Weight Loss Diets

A huge component of any weight loss program is dietary intake. We know that if you burn more calories through physical activity than you consume, then you will lose weight, but what is the best way to go about selecting an effective eating plan? Many clients ask me, as their personal trainer, to provide a diet plan to help them maximize their results.

I am not a registered dietician. I am an exercise physiologist, so my specialty is working out, not nutrition. I took several nutrition classes in college, but that does not give me the authority to prescribe a diet plan. I can, however, outline a few nutritional facts.

A healthy diet is both adequate, with sufficient calories and essential nutrients, and balanced, providing different components of food in correct proportions. The diet of the average person in the United States is not balanced, with too much fried and fatty meat, sodium, and sugar, and not enough whole grains, low-fat dairy, fruits, or vegetables (Brown, Nutrition Now, 6-3,4.)

Protein and carbohydrates have four calories per gram, while fat has nine calories per gram. The Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for adult males is 2,800 calories per day, while it is 2,200 for non-pregnant, non-lactating women. Nutritionists recommend 60 - 80 percent of total calories come from carbohydrates such as grains, vegetables, and fruits, and that no more than 30 percent of calories come from fat, preferably healthy fats from olives, avacadoes, nuts, and fish. The remainder of calories should come from lean protein sources (Edlin, Golanty, Brown, Health and Wellness, 89.)

There are all kinds of popular diet plans, such as the low fat, or Ornish Diet, low carbohydrate diets like the Atkins Diet, and the Weight Watchers diet, which uses reduction in total calories to achieve weight loss. Although I do not give my clients a specific diet plan to follow, I can recommend a few websites that I consider to have excellent nutritional advice. My favorite is the Eat Clean Diet, created by Tosca Reno, that considers itself to be a nutritional way of life rather than a diet, and concentrates on whole, natural foods, and eating small, frequent meals throughout the day. Special attention is paid to lean sources of protein and fruits and vegetables. Many of the recipes in the Eat Clean Diet cookbooks contain flavorful herbs and spices to season food. In my opinion, this is one of the healthiest eating plans out there, and much simpler to stick to than many other currently popular diets.

I am also rather fond of the Mediterranean Diet, in which most foods come from plant sources, such as fruits and vegetables, nuts, beans, and whole grains, and food is minimumly processed. Lean protein sources such as fish and seafood are preferred over poultry and dairy, and regular exercise and occasional, moderate wine drinking are encouraged. The Paleo Diet, sometimes referred to as the "Caveman Diet," also relies on all natural foods, but has much more of an emphasis on meats such as beef, pork, fish, and wild game.

Whatever kind of nutritional program you select. ensure that it is something that you can stick with. For example, if you love to eat meat, don't try to adhere to a vegetarian diet. Give the Paleo Diet a go instead. Don't think you are going to be able to continue a cabbage soup diet for more than a few days. Any diet that eliminates whole food groups or makes you feel weak or hungry all the time is setting you up for a binge.

The secret to my weight loss success was preparation. I would plan several days of meals beforehand. I packed lunch and snacks to take to work every day, and always kept healthy snack foods like carrots and celery, fresh fruits, and nuts around the house. I still do not keep junk food in my cabinets. If I want a splurge, I try to always purchase a single serving so I can indulge for the moment, but won't have more lying around calling my name.

If you lose weight by severe caloric restriction or by some type of fad diet, chances are you will gain all the weight back as soon as you resume your old eating habits. It's best to select a diet where foods come from a variety of sources and include all food groups. A healthy nutition plan paired with sufficient physical activity is the recipe for weight loss success.

All photos by Lindsi Jones of Lindsi Jones Photogrpahy