Professional Weight Loss Consultants Offer Tips For Staying Slim

By Liliana Mills


It's well known that most people who lose weight on low calorie or low fat diets gain it back within weeks. This isn't surprising, since it was their normal way of eating that made them gain weight in the first place. To slim down permanently, people need to make healthier food choices. Weight loss consultants recommend these simple changes to help you stay slim without starving yourself.


Fiber is your friend. Studies show that people who eat a high-fiber diet are less likely to be overweight. Foods rich in fiber take longer to chew and digest and will leave you feeling full. The fiber itself is not absorbed by the body. Fruits and vegetables have higher amounts if eaten unpeeled and raw. To get fiber from cereals, breads and pasta, switch to wholegrain.

Start your day with protein. Many people who are dieting eat a breakfast of cereal and skim milk. This can result in a mid-morning drop in blood sugar causing hunger, fatigue and cravings. A much healthier morning meal is based around eggs. A medium egg contains only 85 calories and is a great source of protein and nutrients. A two egg omelet with spinach and mushrooms comes in at under 300 calories.

Avoid battered or breaded foods. Processed battered and breaded meat or fish products are high in unhealthy fats and low in nutrition. The leading brand of chicken burger contains over twice as many calories as a skinless chicken breast and significantly less protein. You can grill or roast a real chicken breast for your sandwich in the same time it takes to heat up a portion of frozen breaded chicken.

Avoid addictive snacks. Foods made up of starch fried in oil and topped with salt are hard to stop eating. It's common for dieters to grab a couple of potato or corn chips and go on to eat the full bag. Starchy snacks that are baked rather than fried have about half the calories. Try wholegrain crackers or pretzels. Or eat roasted, salted nuts for a crunchy snack with protein and fiber.

Eat your fruit whole. Fruit juice is advertised as a healthy, natural drink. In fact, it's not natural to remove the edible skin and pith from fruit and leave only the liquid and sugar. A 12 ounce glass of apple juice contains the same amount of sugar and even more calories than a can of cola. If you eat an unpeeled apple, many of the calories will be burned off as you chew and process the fiber.

Don't be fooled by the low fat label. Companies who make processed diet foods replace the fats with additives, sugars and starches. These ingredients raise your blood sugar, leading to energy dips and hunger. What's more, when you consume more sugars or starches than you immediately need for energy, your body converts them to fat for storage.

Weight loss consultants agree that only permanent changes in the way you eat can help you maintain a healthy weight for life. Anyone who wants to stay slim should avoid fast food, junk food and processed foods and learn to create nutritious, homemade meals using fresh ingredients. Most overweight people should be able to reduce their consumption by about 200 calories a day without feeling hungry.




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