Eat! “Perhaps the most important recommendation for people trying to lose weight is to eat more,” notes Michael T. Murray, N.D., a naturopath in Seattle. “Starving yourself is a big mistake.”
But you have to choose your foods wisely. Fat contains 9 calories per gram, while carbohydrates and protein contain only 4. You can eat twice as much carbohydrate and protein and still consume fewer calories than you would by eating fat.
For weight loss, your best bet is to build your meals and snacks around whole grains, beans, fruits, and vegetables. These foods are high in fiber and complex carbohydrates. Further, they derive no more than 15 to 20 percent of their calories from fatso they fill you up, not out.
Be big on breakfast. “Eating a high-carbohydrate breakfast-a whole-grain cereal or toast-raises your BMR for several hours;” says Anne Simons, M.D. BMR is your basal metabolic rate, the rate at which your body burns calories while resting. “Combine a healthy breakfast with exercise during the day, and your BMR stays high, you burn more calories, and you have an easier time controlling your weight;” Dr. Simons explains. “But if you do what many overweight
people do-skip breakfast, eat a light lunch, and then have a big dinner and snack until bedtime-your BMR stays low during the day, and you consume most of your calories shortly before it goes even lower during sleep. That’s a setup for weight gain.”
Know that low-fat doesn’t mean low calorie. The trouble with all of the low-fat and nonfat foods on the market these days is that many people think they can eat as much of these foods as they want. Unfortunately, that’s not the case. In fact, low-fat and nonfat foods usually have almost as many calories as their higher-fat counterparts.
The bottom line is that calories still count, says Ron Goor, Ph.D., coauthor of the Eater’s Choice low-fat cookbooks. If you gorge on low-fat cookies or even fat-free fare such as nonfat pretzels, bagels, or yogurt, you can consume an enormous number of calories and gain weight.
Watch your portion size. Every restaurant and fast-food outlet, it seems, has “supersized” its menu. Portions are much larger today than they were 20 years ago, Dr. Goor says. From those large-size meals, you’re destined to get more calories. When you eat out anywhere, stick to portions that are reasonable and satisfying rather than the giant offerings.
Don’t fall for high-protein hype. Every few years, a fad diet comes along that advocates low-carb, high-protein eating. Steer clear of them. They alter your balance of brain chemicals, specifically lowering levels of the important brain chemical serotonin that influences mood and appetite. This can lead to tension, irritability, and depression-and trigger food cravings.
In one study, 40 obese women who had not lost weight on a variety of diets were placed on 1,400-calorie diets that were either low-protein/high-carbohydrate or high protein/low-carbohydrate. Those following the low-protein/high-carb diet lost significantly more weight and kept it off more successfully.
Feast on fiber. Dietary fiber plays a key role in preventing and treating obesity, says Joseph Pizzorno Jr., N.D. It’s bulky, so you feel full more quickly than you would with low-fiber foods. And when you eat lots of fiber, your intestines release hormones that tell your brain that you feel full. Also, since fiber has to be chewed thoroughly, you tend to eat more slowly when you’re munching on high-fiber foods. The best dietary sources of fiber are whole grains, beans, fruits, and vegetables.
Snack on fruits and vegetables. Nutritionist Bonnie Liebman of the Center for Science in the Public Interest in Washington, D.C., advises making a habit of snacking on fruits and vegetables-apples, oranges, bananas, carrots, cherry tomatoes, and summer fruits. They fill you up but are low in fat and calories. They are also loaded with vitamins and minerals.
Think before you drink. Soft drinks, fruit drinks, alcoholic beverages, and cappuccino and other fancy coffee drinks can contain up to several hundred calories. Alcohol contains almost 200 calories per ounce. Instead, choose water, sparkling water, coffee, and teas, which are virtually calorie-free, Liebman advises.
Write it down. People who are overweight often underestimate how much they eat. The Diet and Fitness Center at Duke University is just one of many weight-loss programs that ask participants to keep a food diary. That way, you can see exactly what you’ve been eating and where you can make beneficial changes most easily.
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