1. Safe Dieting for Weight Loss
There is no shortage of weight loss diets advocated by various wellness organizations. But with too many different types of diets available, it is quite a difficult task to narrow down the most suitable and safest for you. You must understand that not all diet plans give the same results for everyone; in fact a wrong diet can lead to harmful consequences. So, what is safe dieting and how do you go about it? Read further to know more.
What is the right diet?
A right diet is one which adjusts to your body mass index (BMI), nutritional requirement and medical conditions, if any. Certain important factors on how to decide on the right diet are as follows:
1. Consult your doctor: It is advisable to involve your physician and dietician while choosing a diet. They will be able to assess your medical condition and help with your weight loss goals. You can discuss earlier weight loss initiatives and confirm whether they were correct. They will review your current medication which to see whether it is causing unwanted weight gain.
2. Check your personal needs: Weigh loss diet depends on one’s lifestyle, preferences, final goals and individual needs. People should consider the following parameters before choosing diet program:
Past experiences: In case, you have taken any diet program earlier, how stringent the diet is and whether you will be able to follow it both physically and mentally.
Budget: Diet programs include many nutritional supplements to be consumed. Hence it is advisable to check whether these will fit into your budget during the entire stretch of diet.
Process: One must consider how to start on a weight loss diet program, whether through any support group or online courses.
Health conditions: It is very important to consider one’s health condition while choosing a diet program.
3. Look for a safe and effective diet: Speedy weight loss remedies might appear tempting but many of them come with life-long health implications which should be avoided. It is better to opt for a plan which has a slow and steady approach and easier to maintain. A good weight loss diet should require a longer commitment from you but a healthier result in the end with proper sustainable changes in your eating habits and lifestyle. It is advisable to look for a diet which is:
Balanced: Diet should have a balanced proportion from all food groups.
Flexible: Diet should include a variety of healthy foods which are also easily available.
Enjoyable: Diet needs to be enjoyable to an individual and not forced.
Active: Diet needs to comprise of good amount of physical activities and exercise
Is strict diet safe?
Strict dieting is not recommended, given the following reasons.
It increases the risk of conditions like heart diseases, diabetes and cancer.
Lower calorie intake produces higher levels of harmful stress hormone called cortisol.
2. It puts adverse physiological stress on people when they are constantly counting the calories they eat.
It affects the daily energy performance because a person is not eating enough to provide energy to their body which makes them weak and stressful.
It causes depression in people for whom food is a comfort and they become stressed when they are told to give up something they love.
A better alternative is to cut down on calories and restrict within 1800 calories per day combined with regular exercise than go on a strict diet. Research shows that people who lose weight very quickly through a strict diet might gain it back and are prone to improper function of immunity system due to lower production of white blood cells.
Understanding anatomical measures
Every individual trying to cut extra flab from his or her body would know what BMI is. But there are certain other anatomical measures that play an equally crucial role in your weight loss goal and you must consult your physician or weight loss instructor to know how they work for your body.
Body Mass Index (BMI) is a measure of relative weight according to individual’s mass and height. It should be within a tolerance range depending on the height.
Dietary Reference Intake (DRI) is a nutritional system set by Institute of Medicine in US which provides various reference values for general public and health professionals related to food and diet.
Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR) is the rate of energy expenditure at rest. A low RMR for a given body composition is a risk factor for weight gain and obesity.
Lean Body Mass (LBM) is the lean weight of the body which increases highly in case of obese individuals.
Estimated Energy Requirement (EER) is the amount of energy required to maintain current body weight depending on the age, gender, and physical activity. EER is much higher for an obese individual than a normal person.
Which diet plan is good?
Again, it depends on your weight loss goal and various other factors. It is important to compare and contrast between some of the best known plans to choose the right one for you.
1. Balanced diets like DASH, Weight Watchers, TLC and Mayo Clinic diet are among the best which fulfils all the parameters, were calories are controlled but there are no off- limits food. DASH and Weight Watchers have been ranked #1 by U.S. News and World Report.
2. Fad diets like cabbage soup and detox emphasizes on a single food or combination of few foods limiting others. They are not nutritionally balanced and involved no physical activity.
3. 3. Glycemic Index diets like Nutrisystem and Sugar Busters are low on flexibility as foods like white breads and potatoes are limited with physical activity as an optional choice. Since this is restrictive, this might lead to deficiencies.
4. High protein or low carb diet like Atkins and Meal Replacement diet as HMR and Medifast do not fulfil the parameters as they are restrictive and physical activity is optional.
5. Very low calorie diet like Optifast severely limits calorie intake to 800 calories per day with no physical exercise.
6. Low fat diet like Ornish restricts intake of fish and meat which are equally essential for the body.
A standard diet for safe weight loss should minimize starch, added sugar and animal fat. It should be more focussed on vegetables, fruits, egg whites, soya products, non-fat dairy products, fish and 95% lean meat. Plenty of fluids and a regular exercise regime daily are also important parts of this diet.
Lastly, remember to seek professional advice before adopting any weight loss diet.
Always consult your family physician and registered dietician. Above content is information purpose only as every individual is unique.