What You Should Know About Dieting

It seems as if every time you turn around there is a new diet trend popping up that promises to be the ultimate miracle cure for weight loss. The white noise that floods social media regarding fitness has made it even harder to discern between what is true or false?

Here we will discuss the most critical factors to consider before attempting to embark on a new diet regimen, to make sure it is safe and effective.

Make Sure It's Balanced

If a diet encourages eliminating entire food groups or essential elements (like carbohydrates) it is more than likely unbalanced. Diets that involve the intake of one type of food disproportionately (for instance an all rice diet) may result in nutritional deficiencies.  Balanced diets are sure to include all of the building blocks for nutrition. Good diets do not promote too much or too little consumption of essentials.

Sufficient Amounts of Kcalories (kcals) are Key

The approximate requirement for daily kcal intake for men is 2,500 kcals and 2,000 kcals for women. However, when dieting the energy intake needs to be reduced to burn off the excess. 

Determine where you can reduce empty and excess calories, possibly by skipping snacks or eating smaller portions at meal times.  Alcoholic beverages and sugary drinks should be substituted with low-calorie options. This will help you cut back without feeling hungry. 

Make Sure the Science is Sound

This part may undoubtedly take a little research.  Take a gander at the qualification and background of the founder of the diet you are considering. This will give you some insight into the validity of the diet or at least its creator’s credentials.  Diets that are developed by physicians have their fair share of blowback from the fitness community.

Robert Atkins, famous for the Atkins Diet was a cardiologist, and his diet has long been the target of scrutiny. If you want to seek guidance you can seek out a certified nutritionist to make sure you are taking on a diet that is healthy and balanced. Those seeking Louisville real estate will find that there are a host of nutritionists and nutrition coaches in the area.  

Make Realistic Goals

Diets that promote massive weight loss are not likely to produce the rapid results you are seeking and may be unhealthy or unbalanced if they do.  A safe weekly amount of weight to lose is one-half to two pounds weekly. Anything more may put you at risk for nutritional deficiency.

Even if you lose weight at a slow and steady pace, it is essential to set an ideal weight that is suitable. You do not want to lose too become underweight. Calculating your Body Mass Index (BMI) helps you create accurate weight goals. The NIH has an easy-to-use BMI calculator that will help you determine a healthy target weight.

Conclusion

Making sure a diet is safe is the most crucial factor. Just because a diet has worked for people you know doesn't mean that it is right for you. Do your due diligence before you jump into a new diet regimen. It is especially crucial for those that have existing medical issues to seek out professional consultation before starting a new diet plan.