Have you ever wondered why you seem to be putting on weight even though you’ve done everything in your part to prevent it?
From different types of diets to avoiding your favorite food, it just never works!
And then there are those of you who have just begun to explore the journey of losing weight and are still uncertain as to what to do and what not to do.
If you belong to one of these categories, then take note!
Losing all that weight would be much easier once you know the fundamentals that work behind it.
Knowing what really goes on in your body and how each element plays its own part will give you much needed insight as to how to lose weight while staying healthy.
After all, the secret to understanding weight loss is understanding what you eat!
There are 3 major elements to every meal you consume. These consist of Carbohydrates, proteins and fats, and are called the “Macronutrients”.
- Proteins: These are the builders of your system that help in the functioning and building of muscles and ligaments.
- Carbohydrates: Of all the food we eat, our main source of energy comes from Carbohydrates.
- Fats: The fat cells in our bodies play the role of storage units for the carbohydrates.
As soon as you read the word ‘fats’, you immediately assume that they are the culprits of your weight gain.
And of course the immediate remedy you think up of to cut down the fats is dieting.
But here is where you go wrong.
So where does the fat come from and how does the body store it?
The quandary arises not because of an accumulation of fats, but in fact the Carbohydrates.
Carbohydrates are digested as glucose (a form of sugar) and then later converted into energy.
When you have a meal that contains a large amount of carbs, your blood sugar level rise due to the amount of glucose present.
This is where Insulin plays its primary role.
Insulin is a hormone secreted by the pancreas. It allows your body to use the sugar (glucose) from the carbohydrates in the food for energy.
But if we have more sugar (glucose) in blood, than we require, then Insulin helps store the excess sugar in the form of fats.
The excess storage of this fat can ultimately lead to weight gain and the inability to lose weight.
The bottom-line –
1. Carbs get stored as fat.
2. If you keep blood sugar level in control, you can prevent your body from storing fat.
So how do you prevent yourself from consuming large amounts of Carbohydrates?
How about changing your lifestyle just a tiny bit?
Changing a few eating habits so that you eat healthy and have a fulfilling life ahead.
Try having Proteins, Carbs and Fats in a 30:40:30 ratio!
This means that 30% of your overall calories should come from proteins, another 30% from fats and remaining from carbs. Straying away from this will disrupt the balance and could result in weight fluctuations.
It is actually very simple to follow. During each meal you have, mentally divide your plate into three equal sections.
On one-third of the plate you place some low-fat protein (like any meat or vegetarian items like cottage cheese or any type of beans). This should not exceed more than a handful.
The next two-thirds of the plate should be filled with carbohydrates consisting of non-starchy and non-sweet vegetables and fruits.
Finally add a pinch of healthy fat to the meal. Healthy fats include oil (olive oil or fish oil), nuts and butter.
These meals should be taken at appropriate times as, the time of when you consume your food has a great impact on weight gain or loss.
Eat five times a day to create a sense of fullness that prevents overeating. Apart from your Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner, have healthy snacks twice a day.
This lifestyle change is sure to show results while keeping a healthy balance between the proteins, carbs and fats ensuring that you don’t consume too many carbs, the culprit behind your belly fat.
Seems simple enough, doesn’t it?
Though it sounds easy, it can get quite challenging.
There is still so much to know about the food you eat and how it relates to your weight. From calorie intake and meal timings to dieting and gradual weight loss, everything will aid in finally understanding the secret to losing weight.
But all that is for another article (on the way)…
Until then, stay healthy, think healthy and feel FIT!
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