What do you imagine when you hear the word ‘dieting’? If the first image in your head is boiled, tasteless vegetables, you’re a part of the global majority. Many people who try to adopt a healthier lifestyle tend to burn themselves out at the gym but don’t get the results they want. What they don’t realise (or choose to ignore) is that diets play a significant role in creating a fitter version of you.
One popular misconception is that you can just take a free diet plan for weight loss off the internet and stick to it forever. That method might seem effective but isn’t sustainable. Every human body is different and has differing needs.
What Does a Healthy Diet Look Like:
For the right diet, you must first identify your goal. Are you trying to lose or gain weight? What is your current body fat percentage (BFP)? Do you want mobility or aesthetics? It’s better to go for holistic care and sustainable lifestyle changes rather than trying to spot reduce or meet time-bound goals.
You can now start planning your diet. The two most important things to watch in a healthy diet are the number of calories and your macros. Every food is made up of several macros such as proteins, fats, carbohydrates, fibre and vitamins and minerals. While creating your diet, make sure you have the right quantity of each group in every meal.
The average adult male requires 2000-2400 calories per day, while the average female requires 1600-2000. If you are trying to lose weight or reduce your body fat percentage, bring down your daily calorie intake by 20-25%. This means consuming between 1600-1800 calories for men and 1400-1600 for women. This will help you reduce fat, build muscle and increase overall health.
While planning your diet, make sure you also add macros in the right quantities. This means sufficient protein, carbs, healthy fats and fibre in each meal every day. You must also realise that as your body changes and gets healthier, your goals will change. As a result, so will your body’s needs.
Dieting Without Giving Up The Good Stuff:
Getting healthier is not making drastic, difficult changes. It’s a few small changes that you follow through consistently. With a fitness consultant to constantly monitor your body’s needs, you can identify multiple areas where changes are possible. Here are just some of the changes you can make:
If you are used to snacking, you cannot entirely eliminate this habit. Instead, try substituting unhealthy fried snacks with healthier options. For example, swap out chips or crisps for sliced fruit and a handful of almonds. You should also switch out unhealthy sodas and drinks with zero-calorie drinks or even water. This will significantly reduce your daily caloric intake.
Contrary to popular beliefs, you don’t need to eliminate fast food entirely while trying to get healthy. Instead of choosing a double-cheeseburger with fries and a large coke, you could go for a grilled chicken sandwich with low-fat cheese, multigrain bread and diet coke. This will give you the taste you love without the high-calorie intake.
The first thing you eliminate from your diet is dessert. Don’t. You have several options like diet ice cream, low-fat dairy products and yoghurts, crackers, diet wafers and hard candy. If you suck on a piece of hard candy or chew gum after your meal, it removes the craving for sugary desserts.
Carbs are important for your diet in limited quantities. You can remove extra carbohydrates from your diet by increasing your intake of meats, proteins and soy and reducing the bread, rice and refined grains you consume.
Research shows that people who have a healthy breakfast are better at controlling their weight and meeting their goals compared to people who skip breakfast altogether. Skipping breakfast makes you hungrier by lunch, resulting in overeating. You also have more cravings during the day.
Free Weight Loss Consultation with Carebyte:
With a Carebyte subscription, you get 24x7 access to a personal fitness consultant, health coach and a customised diet plan. You also get a physician, psychologist and unlimited FREE consultations and follow-ups. Get a Carebyte subscription and unlock a healthier you today.