Diet: Do's & Don'ts
- Sophie Maho Chan
- Nov 13, 2017
- 4 min read
In this day and age, where everybody is so transfixed on thigh gaps and six packs, 'diets' have become a norm. However, only a very very small proportion of people, actually know what they are doing. In fact, I bet when you tried your first diet - let's be real - you probably did not get the result you were looking for.
So today, I thought I would just share some tips if you are trying to lose weight, or just get a healthier diet.
The Do's:
1. Drink Water
Drinking water is important; we all know that. But drinking water is not only important for health and longevity, but also one of the best tip anyone can give you to lose weight. In fact, most models would say the first thing they do every morning is drink a glass of water.
And one of the main reason for this is quite simply, water can keep you full. Human bodies often confuse thirst for hunger, so if you feel hungry, drink first, and you may realize you were never hungry at all. And even during meals, drinking water can help you with portion control and prevent over-eating.
I must confess that I, myself, am still working on this. But so far, I have already started to see some improvement.
2. Eat healthy fats
If I asked you how to lose weight, the first thing you will probably say is 'cut out fats'. Now if you are referring to fried chicken, bacon and frappuccinos, you are correct. However, you don't need to make all 'fats' your worst enemy.
First of all, there are many types of fats; among them, there are healthy ones and unhealthy ones. But common healthy fats includes monounsaturated fats, omega 3 fatty acids and omega 6 fatty acids. These are very healthy because they are anti-inflammatory, related to reducing heart diseases and good for brain function (I mean your brain is made out of fats). Therefore, you should never cut them out. Obviously, like any other foods, eating too much of 'healthy fats' can be fattening, but remember, you can get fat from eating too much vegetables too.
The Don'ts:
1. Don't listen to popular diet myths
With the flow of information in this day and age, we often hear of terms like 'gluten-free', 'juice fasting', and 'low-fat diets' all the time. However, many of these diet ideas may be misleading, contradicting with science and research. Wrong diets can become an especially dangerous trend when employed by popular celebrities. So before you follow any of these diets, research and find what you are trying to get yourself into. Remember, each person is unique and a particular diet would not work the same for everyone.
2. Don't expect a short term commitment
I used to think that going on a 'diet' meant to commit yourself to limited, 'super healthy' foods for a period of time, while cutting out all junks, sugars and fats. Gladly, I now know better; however this seems to still be a popular concept among many. Therefore, the typical pattern I seem to hear is that you 'go on a diet', lose few kilos, eat normal again, and gain back all (or more) weight. If you are one of these people, it's time to change your mentality A.S.A.P.
First of all, this is very unhealthy, because by fixating on limited foods (*cough* like juice fasting *cough*) you are denying yourself of many important nutrients that your body needs to work properly. But equally, this idea of a few weeks or months diet is ineffective, because if you are eating unhealthy regularly, going back to your 'normal' diet means your body is going to go back to the 'pre-diet' state.
Instead aim to improve your 'regular' diet. Don't do anything extreme, just make healthier choices at each meal. Make healthy eating a habit, not a phase.
3. Don't completely deny yourself of cravings
I know I just said that you need long term commitment to healthy diets to see improvements. But don't worry if you think it's impossible. Because this doesn't mean you have to eat completely healthy for the rest of your life.
If you eat healthy on regular basis, occasional treats or 'junks' won't do you that much harm (although it depends on which 'junks' you are referring to). In fact, I recommend you to satisfy your cravings instead of denying yourself of it. Personally, if I have the sudden urge to eat something like a burger, I will just eat one right away and get over that craving. Although it is best if you crave healthy foods, if you have an occasional urge to eat unhealthy, go ahead. As long as you don't make it a habit, it probably can help you make the healthy eating more maintainable.
So ya, these are my tips for today. Although I do not expect any of you to follow everything and do a 180 in your diet, I hope you can implement some of these in your daily lives.
Happy Eating!
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