Healthy Weight Loss
Follow Seven Easy Steps from a Nutrition Expert.
by Lindsey Duncan, N.D., C.N.
As seen in Eckerd Beauty
At my nutritional clinic I use some very simple but effective techniques to promote healthy weight loss. I do not believe in harmful deprivation diets, water pills, harsh chemicals and other such gimmicks that offer only temporary weight loss while doing the body harm. I have had very successful, permanent weight loss results with my clients by addressing weight control through natural, easy-to-follow steps:
1. Supplementation
I believe in nutritional supplementation to assist with weight loss and use an all-natural nutritional support system at my clinic to help clients change their eating patterns, enhance their fat-burning capabilities, sup-port their energy levels, assist in fat digestion and enhance their overall nutrition.
In this fast-paced day and age, it's hard to always eat right and resist temptation. A good-for-you, natural weight-loss supplement often gives you that extra "ammunition" needed to achieve weight-loss goals.
2. Do not Diet
I believe that "diet" is one of those four-letter words with negative connotations.
Dieting, whether you're following one of those diet club menus that offer ready-made, prepackaged foods, or simply following a strict program of cutting out certain foods - i.e., the "grapefruit diet," the "brown-rice diet," the all-protein diet, etc. - is a diet program almost certain to fail because it is not reality based.
Yes, you can lose weight in the short-term with some of these diet programs, but in the long haul most people regain it when they begin eating normal food again. Starvation and deprivation diets cause the body to gain more weight as it adjusts itself for "famine," slowing down metabolic and digestive functions for "dietary fuel conservation" and becoming more efficient than ever at storing fat.
3. Healthy Foods
The key to long lasting weight loss is to follow a healthy diet! The idea is't to deprive yourself or to always feel hungry. It's possible to eat larger portions of good-for-you foods that satiate your appetite yet allow you to lose weight!
Eat low-fat foods consisting of fresh fruits and vegetables, rainbow salads, legumes, beans and whole grains. These foods fill you up without filling you out! Eat flesh protein in moderation, sticking to lean, small portions of fresh chicken, fish and meat. Try to stay away from fried foods, junk foods, excessive sweets, dairy, breads and alcohol.
4. The Carbohydrate Trap
Did you know that eating too many carbohydrates, even the "non-fat" kind such as fat-free cookies, muffins, bagels, etc., pack on unwanted pounds?
Both complex and simple carbohydrates are broken down into sugar by the human body. Sugar, when not used as fuel, converts to fat and is stored as such. This simple fact is why obesity is a bigger problem than ever in the U.S. despite the abundant supply of fat-free food products. Eat carbohydrates in extreme moderation!
5. Do not Overeat
Eat small meals! This simple rule has changed more lives at my nutritional clinic than you can imagine. Even the best foods can place a burden on the digestive processes if you eat too much of them.
Do not overwhelm your digestive system. Overeating slows down your metabolism and causes weight gain. Practice "pushing back" from the dinner table when your stomach's almost full, not necessarily when your plate's empty!
