Nutritional Guidelines for Weight Loss

Guest blog post by Lily Archer

When you begin to plan your program for losing weight, you have to think carefully about how you can provide your body with the nutrition it needs to stay healthy, while also eliminating any foods that will hinder you from shedding the pounds. It really is important to get everything clear in your mind before embarking on your quest to lose weight, and with this guide you can prepare for success.
What to Do first
The first thing you need to do is work out what weight you should be. You can find out your optimal weight by measuring your body mass index (BMI), which will also reveal whether you are overweight or obese. When you have found out your optimal weight, and then use that as your target in your weight loss plan. You can measure your BMI using this BMI calculator at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services website.
Types of Food to Help You Lose Weight
Obviously fatty and sugary foods are out of the question, and to be successful at losing weight you need to completely remove these from you diet. Fresh, natural foods are the best thing for you, in particular fruit, vegetables, whole grains, and beans. Leafy vegetables, like salads, are great because they contain literally no fat, but make sure you avoid the fatty dressing. When it comes to meat, avoid red meat, and substitute it for fish or poultry. For a full rundown of the best healthy foods to help you lose weight while getting all the nutrition you need, this BBC article explains what should be included in a healthy weight-loss diet.
Foods to Help you Stop Eating More
Nuts are a great source of protein, and although they are fatty, they can help to reduce your cravings to eat more at meal times, so are a good snack if you need one. High-fiber cereal is a great breakfast meal, and besides being healthy it will keep you feeling full for longer. The simple egg is another great food that has been recognized to help stave off cravings for food, and they are full of protein, so a great alternative to meat. Grapefruit is another food that has been found to help people lose weight. The phytochemicals it contains are responsible for reducing insulin levels, which in turn helps to force your body to convert calories into energy instead of fat.
Eating the Right Portions
A great way to work out what type of foods and how much of them you need to have a healthy diet is by using the United States Department of Agribusiness MyPyramid Plan. Just enter your weight, sex, and the amount of physical activity you do most days. You will then be presented with a breakdown of how much of the different food types you should eat daily. The food groups are broken up into grains, vegetables fruits, milk, meat and beans, so you know exactly how much of each you need to eat.
Combine it with Exercise
Even if you completely change your diet to fresh fruits, vegetables, fish, grains, and beans, regular exercise will give you an extra boost when it comes to dropping the pounds. Not only will it help you lose weight, but you will also become fitter in the process. There are plenty of easy ways to exercise, from an hour swim at your local pool, to a jog around a nearby park. Ask friends if they want to play tennis, squash, or basketball with you, especially if they are trying to lose weight too.
Problems Associated with Being Overweight
Being overweight can cause a number of different health problems, besides the obvious appearance issues. Making sure your body has all the nutrition it needs ensures that all your organs can operate effectively, so it really is worth making sure your diet provides the essential nutrition required. Diseases of the gallbladder and liver can be a problem, as well as osteoarthritis and sleep disorders. In addition, erectile dysfunction is a problem experienced by many overweight men, but you can order Staxyn online which can be used to treat this problem. While most these health issues can be treated, losing weight and having a healthy diet goes a long way to making sure that they do not cause a problem in your life. If you are suffering from any problems due to being overweight then it is a great motivator to get in shape.


Lily Archer is a freelance health writer who works on behalf of an ethical online health provider. She studied and grew up in Phoenix but is currently completing her writing whilst staying with family in Malta.