinking calorie-dense beverages could increase both
your hunger and your calorie intake throughout the day. (Bored with plain
water? Check out these
6. Green Tea
Sip at least 3 cups of green tea every day. Catechins, the
antioxidants found in high amounts in green tea, have been shown to be helpful
in promoting weight loss, specifically belly fat. If caffeine is a concern,
decaf tea is an option. Some decaffeination processes, however, can lower the
antioxidant content so you might want to have an extra cup or two.
In a study at the USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on
Aging at Tufts University, participants who drank the equivalent of 3 cups of
green tea a day lost twice as much weight as those not drinking tea. The
tea-drinking group also lost significantly more belly fat than the non-tea
drinkers.
If you like citrus, the news gets better. Replacing some of
the tea brewing water with citrus juice, such as lemon, lime, orange, or
grapefruit, allows your body to use more of the tea’s
catechins. You can drink your green tea freshly brewed for a warming hot drink,
or chill it after brewing for a refreshing cold drink.
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