Nutrition for weight loss: What you need to know about fashionable diets

Talk to your doctor if you want to lose weight. Your doctor can help you create a safe and effective weight loss plan. Here are some tips that apply to any healthy weight loss plan:

• eat a variety of foods to make sure you get all the daily nutrients you need.
• Watch what types of fats you eat. Don’t eat trans fats. Trans fats come from partially hydrogenated oils and are found in many fried and baked goods. Read nutrition labels when shopping. Limit your daily intake of saturated fat and sodium. Try to eat healthy fats instead of following a strict low fat diet. The latter is usually higher in carbohydrates.
• Limit the amount of sugar in your diet. High sugar foods are often high in calories and low in nutrients. They can also cause inflammation in your body.
• Limit liquid calories by avoiding soft drinks and alcohol. Choose whole fruits instead of juices. Drink plenty of water every day.
• Watch your portion sizes. Use the nutritional label to determine the correct portion size.
• Do regular exercise. Choose an activity you like. Try to do it for 30 to 60 minutes, 4 to 6 times a week.
• Be more physically active in your daily life. Park away from the door and climb the stairs when you can. Buy a pedometer or pedometer and aim for a goal of 10,000 steps per day.

Aspects to be considered

People often try anything that promises to help them lose weight. They may want to look or feel better or worry about certain health problems. Companies that promote fashion diets take advantage of this fact. They are aimed at people, promising quick and easy weight loss. Many people prefer to try a quick adjustment to a fashionable diet, instead of trying to lose weight through long-term changes in eating and physical habits.

Fad diets are also popular because they work for a short period of time. In most cases, this is because you eat fewer calories than normal. With a fashionable diet, you also pay more attention to what you eat. However, most of the weight you lose will probably be from water and lean muscle, not body fat. It is also difficult to maintain the requirements of a strict diet. Fad diets often limit your food choices or require you to eat the same foods over and over again. After a whim of the diet, you may find that you regain the weight you lost in the beginning.

Questions to ask your doctor

• How do I know if a fad diet is safe or right for me?
• If fashion diets are bad, what kind of diet can I do to lose weight?
• Are diets designed to work in the short or long term?
• Is periodic fasting a healthy way to lose weight?