Managing your diet
When is a diet not a diet? The answer is when it becomes part of your lifestyle. It is a sad fact that the majority of people who follow 'diets' regain all the weight they have lost after a few months. This is because they view the 'diet' as something to do for a short time before resuming their 'normal' habits. The Zotrim Way can help you improve your weight and shape if you adopt it as your 'normal' habit. This makes sense; after all if your 'normal' eating pattern were so great, you would not have put on weight in the first place. Now is the time to make a decision to dump the past and make some lifelong changes to your diet and lifestyle.
This does not mean eating expensive supplements or unusual foods, taking up a new religion or starving yourself. While celebrity diets might promote such stuff, it is really not essential to achieving a healthy weight. The Zotrim Way isn't a calorie-controlled diet but it does aim to reduce your calorie intake and increase your calorie output by suggesting simple changes to your diet and lifestyle. Read on for more details.
Eat less 'High Fat' foods
Despite the publicity about high fat diets, experts agree that the healthiest way to lose weight (and keep if off) is to reduce the amount of fat you eat. Fatty foods have more than twice the calories of high carb foods weight for weight. This means you are more likely to overeat when you have a high fat meal. High fat foods also have a slow effect on our appetite switch so we keep eating them long after we have had enough calories. However, it is not correct to say that all fat is 'bad'. Experts have certainly linked the fat from animal products, e.g. fatty meats and dairy foods, to the risk of developing heart disease. But they have also found benefits from eating the natural fats contained in fish, nuts and vegetables. The overall message is to reduce overall fat in your diet and choose healthy fats.
What are 'High Fat' foods?
These include vegetable oils, lard, butter, margarine (even low fat ones), cheese (except cottage), cream, pastry, sausages, pate, salami, pies, quiche, fried foods, crisps, peanuts, cakes, biscuits, ice-cream, chocolate, mayonnaise, salad dressings, salad cream. When checking over your 7 day diet diary, mark all of these foods (and similar ones not on this list) in red ink.
Eat more 'High Carb' foods
Starchy foods contain less than half the calories of fatty foods and are a valuable source of vitamins and fibre. Some nutritionists believe that fibre can promote weight loss by helping take the edge off our appetite. In studies where overweight people have replaced High Fat foods with High Carb foods, they have lost weight without consciously trying to limit calorie intake.
What are 'High Carb' foods?
High carb foods include bread, potato, rice, pasta, breakfast cereals, cous cous, lentils, peas, beans, fruit and vegetables. When checking over your 7 day diet diary, mark all of these foods (and similar ones not on this list) in green ink.
Some sweet foods, such as preserves, table sugar, fruit bread, tea cakes, fruit gums, fruit pastilles and boiled sweets are also a good source of carbs and can be eaten in moderation. A little sugar added to drinks and high fibre breakfast cereals can make your diet more enjoyable.
Other foods in your diet
Meat, fish, eggs and vegetarian alternatives all contain protein which helps to repair body tissues. Keep fat on these to a minimum by grilling, baking, boiling and poaching instead of frying. Choose lean cuts of meat and remove visible fat. Try to eat fish twice a week, especially oily fish such as salmon, trout, cod, mackerel and sardines. The fat in these types of fish is especially beneficial.
How much is enough?
We all know people who eat more than us and yet remain slim. Each person has a different metabolism and that means we all have individual calorie needs. The best way to check whether you are eating the right amount is to monitor your weight and waist circumference every month. As the Zotrim Way begins to work, these measurements should get smaller. If you are not seeing any reductions after a month or two, you are still eating too much and exercising too little. Using a smaller plate can help you to reduce portion sizes.
