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October 15, 2024
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Avoid Fad Diets: Healthy Weight Loss Tips that Work

(StatePoint) Losing weight to look good may be a great motivator. An even better motivator is to get healthier, as excess fat tissue breeds inflammation, which can contribute to many debili­tating and deadly diseases. And accord­ing to many doctors, even just a modest amount of extra weight can be damag­ing to your health.

When it comes to diets, if you’ve “tried them all” and failed, some experts say that could be part of the problem.

“Most diet books and programs prom­ise a quick fix for weight loss — for exam­ple, avoiding all carbs, eating only raw foods or amping up protein. These fad di­ets show little respect for the fact that a well-balanced, nutritious diet is critical for our bodies to function properly,” warns Dr. Jennifer Sacheck, an associate professor of Nutrition at Tufts University and co-author of the book, “Thinner this Year: A Diet and Exercise Program for Living Strong, Fit, and Sexy.”

In “Thinner this Year,” Sacheck, along with motivational speaker and co-author Chris Crowley, offer a laymen’s explanation of the science of diet and exercise, believ­ing that if people truly understand what’s going on inside their bodies, then they’re more likely to make long-term lifestyle changes.

“You don’t need a fancy gadget and there is no single magic exercise,” says Crowley. “Health and wellness means a serious life­time commitment to good nutrition and plenty of exercise.”

With that in mind, the writing duo is offering some tips for losing weight the healthy way and keeping it off for life:

• Make up your mind. Set your goal and go for it. This will mean embracing chang­es in your habits and routines.

• Exercise for the rest of your life. Stay motivated by keeping things interesting and changing your workout routine peri­odically. Try new exercise classes or sign up for a big race.

“Exercise works like crazy and it chang­es lives. Big time,” says Crowley.

• Eat less and be mindful. Don’t “super-size yourself.” At the same time, don’t skip meals. Doing so can lower your metabo­lism and make you more susceptible to binge eating later.

• Don’t eat “dead food,” — food that is loaded with calories and offers little nutri­tional value. Skip or limit refined flour, re­fined sugar, high fat meat and solid fat. Eat healthy fats in moderation and avoid sat­urated and trans fat. Likewise, don’t drink your calories. Instead, load up on fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low-fat dairy and lean meats.

• Learn more. Truly understand the changes that are taking place inside your body as a result of your hard work, so you can be motivated to keep going.

For more tips on healthy ways to lose weight and keep it off, www.ThinnerThis­Year.com.

Sustainable weight loss is no easy feat, but with motivation, dedication and hard work, you can feel better and live longer.

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