How to Lose Weight Without Starving Yourself

Foods and Habits for Lifelong Weight Control

Sep 2, 2009

To lose weight permanently in a healthy and safe way requires adequate nutrition, plenty of water and moderate exercise. Diets that restrict nutrients don't work.

If you are struggling with weight control, the good news is that a healthy weight is an achievable goal. It's not necessary to sacrifice food, go hungry for endless hours or to starve in order to lose weight. Weight lost that way easily piles back on. In extreme cases people have lost their lives 'dieting' due to nutrient deprivation.

Healthy eating for life combined with moderate exercise is sufficient for most adults, unless compromised by illness or pregnancy, to lose weight and keep it off.

A balanced diet must provide all the essential nutrients in the right proportions and quantities plus water and fibre.

Eat Breakfast

Eat a fibre rich meal in the morning as part of your weight loss plan. Breakfast aids in weight control by boosting metabolism and by preventing snacking on junk food.

Ditch Unhealthy Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates provide glucose for energy. They should be consumed in the form of complex sugars. It is best to eat unrefined carbohydrate like wholemeal bread and brown rice. They provide more fibre and other nutrients than refined versions such as white bread or white rice respectively.

Sweets, soft drinks, biscuits and cakes are sources of high concentrations of simple sugars. They are best avoided in order to lose weight and keep it off. They add nothing of nutritional value to the diet.

Eat the Right Fat

Not all fats are bad. In fact, fat is an essential nutrient. However, a healthy diet should cut down on animal fat. Choose lean meat over fatty varieties. Grill rather than fry your steaks and other meats. Alternatively, you may steam, bake or barbecue your fish and poultry.

In the supermarket, go for low fat versions of your favourite foods such as yoghurt, milk and mayonnaise.

In one study quoted in Foods That Harm, Foods That Heal (Reader's Digest), diets containing essential poly- and mono-saturated varieties of fat were found more effective in weight control and in maintaining permanent weight loss.

Add nuts, seeds and olive oil to your diet and they will take care of your dietary fat needs.

Portion Control and Chewing

Portion size per meal may need to be cut in order to lose weight, especially where calorie dense foods like meat are concerned. To achieve this smaller dinner plates may be required.

However, large quantities of fresh fruits and raw vegetables contain mainly water and may be eaten in larger quantities but still provide low calories.

Eat slower. Give your taste buds time to appreciate the flavours. Let your digestive juices attack the food while you are still eating. This helps with weight loss.

Eat Regularly

Apples, bananas and oranges and a handful of nuts are better than a bag of crisps or bar of chocolate. Nuts are rich in fibre, essential fatty acids and protein. Fruits contribute to your recommended five a day of fruit and vegetable requirements.

For sweeter snacks dried fruits come in handy. A few figs or a handful of sultanas may be all that you need to keep the feeling of hunger at bay and satisfy a sweet tooth.

Do Regular Exercises and Have Enough Sleep

Whether it’s walking, running, swimming or going to the gym, exercise is an important part of weight control. Exercise burns off calories. Better yet, several hours after the actual exercise the metabolic rate remains high thus ensuring that more calories are utilised.

Adults are recommended to sleep seven to eight hours a night. Incidentally, adequate sleep is good for weight loss and weight control.

Watch Your Waistline

Fat stored around the waistline is thought to be the greatest indicator of risk for weight related diseases such as type 2 diabetes mellitus and heart disease. An effective weight control programme must include waist measurement. It is recommended that a woman’s non-pregnant waist should not go over 32 inches.

Enjoy Food

If you are like most people you may find that your craving for junk foods like sweets and biscuits disappears after a few weeks on a healthy diet. Good luck. However, if you still consider a bar of chocolate or a packet of crisps a treat indulge yourself once in a while but factor in the additional calories in your exercise and meals.

A treat won't hurt but reinforces that you, not food, weight, appetite or calories are in control.

The copyright of the article How to Lose Weight Without Starving Yourself in Weight Loss Methods is owned by Farai Muchemwa. Permission to republish How to Lose Weight Without Starving Yourself in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.