Healthy Weight Loss Tips

Men and women today want to look and feel their best. The obesity epidemic facing America has led many people to seek quick weight loss in diet fads and products. But, are they healthy?

There’s no magic to how to lose weight. The answer is clear: exercise and limit the calories you consume. Excessive calories, no matter what the source (fat, protein, carbohydrates or sugar), will cause weight gain. To successfully lose weight and keep it off, you must watch your portions, follow the food pyramid or U.S. Dietary Guidelines for Americans and increase your activity level on a regular basis.

There are many diets and diet products that claim to help you miraculously shed your love handles and slim those hips. Although some of these plans may lead to temporary weight loss, the results usually don’t last and you often end up ballooning back to your previous weight or worse - gaining additional pounds. Why? Many of these plans don’t teach you how to eat nutritionally balanced meals in the appropriate serving (or portion) sizes. Some of the diets put you at greater risk of cardiovascular disease and other conditions. That’s why it’s so important to consult a physician or Registered Dietitian (RD) before beginning any diet regimen.

Here’s a rundown on some of the popular diets:

The low-carb or no-carb diets and products. Following these diets requires excessive amounts of protein to be consumed. This places an added burden on your kidneys and their ability to work properly. You may see quick weight loss results. However, you do not learn portion control or how to eat from all the food groups. Because some or most of the carbohydrates have been removed from your diet, low- or no-carb products are generally high in calories and fat. Some manufacturers add sugar alcohols like sorbitol or maltitol. Sugar alcohols can have laxative effects on your digestive system.

Diet drinks. Some people refer to these as "liquid meal replacements". These shakes or canned drinks claim they provide as much nutrition as one balanced meal. Learning how to eat food in proper portions is important when trying to lose or maintain your weight. Liquid meals hinder your ability to do this as you begin to rely on the drinks for your nutrition. Additionally, it is important that you refrain from eating meals if you have had the liquid drink. If last-minute plans arise that cause you to eat a meal, you will double your calorie and fat intake for that meal. However, there are certain situations in which a diet drink would be appropriate. If you are traveling or working and cannot stop for a healthy meal, if you are a college student with a full schedule, a working mom, or otherwise would skip or rush meals without them, these canned drinks may provide you with more nutrition than a fast food meal.

Fat-free products. People are becoming more aware that excessive fat is not good for the diet and are cutting back significantly on fat consumption. Food manufacturers have picked up on the fat-free craze and find every chance they can to claim their products are "fat-free." However, some fat-free products such as salad dressings actually have the same amount of calories because of added sugar. If you are diabetic, pre-diabetic or have a family history of diabetes, you should use caution when purchasing these products. Learn to read the labels and when possible, always compare the regular version of a food to its fat-free counterpart. Eating fat-free foods alone will not help you lose weight.

Frozen entrees. Many companies offer low-calorie frozen entrees for dieters. All that is required of you is to cook it and enjoy the instant meal. Most can be microwaved for added convenience. The portions are typically small – a lot smaller than what many Americans have come to expect in super-sized restaurant meals. But these are actually the correct portions of food. Training yourself to eat small portions (and skip second helpings) helps you reach your weight loss goals even faster. Pre-portioned frozen entrees are also good if you do not have time to prepare and cook meals or if you live alone and have no need to cook large dinners.

Remember, there is no magic pill. Weight loss that lasts is a marathon, not a sprint.