HEALTHY DIET & WEIGHT LOSS

A Healthy Diet That Will Make Me Lose Weight

by Yosef Pollack, L.Ac.

If you are one of the many women or men who have struggled with weight, it is time to stop asking what new fads are there to try. Instead, the question is "What is a healthy diet that will make me lose weight?" To address this question with an answer that offers long-term solutions, it is important to know that weight loss is a process and there are a number of diets that can help you lose weight.

One of the proven diets for weight loss is the Calorie Conscious Diet. Counting how many calories you consumed works best for people who need to be aware of how much food they are actually eating. Examples of these are athletes in training and people who eat out of boredom. The best thing about being conscious of the calories consumed is that all types of food can be eaten. It is only the quantity that has to be changed. The most popular amount of calorie count is 1200 calories. However, this is not a hard and fast rule. Women are encouraged to talk to their doctors in order to take into consideration their current weight, height, and age.

You are on the right track to being calorie-conscious.

You are capable of eliminating some of the unhealthier foods, but you may still get confused over which foods are calorie catastrophes and which will help keep your waistline in check. Pay closer attention to serving sizes and evaluate all of the ingredients that go into a food item. Keep in mind that a food can have one healthy ingredient but still be unhealthy overall (like apple pie). If you follow these guidelines, you will have calorie-counting down in no time.

For example:

Two scrambled eggs with cheese = 300 calories

A glazed donut = 180 calories

One cup of granola cereal = 400 calories

Shrimp cocktail = 1 serving is 125 calories

Chicken lettuce wraps = 4 wraps equals 630 calories

12 chips with salsa = 270 calories

Four fun-sized Snickers = 324 calories, 81 calories each

One bowl of cream of broccoli soup = 570 calories

Half a cup of rice pilaf = 155 calories

Two slices of garlic bread = 300 calories

A medium-sized buttered popcorn = 1000 calories

A salted pretzel = 370 calories

A 5-oz pack of red vines = 560 calories

Half a cup of cottage cheese = 100 calories

Two stalks of celery with peanut butter = 220 calories

A handful of tortilla chips = 12 chips equals 260 calories

Orange chicken = 1 dish equals 480 calories

Broccoli beef = 1 dish equals 150 calories

Vegetable chow mein = 1 dish equals 330 calories

A slice of apple pie = 450 calories or more

One serving of chocolate pudding = 160 calories

Two homemade Rice Krispies® treats = 140 calories

A healthy diet that will make you lose weight is one that eliminates snacking, sweets, and second servings. The idea behind this is to cut back on the unnecessary consumption of food. Eat to satiate hunger and provide nutrients. Simply cutting back on simple sugar such as those gathered from candy, chocolates, breads and pastas help cut back on the weight.

Vegetarian diets can also be an option for women who are concerned about their weights. In general, people who follow a vegetarian diet consume less calories and fat than those who eat meat. As a result, the tendency is to have a lower body weight compared to non-vegetarians. Try it for a couple of months and see for yourself.

These are just a few of the many choices that can lead to a healthy diet that will make you lose weight. Along with the diet, exercise should be an important part of your lifestyle. A healthy diet that will make you lose weight does not happen instantly. As a rule, stay clear of fad diets. It may be tempting to fall for the idea of losing weight rapidly, but generally, fad diets do not produce long-term success.