Like all things, the $59.7 billion dieting industry slowed a little during the past few recession years. However, prescription drugs, herbal supplements, do-it-yourself weight loss books and cleansing weight loss kits have been doing quite well. In the past, programs like Jenny Craig and Weight Watchers were popular, but many of these plans are viewed as “overpriced” and not as nutritionally sound as once thought. The vast sea of dieters in 2011 want healthy recipes they can make at home – and save money while doing so.
People should take a “more introspective approach to weight loss,” says Bonnie Taub-Dix, a spokeswoman from the American Dietetic Association. “You need to learn to eat for life,” she adds. Your mission should be to create a healthier lifestyle, not to find a diet and drop a few pounds real quick.
“A lot of people think following a diet plan makes things easier, more mindless, but the reality is that it’s not easy to eat that way… you’re on a diet, you feel deprived, outcast, and you can’t wait for it to end. I’m glad fad diets come and go — and I’m happiest when they go. Most are unhealthy, anyway.” Be suspicious of anything that asks you to completely give up an entire food group, Taub-Dix warns, and embrace the motto “Everything in moderation” instead.
Sandy Richman was a self-professed “yo-yo dieter.” She tried everything – fasting, egg diets, grapefruit diets, mono-food diets. “You lose weight for a period of time,” she says, “and then it slowly creeps back, creeps back and they you’re back where you started, sometimes even higher than when you started.”
Her trainer advised that she:
- Eat more “mini-meals” throughout the day (3 meals, 3 snacks)
- Combine proteins with every carbohydrate to keep blood sugar levels consistent throughout the day and keep cravings at bay
- Limit refined carbohydrates like white rice, white pasta, cookies, crackers, sugar, cupcakes, donuts, and sugary beverages
- Add more lean protein like fish, chicken and tofu
- Add favorable fats like olive oil, nuts, seeds, olives, salmon and avocados
- Exercise at least three times per week
It was these moves that helped Richman shed 62 pounds in just seven months! If you’re unclear where to get started or need more structure, check the American Dietetic Association to find a registered dietitian in your area who can give you a low-cost consultation.
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| Article: Jennn Fusion Twitter: @jennnfusion |
