{"id":45375,"date":"2015-11-11T07:15:59","date_gmt":"2015-11-11T12:15:59","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/?p=45375"},"modified":"2021-11-18T10:36:31","modified_gmt":"2021-11-18T15:36:31","slug":"healthy-weight-loss-secrets","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/health\/healthy-weight-loss-secrets\/","title":{"rendered":"Guilty of Speed Dieting? 4 Tips for Healthy Weight Loss"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Guilty
Photo: Pond5<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

If there\u2019s one thing more difficult than dating, it\u2019s dieting. Whether you\u2019ve hit a weight loss plateau<\/a>, regained previously shed pounds or just want to lose a few, you\u2019ve decided you\u2019re going to (finally) revamp your diet. But now what? Should you go vegan<\/a>\u2026try the military diet<\/a>\u2026or maybe eat according to your blood type? The options are endless \u2014\u00a0and there aren\u2019t any apps that allow you to swipe your way to a perfect match.<\/p>\n

Just like how long-term relationship success lies in finding the right person for you, the secret sauce for lasting weight loss lies in identifying a diet that works for you. But with so many options available (case in point, all of these<\/a>), it can be time-consuming and downright frustrating to figure it out. It may be tempting to \u201cspeed date\u201d your way through a bunch of different diets (after all, just like in dating, everyone\u2019s preferences are different). But \u201cdieting around\u201d might not be the best way to go. Here\u2019s how to find the right plan for you.<\/p>\n

RELATED:<\/strong> I\u2019m Exercising More \u00ad\u2014 So Why Am I Gaining Weight?<\/a><\/p>\n

How to Meet Your Perfect (Weight Loss) Match<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Let\u2019s face it: You can\u2019t force yourself to commit to a diet that doesn\u2019t fit your lifestyle. (Just like you couldn\u2019t will yourself to get butterflies for a person who isn\u2019t your type.) Experts agree that if you want to lose weight, you have to experiment. \u201cSome of my patients don\u2019t cook anything while others want to cook everything organic. Trying to get either of them to become the other isn\u2019t realistic,\u201d says Dr. Caroline Cederquist, MD, weight management specialist and founder of bistroMD<\/a>. \u201cGetting to what works for an individual \u2014 that\u2019s key.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnyone can lose weight in the short-term… But what can help you keep that weight off?”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

With the variety of diets out there, there\u2019s bound to be one that fits you and makes the pounds melt off. It\u2019s just a matter of shifting through the various options, right? Not quite. While you might be able to nix a date after one whiff of bad breath, you can\u2019t make quick decisions about diets. It requires a fair amount of time and work, as well as trial and error. \u201cIt takes a couple of weeks before you see changes,\u201d says Dr. Cederquist. \u201cAnd it can be fluid changes. You might feel great one week and your weight might be up another week.\u201d<\/p>\n

Unlike last week\u2019s crazy blind date, you\u2019ll want to stick with your new healthy habits for at least a month to evaluate their effects on your energy level<\/a>, mental clarity, sleep, weight and other markers of well-being. Set a few specific, realistic goals, then, evaluate your progress \u2014 and whether you were consistent with your new behavior. (You gotta be honest: Did you really get more exercise and sleep<\/a>, in addition to improving your eating habits?)<\/p>\n

Scoring a diet that works for you isn\u2019t as simple as swiping left or right on Tinder. But asking yourself these four questions, recommended by Cederquist and\u00a0Caroline Kaufman<\/a>, MS, RDN, might help you meet your fat-melting match a little faster.<\/p>\n

RELATED:<\/strong> The Truth About How to Lose Belly Fat<\/a><\/p>\n

4 Questions to Ask Yourself Before Committing to a Diet<\/strong><\/h3>\n

1. What\u2019s my cooking style?
\n<\/strong>To cook or not to cook \u2013 that is the question. As you begin to tweak your diet to find what works for you, one of the biggest questions revolves around your cooking style. Do you even like cooking? How much time do you devote to meal preparation tactics like these<\/a>? Do you like to eat out? Are you responsible for preparing meals for others?<\/p>\n

Coming to a better understanding of what you do (and don\u2019t) like about cooking and meal prep will help you hone in on what will succeed in your household. For example, if you only prepare meals in a microwave, the diet that calls for elaborate, homemade organic meals probably won\u2019t last more than a day.<\/p>\n

RELATED:<\/strong> 21 Meal Prep Pics from the Healthiest People on Instagram<\/a><\/p>\n

2. What are my eating patterns?
\n<\/strong>Do you need <\/em>three meals a day? Or are you a grazer and perpetual late-night snacker<\/a>? Pinpointing your eating style will help you identify any obstacles that may be getting in your way of losing weight. Knowing your food patterns can help you find a plan that can address those specific challenges and help you establish healthy eating habits so you\u2019re successful in the long-term.<\/p>\n

3. Does the plan provide enough protein?
\n<\/strong>While it might be tempting to replace all your meals with salad or green juice, that might not be the most sustainable way to lose weight. After all, our bodies need protein to build and maintain muscle<\/a>. Not only that, a protein-rich diet can also help curb your appetite and keep the weight off. When you\u2019re trying a new diet, make sure you\u2019re eating enough protein throughout the day to avoid losing muscle mass, which can decrease your metabolism, according to Dr. Cederquist and Kaufman. (Here\u2019s what 25 grams of protein looks like<\/a>.)<\/p>\n

RELATED:<\/strong> 15 Quick and Easy High-Protein Snacks<\/a><\/p>\n

4. Are the promised results reasonable?
\n<\/strong>Much like online dating prospects, if a diet seems too good to be true…it\u00a0might be. How much weight does the diet claim you\u2019ll lose? If you\u2019re hearing claims that you\u2019ll shed 40 pounds in 40 days, or something equally absurd, you might want to steer clear. Both Dr. Cederquist and Kaufman caution that many fad weight loss plans promise results that aren\u2019t attainable and aren\u2019t based on sound nutritional science.<\/p>\n

Be sure to watch for plans that are overly restrictive, require combining (or not combining) foods in a highly specific way, or rely on pills or one particular type of food, like grapefruits or cabbage. Verify the source of any research cited, too. Was it published in a reputable, peer-reviewed journal? Kaufman also advises checking to see if the plan teaches you about long-term weight maintenance. With prescribed eating plans and lists of what you should and shouldn\u2019t eat, many diet plans don\u2019t teach you how to make healthy choices in the real world.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnyone can lose weight in the short-term, whether it\u2019s a cookie bar diet, a juice cleanse<\/a> or a high-protein, low-carb fest,\u201d says Kaufman. \u201cBut what can help you keep that weight off? That\u2019s the only diet you really want to find. And it\u2019s not going to be a diet at all. It\u2019s got to be a lifestyle change.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Wish finding the perfect diet was as simple as swiping left or right? Here\u2019s why speed dieting your way through weight loss plans isn\u2019t the way to go \u2014 and what to do instead. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":41,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[23,7,18],"tags":[41,51,341,343,285],"class_list":["post-45375","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-diet-nutrition","category-health","category-weight-loss","tag-diets","tag-food-choices","tag-tax1living-well","tag-tax2exercise","tag-weight-loss"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/45375","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/41"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=45375"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/45375\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=45375"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=45375"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=45375"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}