7 WAYS TO EAT HEALTHY AND BALANCED TO LOSE WEIGHT
Are you tired of dieting and want to lose weight in the long term and in a more balanced way? Discover our miraculous tips for healthy eating by adopting new methods of eating!
The essential role of food in weight loss
When we want to lose weight, we often think that it is only our diet that needs to be changed. We then embark on a drastic diet that promises rapid weight loss in a few weeks or slimming creams to lose X size in a month ... However, if they can be effective to lose weight, slimming diets are not without consequences. On the one hand, they expose you to an increased risk of nutrient deficiency. On the other hand, the lost kilos are generally quickly regained once the diet is over, which cannot be followed over a long period of time.
Moreover, diet is only one pillar among others when it comes to losing weight. Physical activity, stress, sleep, and possible health problems that can also affect weight (e.g. hormonal disorders) must also be taken into account.
To lose weight, the first step is to readjust your diet, i.e., eat a healthier and more balanced diet. You may even notice on your scale that you are losing weight and regaining a more harmonious figure, simply by adopting some new habits!
How do eat healthy and balanced to lose weight?
Eating healthy can be learned. In addition to the basic rules which consist in favoring fresh foods such as fruits and vegetables and limiting the consumption of fatty, sugary, and industrial foods, certain ways of eating can help you lose weight naturally and without a drastic diet:
1. Eat to your heart's content
There is a common misconception that in order to lose weight, you must starve yourself. While it is essential to readjust your daily calorie intake according to several factors (notably age and level of physical activity), eating to your heart's content is one of the basic principles to be applied to have a balanced diet. Restricting yourself too much or limiting yourself to a salad for lunch or dinner will lead to snacking and sugar cravings to compensate. In the medium term, your body will also draw on your muscle reserves, not fat reserves, to get the nutrients it needs to function optimally.
2. Control and adjust your food portions
The idea is to eat as much as you want while adjusting your portions and keeping a balance between the 3 main food categories: proteins, carbohydrates, and fats. These are all essential for your body to be healthy. Respecting a balanced diet and eating the ideal number of calories will help you restore and maintain your healthy weight, in association with the other parameters mentioned above (physical activity, stress, sleep). When composing your plate, keep in mind the following breakdown: ⅓ of raw and cooked vegetables, ⅓ of complex carbohydrates such as brown rice or sweet potato, and ⅓ of proteins (plant or animal).
3. Eat at regular times
As with sleep, your body appreciates regularity! Your body needs energy throughout the day, from the moment you wake up until bedtime. Without going overboard, eating regularly at set times will help you avoid energy crashes or snacking. Eat 2 or 3 complete meals, supplemented by one or two healthy snacks made from oilseeds, fruit, fiber, or dairy products. When you want to lose weight, foods rich in fiber and protein should be favored, because they are satiating and help maintain your muscle mass.
4. Choose foods with a low glycemic index
The glycemic index of a food is measured on a scale from 0 to 100. The higher the number, the more insulin is produced, which is then stored in the body as fat. The insulin spike caused by eating high-GI foods will also promote hunger pangs or snacking when it returns to normal. Conversely, low GI foods regulate blood sugar and encourage satiety. As a general rule, the higher the soluble fiber content of food, the lower the GI. Processed foods, on the other hand, will have a high GI, depending on how they are cooked and processed.
Are you tired of dieting and want to lose weight in the long term and in a more balanced way? Discover our miraculous tips for healthy eating by adopting new ways of eating!
5. Take your time
Taking time to eat is also an important rule to follow, which is often forgotten at lunchtime. However, eating slowly helps you feel full. To do this, we advise you to ingest your food slowly, taking the time to savor it and chew it. Avoid doing another activity at the same time (like checking your email or scrolling through your Facebook feed!) and concentrate on your meal, even if it is difficult at first. Give yourself a real 20-minute break and see the benefits day after day!
6. Adopt new alternatives
Another tip is to swap your favorite foods for healthier alternatives. For example, replace salt with herbs, butter with oilseed puree, and grated cheese with a spoonful of olive oil... The idea is to find other foods that are better for your health without compromising on taste. In your daily recipes, you can also replace cream with yogurt or cottage cheese and take advantage of the benefits of plants. Spices can become your best friends, as their richness and diversity make them an excellent accompaniment to all types of dishes!
7. Keep yourself sufficiently hydrated
Drinking water does not directly contribute to weight loss, but it can encourage it. How can it help? On the one hand, by facilitating the evacuation of waste and toxins accumulated in your body. On the other hand, drinking 2 glasses of water before a meal seems to have a slight effect on the satiety felt during lunch or dinner. However, choose plain water and not flavored water that is often too rich in sugar!
These few miraculous tips will help you eat more healthily while promoting healthy weight loss. However, don't forget that to lose weight in the long term, you need to activate several levers and not just rely on food.
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