It's That Time of Year
In January a lot of people decide to go on a diet. This is not
the only time of year that happens. A few months before summer
(the bathing suit season) starts, many women decide to lose
weight. There are so many diets around. It seems to me that too
many of them are extreme diets: You cannot eat any carbs. You
need to eat mainly protein. You can eat all the fats you want. I
am afraid I do not go for any of these extreme diets. They are
too radical. At first you are all excited and follow the diet.
You might drop a few pounds quickly. Then the weight loss slows
down and you lose your enthusiasm. Does that sound familiar?
I am a proponent of "moderation". Take fats for example. We
associate "fat" with "fats" . The truth is that some fats are
good for you. True, fat has more than twice as many calories as
carbs or protein. It has 9 calories per gram. In some ways fat
is good for you. It is filling because it takes longer to leave
the stomach than other foods. Monounsaturated fats and
polyunsaturated lower bad LDL and increase the good HDL
cholesterol. Olives and nuts are examples of monounsaturated
fats. Fish and many oils have polyunsaturated fats. Want an
avocado with your salad? Have one. It is an example of a good
monounsaturated fat. Other good examples of this are sardines,
herring, salmon, corn oil, soy oil and olives. A good tip is to
replace animal fat with plant fat.
What about carbs? Sometimes they get a bad rap. We need them
for energy (grains, fruits and vegetables). Whole grains and
produce provide us with vitamins minerals and fiber, all
essential for our health. The bad carbs (the ones we sometimes
love...I am as guilty as anyone else.) are full of empty
calories. We may have to cut back on the amount of carbs we
consume, but we should not cut them out. The latest food pyramid
from the USDA even separates the good and bad carbs.. The fiber
in good carbs will help control weight gain.
The third category is protein. I am sure you have seen some
diets that do not allow any protein and others that say you
should eat as much protein as you can. Here again, I believe in
moderation. Your body needs some protein to repair itself, but
it should only be about 20% of the calories you consume.
Poultry, egg whites and fish lead the field because they contain
minimal saturated fat. Lean pork and beef, nuts and lowfat dairy
should be included in the proteins you favor. Try to stay away
from fatty meats and dairy products. Also watch out for those
energy bars. Always check the calorie count. It is amazing how
many calories are in some of them.
I am not a doctor and have no training in the medical field. I
can only tell you about my commonsense thoughts on diet. I
believe that by following a "moderation" diet (eat the good
fats, carbs and proteins and avoid the bad ones) AND increasing
your exercise, you will be healthier and fitter this year. Not
only that, but because it is not extreme, this adjustment in
your lifestyle will be easier to do over a long period of time.
Good luck to you!
About the author:
Jan invites you to her website:
www.fitness-health-exercise.com
. Not only will you find tips and articles on health and
fitness, but there are also recipes and products. Do Not Take
Your Health for Granted!
