The best diet for weight loss: truth, opinions, reviews of doctors

Rule 1. Really and undoubtedly: the best diet for weight loss does not exist, no matter what anyone says

It is not necessary to closely follow the events in the world of weight loss to understand that new favorites are constantly appearing in it. Either everyone en masse “lose weight on the Ducan”, then they drink gallons of green coffee, then they flatly refuse gluten.

Each new dietary fashion is hailed as the result of “the very last and true discovery” that will lead humanity to the era of slimness. However, it is clear that we are still marking time.

However, the most unexpected thing is that in the second half of the year following any of the common diets, losing weight again a little, but getting better, and the effect of diets of different types is leveled.

Simply put, it doesn’t matter which weight loss plan you choose, meat or vegetable, the result of following it throughout the year will be approximately the same. That is, there is no better diet for weight loss.

According to the researchers, their work is important in understanding that the diet needs to be tailored to the individual, and the “one size fits all” approach does not work here. The best diet cannot simply be bought in the form of a book – well, or you should be prepared for the fact that the meal plan touted in different voices will not bring any benefit to you personally.

Rule 2. To lose weight, you need to eat, nothing can be done

Dr. Arya Sharma, Director of the Obesity Society of Canada, suggests navigating in the following simple way when choosing the best diet for weight loss.

“The first thing you need to do to lose weight is to eat regularly,” says the doctor. – Choices involving hunger are unwise choices. This does not mean that you have to chew all the time, but you should not suffer from an empty stomach between meals. “

The easiest way to achieve this is by eating more and more varied, plant-based foods that contain fiber and cutting out sugary drinks and snacks filled with “empty calories” from processed foods because they whet your appetite.

Matt Fitzgerald, author of the acclaimed across the ocean book The Cult of Diet, has developed an even more visual way of thinking about a better diet. He drew up a hierarchy of products, in which everything is obvious: the lower the product on the list, the more harmful it is to your health and the zipper on the skirt.

• Vegetables

• Fruit

• Nuts, seeds, natural oils and fats (not trans)

• High quality meat and seafood

• Whole grain

• Milk and derivatives

• Refined and polished grain products

• Low quality meat and seafood (frozen, processed, questionable origin)

• Confection

• Roast

Rule 3. Control is not a threat to totalitarianism, but a guarantee of success

The best diet for weight loss is about getting predictable results, and preferably within the foreseeable time frame. Therefore, there is no place for accidents and influences in it: diet is work, and you need a tool to control and analyze what is happening with your body, habits, life.

The US National Weight Registry is an initiative that brought together more than 10 thousand participants who have lost at least 15 kg and kept this result for a year or more. They agreed to be periodically surveyed; statistics are interested in the habits and behavior of the lucky ones.

It turned out that, in addition to remarkable results in the struggle for harmony, these people have several things in common: for example, they all weigh themselves at least once a week, work out in the gym with varying degrees of intensity, but regularly, or just walk a lot, control portion size and run from fast food as hell from incense.

In addition, they always eat breakfast, and they also count calories – although today many experts urge to abandon mathematical practice in the diet and eat right “intuitively”, without calculating calories, indices and percentages. But calories work well as a unit of account, which means it’s too early to write them off.

“Start keeping a food diary,” recommends Dr. Yoni Friedhof. – This may not seem like a particularly funny and attractive idea, but before starting a diet, you need to know exactly what position you are in so that you can clearly understand what you want to change. When you keep a journal, you cannot forget that you only need to make healthy choices. “

Rule 4. The salvation of the overweight is the work of the overweight themselves

If someone still imagines the best diet in the form of a detailed menu and a prediction plan for losing a kilo, then it’s time to remember about the motivation for losing weight and a clear idea of ​​your own capabilities and barriers. Studies have shown that adorning pounds of non-slimming people are capable of exhibiting rare resilience even in the face of the most modern and advanced weight loss methods.

Cornwell Food Lab chief Professor Brian Wansink says: “When people ask me how to lose weight, I have a whole bunch of counter questions ready for them. And very often it turns out that overweight people seem to want to look slimmer, but when they find out what they will have to give up in the name of this, they are not so sure of the power of their dreams. “

Doctors know that the best diet is not a panacea for excess weight. The first step is to find out why he appeared at all. The reasons can be genetic, medicinal; also, the amount of surplus directly depends on the social environment and the level of education of the person who needs to lose weight, and even his immediate environment. Some of these barriers can be overcome relatively easily, some will have to tinker with, so a person who is losing weight should be patient.

Rule 5. Don’t let high expectations get you trapped

Surprisingly, it’s true: quite often people, already at the stage of choosing the best diet, program themselves for failure, either by expecting instant results, or by choosing a meal plan that definitely does not suit them.

“The short-term approach to weight loss doesn’t work,” says Maria Collazo-Clavell, obesity specialist at the Mayo Clinic. – If you want to lose weight for a wedding or vacation, then do not change anything in your life, the kilograms either will not go anywhere, or they will leave and return. ” Dr. Gilman of Harvard elaborates:

“Nobody gains weight in two days, but often people want to lose weight in this period.”

All kinds of fast diets give the only stable result – the weight returns to its “familiar places”. And this is not just insulting: such a pattern is perceived as a personal failure, undermining the faith of the losing weight in himself, his strength and the ability to change something. “We often ask too much of ourselves, we want to be perfect, and that’s a problem,” complains Dr. Friedhof. “But you are not required to be a saint to lose weight,” Dr. Lawrence Cheskin continues his thought. “It’s enough just to be a smart sinner.”

Rule 6. Don’t be fooled by the halo effect!

The brain is an incredible machine of self-deception. We can convince ourselves of anything; in the case of weight loss, underestimation of the nutritional capacity of the diet and overestimation of consumed calories are typical.

In addition, nutritionists are well aware of the psychological halo effect of foods that are uniquely beneficial for weight loss, such as broccoli or lettuce.

By accompanying a huge cheeseburger with a serving of lettuce, many genuinely believe that salad magically reduces the number of calories in everything with which it is eaten.

Equally insidious is the notion of sugar in drinks, especially fruit juices, which are considered “healthy” by marketers. Often behind the unexplained weight gain is the desire to improve your health by drinking more of such healthy juice, in a glass of which, meanwhile, there are about 100 kcal. And those who are losing weight often do not even think about it – this is drink, not food!

Rule 7. Physical education is your friend, but you don’t lose weight from it

“Stop eating everything you see and sign up for the gym,” – this is the most frequent recommendation of well-wishers to an overweight comrade. However, in some cases, overweight people, starting to exercise persistently and regularly, even gain weight – since they expend a lot of energy on exercise.

Also, it is not uncommon for newly converted athletes to develop compensatory behavior: after working properly in the gym, they are sure that they deserve this wonderful bun! Or two … Or …

Rule 8. Don’t expect metabolic catch-up

“This product boosts metabolism!” – say this if you want to hypnotize someone who is losing weight. Of course, sellers of all kinds of miracles are well aware of this, promising that you will eat a handful of powder, berries or tablets – and wake up slim.

“Boosting metabolism” in addition does not necessarily mean that you will begin to lose weight when your metabolic processes accelerate.

“We have conducted research using specific metabolic rate tests in lean and obese people,” said Dr. Michael Jensen. “And they found out that there is no connection – fat people have a metabolism often even faster than those who are thin.”

If you want blood to run faster through your veins and use up fat more fun – go for a walk! Not only does it work flawlessly, but it’s also free.

Rule 9. Leave alone “last 2 kg”

Since those who are losing weight are characterized by special creativity in setting goals, the dream of getting rid of “the unfortunate really extra 2 (3, 5, 7 …) kg” often becomes an obsessive idea. Weight loss specialists unanimously say: if you could not get rid of them, despite all your efforts, then … forget about them.

“If some of the weight is particularly difficult to lose, leave those pounds where they are,” advises Dr. Friedhof. “Otherwise, even when you finally defeat them, they will inevitably come back!”

Any weight loss means positive changes in life, therefore, of course, it is better not to lament about the “last surplus”, but to rejoice at the result that you still managed to achieve.