How diets work
Dieting is a multi-billion dollar industry in the United States, but it doesn’t work for most people. The standard story is: lose 20, win 30.
Despite what you may think, losing weight is not a mysterious process. In fact, losing weight doesn’t even have to involve weird diets, special exercises, or even the ‘magic’ of fitness pills or gadgets. Do you want the secret to losing weight? Make small changes every day and little by little (but surely) you will lose those extra pounds.
To lose a pound, you need to burn about 3,500 calories on top of what you already burn doing daily activities. Wow… that sounds impossible, doesn’t it? Is that how it works:
Calculate your BMR (basal metabolic rate). Your BMR is what your body needs to maintain normal functions like breathing, digestion, etc. Calculate your activity level. Use a calorie calculator to find out how many calories you burn while sitting, standing, exercising, lifting weights, etc. for the whole day. Keep track of how many calories you eat. Use a food diary to add up what you eat and drink throughout the day. If you are eating fewer calories than you are burning, you will lose weight.
Example:
Mary’s BMR is 1400 calories and she burns 900 calories in daily activity. To maintain her weight, she would have to eat 2,300 calories but, after keeping a food diary, Mary discovers that she is eating 2,550 calories every day. By eating 250 more calories than her body needs, she Mary will gain 1 pound every 2 weeks. This example shows how easy it is for her to gain weight without even knowing it. But it is also easy to lose weight. In fact, she can start losing weight right now by making a few simple changes. If she can burn an extra 500 calories each day, she’ll lose a pound a week and she won’t even have to change her clothes. Try these ideas:
Instead of… Do this…
Have a Coca-Cola in the afternoon Drink a glass of water. (calories saved: 97) Eat an Egg McMuffin Eat a small whole wheat bagel +1 tablespoon peanut butter (calories saved: 185) Use your break to catch up on work or have a snack Go up and down a flight of stairs for 10 minutes (calories burned: 100) Hit the snooze button Get up 10 minutes early and go for a brisk walk (calories burned: 100) Watch TV after work Do 10 minutes of yoga (calories burned: 50)
9-diets that work:
1- Foods with a glycemic index: certain fruits and vegetables; whole grains like oats, barley, and bran; basmati rice; some pasta; quinoa; garbanzo beans; natural yogurt; and skim milk.
2- Foods of the macrobiotic diet: brown rice; soy products; local fruits and vegetables; beans, seeds, and nuts in moderation; fish in moderation.
3-Organic Food: fruits and vegetables free of pesticides; whole grains; free range eggs, chicken and beef; hormone-free milk
4- Raw food: sushi, fruits and vegetables, nuts, fish and grilled meat.
5-Sonoma Diet
Foods: lean protein, feta cheese, almonds, bell peppers, blueberries, broccoli, grapes, olive oil, spinach, strawberries, tomatoes, whole grains, and wine.
6-jenny craig Food: cereal with skim milk, Jenny Craig-style chicken fettuccini, fruits, vegetables, Jenny Craig-style pumpkin soup.
7- NutriSystem Foods: Nutrisystem-Style Cinnamon Apple Oatmeal, Cream of Broccoli Soup, Beef Tacos, Whipped Sweet Potatoes with Cheese.
8- South Beach diet foods: Phase 1: vegetables, eggs, cheese, nuts, beef, fish; Phase 2: reintroduce bread, cereals and potatoes 9- Food from the area: Meals based on a proportion of carbohydrates (40%), fats (30%) and proteins (30%).