With increasing technological advancement, and a wider variety of processed, fat-filled, foods to choose from, society is increasingly becoming populated with the obese. Those carrying excess body-fat have almost become the norm, as we continue a downward slide into disease and mortality, as many continue to neglect their health, and consequently their well-being.
Concomitant with declining health levels (stemming from unhealthy diets) has been an increasing awareness of the impact such a decline is having on the population, as a whole: more sick days and a general lack of productivity, lowered quality of life and life expectancy, and poor body image.
The last of these is possibly the most concerning for the majority of those experiencing obesity, or any undesirable weight gain. Indeed, weight loss for aesthetic reasons rates as one of the highest motivators among the burgeoning number of dieters and gym goers, perhaps because it is the most obvious negative symptom linked to undesirable weight gain.
However, despite an increasing number of people actively seeking to lose excess weight, incidences of obesity continue to rise (NIH, 2005). Granted, there are many who do, and continue to, lose weight. These people are to be commended. However, there are as many, if not more, who fail.
An inadequate diet is one of the more common reasons given for weight loss failure. But aren't diets supposed to enhance weight loss efforts? It depends.
Strictly speaking, a diet comprises anything a person eats, or drinks, over the course of a day. Whatever one chooses to eat, irrespective of whether they have a specific goal, or not can be classed as a diet.
Diets can also be tailored to meet a wide range of physical targets, weight loss being one of the more common of these. In addition, diets can be designed to help a person gain weight (as in an off season bodybuilding diet), or remain at a particular weight (a maintenance diet).
How does one choose the perfect diet, if indeed there is such a thing?
Given the scope of this article, of weight loss and well being, I will present several dietary guidelines and review some of the more common diets of relevance to these. Before doing this, I feel it is important to point out that the diets featured in this article, although successful in some contexts, are not perfect, and should not be taken as the Gospel. Thus, a realistic, workable, weight-loss solution will be featured as an alternative.
What Weight-Loss Diets Should Feature
In the interests of health and well-being, and for successful weight-loss, a diet should include the following.
1: A Tailored Number Of Calories
The problem with many diets, and one of the primary reasons so many fail, is the emphasis that is often placed on calorie restriction. A diet with too few calories might lead to binging (due to the diets low satiety value) and/or a slower metabolic rate.
Both these variables will have a deleterious impact on fat-loss. A diet too low in calories might result in the dieter seeking out more satisfying (often fat-loaded) foods, in order to restore homeostasis (the body's physiological equilibrium).
Indeed, ask any bodybuilder who cheats during a dieting phase and they will probably say their bodies needed the additional calories. If too few calories are consumed, the metabolic rate might also slow to the point where the process of losing any additional body-fat becomes increasingly harder (the metabolic rate controls the rate at which the body burns fuel; eg food).
If the body is not given sufficient fuel, it will retain that which it has stored: fat. Therefore, a good rule, with any diet, is to include enough food to supply the vital calories needed for mental, emotional and physical well-being; in addition to fat-loss. That way, there will be no need to eat harmful foods, and fat stores will be burned at a faster rate.
On the flip side, ultra-low-calorie diets might result in drastic weight-loss, especially if exercise is included.
Try to ensure weight loss of no more than one-pound-per-week, otherwise this weight could be muscle (and muscle is beneficial in terms of helping to burn fat). In saying this, during the first two weeks, weight loss might naturally occur at more than one-pound-per-week due to the initial water loss that accompanies all diet plans.
Too determine the exact number of calories needed for steady weight-loss, it is important to firstly factor in the weight of the dieter and their activity level.
Obviously, a lower number of calories would be prescribed, in addition to a greater emphasis on physical activity, if the dieter was significantly obese and their activity level was low. However, once again, in order to ensure a heightened metabolic rate, calorie intake should not be dropped too low.
The key is to know exactly what types of foods elicit the greatest fat-loss (these will be discussed later). Indeed, there is no real one size fits all approach to fat-loss. It pays to tailor caloric intake to suit the specific needs of the dieter.
2: An Emphasis On Good Nutrition
A diet should be nutritionally balanced, if good health and well-being, in addition to weight loss, is to be achieved. Use a food pyramid to ensure the diet contains all the essential nutrients needed for good health.
There is really no point in trying to lose weight on a diet that promotes ill-health in other measures such as, psychological well-being, muscle, physical performance and internal organs.
Weight-loss should be part of a holistic (all parts of the whole) approach to good health and well-being. As such, a wide range of nutrients should be included in ones diet plan. These include:
Vitamins & Minerals:
- Fruits and vegetables will supply these, but it is also advisable to take a good multivitaminsupplement, just to make sure.
Carbohydrates:
- Carbs are needed as an energy supply, and to offset fatigue. It is recommended that one eat six-11 servings from the bread, cereal, rice, and pasta group. At least 100 grams of carbohydrate are needed daily to maintain good health, and prevent fatigue.
Protein:
According to The National Institute of Diabetes & Digestive & Kidney Diseases, the average woman 25 years of age and older should get 50 grams of protein each day, with 65 grams for the average man of the same age.
Again, this could be classed as low, taking into account activity level and size of the individual. Protein is important because it repairs muscles and other cells of the body.
For dieters, protein helps to speed up the metabolism - more so than fat or carbohydrate. Two to three servings should come from meat, poultry, fish, eggs, and nuts. More for bodybuilders wanting to lose fat, as they have a higher level of muscle mass to support.
Fiber:
- Fiber helps with bowel function and is essential in terms of fat-loss (it is also thought to cleanse fat from the bowel). 20-30 grams per day is the suggested intake.
Fat:
Although low on the list, fat, interestingly, is very important for overall health. The type of fat needed to maintain, or improve, health is the unsaturated type.
Saturated fats, which are solid at room temperature, are the ones to watch out for. These will clog up the arteries and contribute to fat gain.
It is suggested that no more than 30 percent of ones calories should come from fat (with no more than 10-percent coming from the saturated type).
Water:
- Water is a vital element of any diet. It helps with food metabolism and general health. At least 8-10 glasses per day is recommended (more if one exercises).
 | Note: The suggestions above are based on what would suit the average person. However, given there is no "average" person, these can be used as a guideline. | |
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4: A Fitness Component
With any diet, it is advisable to include a fitness component to assist with weight loss, and the attainment of good health. When choosing the right type of program, it is important to ensure all aspects of fitness are considered.
For example, aerobic exercise and strength training work in tandem to ensure the metabolism functions efficiently, and muscle is gained, while fat is lost.
Flexibility is also important health component as this helps the muscles to recover and enables one to perform at a higher levels regardless of the task (this improved performance also helps with fat-loss).
To diet without regular exercise is a big mistake, because one would need to severely restrict their calories in order to effectively burn fat, in the absence of regular, planned, physical activity.
By exercising, more calories can be consumed (as more will be burned during, and after, activity), making dieting less of an arduous process. The dieter would then be less likely to binge, an act that would significantly set back their progress.
The best type of exercise for fat burning purposes is aerobic (sustained, low intensity activity), and should be performed for at least 30 minutes, three times per week.
Aerobic exercise will directly burn fat, as it predominantly uses fat for fuel. Weight training, on the other hand, will build muscle, which indirectly burns fat due to its metabolically active properties.