TED Video - Dr. Wendy Pogozelski speaks about how knowledge is power in nutrition.
Everywhere you turn, there’s a different diet book or plan promising you’ll lose weight fast. But what works? Well, some experts from Prevention.com provided the following tips.
DON’T FOCUS JUST ON CARBS
1 “Cutting carbs can lead to weight loss, but only if it results in an overall calorie deficit,” says Georgie Fear, nutrition coach and author of “Lean Habits for Lifelong Weight Loss.”
“If you cut out all carbs but add lots of oil and nuts in their place, you might not lose weight because you aren’t reducing overall calories.”
Instead of demonizing or glorifying one single nutrient, try to reduce the overall number of calories you take in.
SKIP THE SCALE
2 “One of my top tips is to avoid the scale and instead use your pants as a guide to your weight,” says Jessica Levinson, nutritional counselor and consultant at Nutritioulicious.
“The number on the scale can be an important measurement for health, but it can fluctuate based on so many different factors, like time of day, fluid intake, and exercise. How our clothes fit often tells a more accurate story.” If it’s tough to button your jeans, then it’s time to take a look at your food intake.
3. Here’s a shocker: If you’re not taking the time actually to pay attention to what you eat, you’ll never lose weight. In other words, mindlessly shoveling food down your gullet while you check e-mail or watch TV will likely cause you to overeat.
Instead, give your food your full attention, says Mitzi Dulan, nutritionist for the Kansas City Royals and author of The Pinterest Diet.
Research shows that people who eat their food mindfully are 34 percent less likely to be obese than people who don’t. How can you become more mindful at mealtimes? “Only eat at the kitchen table,” Dulan says.