Diet for Weight Control

From LoveToKnow Diet

Given the plethora of information available about diets and dieting, you might think there would be a good understanding among most people about what consitutes a healthful diet for weight control. You may be surprised to learn that there is more misinformation and dangerous fad out there than there is simple, factual information about what a person needs to do to lose weight and keep it off. So let's set the record straight about what one needs to do to lose weight.

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The Basics of Metabolism and Health

First, we need to understand what characterizes healthy and safe eating by identifying what the body needs in order to function properly. There are three macronutrients: protein, carbohydrate, and fat. All food contains the three macronutrients in varying proportions. Each of the three is crucial to some process in the body. There are myriad micronutrients: vitamins, minerals, fatty acids and amino acids. Not all micronutrients are available in every food source, so a varied diet is necessary to ensure enough of all of the micronutrients are made available to the body.

There are good sources and poor sources of both macro- and micronutrients. The best sources that comprise a diet for weight control are fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, with dairy, lean meats, and certain fats (like olive oil) being acceptable sources of nutrition. To be avoided are saturated fats, sugar and other sweets, and fatty meats. For weight loss purposes, it is important to choose the best sources of all nutrients.

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What Not to Do

Any diet that eliminates a particular macronutrient is undesirable. Complete elimination of fat, protein, or carbohydrate is simply not conducive to health, and may lead to serious problems. Any diet that focuses on a particular food or food group is also suspect, as variety in the diet is crucial to ensuring that all of the micronutrients are represented in the diet. A diet for weight control will avoid both scenarios.

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An Ideal Plan

The ideal weight loss plan will restrict calorie intake while optimizing nutritional value of the diet. The average person living a moderately active lifestyle needs between 2000 and 2500 calories per day to adequately fuel the body. (The calculation of recommended calorie intake is based on a number of factors, including height, weight, activity levels, gender, age, and other considerations.) A person who wishes to lose weight must decrease caloric intake to less than those levels, while increasing activity levels, so that the body is required to draw on fat reserves to access the energy needed. However, there are limits. No one should limit calories to fewer than 1200 per day, and anything less than 1800 per day should be attempted only under the close supervision of a physician.

The ideal diet for weight control will include protein, carbohydrate, and fat; studies have indicated that the optimum portions are based on dietary percentages of 50 percent carbohydrate and 20 percent protein, and 30 percent fat. The best carbohydrate sources include fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. The best protein sources are lean meat and poultry, and cold-water fish (like salmon). The best fats are mono- or polyunsaturated: things like olive oil, nut oils, and vegetable oil.

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Exercise Is Crucial

Because so much of weight loss depends on reducing calorie intake while increasing calories burned, exercise is a crucial part of weight control. Exercise need not be strenuous or unpleasant; experts agree that anything that gets a person moving is a step in the right direction. Types of exercise that you might want to consider include cardiovascular workouts, aerobic exercise, flexibility training, strength training, and interval training. Any of these, in any combination, is a good start. Walking is excellent exercise, as are yoga and martial arts training. Anyone who has been primarily sedentary should start slowly, with a doctor's supervision, to ensure that they don't attempt too much too quickly.

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