The holiday season is synonymous with excess of all kinds: we eat more, we drink more, after all it's like a vacation! Then comes the observation that we should lose a little weight…
Which diet to choose?
There are a host of diets, and over the years and fashions, these change. We cut carbohydrates, we attack gluten. High-protein diet, Weight Watchers diet, with substitutes… Exclusion diet, hypocaloric, dissociated… Cabbage soup diet or Hollywood diet? In this ocean of promises, which diet to choose?
Let it be said, a diet is never very pleasant and we all want to have a quick result. The problem is that a good diet should only make you lose 1 to 2 pounds per week: no, that's not what you can call a miracle result! Indeed, rapid weight loss, such as that promised by restrictive diets, is generally explained by dehydration and a loss of lean body mass (muscle) rather than fat. When deprived of food, the body adjusts and adopts an "energy saving" mode of functioning and it lowers its basic metabolism.
Food restriction, such asproposed by several miracle diets, therefore causes a reduction in metabolism. In addition, deprivation is highly likely to lead to frustration, which can lead, in the short or medium term, to the return of bad eating habits. However, since the body's metabolism is slowed down, the calories ingested are greater than the energy expenditure, which is reduced. Inevitably, this results in a resumption of lost pounds and, often, more. This charming phenomenon is called “the yo-yo effect”.
The dangers of diets
But that's not all: in fact, in addition to being difficult, unpleasant and, most of the time, ineffective, restrictive diets have certain dangers. To function well, the body needs energy, vitamins and minerals and these are obviously provided by the foods we eat. So, by depriving ourselves of food in this way, we expose ourselves to various he alth problems, such as vitamin and mineral deficiencies, which lead to dehydration, fatigue, difficulty concentrating, digestive disorders. Deprivation can also lead to hormonal disruption.
- By depriving oneself, a person comes to develop a negative relationship with food, which is paradoxical, since no one can function without eating.
- In some cases, food becomes an obsession, which can lead to the development of eating disorders (anorexia, bulimia, compulsionsfood).
- Furthermore, diets cause you to lose touch with the body's natural signals of hunger and fullness, such as gurgling or a feeling of emptiness in your stomach. The same goes for the feeling of fullness after a meal. Thus, by relying only on diets to determine the quantities of food to eat, it becomes very difficult to know if you have eaten too much or enough to meet the needs of your body.
- Above all, we too often forget that the (very) numerous failures encountered by people who follow diets lead to a deterioration in self-esteem.
Changing our lifestyle habits
Assuming that restrictive diets don't work, what should be done? All he alth professionals agree: if you want to lose weight, and maintain a he althy weight afterwards, the only way to do it is to change your lifestyle. The most important rule is to eat only when you are hungry and to stop eating when you are full. Thus, a good diet should take into account the concept of energy density, allowing you to lose weight without feeling tired or very hungry. You shouldn't have to over-control what you eat, no need to spend your time counting calories. The ultimate goal is to manage to stop eating quite naturally, because you are no longer hungry, without having the impression ofdeprive you.
What to eat?
The best way to lose weight – and maintain a he althy weight – is to increase your intake of satiating foods, according to the concept of energy density. What it means? Choose foods that contain a small amount of calories relative to their volume, such as fruits, vegetables, whole grain cereal products and legumes. Since they are rich in fiber, water and nutrients, these foods take up more space in the stomach and thus contribute to the feeling of satiety.
Thus, we favor fruits, vegetables, fat-free and sugar-free yogurts, broth-based soups, shrimp, tuna, turkey… And we limit (which does not mean eliminate) crackers, croissants, chips, peanut butter…
Since they provide the highest number of calories per gram (9 compared to 4 for protein and carbohydrates) and are less satiating than protein, we limit fat. On the nutrition label, fat is indicated by the term "lipid", and if the % Daily Value does not exceed 5%, it is a "low fat" food. Also, focus on protein, which should make up at least 20% of your daily calories.
The same goes for dietary fiber, which reduces appetite and promotes calorie control. You should eat 25 to 35 grams of fiber per day, which, depending onconsuming your daily 7-8 servings of fruits and vegetables is easy to achieve. Of course, you should always stay well hydrated. In addition to filling the stomach when false hunger takes hold of us, liquids promote cleansing of the body. The evening meal should also be the lightest (30% of the day's calories).
Diets: all bad?
Diets are not all bad: it is important to stay away from restrictive diets. The important thing is to eat well, without depriving yourself. And, of course, he althy eating habits go hand in hand with physical activity. Miracle diets, which will allow you to lose a lot of weight, quickly, while sitting in front of the television, unfortunately do not exist.
To find out if your weight loss method makes sense, the ÉquiLibre organization, as well as Extenso, the nutrition reference center of the 'University of Montreal, have both developed an evaluation grid. The questions are simple and will help you know if your diet is he althy or not.
