The No Diet Way to Lose Weight and Keep it off!

Yes, you read it right?no diets!

The first step in this weight management program is to gather all of your old fad diets, quick weight loss remedies, and "magic cures". Once you have them all together in a nice, neat pile- throw them into the trash! One thing we have learned in the last 20-30 years is diets don't work and actually can make things worse. Fad diets may provide short term weight loss but they are generally too difficult to stick with for a lifetime. The majority of people who lose weight on fad diets regain that weight within 3 to 5 years. Over time this yo-yo dieting effect can slow your metabolism, the way our bodies burn the calories from the food that we eat. Most fad diets require you to significantly restrict your caloric intake by limiting or even eliminating specific foods from your diet. They lead you to believe that it is these specific foods that are causing you to gain weight. The fact is; a cookie or a slice of French bread is not responsible for weight gain. It is the total number of calories that you consume in a day compared to the amount of calories you use as energy. The calories you don't use as energy turn into stored fat and over time this translates into more body weight.

Yes, its true consuming excess carbohydrates can result in large insulin spikes and cause you to store fat more readily and stimulate your appetite. However, does this mean that everyone in America is eating too many carbohydrates? Not necessarily. Does this mean we need to completely eliminate all carbohydrates from our diet? Absolutely not. It means we need to learn how to eat the right kind of carbohydrates and the right amount.

It's also true that eating excess fat can make us gain weight because fat carries more calories than protein and carbohydrates, but does this mean that everyone's issue is too much fat? Once again, no. Therefore, we must approach weight management on an individual basis because not everyone is eating too many calories from bread. Just the same, not everyone is consuming too many calories from cookies. We are all individuals and our eating habits are all unique which is why the one size fits all diet plans don't work. The ultimate key to success is balance.

Balance is providing the appropriate amount of calories, nutrients, and (don't forget) enjoyment from our meals. In a balanced diet, there are no perfect days, no foods are omitted, and you don't have to starve yourself. It may simply be that you've been eating too many starchy foods and too little fat. This may have stimulated your appetite and caused you to consume more than your body needs. Or vice versa, it may be that you are consuming too many fats and too little fruits and vegetables which can cause you to have a high calorie level with a fairly small intake of food. Perhaps you've been eating the right balance but with too large of portion sizes. These are the kinds of things that throw us off balance and cause us to consume more calories than we utilize for energy.

Let's take an example

Unbalanced Day
Breakfast: skip (too busy)
Large latte
Snack: chips from vending machine
Lunch: (restaurant) hamburger and large French fries
Dinner: 8 oz steak and 2 cups mashed potatoes
Dessert: large bowl of ice-cream (1-2 cups)

Meal Makeover
Breakfast: bowl of oatmeal with blueberries, 1 cup low fat milk
Snack: apple, 1 oz peanuts
Lunch: (restaurant) turkey sandwich on whole grain bread with a bowl vegetable soup
Dinner: 3 oz steak (size of a deck of cards), 1 cup mashed potatoes, and a large salad w/1 TB vinaigrette dressing
Dessert: small bowl of frozen yogurt or sorbet (1/2- 1 cup)

The original meals were heavy in high fat foods, large in portion sizes, (beef, French fries, chips, and ice-cream) and low in fiber. The balance was off. By making these changes we saved approximately 800 calories while still enjoying steak, mashed potatoes, and dessert! Not to mention you get to eat more when you incorporate more plant based foods since they are much lower in calories. We also improved the nutrient content by adding more fiber/vitamins/minerals/and antioxidants with increased fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.

So, stop fad diets and start balancing your meals for lifelong weight loss. You have nothing to lose but lasting results, improved energy and better health!

? Meri Raffetto, 2004

About The Author

Owner of Real Living Nutrition Services, Meri Raffetto is a Registered Dietitian and a recognized professional in the area of nutrition and wellness. She offers individual nutrition counseling and has developed one of the only non-diet online weight management programs available on the internet. For more information or to sign up for Real Living's free nutrition newsletter, visit http://www.reallivingnutrition.com.

cheap limo service Lombard .. Lockport Chicago limo O’Hare
In The News:

Recent reports show many common passwords can be cracked in literally seconds. Kurt the CyberGuy explains how to strengthen your passwords.
Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.
Iron, a robot that stands 5 feet, 8 inches tall and weighs 154 pounds, combines advanced artificial intelligence with human-like movement and exceptional vision.
Hertz, the rental car giant, recently confirmed that customer information was exposed through a cyberattack on one of its software vendors.
There are a number of features with AirPods you may or may not know about to take your listening experience to the next level. Kurt the CyberGuy explains.
These 35 Chrome extensions have privacy and security concerns. Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson says to delete them now.
Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson says 329,000 mph fusion rocket promises to be fast, disruptive and enable deep-space missions.
Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.
Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson says a new autonomous AI is a game changer that also raises privacy risks. Is your data safe?
Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson says robots and drones are revolutionizing fruit farming with faster picking and smarter handling.
Landmark Admin revises May 2024 cyberattack scope to show twice as many people were affected. Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson gives tips to help stay safe from an insurance data breach.
Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson talks about how Yamaha’s hydrogen outboard motor could revolutionize boating with zero emissions.
Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson reveals how to memorialize or remove a deceased loved one’s Facebook account and protect their digital legacy from misuse or scams.
Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson says an Apple Watch saved psychiatrist Amanda Faulkner by detecting deadly leukemia early.
Scammers and fraudsters are increasingly targeting the most vulnerable, especially nursing homes and the personal data of their residents. Kurt the CyberGuy has safety tips.
Infected USB flash drives can spread malware among multiple organizations in ways that can easily bypass traditional security systems.
With a fully automated warehouse system and AI-powered robots, Ocado's Hive picks, packs and delivers grocery store orders in just a few minutes.
Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.
Recycling robots are using artificial intelligence to learn how to sort recyclables by recognizing patterns in colors, textures, shapes and logos.
The Reachy 2 robot is designed to be friendly and approachable, inviting natural interaction and is perfect for research, education and experimenting with embodied AI.
Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson shares several easy ways to keep your credit cards safe from digital thieves while you're traveling this summer.
Arcturus sets up cameras around the edges of baseball stadiums to capture real-time action and generate a 3D digital clone of the game.
Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.
The CyberGuy explains why healthcare organizations are vulnerable to hackers after there have been a half dozen data breaches this year.
Developed at two California universities, the innovative technology combines brain-computer interfaces with advanced AI to decode neural activity into audible speech.

Why You Should Burn Body Fat

Are you overweight? Then you probably want to lose some... Read More

The Missing Ingredient in Your Diet That is Keeping You Fat and Tired

Whenever I hear someone say they just can't lose weight,... Read More

How to Get Started on Permanent Weight Loss Program

Why We Start Diets on MondayThe biggest problem with any... Read More

Struggling with Weight? ? Get a Dog

Just about every one of us struggles with our weight... Read More

Why Does the Weight Come Back?

Before many Australians recently, a devastating story unfolded on a... Read More

Fitness through Exercise for Life ? Principles that Keep You Going for Life!

ATTITUDESIT'S NOT ABOUT YOU!Exercising has so many physical benefits that... Read More

Is Zone Diet a Fad?

Is Zone Diet a Fad?How do you recognize a fad... Read More

For Effective Weight Loss - Curb Hunger And Avoid The Binge

Curb Hunger and Avoid The Costly BingeEveryone's been there -... Read More

How I Lost 51 Pounds In 4 Months Using The Simplest Diet Plan In The World

Like many people I've been on dozens of diet plans... Read More

Eat Fat to Burn Fat

For about 50 years now, Americans have been eating low... Read More

Close Kept Secrets to Weight Loss Lesson #14

You know what is so amazing? We get to keep... Read More

Obesity and Weight Loss Surgery

Let's face facts; obesity is ripe today in America and... Read More

The Evil of Carbohydrates (?)

In recent years, carbohydrates have been labeled as the nutrition... Read More

Questioning Cardio for Weight Loss?

Q: I've heard you mention that you don't need tons... Read More

Protein - Its Place In Your Weight Loss Program

Any food that we take into our bodies is composed... Read More

QuickTips for Healthy Weight Loss

More than any other time in history, people are all... Read More

The Simplest Diet Plan Ever - 3 Easy Steps to Healthy Living

You've heard the popular advice on weight loss diets. Cut... Read More

Dieting to Death

It has been 15 years since I was diagnosed with... Read More

The Top Ten Things You Dont Want to Hear About Losing Weight

(But What You Need to Know if You Want to... Read More

Forget All About That Calorie Counting Crap And Learn How To Lose Some Weight!

That's a pretty "in your face" statement, but really it's... Read More

The Scottish Diet

(Ailsa's Apple Crumble Diet)I'm Scottish, so it's not a big... Read More

Eat What You Like and Still Lose Weight

Did you say there's a way I can eat what... Read More

Weight Loss Success with the South Beach Diet

The South Beach Diet was not created by your typical... Read More

A Startling Fact About Losing Dangerous Belly Fat -- Without Exercise

The story broke in the international press on October 4th,... Read More

Do You Really Want To Stop Smoking? Or Do You Use The Weight Gain Excuse?

I do not smoke, never have, and admit to being... Read More

limo O'Hare Glen Ellyn ..