There are many reasons why a person may decide to lose weight, from an aesthetic issue to more serious situations such as suffering feelings of depression, stress, anxiety or even serious diseases due to obesity.
Losing weight has become a priority for many people. However, although the idea is adequate, in some cases the execution is not so, opting to lose weight by stopping eating or purchasing “magic” products, sold as the weight loss formula.
In this article we want to introduce you to the most relevant aspects related to both lifestyles.
What is a diet
The concept of diet was developed to explain the nutritional behavior of living beings, with diet being a habit in itself.
However, today we understand the diet as that special regime, characterized both by reducing the number of daily meals and the amount eaten in these.
Advantages of the Diet
Regarding its main advantages, the possibility of following a diet stands out under medical recommendation, thus being able to avoid or deal with certain diseases such as hypertension, diabetes or a situation of high cholesterol.
Disadvantages of the Diet
Regarding the disadvantages, we point out that:
- Eating the wrong way can cause you to suffer. serious health problems.
- Our brain feeds on glucose, in the same way that our body requires fat to be able to transform it into energy.
- An excess of protein can cause serious damage.
What are healthy habits
The World Health Organization (WHO) defines a healthy habit as that “state of complete physical, mental and social well-being.” This state can be reached by means of a healthy life style.
When it comes to eating, such a healthy lifestyle corresponds to a balance diet, key to meet the nutritional requirements necessary for the proper functioning of your body.
To achieve a healthy diet, the following conditions must be met:
- Intake of all the food groups that make up the nutritional pyramid. You must provide carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins, minerals and water to your body.
- Drink from 1,5 to 2 liters of water daily.
- Meals should be enough, neither exceeding these nor moving away from the amount you should eat at each meal. Of course, it depends on factors such as age or gender.
In addition to those mentioned, there is a characteristic more typical of healthy eating, and that is that it must be balanced. This supposes:
- Carbohydrates = 55% / 60% of the total daily kcal
- Fat = 25% / 30%
- Protein = 12% / 15%
Advantages of healthy habits
The main advantages resulting from the application of a healthy eating habit are:
- Great benefits for your body, from memory improvement to the best functioning of each organ. This includes improving the functioning of your heart, reducing cholesterol, Or the drop in blood pressure.
- You will notice how your body has a lot more energy.
- Reduction of stress and discomfort. Although it may seem surprising, eating based on real food greatly improves stress or anxiety, as well as your general condition.
- Improvement of the digestive system.
- Additionally, each food will provide a certain (positive) effect on your body. Cheese, for example, is one of the main sources of calcium.
- Regarding your physical appearance, you will also be able to Lose Weight.
Disadvantages of healthy habits
The truth is that applying a healthy diet does not have disadvantages as such, but rather, it is a healthy lifestyle that is highly beneficial for our health. However, we point out that it should not become an obsession, although it should become your lifestyle.
Which one do I prefer, diet or healthy habits?
By now you may have been able to opt for one of these two alternatives. However, just in case you continue to doubt, we clarify it even more:
All diet in which you decide to eat fewer amounts or reduce the number of meals has a start date and an end date. Furthermore, these restrictions they are usually unhealthySince you neither eat all the food groups necessary for the proper functioning of your body, nor do you satisfy your food needs.
Furthermore, the healthy nutrition, based on eating real food, complementing this with the intake of good processed foods, presents numerous advantages, both for your physical and mental health, while you get the results desired aesthetics.
Physical exercise, hygiene and mental health
Today, Carlos Rios, one of the leading figures of the healthy nutrition in Spain, and an expert in nutrition and food, argues that the intake of ultra-processed foods provides a high energy density, with empty calories, numerous additives, refined fats, added sugar and / or salt, so its intake should be eliminated or reduced to maximum.
However, this diet based, as we have already pointed out, on real food, complementing it with good ultra-processed foods, must always be accompanied by physical exercise and hygiene, the result of which will trigger the improvement of mental health.
Hopefully this article has been able to clarify your possible doubts regarding the differences between dieting and following a healthy life.