Should You Stop Dieting? What You Need To Know About Proper Weight Loss

By Trina Basaysay

Dieting is usually the first thing people think of when they want to lose weight. They may be thinking of the high-protein, low-carb meal plan such as Atkins, South Beach, and Protein Power diets, or the high-carb, low-fat food plan such as the Pritikin diet. 

There are so many different types of dieting methods out there that weight loss has now turned into a billion-dollar industry. However, most of these fads or crash diets are short-lived and usually involve drastic and extreme calorie cuts. It is difficult to maintain these diets for longer periods of time because they are not sustainable.

When you start back at regular eating again after losing weight through extreme dieting, you may experience some cravings for high-carb foods. The reason behind this is that your hunger hormone ghrelin kicks in as your body works to regain the lost weight and make up for your low-calorie and nutrient consumption. 

This also forces you to go on the same diet routine again only to gain it back. Before you know it, you’re stuck in what is known as weight cycling. This is also called yo-yo dieting that has been found to increase the risk of diseases such as diabetes. 

If extreme diet regimens don't work and could actually harm your health, it begs to be asked: should you stop dieting altogether?  

Lose Weight the Right Way 

Obesity specialist Dr. Louis J. Aronne of New York-based Weill Cornell Medicine explained that, during your calorie-deficit weight loss plan, your body first burns a form of carbohydrate called glycogen. You lose weight fast but the lost pounds “likely come from water rather than fat” as every gram of carbohydrate contains 3 grams of water.  

But dieting per se is not bad. The term “diet” generally means the food and drink that you normally consume each day for nutrition or specific requirements such as weight loss. 

However, for your weight loss to be done in the right way, what you need is to follow an effective and sustainable weight loss tactic, which should involve a healthy meal plan that goes hand-in-hand with regular exercise, be it endurance or strength training or low-intensity workouts such as walking or jogging.

For a healthy weight loss, the recommended target is not more than one-half or 1 kilogram per week.

Recommended Calorie Intake 

The rule of thumb is to come up with a long-term, balanced food plan based on your nutritional and weight control needs. At first glance, it can be a daunting task but is very doable if done in the right way and with commitment. To help you stay motivated and ensure that you stick to your diet for the long haul, Dr. Robert Shmerling of Harvard Medical School has this advice: create a meal plan that comprises foods that you like.  

Ideally, you should add this to your everyday meals when aiming to shed the excess pounds and guarantee that you’re consuming the right nutrients for your health and fitness:  

     • Vegetables such as broccoli, spinach, brussels sprouts and cauliflower

     • Fruits such as apples, grapefruit and passion fruit

     • Lean meats such as chicken, cod, halibut, salmon and tuna

Your daily calorie intake should be lowered by 500 to 750 calories. For individuals who work out regularly, a diet plan with 1,500–1,800 calories per day is ideal. 

Long-term proper diets let you enjoy the benefits of getting the right nutrients over time. 

How to Stick to a Long-Term Diet Plan 

It’s admittedly hard to keep the excess weight off. Commitment is essential for your healthy meal plan to work. Here are some tips to help you stick to your strategy and achieve your health goals. 

• Know your why:  When you feel discouraged, especially if you went back to your old eating patterns, remind yourself of why you’ve started eating healthy in the first place. It’s also normal to commit mistakes or miss your targets. You can always resume where you left off.     

• Surround yourself with people who share your fitness goals: Staying healthy takes a lot of work. It pays to have someone who is not only cheering you on but is also on the same fitness journey as you are. This makes the entire process easier and more fun. It also makes you feel that you’re not alone in your struggle to eat healthy.  

• Don’t starve yourself - Starving yourself is counterproductive and never works. It will eventually lead to you eating more, thereby resulting in weight gain.

Weight Control: Consistency is Key

Permanent weight management is important to staying healthy. It’s a life-long commitment that entails consistency.

A 2017 study maintained that consistency is vital to achieving long-term weight loss. One of the study’s researchers, Emily Feig, who was a postdoctoral fellow at Massachusetts General Hospital when the paper was published, explained that consistent healthy eating prevents impulsive decisions. To remain consistent, it pays to plan and prepare your food ahead and avoid eating out regularly. 

Challenging as it may be, all your efforts are going to be worth it as you start feeling healthy and experiencing the benefits of your weight control efforts.  

Takeaway 

There is no quick fix to lose weight. You must make changes to your lifestyle habits. A balanced meal plan is essential to living a healthy lifestyle. Healthy eating provides your system with the right amount of nutrition it needs to function properly. Start today and maintain a proper balance between food and exercise.