Weight Loss Secrets You Should Know about
Carbohydrate rich foods are the ruin of many dieters, but it’s essential to remember that without a supply of glucose from carbohydrates, our body relies on it’s own sources of protein and fat to meet its energy needs. And yes, we want our body to burn fat, which is why we diet in the first place, but we do not want it to burn the protein from our muscles.
Not all carbohydrates are alike. The villain of our waist line is not carbohydrates themselves, but certain types of carbohydrates and the way they metabolize in our system. We can best understand differences in carbohydrates in terms of simple and complex carbs. Simple carbohydrates we find in sugary and processed foods, complex carbohydrates are found in whole, natural foods like fruits, vegetables, grains and legumes.
Weight Loss Secret #1: Go for the complex carbohydrates.
carbohydrates, another highly important factor to consider is the glycemic index of foods. The glycemic index is a numerical designation that tells us how quickly the sugars in a food break down into glucose. Glucose enters our bloodstream, increases our blood sugar level and then triggers insulin in order to keep blood sugar from getting too high. Insulin, as well as lowering blood sugar, tells the body to store fat. If there is an enemy to your waist line, it is not carbs themselves, but high insulin levels.
Weight Loss Secret #2: Eat low glycemic foods
Carbs are not the only factor to consider. We don’t want to ignore the other essential food groups, proteins and fat. Contrary to conventional belief, fat restriction does not necessarily lead to weight loss. We need good fats in our diet or we will begin to crave fatty foods. Nutritious fats also help our bodies break down our food more efficiently and therefore actually enhances fat burn, ironic as that might seem. What are the healthy fats? They are a group of fats known as essential fatty acids, the omega-3 and omega-6 oils. You can find them in nuts (walnuts are a good source), seeds (especially flax), salmon, avocado, and olive oil.
Weight Loss Secret #3: Eat nutritious fats every day
Finally, we turn to protein. Like fat, we need protein every day, but not too much. Protein is instrumental in weight loss because it keeps our blood glucose levels stable, thus keeping insulin levels down. Ideal sources of protein are legumes, chicken (not fried!), fish (not fried!), and lean beef.
Weight Loss Secret #4: Eat your protein: not too much, not too little
The bottom line: a healthy diet of low carbs, low glycemic foods, healthy fats and lean protein will give you the best chance for permanent weight loss and keep you well nourished in the process. A body detox program is a great way to start your weight loss diet. A good detox, in fact, will take off a few pounds in excess waste material from your body.
