Low-carb or low-fat?
For some people, the question which diet is the right one, has become an obsession. Don' waste your energy on fighting meaningless battles! The truth is: Significant weight loss can be observed with any low-carbohydrate or low-fat diet and the actual weight loss differences between varios forms of diets are small. Every diet that creates a calorie defizit will work. [1] The key is to pick a diet that you will adhere to. Right is, whatever works for you.
For some people, the question which diet is the right one, has become an obsession. Don' waste your energy on fighting meaningless battles! The truth is: Significant weight loss can be observed with any low-carbohydrate or low-fat diet and the actual weight loss differences between varios forms of diets are small. Every diet that creates a calorie defizit will work. [1] The key is to pick a diet that you will adhere to. Right is, whatever works for you.
Here are some concrete tips how you can reduce the number of calories consumed:
Some basic rules for eating light:
[1] http://jama.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=1900510
[2] http://lancaster.unl.edu/food/spiceherbshandout-color.pdf%20 or http://www.today.colostate.edu/story.aspx?id=4296
- Eat up to six small meals a day. Eat every few hours to curb hunger and promote a higher metabolism.
- Eat only when you are hungry. Every time you feel like eating, pause for a second and ask yourself this simple question: “Am I hungry?” If you are, you ought to eat. However, if you feel like eating because you are bored, sad or angry about something, you might be about to compensate these feelings by eating. In this case, do not eat. Instead do something about the way you feel.
- Slow down when eating and take your time to chew the food you eat. This way you´ll eat less.
- Make junk food less accessible. If you watch TV and you have a bag of potato chips handy, you will most likely end up eating the potato chips. So, get rid of all the junk food in your house.
- Increasing the number of vegetables on your plate and reducing the amount of meat is a simple way to cut fat and calories and increase the level of nutrients in your diet.
- Beans, whole grains and legumes are relatively low in calories yet packed with fiber, which helps you feel fuller longer.
Some basic rules for eating light:
- Use a non-stick frying pan for your cooking so that you do not have to add oil.
- Instead of frying or sautéing, try lower-fat cooking techniques such as steaming, poaching, grilling and roasting.
- Use yogurt instead of sour cream; instead of full-fat versions, use reduced-fat varieties of milk, mozzarella and ricotta cheese.
- Make your own vinaigrette using less oil than store-bought versions. Toss the salad with just enough dressing to coat.
- Instead of relying on fats like butter and oil, enhance your dishes with vinegar, citrus juices and zests, spices as well as fresh and dried herbs. [2]
[1] http://jama.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=1900510
[2] http://lancaster.unl.edu/food/spiceherbshandout-color.pdf%20 or http://www.today.colostate.edu/story.aspx?id=4296