Do you know that you don’t need any cheat sheet to lose weight? Dietician Avni Kaul says healthy ways of eating could help you see the difference.
With several supposed weight loss hacks available on the internet, TV, and social media, it can be pretty hard to have a healthy relationship with your weight. Some will say that fat or carbohydrates are energy, while others will promote fad diets or ‘weight loss’ foods. Let’s be certain; you cannot actually ‘hack’ your path to weight loss in those ways, at least not healthily.
In an effort to achieve healthy and sustainable weight loss, minor changes to your lifestyle are important. From the manner that you treat your relationship with sleep, down to making sure you are not eliminating entire food groups from your diet.
To unfold the mystery of what really works, eminent Dietician for weight loss, Avni Kaul ,reveals easy yet healthy ways that will give you successful results while you are striving to lose weight.
Strive to increase your fiber consumption
A diet rich in fiber will help to keep you fuller for longer and boost overall satiety levels. This is due to the fact that fiber takes time to move through your digestive system which slows down the absorption of nutrients while keeping you feeling full for a longer time. This also helps with managing blood sugar levels and preventing spikes and crashes. Fiber feeds your healthy bacteria in the gut, which could have an impact on weight and blood sugar control.
Ideally, you should consume around 30g of fiber each day. But for those who do not already have this level of fiber consumption, make sure to introduce more fiber gradually. Top sources of fiber include plenty of fruits and vegetables, grains, pulses, seeds, and nuts.
Be certain to plan your meals ahead
Take some time to plan your meals ahead of the coming week. Write a shopping list, and prepare some elements for meals. This will help you in maintaining healthy habits in the long term and save costs. Planning ahead will ensure that you always have nutritious food at home and feel better prepared for cooking.
Boil a batch of eggs to have as a swift breakfast or snack, cut up your vegetables so that they can be comfortably roasted during the week, or marinate some meat or fish to speed up time in the kitchen when preparing for dinner.
Have a mindful eating
The concept of mindful eating allows you to be fully present and aware of your food and eating and explore how it makes your body feel when you eat. Before eating, you should take some time to notice the food, how does it smell, and what are the sensations you are getting? Then, take your time to enjoy the full experience of eating slowly without distractions, to completely appreciate the food.
With this method, you will notice your body and emotions alter and feel different while eating. This could make enjoying foods that you crave more controllable with smaller portions but feeling completely satisfied after eating them mindfully.
Have a good sleep routine
Sleep has a lot to do with your overall health, from your skin down to your weight. If you see that you have short night sleeps or issues with energy during the day, it would be worth trying to improve your sleep hygiene.
It is better to reduce screen time an hour before sleep. Instead do other activities that relax you like reading or listening to music etc. Try to go to sleep and wake up at fixed times each day, even during weekends, to get into a routine.
Studies suggest that if you do not get sufficient sleep, you are more likely to snack the next day or reach for higher energy-dense foods to give you a boost to get you to go through the day. You might also feel less inclined to cook healthy meals or exercise, which negatively impact your overall health.
Focus on having quality carbohydrates, not eradicating them
Rather than eliminating carbohydrates from the diet, pay attention to the quality and kind of carbohydrates consumed.
Carbohydrates are essential for they are your main source of energy in the form of glucose. However, there is a difference in the form of carbohydrates, and how they can affect weight.
Try to opt for unprocessed whole grains, fruits, vegetables, beans, and pulses, and decrease your intake of refined carbohydrates, like white bread, pastas, and pastries. Unprocessed carbohydrates are usually, higher in fiber, and have a lower glycaemic index. This could help in improving blood sugar control. It also helps control appetite levels, which play a role in lowering the risk of forming type 2 diabetes.
Also include a good quantity of protein-based foods
There are several benefits of protein. Protein needs more energy from the body to digest and absorb, which is advantageous for helping with weight loss. So, it is important to get a good quantity of protein in every meal — this could from sources of animal protein, such as chicken, fish, eggs, or dairy, but can also include vegetarian-based protein like beans, lentils, and soya products like tofu.
This is particularly helpful if you are exercising daily, as a diet higher in protein will support to facilitate your muscle maintenance and muscle growth.
Try to control your comfort eating
A habit of comfort eating could be difficult to break. If you find that after a long or stressful day, you reach for food as a comfort, this will have a negative impact over time on your health and weight.
It is not that comfort eating is bad but it is important to look for other ways to help you feel better. When you think about it, eating for comfort could help at the moment, but mostly it lasts for a short time and you are left wanting for more.
Comfort food is a temporary fix but looking deeper into what other methods you may find helpful to control stress and help with your mood, will be more crucial for your overall well-being in the long term.
