Eat Healthy Food for Long Term Weight Loss

It’s discouraging when you’re counting calories and the scale doesn’t budge. It’s really hard to stay motivated on a diet when you’re not losing weight.  It’s exciting when the number finally starts going down on the scale, you will want to do everything you can to continue that trend.

Eat Healthy Food for Long Term Weight Loss

One thing that can change the numbers on your scale is thinking “healthy lifestyle” instead of 'diet' and consciously purchasing and eating healthy choices. It’s being proactive for your good health and weight loss, rather than following a restrictive diet which is hard to maintain and usually weight gain happens when you stop dieting. You can work on it all at once, or more likely you will want to begin your healthy lifestyle in steps, as you read and learn more about it. You have to commit to begin a healthy lifestyle now. If not now, when?

1. Start cutting down on processed foods.

It all starts at the grocery store. If you don’t buy processed unhealthy foods, you won’t eat them. What are processed foods and how can you avoid them?  Anything that is not a whole natural food or is in a package is probably processed. Read the ingredients. Anything that has preservatives, chemicals and multiple ingredients that you cannot pronounce is not healthy. Also avoid “High Fructose Corn Syrup”, it’s an ingredient in numerous processed foods and is an addictive sugar that does not fill you up, it makes you crave more sugar and it turns into fat in your body.  Avoid trans fats and 'hydrogenated' anything. It raises your cholesterol, and turns into 'plastic' in your body as you become at risk for blocked arteries, heart disease and stroke.

2. Eliminate sugar, sweets and sodas.

Sugar causes blood sugar spikes and insulin resistance, when your sugar fluctuates up and down and you crave more sugary treats all day long.  You’re hungry all the time, you never feel full, your weight is going up and you’re on the way to a diagnosis of diabetes. Even diet sodas can contribute to weight gain and possibly lead to diabetes.

Photo Credit: Pixabay.com

The Physician’s Committee for Responsible Medicine reports results of a recent weight loss study of overweight, post menopausal women:

“Long-term weight loss was associated with a decreased intake of meat, cheese, and sweets and an increased intake of fruits and vegetables, according to a new study in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Researchers studied 481 overweight and obese postmenopausal women from the Women on the Move through Activity and Nutrition Study in Pennsylvania. The women who received counseling specifically on how to consume less total fat, saturated fat, and cholesterol and how to eat more fiber saw the most long-term weight loss. ”

3. Eat more fiber.

Fiber is found in fruits, vegetables, legumes and whole grains like wheat, oats, and barley. Besides Beans and nuts are good sources of fiber. Fiber lowers your cholesterol level, helps to control the blood sugar, and is great for losing weight as you will feel full longer on less calories.

To eat all this healthy food and replace unhealthy food that you are eating now, you’ll have to cut down on other foods that are not as healthy to lose weight.

How to consume less total fat, saturated fat, and cholesterol.

Start cutting down and eliminating meat and dairy products from your diet. You will consume less fat and cholesterol as well as calories. There is increasing evidence that besides being full of fat and calories, consuming meat and dairy products is also increasing your risk for heart disease and cancer.

Most people are concerned about getting enough protein if they eliminate meat, but vegetables, grains, nuts and seeds and other foods are all good sources of protein. Tell someone that you are not eating dairy, they will invariably ask “How do  you get enough calcium?”  There are many non-dairy calcium rich foods as well as calcium supplements.

You’re never too old to try to lose those unwanted pounds.

Don’t give up on yourself! It’s even more important to reach your desired weight and to be in the best condition you can, to live well and enjoy life as you age. Fill up on more fruits vegetables, grains, nuts and beans and eat less processed foods, sugar, meat and dairy products for a different kind of weight loss diet that actually works and is healthy!

Read Eat to Live on how to incorporate more fruits and vegetables into your diet and specific guidelines on how to eat healthy, get enough protein and lose weight. I highly recommend it and I am losing weight on it right now.

The documentary Forks Over Knives was a startling revelation about meat and dairy products and their effect on your health, that got me to immediately cut down on meat and dairy.

The China Study: The Most Comprehensive Study of Nutrition Ever Conducted And the Startling Implications for Diet, Weight Loss, And Long-term Health is convincing research to show the correlation between animal protein and cancer, as well as dairy products and cancer. I am still working on cutting down on cheese, but meat was surprisingly easy for me to give up.  It may take some effort and studying to make these dietary adjustments, but keep making gradual lifestyle changes over time and the payoff is you’ll reach a healthy weight for you, and reduce your risk for chronic life threatening diseases.