Long Term Fat Loss: What Is the ‘Best Diet’ for You?
Supporters of the proper diet claim that a diet should be followed for life – so you can keep the results. Supposedly, good nutrition is ideally suited for this type of diet. Proper diet, on the other hand, is a relative term and can mean very different things. So let us see what a long-term diet should really look like.
DO NOT TAKE YOUR DIET AS A “DIET”
“Diet” does not always mean restricting your food intake to lose weight. The diet can have different purposes. A very simple definition for a diet would be: “a set of principles by which you eat, and a list of foods that you should and shouldn’t consume”. Many people are literally scared of starting a diet because they think that a diet means completely depriving yourself of something.
If you find it difficult to change your eating habits, and you’re afraid of the word diet, you can start with the creation of a new positive association: a healthy diet, the menu to maintain good physical shape, a sports diet for intense training. Change your relationship with food, and you won’t have to suffer.
GET TO KNOW THE DIFFERENT EATING ROUTINES
Counting calories, carbohydrate cycling, flexible dieting, paleo, clean eating, intermittent fasting, etc. What unites them and differentiates them from fad fat loss diets? The fact is that they are focused on the quality of products, minimizing the consumption of processed foods. Each meal plan directs you to more healthy food choices. By manipulating their number/amount of servings/calorie content, you will be able to achieve specific fitness goals.
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GO AGAINST THE DOGMA
There is a myth that to “spark” the metabolism and lose fat, you need to eat often. Despite people swearing that this is true, there is no scientific evidence that 5, 6, or 7 meals a day will help you burn fat. But there is evidence that you can overload your gastrointestinal tract.
People managed to lose fat and gain muscle with periodic fasting. The frequency of eating generally does not affect the results. Someone says that you shouldn’t eat after 6pm, you should eat fruit only until noon, you can not mix fats with carbohydrates, etc, but it’s all a matter of convenience and taste.
CONSIDER THE BODY TYPE
There is a basic classification of people’s body types – ectomorphs, mesomorphs, and endomorphs. Let's explain what they are:
– Ectomorphs have a “fast” metabolism, and a high tolerance for carbohydrates, therefore need high carbs and moderate amounts of protein and fat.
– Mesomorph – the most balanced body type. It is believed that such people simply build muscle without gaining excess fat. A balanced diet containing complex carbs, healthy fats, and protein is what works best for the mesomorph.
– Endomorphs have a “slow” metabolism. Along with the muscle mass, they gain a good amount of fat and have a hard time getting rid of it. Therefore, they should consume moderate to low amounts of carbohydrates and sufficient amounts of protein and fats.
Most people belong to the mixed type though. They have combined characteristics of all three basic types, but one or two usually dominate.
THERE IS NO NEED FOR A COMPLETE DEPRIVATION IF THERE IS NO MEDICAL REASON FOR IT
A healthy diet does not mean that a person should completely exclude certain foods from their diet. There is no need to completely exclude cheese, eggs, salt, red meat, cereals, butter, or anything else, which is now considered a “bad food”. You just need to adjust the quantities of certain foods.
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READ YOUR BODY’S SIGNALS:
1. Hunger/saturation;
2. well-being/fatigue;
3. comfort/discomfort of the digestive tract.
For example: If your blood pressure drops after a meal and you feel sleepy – cut the carbs. If you are feeling hungry all the time – add some more fat to your diet.
BE FLEXIBLE
Be flexible, don’t be scared of the food. You can establish the 80/20 rule – let 80% of the calories come from clean and healthy sources – this is the food that will fuel your body. Let the other 20% come from junk foods. This can be a cheat meal at the end of the week, or a small dessert you can have once a day.
A long-term diet is a way of life. Construct your diet in a way that it won’t make your life harder. There is no reason for your diet to suffer because of normal events like holidays, your job, moving, going out, etc.