Lose weight with a healthy diet? You might be thinking that the two are mutually exclusive, but they’re actually quite complementary. A healthy diet can help you lose weight, and losing weight in turn can help you follow a healthy diet. Here’s how it works.
Eat What You Want
When you eat healthy, there’s no reason to restrict yourself to one food group or another. You can eat what you want from any corner of the food universe, and you’ll see the pounds melting away. When you eat what you want, you’re less likely to make unhealthy food choices, which in turn makes it easier to lose weight. You might indulge in some fatty meats or sugary desserts, but you’ll do so mindful of what you’re eating and why you’re eating it. You may even decide that occasional fasting is the key to your weight loss success. Eating healthy doesn’t mean depriving yourself of the foods you love; it simply means using restraint when eating certain foods that are known to be unhealthy. For example, if you’re not used to consuming a lot of dairy, you might have a tough time transitioning to a healthier lifestyle and diet if you decide to do so. The point is to not let the food you love hinder your weight loss efforts.
Eat What You Need
In addition to losing weight the right way, the main goal of a healthy diet is to provide your body with the nutrients it needs to function properly. That means you don’t want to lose any weight simply because you’re not getting enough fiber in your daily diet, for example. Make a note of the foods you eat regularly and how you feel after eating them. If you feel lethargic after eating a certain food, you know that it’s not providing your body with the nutrients it needs and that you should eat less of it. Identify which foods make you feel energized and which ones leave you feeling drained. You can use the Nutrition Facts table on food packages to help you figure out the nutritional value of the food you’re purchasing. If you’re not sure which foods provide which nutrients, feel free to ask your doctor or a registered nutritional expert.
Use All The Tools At Your Disposal
Healthy eating doesn’t just mean cutting out the foods you dislike and focusing on the foods you love. It also means making the most of the tools available to you to track your nutrition and weight loss efforts. If you hate using food diaries, you might find a diet buddy or a registered dietitian who can help you come up with a plan that works for you. Seeing how similar you are to the average person can help you understand where you’re coming from and what you’re trying to achieve. That way, you can figure out ways to make healthy eating a lifestyle that works for you, not just a diet that works for weight loss.
Eating healthy doesn’t mean you need to be on a diet or follow a particular nutrition plan. Instead, it means you need to focus on what you put in your mouth. The key to successful weight loss is identifying the foods that make you feel full and satisfied and avoiding the foods that don’t. It’s also important to note that your body can be its own best weight loss coach by simply listening to its needs. You may be more likely to have success losing weight if you do what your body tells you to do. In other words, follow the ‘eat what you want’ rule with an eye on the broader picture – namely, the health of your body and mind.