Losing weight and keeping it off is hard. Many diet plans promise quick and easy results, but most don’t encourage permanent healthy lifestyle changes.
Look for a plan that fits with your preferences, lifestyle and weight-loss goals. A registered dietitian can help you narrow down options and choose the right fat loss diet for you.
Choosing the Right Fat Loss Diet for You
The key to choosing the right fat loss diet is to find a plan that you can stick with over the long term. Think about what types of foods you like to eat, how restrictive or flexible your current diet is and what your goals are. Also consider whether you prefer to eat on your own or with others, and if you want to see results quickly or at a more gradual pace. Finally, be sure to consult a registered dietitian and your physician before beginning any new weight loss diet to ensure it’s safe for you.
Ensure that about one-fifth or 20% of your diet consists of healthy fats such as polyunsaturated, monounsaturated and omega-3 fatty acids.
Types of Fats
Fats (also called fatty acids) are an important part of the diet for humans and many animals. They provide insulation, warmth and energy. They also help the body absorb certain vitamins, including vitamins A and D. Fats are divided into two groups: saturated and unsaturated. Both have different effects on health. Traditionally, doctors have advised limiting or avoiding fat to prevent weight gain and health problems like heart disease and diabetes. Today, however, health professionals recommend a balanced diet that includes healthy fats in moderation.
Saturated fats, which are solid at room temperature, are derived from animal products such as meat, butter and lard. They can increase cholesterol levels and clog arteries, which increases your risk for heart disease. You should limit your intake of saturated fats to 10% or less of your total calories.
Unsaturated fats, which are liquid at room temperature, are considered to be “good” fats because they can improve blood cholesterol levels, ease inflammation and stabilize heart rhythms. You can find them in foods such as nuts, seeds and vegetable oils like olive and canola. Polyunsaturated fats are needed for normal body functions but your body can’t make them, so you must get them from food sources such as fish, vegetable oils and flax seeds.
Diets low in saturated and trans fats have been linked to a reduced risk of high blood pressure, heart disease and stroke. When you are replacing saturated and trans fats with the healthier types of fat, it is important to choose a quality product.
Low-Fat Diets
A low-fat diet restricts the overall amount of fat in a person’s daily calories. This approach can be effective for weight loss and may also improve heart health, though this will depend on how many calories a person consumes in total. A person following this type of eating plan should focus on whole grains, fruits and vegetables, lean proteins, healthy fats, and low-fat dairy products.
When selecting foods for a low-fat diet, it is important to look at the nutritional labels on food packaging to ensure that these items are truly low in fat and free from added sugars. A person should also look at the traffic light coding system, which indicates the levels of fat and saturated fat in foods. Foods with a red traffic light should be consumed only occasionally, while foods with a green traffic light can be eaten more often.
A diet that is very low in fat can be difficult to sustain as it limits the satiating effects of some foods. This can lead to overconsumption of other foods, which may increase a person’s overall caloric intake or sugar and carbohydrate levels to unhealthy levels.
A low-fat diet can also result in a lack of some essential micronutrients, such as omega-3 fatty acids. This is because dietary fats are needed to absorb certain vitamins, such as A and D. It is therefore important to supplement a low-fat diet with some fatty fish, avocados, olives, nuts and seeds in order to obtain these essential nutrients. These supplemental fatty foods should be consumed in small portions to help reduce the overall fat content of a person’s diet. This is one of the reasons it is important to consult a dietitian before making any major changes to a diet.
High-Fat Diets
Some proponents of high-fat diets suggest that consuming more fat makes your body burn more calories and lose more weight. This is a myth. While the body does burn more energy from fat than it does from carbohydrates, that doesn’t mean it burns more calories. The net balance of the calories you consume versus the calories you burn determines your overall weight and body composition.
Another claim made by some high-fat diets is that consuming more fat causes you to eat fewer calories per day. While some people do initially eat fewer calories, this is not sustainable in the long term. Studies show that when participants are allowed to eat as much as they want, those who choose a high-fat diet end up consuming more calories than those who follow a medium-fat or low-fat diet.
When choosing a high-fat diet, be sure to choose one that is moderate in calorie density and contains healthy fats such as olive oil and nuts. Also be sure to include nutrient-dense foods such as whole grains, vegetables, fruits and lean proteins. Lastly, be sure to talk to your doctor or registered dietitian before changing your dietary pattern. A dietitian can help you ensure the right balance of nutrients for your unique health needs and goals.
Healthy Fats
Fat was once considered a bad word in nutrition, but doctors now realize that all fats are not equal. In fact, certain fats lower your cholesterol levels and help you lose weight. Healthy fats include unsaturated fats and omega-3 fatty acids. These are liquid at room temperature and can be found in foods such as olive, peanut and canola oils; avocados; nuts and seeds, including flaxseed; and fish.
In addition to providing energy, these healthy fats can also protect you against heart disease by lowering your “bad” cholesterol and decreasing inflammation and blood clot risk. They can also improve your mood and increase your satiety, making you feel full after eating a meal.
Nevertheless, you do need to be careful with the amount of fat you consume because it is high in calories. A gram of fat has 9 calories, whereas a gram of carbohydrate or protein only has 4 calories. Adding too much dietary fat to your diet can cause you to gain weight.
Conclusion
A good way to manage your calorie intake is to choose foods that are low in fat, such as fruits, non-starchy vegetables and broth-based soups. Foods that are rich in healthy fats, such as salmon, nuts, seeds, beans and olive oil can help you maintain a balanced diet.