Losing five kilos in a week, miracle pills for weight loss – these are the promises of ever-new diets that claim sensational results. But once you take a closer look behind the nutrition plans, it quickly becomes clear that these are often tips that do more harm than good to your health. Calorie intake is often restricted so massively that the supply of vital vitamins and minerals falls short. Eating very little is also not a good idea for another reason: it leads to the dreaded yo-yo effect.
Avoid the yo-yo effect
Many are familiar with the yo-yo toy from childhood. Two discs roll up and down on a string over and over again. The same happens to those who want to lose weight and suffer from the so-called yo-yo effect. Thanks to an often drastic reduction in calories, they lose weight quickly, but if they eat as usual after the diet, their weight rises rapidly. The culprit is the body's natural defense mechanism, which reduced the metabolism during times of famine so that one could survive even in emergency situations. Although hardly anyone can imagine this today, it was not always a matter of course that food was available in abundance as it is today. If you want to bypass this natural mechanism, you should only reduce your energy intake by 400 to 600 calories.
The following tips help to prevent the yo-yo effect:
- Eat regularly
- Do not restrict calorie intake too drastically
- Get enough exercise
- Eat more protein to prevent muscle loss
- Drink enough
Changing your diet makes the pounds melt away
In the long run, you won't get far with a radical diet, so the question arises: what else helps? Experts agree that weight can only be regulated permanently with a long-term change in diet. Does that mean you have to be on a diet for the rest of your life? No, certainly not. Anyone who eats a predominantly healthy diet can certainly indulge in a piece of cake or an ice cream on special occasions. But especially in the initial phase, you should stick strictly to the generally accepted recommendations for a balanced diet. Those who overdo it at the beginning are more likely to deviate from their good intentions. Anyone who is severely overweight should have a comprehensive examination at the beginning. This includes, among other things, a blood test that reveals nutrient deficiencies. It is also worth keeping a detailed food diary for a week. However, you should be honest and not leave out the piece of chocolate you had in between. The records make it clear how much you actually eat in between.
In the next step, it is determined where there is potential for improvement. As a rule, the average citizen eats too little fruit and vegetables. Five portions of these healthy vitamin bombs are definitely recommended. Once a day, you can replace one portion with a smoothie. It is important that it is prepared as freshly as possible and contains no sugar. Sugar is one of the foods that should be removed from your diet as much as possible.
Anyone interested in healthy eating has long since gotten into the habit of reading product descriptions carefully. All ingredients are listed there. It is surprising how much sugar is added to many products. Processed products, pickled vegetables, mustard, and ketchup, for example, contain a lot of it. Another important point concerns meat consumption. For most people, this is significantly too high. If you do enjoy a meat dish, it is best to choose lean varieties like turkey or chicken. You can safely cover your protein requirements with dairy and soy products as well as legumes.
Is healthy eating expensive?
Many people fear that they will have to dig deep into their pockets as part of a change in diet. However, this concern is unfounded. It is worth taking a regular look at the advertising and finding out from leaflets which items are currently on sale. There are often discounts on organic food, fruit, vegetables, or other product groups. In addition, stickers can often be found in the mailbox that you can stick on preferred products in the supermarket to get a reduction. You don't necessarily have to look through all the mail. Thanks to Rabatt Kompass, there is a practical platform on the Internet where the leaflets of all supermarkets, drugstores, and many other shops are published. In no time at all, you can find the right shop thanks to the practical search window. The platform also scores with a regional search.
If you shop wisely, you can also save a lot on healthy food. Especially if you think about the right way to stock up. Far too much food is thrown away. Even if the low prices are very attractive, it is best to buy only as much as you can actually use up. Even expired products are usually still suitable for consumption because the printed date is a best-before date. If you look at food carefully, smell it, and taste it, you will realize that many products still taste good days later.
