Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables.
Eating more calories than you burn leads to weight gain. Eating fewer calories than you burn leads to weight loss. These simple facts should be the foundation of your diet plan. If you cut high-calorie foods from your diet and replace them with low-calorie alternatives, you will lose weight. But don't forget that a healthy, balanced diet is the best way to cut calories. It ensures that your body is still getting all the nutrients it needs.
Simple Weight-Loss Diet
Some fad diets claim that eliminating certain types of food will lead to greater weight loss. Experts disagree. A report from Harvard University's School of Public Health says that restricting certain types of food (for example, as a low-carbohydrate, high-protein diet might do) has little or no benefit for long-term weight loss. Researchers at UCLA say, "There are no good or bad foods. Balance is key."
UCLA has laid out some eating strategies for weight loss. They say the best way to lose weight is to exercise regularly and eat a healthy, balanced diet. The U.S.D.A. Food Guide Pyramid is an excellent example of a balanced diet that incorporates a variety of healthy food sources.
Limiting certain types of foods certainly can help. According to UCLA, a gram of fat has "more than twice the calories than either carbohydrate or protein." If you substitute foods that are high-fat with low-fat alternatives, you can eat the same overall amount of food but still cut calories. Instead of high-fat foods, eat plenty of fiber (fruits, vegetables and whole grains). Fiber makes you feel full while still providing nutrients that your body needs.
But don't take a low-fat diet too far. Remember that "balance is key." UCLA says that some unsaturated fats are good for you and will help trigger a feeling of satiety. They recommend adding some healthy sources of unsaturated fats to your diet, such as nuts, a little olive oil or peanut butter.
Food sources that are high in protein also give the body a feeling of fullness. Skinless chicken, lean meats, beans, egg whites and low-fat dairy products are all excellent sources of protein and relatively low in calories.
Also, you may not have to completely avoid the bad foods you love in order to lose weight. UCLA points out that portion control can make a huge difference in your daily calorie intake. For example, the Food Guide Pyramid recommends that a serving of pasta be roughly 1 oz. (100 calories). A typical restaurant portion is 6 oz. (600 calories)--six times more than the recommended amount. By cutting your portion size, you can convert what would have been an unhealthy meal into a meal suitable for a low-calorie diet.
