Weight Loss Diet Nutrition
By Dr. Edward F. Group III, DC, ND, DACBN
updated on 11/19/2007 at 03:05PM
Weight Loss Diets and Nutrition
If you’re trying to lose weight, it’s likely that you’re being bombarded with information about which foods you should eat, and which you should avoid to shed the pounds. And in many cases, that information can be conflicting and confusing. Some weight management programs tout the benefits of a high-protein, low-carb diet. Others tell you to limit your intake of protein and stick with a diet of whole grains and fiber. Still others suggest that you should calculate the dietary value of a certain food by determining its caloric count/ fat content/ or glycemic index.
But the true basics of weight loss dieting and nutrition do not have to be complex or intimidating. If you’re considering using a commercial weight loss program to assist you in your weight loss, talk with a customer service representative about the nutrients of your daily meal plan. It's fine to be on a reduced-calorie meal plan, but you need to be sure that your body is getting the essential vitamins, minerals and protein that it needs each day to maintain and repair cells. Ask the representative how the program meets the Recommended Daily Allowances (RDAs) for these nutrients. If you plan to explore Weight Loss Diets and Nutrition on your own, make an appointment with your health care provider and/or a registered dietician to help you evaluate your weight loss goals and determine the best way for you to meet them. A trained natural healthcare practitioner can help you assess the nutrients in your current food intake, and the cutbacks you could make to lose weight without sacrificing nutrition.
How Much Weight Can I Lose?
The actual amount of weight that you can lose in a healthy manner depends on your body type, fitness level, and starting weight. Your health care provider can help you determine a weight loss goal that is both reasonable and achievable. He or she can help you determine a weight loss pace that will keep you motivated without harming your physical health. Also remember that with the proper weight loss diet and nutrition you can probably expect the most dramatic weight loss during the first one to two weeks of your weight loss program. This is mostly fluid loss, and not a pace that will continue throughout your diet. Just don't get discouraged if later weight loss isn't as dramatic. Personally, I recommend using the product Slimirex™ along with any weight loss program.
What Should I Look For In a Weight Loss Program?
When deciding whether or not to follow a weight loss program, you need to make sure that it will help you reach your weight loss goals while providing your body with the nutrients it needs. A weight loss program needs to be more than just a dietary meal plan in order to help you lose weight. If you are considering using a new weight loss plan, evaluate the program for each the following weight loss diet and nutrition features:
- Nutrition Advice: Unless you plan on purchasing meals and supplements from a company for the rest of your life, you will eventually reach a point where you will need to shop for, prepare, and cook your own meals. A good weight management program will offer nutritional advice that teaches you how to eat well when you have completed the diet. The program should also offer advice about any dietary supplements or vitamins that will help you meet your nutritional needs while you are on the diet.
A Support Network: A strong support network can help you in times of temptation, (and there will be times of temptation). It can also help you get connected with other people who are trying to lose weight who can share tips, recipes, and other advice. Some weight control programs offer a 24-hour hotline that you can call when you need extra help. Others offer access to weight loss support groups. And still others offer individual mentoring programs that team you up with someone who was recently in your shoes and has successfully completed the program.
Behavior Guidelines: In order for a weight loss program to be successful, it needs to guide you in changing your eating patterns, as well as the behavioral patterns that allowed you to gain weight in the first place. Check to see that the program offers advice for changing these behaviors and guidelines for dealing with temptation.
- Exercise Recommendations: Exercise is not only useful in helping you reach your weight loss goals; it’s also beneficial to your overall health. Exercise improves the circulation, reduces stress, stimulated the digestive system, boosts the immune system, strengthens bones and joints, and helps to reduce your risk of developing heart disease, cancer, and diabetes. Check to make sure that the weight loss program you are considering offers guidelines for exercise that match your fitness level and weight loss goals.
About the Author
Dr. Edward F. Group III continues to develop, sell and evaluate exclusively high-end natural and organic healthcare products to support a wide range of health conditions. The products we promote are free of toxic tag-along herbicides, insecticides, pesticides, heavy metals, fumigants, irradiation, liver-toxic glues, binders, or gelatin capsules with animal-source risk and toxic preservatives. For more information, please visit the Web’s best resource on weight loss.
