-->DO YOU KNOW ABOUT DIETING? <--

Dieting is the practice of ingesting food in a regulated fashion to achieve or maintain a controlled weight. In most cases dieting is used in combination with physical exercise to lose weight in those who are overweight or obese. Some athletes, however, follow a diet to gain weight (usually in the form of muscle). Diets can also be used to maintain a stable body weight.

Diets to promote weight loss are generally divided into four categories: low-fat, low carbohydrate, low calorie, and very low calorie. A meta-analysis of six randomized controlled trials found no difference between the main diet types (low calorie, low carbohydrate, and low fat), with a 2–4 kilogram weight loss in all studies. At two years, all calorie-reduced diet types cause equal weight loss irrespective of the macronutrients emphasized.

Why Do People Diet?

People diet for many reasons. Some are at an unhealthy weight and need to pay closer attention to their eating and exercise habits. Some play sports and want to be in top physical condition. Others may think they would look and feel better if they lost a few pounds.

Some people may diet because they think they are supposed to look a certain way. Actors and actresses are thin, and most fashions are shown off by very thin models. But this look is unrealistic for most people — not to mention physically damaging to the models and stars who struggle to maintain it.

By the time they turn 12 or 13, most teen girls start to go through body changes that are natural and necessary: Their hips broaden, their breasts develop, and suddenly the way they look may not match girls on TV or in magazine ads. Guys develop at different rates, too. Those guys with washboard abs you see in clothing ads are usually in their twenties.

Proper nutrition

Food  provides nutrients from six broad classes: proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins, dietary minerals, and water. Carbohydrates are metabolized to provide energy. Proteins provide amino acids, which are required for cell construction, especially for the construction of muscle cells. Essential fatty acids are required for brain and cell membrane construction. Vitamins and trace minerals help maintain proper electrolyte balance and are required for many metabolic processes. Dietary fiber is another food component which influences health even though it is not actually absorbed into the body.

Any diet that fails to meet the minimum nutritional requirements can threaten general health (and physical fitness in particular). If a person is not well enough to be active, weight loss and a satisfactory quality of life will be unlikely.

Dieting and Metabolism

But surprisingly, rather than helping us to reach our target weight more quickly, severely restricting calories actually prevents our bodies from burning unwanted fat stores effectively - and unfortunately, this means that weight loss slows down.

Why does a very low calorie intake slow down weight loss?

Quite simply, your body goes into 'starvation mode'. This mechanism, which is thought to have evolved as a defence against starvation, means the body becomes super efficient at making the most of the calories it does get from food and drink. The main way it does this is to protect its fat stores and instead use lean tissue or muscle to provide it with some of the calories it needs to keep functioning. This directly leads to a loss of muscle, which in turn lowers metabolic rate so that the body needs fewer calories to keep ticking over and weight loss slows down. Of course, this is the perfect solution if you're in a famine situation. But if you're trying to lose weight, it's going to do little to help you shift those unwanted pounds.

So how many calories should I have to prevent starvation mode?

Unfortunately, there's no single answer to this question. As everyone's metabolism varies in the first place, so too will the point when the body starts to use muscle to provide it with calories in a 'famine-type' situation. That's why WLR works out suitable calorie intakes for each member on an individual basis and never lets you opt to lose more than 2lb a week, which would require a severely restricted calorie intake. In other words, if you stick to the calorie intake recommended by WLR, you can be sure your body won't go into starvation mode.

As a general rule though, most nutrition experts recommend never going below 1,000-1,200 calories a day if you're dieting on your own. It's also worth bearing in mind that the body doesn't suddenly 'enter' and 'leave' starvation mode, like crossing the border from Devon into Cornwall. It's a gradual process - so you don't need to panic if you do go below your calorie intake very occasionally.

What's the link between muscle and metabolism?

The metabolic rate - the rate at which the body burns calories - is partly determined by the amount of muscle we have. In general, the more muscle we have, the higher our metabolic rate; the less muscle we have, the lower our metabolic rate. This explains why men, who have a high proportion of muscle, have a faster metabolism than women, and why a 20-year-old has a higher metabolism than a 70-year-old - again, they have more muscle.

Ultimately, muscle burns a lot more calories than fat so when we lose muscle, our metabolic rate drops and we burn fewer calories. In fact, research shows that the body loses a proportionately high amount of muscle with a very low calorie intake and this may considerably suppress metabolism by up to 45 percent.

This explains why it's crucial to do as much as you can to protect your metabolic rate, especially when you're dieting. And this means dieting sensibly with a suitable, rather than a very low calorie intake so that you lose fat rather than muscle.

Is there anything else I can do to stop losing muscle when I'm dieting?

As well as making sure you have sufficient calories to burn fat rather than muscle, it's also possible to build muscle, which in turn boosts metabolism. And the way to do this is, of course, to increase the amount of exercise you do. While aerobic activities such as jogging, swimming, fast walking and aerobic classes help to tone muscle and burn fat, strength or resistance training in particular will increase the amount of muscle you have in your body. And this is good news because for every extra 1lb of muscle you have, your body uses around an extra 50 calories a day! This means an extra 10lb of muscle will burn roughly an extra 500 calories a day without you doing anything - and that's a sufficient amount to lose 1lb in a week.

But doesn't your metabolism drop when you lose weight anyway?

Yes, your metabolic rate naturally slows down a little when you lose weight, but this isn't automatically because you've lost muscle. It's because when your body has less weight to carry around, it needs fewer calories. This means if you weighed 13st to start with and now weigh 9st, you need fewer calories to maintain your new weight than you did when you were heavier. Simply put, there's 4st less of you to carry up and down the stairs, into the bath, around the supermarket and to the bus stop - and because your body doesn't have to work as hard as it did in the past, it can survive on fewer calories! This is why you should regularly update your Goals and Results - as your weight drops, Weight Loss Resources will recalculate how many calories you need to keep losing weight at your chosen rate.

Will yo-yo dieting have damaged my metabolism permanently?

Fortunately not! The idea that yo-yo dieting permanently lowers your metabolism has been relegated to the archives. However, if you've frequently crash dieted and severely restricted your calorie intake without exercising, it's likely you'll have a lot less muscle now compared with the very first time you dieted. As a consequence, it's likely your metabolism will also be lower so that you need fewer calories to maintain your current weight. This is because when you follow a very low calorie diet, you lose muscle as well as fat (see above). But when the weight goes back on, you usually only regain fat. This means, your metabolic rate is likely to have dropped a little every time you've dieted, making it slightly harder each time for you to lose weight. The good news is you can increase the amount of muscle you have by increasing the amount of exercise you do. This in turn will rev up your metabolism so that you can lose weight one final time on a slightly higher calorie intake than you've perhaps been used to.

Top 10 dieting mistakes

1: Skipping meals

Foregoing a meal, particularly breakfast, may seem like a quick way to cut calories, but it can backfire disastrously. You will find yourself extremely hungry for the rest of the day, and more likely to snack frequently or eat a bigger lunch.

Eat a high-protein and high-fibre breakfast (for instance, eggs or wholegrain cereal with low-fat milk), and have regular meals.

2: Uncontrollable snacking

Stop and think about your snacking. Do you have a secret stash of candy or junk food in your desk drawer? Do you pinch munchies off your friends or colleagues, such as a couple of potato crisps, a chocolate biscuit, or a slice of cake?

Maybe you think that they don’t make a difference, but the calories do add up! Keep track of how much you snack, and stop stealing other people’s snacks!

3: Snack ban

Don’t bar yourself from snacking completely, as it helps you to control your hunger and keep your metabolism in high gear. Snack wisely on protein-rich nibbles, such as nuts and seeds.

4: Low-fat isn’t no-fat

Low-fat products are heavenly for people who are trying to lose weight because it allows them to enjoy, within limits.

However, don’t be fooled into thinking that you can binge on something just because it’s low-fat. If you have double helpings of a low-fat product, you may be eating more calories than you would with a normal product.

Make sure you read the nutritional information on the label to know just how much calories each serving contains.

5: Drinking calories

So you think you’re doing well because you said no to the potato crisps, but chose to have a latte or a packet of juice instead.

While there’s nothing wrong with having these drinks every now and then, though you need to be aware that they contain calories as well.

If you have fruit juice, soda, lattes and cappucinos all the time, the calories will add up very quickly. Some fancy coffees and alcoholic beverages contain more than 500 calories.

Liquid calories will not curb your hunger either, so you may still feel like eating after having a high-sugar bottled drink. When thirsty, water is still the best choice.

6: Dumping dairy

Many women who are dieting immediately cut out dairy products, such as milk, cheese and ice-cream, from their meals.

However, you need some amount of dairy to provide you with calcium. Not only is calcium important for your bones, but it is believed that the body burns more fat when it gets enough calcium while it produces more fat when there is not enough calcium.

Calcium supplements will not do the trick, so make sure you have some non-fat or low-fat milk, cheese and yoghurt every day.

7: Fast food junkie

Obviously, greasy burgers or fried chicken are big no-nos for those on a diet. But you may still find yourself drawn to the fast food restaurant for a “once-in-a-while” treat or because it’s convenient.

You can order salads or healthier options like grilled and baked meals, but you must resist the temptation of adding on a milkshake or an apple pie.

Few fast food joints serve proper salads too, as many of them tend to be drowned in mayonnaise or other high-fat dressing. Make sure you choose wisely.

Better yet, drive past the neon lights and make your own salad at home.

8: Obsessive weighing

Some experts recommend weighing yourself every day to keep track of your weight and to motivate yourself.

However, you are less likely to see any difference from one day to another, as you are with a weekly weigh-in. Jumping on the scales every day and finding yourself at the same weight will only make you feel frustrated – for no good reason.

Set yourself a weekly goal for weight loss, and then measure yourself once a week to see more realistic results.

9: Reaching for the sky

There’s nothing wrong with being ambitious and setting goals. But your targets should be realistic and humanly achievable, or you will never be able to reach them.

Forcing yourself to lose 10kg in a week is setting yourself up for failure. After just two weeks, you may feel so upset about failing to achieve your goals that you may give you completely.

Talk to a doctor, dietitian or personal trainer to set a realistic plan over several weeks, so that you can track your targets and see a real difference.

10: Shunning exercise

There’s just no avoiding exercise! You cannot rely on your diet alone to reduce your calories, because it is extremely unhealthy, unsustainable, and you will not be able to enjoy your food.

On the other hand, if you combine physical activity with your diet, you can still eat the foods that you enjoy, perhaps in smaller quantities.

Don’t force yourself to do an exercise that you hate. Treadmills work for some people, but others may find it boring and prefer dance classes with a pumping beat.

Team sports like football or badminton may be more your type of game, or activities where you get sunlight and fresh air, such as swimming.

What you should do?

1 Eat plenty of high-fiber foods—that is, fruits, vegetables, beans, and whole grains. These are the "good" carbohydrates—nutritious, filling, and relatively low in calories. They should supply the 20 to 30 grams of dietary fiber you need each day, which slows the absorption of carbohydrates, so there’s less effect on insulin and blood sugar, and provides other health benefits as well. Such foods also provide important vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals (plant chemicals essential to good health).

2 Make sure to include green, orange, and yellow fruits and vegetables—such as broccoli, carrots, cantaloupe, and citrus fruits. The antioxidants and other nutrients in these foods may help protect against developing certain types of cancer and other diseases. Eat five or more servings a day.

3 Limit your intake of sugary foods, refined-grain products such as white bread, and salty snack foods. Sugar, our No.1 additive, is added to a vast array of foods. Just one daily 12-ounce can of soda (160 calories) can add up to 16 pounds over the course of a year. Many sugary foods are also high in fat, so they’re calorie-dense.

4 Cut down on animal fat. It’s rich in saturated fat, which boosts blood cholesterol levels and has other adverse health effects. Choose lean meats, skinless poultry, and nonfat or low-fat or nonfat dairy products.

5 Cut way down on trans fats, supplied by hydrogenated vegetable oils used in most processed foods in the supermarket and in many fast foods.

6 Eat more fish and nuts, which contain healthy unsaturated fats. Substitute olive or canola oil for butter or stick margarine.

7 Keep portions moderate, especially of high-calorie foods. In recent years serving sizes have ballooned, particularly in restaurants. Choose a starter instead of an entrée, split a dish with a friend, and don’t order supersized anything.

8 Keep your cholesterol intake below 300 milligrams per day. Cholesterol is found only in animal products, such as meats, poultry, dairy products, and egg yolks.

9 Eat a variety of foods. Don't try to fill your nutrient requirements by eating the same foods day in, day out. It is possible that not every essential nutrient has been identified, and so eating a wide assortment of foods helps to ensure that you will get all the necessary nutrients. In addition, this will limit your exposure to any pesticides or toxic substances that may be present in one particular food.

10 Maintain an adequate calcium intake. Calcium is essential for strong bones and teeth. Get your calcium from low-fat sources, such as skim milk and low-fat yogurt. If you can't get the optimal amount from foods, take supplements.

11 Try to get your vitamins and minerals from foods, not from supplements. Supplements cannot substitute for a healthy diet, which supplies nutrients and other compounds besides vitamins and minerals. Foods also provide the "synergy" that many nutrients require to be efficiently used in the body.

12 Maintain a desirable weight. Balance energy (calorie) intake with energy output. Exercise and other physical activity are essential.

13 If you drink alcohol, do so in moderation. That is one drink a day for women, two a day for men. A drink is defined as 12 ounces of beer, 4 ounces of wine, or 1.5 ounces of 80-proof spirits. Excess alcohol consumption leads to a variety of health problems. And alcoholic beverages can add many calories to your diet without supplying nutrients.