1 in 3 Americans is overweight, and another 1 in 3 struggles with obesity.1
Being significantly overweight or having obesity increases your risk of other health problems, including type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease and stroke, sleep apnea, and gout.2,3 The good news is that losing as little as 5% of body weight (that’s 9 pounds for a 180-pound person) has been shown to have significant cardiovascular and metabolic benefits.1
A clinical nutrition plan based on your unique health profile may help you lose weight if you’ve been struggling on your own. Whether you seek professional help or go it alone, one thing is for sure: weight loss really does start in the kitchen. It’s much easier to consume fewer calories than you need for the day than it is to burn those calories exercising.4
What are the best foods to eat to lose weight? Read on for weight loss diet tips backed by scientific evidence.
Too many added sugars (like the ones added to many processed foods) and refined carbohydrates (like white bread and white rice) flood your bloodstream with sugar, which triggers a surge of insulin.5 This can leave you feeling hungry soon after a meal, sabotaging your weight loss goals. Worse, over time it may contribute to insulin resistance, which is associated with prediabetes and type 2 diabetes.
Bottom line: Removing added sugars and refined carbohydrates from your diet can help you feel less hungry and keep insulin levels in check.
In the 1980s and 90s fat was the enemy. Low-fat diets were all the rage, and food manufacturers responded by replacing the fat in packaged foods with refined sugars. The low-fat trend was ultimately detrimental to public health. Today we know that healthy fats—in moderation—are an essential part of a nutritious, balanced diet.6,7 Choose healthy fats and proteins from nuts, seeds, olive oil, whole eggs, poultry, fish, and dairy. Avoid trans fats, found in some baked goods, margarine, and fried foods. Bottom line: Fat is an essential part of a healthy diet.
Many of us have memories of our parents telling us to eat our vegetables. When it comes to weight loss, this is sound advice. Vegetables are not only loaded with essential vitamins and minerals, they’re also packed with fiber, which helps you feel full. Fill your plate with low-carb veggies like broccoli, spinach, tomatoes, brussels sprouts, lettuce, cucumber, and leafy greens like kale and chard. Go easy on starchy vegetables like potatoes and sweet corn. Bottom line: Eat your vegetables.
It’s true that most of the energy we burn is from our resting metabolism (basal metabolism). It’s also true that muscle burns more calories at rest than fat. People of all ages can benefit from strength training.
Our metabolisms slow down as we age, and strength training just twice a week can help slow this process.8 Then there are the added benefits of improved balance and flexibility, better muscle tone, greater stamina, and improved mobility. Bottom line: Build muscle to boost weight loss.
If you have diabetes, it doesn't mean you can't have any added sugar or carbs, you'll just need to limit your portions in order to keep blood glucose at safe levels. Healthy foods for people with diabetes include plenty of non-starchy vegetables, whole grains, lean meats and other healthy protein sources, low-fat dairy, and certain fruits.9
A registered dietician can develop a clinical nutrition plan to help manage your diabetes and reach your weight loss goals.
If you stick to a balanced diet full of vegetables and protein and low on refined carbs, added sugars, and fatty foods, then you won't need to count calories. If you have trouble staying on track, a calorie calculator can help. Just remember, it’s not just “calories in, calories out” that matters. The quality of the calories you consume is vital, since your body metabolizes certain calories (like high-fructose corn syrup) differently than others.10
The clinical nutrition experts at Crystal Run Healthcare offer world-class nutritional and metabolic care and are committed to helping patients lose weight, manage diabetes, and live well. Visit us online to learn more about the nutrition experts at Crystal Run Healthcare and easily book an appointment with many of our physicians’ or contact us if you need additional assistance.
1.
https://www.nih.gov/news-events/nih-research-matters/benefits-moderate-weight-loss-people-obesity
2.
https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/weight-management/health-risks-overweight
3.
https://www.cdc.gov/healthyweight/effects/index.html
4.
https://www.womenshealthmag.com/weight-loss/a19982520/weight-loss-80-percent-diet-20-percentexercise/
5.
https://www.helpguide.org/articles/healthy-eating/choosing-healthy-carbs.htm
6.
https://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2014/03/28/295332576/why-we-got-fatter-during-the-fat-freefood-boom
7.
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2016/may/22/official-advice-to-eat-low-fat-diet-is-wrong-sayshealth-charity
8.
https://www.webmd.com/diet/obesity/features/8-ways-to-burn-calories-and-fight-fat#1
9.
https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/diabetes/overview/diet-eating-physical-activity
10. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/debunking-the-calorie-myth