Yesterday, while attending DS's Karate class, I picked up a Women's Health Magazine that the dojo subscribes to and read the following article (paraphrased):
The Laws of Lasting Weight Loss
http://www.womenshealthmag.com/artic...-435-1,00.html
Law # 1: Carbs don't matter. Calories do.
Every diet involves fewer calories than your body needs to maintain your weight. Set a daily calorie limit by ballparking the number of calories you need to maintain your current weight, then decide how many calories to cut in order to lose (suggest 500 calories per day to lose 1 pound per week). The optimal balance of calories is 35-50% carbs, 25-35% fat and 25-30% protein (per the ADA).
Law #2: Don't crash diet.
Crash dieting can lead to late night fridge raids as your body thinks you are starving. Aim high and go slow. To keep muscle, don't try to lose more than a pound per week, but go ahead and buy that size 6 dress, even if it may hang in your closet for 5 months--it is a powerful incentive.
Law #3: Focus on food over exercise.
Working out is essential to fitness and feeling good, but it is not the highway to fat loss. Exercise does not give you the liberty to eat whatever you want and expect to still lose weight. Do a little every day. Eating less is easier than trying to jog off extra calories, but don't cancel your gym membership. Physical activity along with diet can ensure that most of your loss comes from fat rather than muscle.
Law #4: Pump up the volume.
Fiber is a dieter's best friend. A cup of strawberries has the same calories as a small cookie and is far more satisfying. People who eat high fiber foods generally eat 30% fewer calories and don't feel hungry or less full. Stock up on soup and grains. Start your meal with a big bowl of broth based soup or a large green salad. Eat lots of fiber-rich whole grain foods.
Law #5: Consistency rules.
Roughly 10% of your calories are used to fuel digestion, so eating more often will help keep your metabolism going strong. Standardize your eating habits. Regardless of how often you eat, do it the same every day. Inconsistent eating habits don't seem to keep the metabolism going as strong. High protein diets do stave off hunger symptoms longer.
Law #6: Just eat.
Don't multitask while eating.
Law #7: A serving is smaller than you think.
Accept that restaurant servings are huge and that eating even 75% of most restaurant meals is more than a serving. Play mind games. Tell yourself that your Chinese takeout is two meals, not one; serve yourself on smaller plates.
Law #8: Practice strategic replacement.
People who use meal replacements typically lose nearly twice as much as those on a low-calorie diet and they stick to their diet twice as long. The serving size is pre-established so there is no over eating. Substitute wisely. Lean Cuisine 7 days a week or a Slim Fast every morning is not necessarily the best route, but when faced between a stop at a burger joint or donut shop, it is a better alternative.
Law #9: Diet for life.
Your work isn't finished when you reach your dream weight. Exercise is the key to keeping the weight off because the less you weigh, the less you need to eat to maintain your weight. Combine both cardio and weight lifting for weight maintenance, and doing cardio first tends to burn a few more calories allowing you to eat a little more.
While none of this is new (and some of us might disagree with certain points), it might help a few of us who are just starting out on the maintenance track. Having it all together as a quick reference might be helpful also.
