Know which diet keeps you in tip-top shape

Know which diet keeps you in tip-top shape

Melisa Southern-Garcia, Dietitian, Jakarta

If you are a regular reader of my articles, you know that I am in
no way a proponent of fad diets, in fact, I am very much against
them. I regularly have clients ask me about a particular diet
they may have heard about or have tried. Many of these diets have
actually helped them, or someone they know lose weight.

Many diets help you lose weight on a short-term basis,
however, when you go off the diet and return to your former
eating habits, the weight just creeps back on. Diets that force
you to eat only one thing for a long period of time (the famous
"grapefruit diet" comes to mind) or that ask you to cut out a
major food group (Dr. Atkins) are not only harmful to your health
long term, but are also something you cannot keep doing for very
long.

When you are tired of eating the same food or simply can't
live another day without a bowl of pasta, you return to your old
habits and gain the weight back. Even if you have lost some
weight following a particular diet, if you haven't been given
smart eating tools for the long term the weight will come back.

In other words, when you lose the weight and go off the diet,
you are left with no knowledge to continue to keep the weight
off.

So what type of diet should you follow if you are serious
about losing weight? Everyone's case is different and if weight
is a medical problem, your individualized diet plan should be
monitored by your physician and dietitian.

However, there are some general guidelines that any good diet
plan should include. The first and most important rule of any
diet plan is that it must teach you something. A good diet plan
will give you tools in the form of knowledge so that you can
apply them to your individual needs.

A diet that tells you exactly what to eat at every meal not
only gets tiresome in the long run but also limits your choices.
If you go to a restaurant, or if you are invited to someone's
home you most likely won't be able to follow the exact guidelines
proposed by your fad diet. However, if you have learned
guidelines to making wise dietary choices, you will be equipped
to pick up a menu and chose on your own.

The following three basic guidelines should form part of any
diet you follow:

Watch your portion sizes: Most servings are truly far more
than we actually need to eat at one meal. Restaurants in
particular have created a trend towards large portions. It has
even become "fun" or "trendy" in many places to order the biggie
or extra large platter. One of the most difficult portion sizes
to control is meat. One serving of meat should be the amount that
fits in the palm of a woman's hand, or the size of a standard
deck of cards. Most adults only need two to three servings of
meat per day as a general rule.

Ironically, it's not uncommon to be served the equivalent of
three or four servings of meat at one meal. Another simple rule
to follow is to visually divide your plate into one half. The
upper half of your plate should be filled with fruits and
vegetables. The lower half should be divided in half once again.
In one section place your meat. If it is larger than one quarter
of your plate, then decrease your portion and save it for later
or share with a friend. The other quarter of your plate should
contain a starch such as bread or rice. If your portion of bread
or rice exceeds one quarter of your plate, it should also be
decreased.

Concentrate on healthy fats. Our bodies actually require fat
to function properly. The problem arises when we eat too much fat
and it's stored as excess weight. Healthy fats are those products
which contain mainly monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats.
Not only are they important to maintaining a healthy heart, but
they can also indirectly help you lose weight. These good fats
include avocado, olive oil, nuts, and seeds. Since fat takes
longer to digest, it provides a feeling of fullness for a longer
time. So using your quota of fat in a wise way, may actually help
you avoid getting hungry too soon and bringing on high calorie
snack foods.

Eat plenty of fiber. Eating foods with natural fiber such as
fruits and vegetables, natural grains such as whole wheat or
oats, and legumes such as beans or lentils will help fight weight
in several different ways. The first and simplest way that fiber
helps your diet is by providing a sense of fullness.

Fiber provides bulk and not only helps regulate your digestive
system, but also keeps your blood sugar at even levels. This
means less cravings and less appetite surges due to changes in
your blood sugar. Fiber in your food also removes about 5 percent
of the fat in an average meal.

There are many different diets and each one of us needs to
learn what is best for our bodies, our lifestyle and our medical
condition. It's important to remember that just because a
particular diet may have made you or someone you know lose
weight, it may not be a permanent change. Only a diet that
teaches you how to make your own wise decisions for a lifetime --
not just a few weeks or months -- can help you make a permanent
healthy lifestyle change.