Know which diet keeps you in tip-top shape<\/p>\n
Melisa Southern-Garcia, Dietitian, Jakarta<\/p>\n
If you are a regular reader of my articles, you know that I am in
\nno way a proponent of fad diets, in fact, I am very much against
\nthem. I regularly have clients ask me about a particular diet
\nthey may have heard about or have tried. Many of these diets have
\nactually helped them, or someone they know lose weight.<\/p>\n
Many diets help you lose weight on a short-term basis,
\nhowever, when you go off the diet and return to your former
\neating habits, the weight just creeps back on. Diets that force
\nyou to eat only one thing for a long period of time (the famous
\n"grapefruit diet" comes to mind) or that ask you to cut out a
\nmajor food group (Dr. Atkins) are not only harmful to your health
\nlong term, but are also something you cannot keep doing for very
\nlong.<\/p>\n
When you are tired of eating the same food or simply can't
\nlive another day without a bowl of pasta, you return to your old
\nhabits and gain the weight back. Even if you have lost some
\nweight following a particular diet, if you haven't been given
\nsmart eating tools for the long term the weight will come back.<\/p>\n
In other words, when you lose the weight and go off the diet,
\nyou are left with no knowledge to continue to keep the weight
\noff.<\/p>\n
So what type of diet should you follow if you are serious
\nabout losing weight? Everyone's case is different and if weight
\nis a medical problem, your individualized diet plan should be
\nmonitored by your physician and dietitian.<\/p>\n
However, there are some general guidelines that any good diet
\nplan should include. The first and most important rule of any
\ndiet plan is that it must teach you something. A good diet plan
\nwill give you tools in the form of knowledge so that you can
\napply them to your individual needs.<\/p>\n
A diet that tells you exactly what to eat at every meal not
\nonly gets tiresome in the long run but also limits your choices.
\nIf you go to a restaurant, or if you are invited to someone's
\nhome you most likely won't be able to follow the exact guidelines
\nproposed by your fad diet. However, if you have learned
\nguidelines to making wise dietary choices, you will be equipped
\nto pick up a menu and chose on your own.<\/p>\n
The following three basic guidelines should form part of any
\ndiet you follow:<\/p>\n
Watch your portion sizes: Most servings are truly far more
\nthan we actually need to eat at one meal. Restaurants in
\nparticular have created a trend towards large portions. It has
\neven become "fun" or "trendy" in many places to order the biggie
\nor extra large platter. One of the most difficult portion sizes
\nto control is meat. One serving of meat should be the amount that
\nfits in the palm of a woman's hand, or the size of a standard
\ndeck of cards. Most adults only need two to three servings of
\nmeat per day as a general rule.<\/p>\n
Ironically, it's not uncommon to be served the equivalent of
\nthree or four servings of meat at one meal. Another simple rule
\nto follow is to visually divide your plate into one half. The
\nupper half of your plate should be filled with fruits and
\nvegetables. The lower half should be divided in half once again.
\nIn one section place your meat. If it is larger than one quarter
\nof your plate, then decrease your portion and save it for later
\nor share with a friend. The other quarter of your plate should
\ncontain a starch such as bread or rice. If your portion of bread
\nor rice exceeds one quarter of your plate, it should also be
\ndecreased.<\/p>\n
Concentrate on healthy fats. Our bodies actually require fat
\nto function properly. The problem arises when we eat too much fat
\nand it's stored as excess weight. Healthy fats are those products
\nwhich contain mainly monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats.
\nNot only are they important to maintaining a healthy heart, but
\nthey can also indirectly help you lose weight. These good fats
\ninclude avocado, olive oil, nuts, and seeds. Since fat takes
\nlonger to digest, it provides a feeling of fullness for a longer
\ntime. So using your quota of fat in a wise way, may actually help
\nyou avoid getting hungry too soon and bringing on high calorie
\nsnack foods.<\/p>\n
Eat plenty of fiber. Eating foods with natural fiber such as
\nfruits and vegetables, natural grains such as whole wheat or
\noats, and legumes such as beans or lentils will help fight weight
\nin several different ways. The first and simplest way that fiber
\nhelps your diet is by providing a sense of fullness.<\/p>\n
Fiber provides bulk and not only helps regulate your digestive
\nsystem, but also keeps your blood sugar at even levels. This
\nmeans less cravings and less appetite surges due to changes in
\nyour blood sugar. Fiber in your food also removes about 5 percent
\nof the fat in an average meal.<\/p>\n
There are many different diets and each one of us needs to
\nlearn what is best for our bodies, our lifestyle and our medical
\ncondition. It's important to remember that just because a
\nparticular diet may have made you or someone you know lose
\nweight, it may not be a permanent change. Only a diet that
\nteaches you how to make your own wise decisions for a lifetime --
\nnot just a few weeks or months -- can help you make a permanent
\nhealthy lifestyle change.<\/p>",
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