Nutrition Q&A: The Best Diet?
Hello and welcome back!
We wish we had a magical know-how. If there was a diet that allowed us to maintain our weight even when eating tons of food, we would all be aware of that diet and would all be slim! However, balance is key and there's a more practical way to approach this:
First and foremost, research has indicated that skipping breakfast can derail weight-loss progress. On the other hand, those who eat breakfast with some fiber tend to weight less and keep the weight off relative to those who skip out. This is because starting the day with a wholesome breakfast kick starts your metabolism and keeps you satiated throughout the morning. Moreover, you are less likely to have unplanned snacking and grazing later in the day or at night.
It is a great idea to also plan what you are going to eat so you have control over what you want to consume. Aim for homemade meals and snacks using whole food ingredients. Eating out is not necessarily bad, but you have less control of any added oils, sugars, and refined ingredients that have more hidden calories compared to when you make the food yourself at home. If you eat a lot of calories, it won't directly lead to weight gain. Keep in mind that it requires 3,500 calories to gain a pound of weight and you can manage this through leading a balanced lifestyle. In this way, weighing and measuring yourself should not be the sole focus. Although it is tempting to count calories and numbers alike, this can cause an unhealthy relationship with food to develop.
Instead, I propose that you approach your diet from a more holistic viewpoint. In other words, what is the difference between a diet and a lifestyle? A diet, like the ketogenic or paleo diet all involve mechanisms of calorie restriction. The problem with this is that calorie restriction overtime slows the metabolism, leaving your mind and body both deprived. This is the leading reason dieting is simply ineffective. Approaching weight maintenance from a long-term perspective allows you to make smarter choices overtime and consider other factors that may impact your health. For example, drinking enough water, getting enough sleep, not using substances or weight-loss gimmicks and maintaining a positive mindset. Studies have indicated that stress increasing cortisol levels, which for some people can actually cause weight gain.
All in all, having breakfast, controlling where your food comes from, minding your hydration, sleep, and emotional state will all help you achieve a healthy lifestyle and therefore a healthy body.
Hungry for more? Check out this Pick Up Limes video on Youtube with Sadia, a Registered Dietitian. Don't be afraid to seek out a coach or nutritionist if you feel that you need more guidance as well!
I hope that helps, and know that you're not alone!
Today's Nutrition Q&A is going to address one of the feedback responses I received on my Nutrition Literacy & Awareness survey. If you haven't filled it out already, all the answers are 100% confidential and will be used to develop my nutritional education curriculum through my university, as well fuel future blog content where I answer these questions. The survey link can be found here.
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| Here's a fun pic of me with some yummy artichokes (peep the doggy!) |
A little about me before we dive in: I am an undergraduate student at UC Santa Barbara and currently work as a Food, Nutrition, and Basic Skills intern at my school's department of Health & Wellness. I'm currently taking a course on basic nutrition, and I love to study nutrition on my free time! So although I am not a registered dietitian, my goal is to become one through taking an MS didactic program in nutrition.
Without further adieu, here is what I asked on the survey:
What is something related to nutrition that you wish you knew more about?
Respondent answer:
"best diet to keep weight off and not be able to gain when eating a lot of calories"
We wish we had a magical know-how. If there was a diet that allowed us to maintain our weight even when eating tons of food, we would all be aware of that diet and would all be slim! However, balance is key and there's a more practical way to approach this:
First and foremost, research has indicated that skipping breakfast can derail weight-loss progress. On the other hand, those who eat breakfast with some fiber tend to weight less and keep the weight off relative to those who skip out. This is because starting the day with a wholesome breakfast kick starts your metabolism and keeps you satiated throughout the morning. Moreover, you are less likely to have unplanned snacking and grazing later in the day or at night.
It is a great idea to also plan what you are going to eat so you have control over what you want to consume. Aim for homemade meals and snacks using whole food ingredients. Eating out is not necessarily bad, but you have less control of any added oils, sugars, and refined ingredients that have more hidden calories compared to when you make the food yourself at home. If you eat a lot of calories, it won't directly lead to weight gain. Keep in mind that it requires 3,500 calories to gain a pound of weight and you can manage this through leading a balanced lifestyle. In this way, weighing and measuring yourself should not be the sole focus. Although it is tempting to count calories and numbers alike, this can cause an unhealthy relationship with food to develop.
 |
| A homemade Halloween treat: Pitted dates, nut butter, nuts, & cocoa powder |
Instead, I propose that you approach your diet from a more holistic viewpoint. In other words, what is the difference between a diet and a lifestyle? A diet, like the ketogenic or paleo diet all involve mechanisms of calorie restriction. The problem with this is that calorie restriction overtime slows the metabolism, leaving your mind and body both deprived. This is the leading reason dieting is simply ineffective. Approaching weight maintenance from a long-term perspective allows you to make smarter choices overtime and consider other factors that may impact your health. For example, drinking enough water, getting enough sleep, not using substances or weight-loss gimmicks and maintaining a positive mindset. Studies have indicated that stress increasing cortisol levels, which for some people can actually cause weight gain.
All in all, having breakfast, controlling where your food comes from, minding your hydration, sleep, and emotional state will all help you achieve a healthy lifestyle and therefore a healthy body.
Hungry for more? Check out this Pick Up Limes video on Youtube with Sadia, a Registered Dietitian. Don't be afraid to seek out a coach or nutritionist if you feel that you need more guidance as well!
I hope that helps, and know that you're not alone!
Best of luck,
Madi <3
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