What Should a Diet Plan for Quick Weight Loss Really Look Like?
If you were to poll people on what is the best diet for weight loss, you’ll hear lots of answers, such as:
- A diet that has no fat in it
- A low-carbohydrate or no carbohydrate diet
- A diet that is very low in calories
- A diet where you eat sparingly, maybe once a day
The truth is, all these are flat out wrong and following any one of them for any length of time can be a recipe for disaster. Let’s take a quick look at each to see what I mean by disaster.
The “low-carb/no carb” diet
Loss of calcium (bad for bones and teeth!)
Feeling fatigued
Digestive problems (such as nausea and constipation)
Lack of focus and concentration
An increased risk for high cholesterol (and heart disease)
The “no fat” diet
Fat-soluble vitamins aren’t absorbed properly (vitamin deficiencies)
Negative moods (such as depression)
Cancer risks are increased (such as for colon, prostate and breast cancers)
Good cholesterol levels decrease (increased risk of heart disease)
Very high carbohydrate intake instead (increased risk of type II diabetes)
Overeating (healthy fats are satiating)
Nutrient imbalances (too much carbs or too much protein)
The “very low calorie” diet and “eat sparingly/once a day” diet
This diet is very hard/impossible to stay on
A slowed metabolism (easier to pack on weight after the diet)
Gallstones (risk is much higher after the diet)
Heart problems (heart is damaged due to lack of nutrition)
Hormone imbalances (such as a reduction in Testosterone in males)
A greatly reduced libido (in many cases, the sexual drive is non-existent)
Mood swings (quick to anger and/or depression
A lowered/compromised immune system (more infections/sickness)
Principles of a Smart Diet Plan for Quick Weight Loss
So what makes up the staples of a smart diet plan or smart “nutrition lifestyle” as I like to call it, when it comes to rapid weight loss. If you want to shed fat and have a body that is strong, lean and healthy that diet will have you:
- Eating breakfast
- Drinking plenty of water
- Eating high quality proteins
- Eating Good Carbohydrates and Good Fats
- Eating whole foods and NOT processed foods
Let’s delve into each with a little more detail.
Eating Breakfast: Important Part of A Diet Plan for Quick Weight Loss
We’ve all heard that:
“Breakfast is the most important meal of the day!”
Have you ever stopped to consider why? Well, breakfast is meant to break your body’s fast after sleeping/going through the night without food. If you eat the right foods, it will kick-start your metabolism for the day. You’ll have more energy for the day’s tasks and you’ll be more focused. There are also many studies that show eating a nutritious breakfast will reduce the risks of chronic disease and you’ll enjoy more longevity. According to the “National Health Service” (NHS), that eating breakfast on a regular basis will make you less likely to be overweight. So the benefits of breakfast are many:
- A faster metabolism (more calories burned, faster weight-loss)
- A better attention span
- More energy and productivity
- More longevity
- Less chronic disease
Drinking Lots of Water: Important Part of A Diet Plan for Quick Weight Loss
Water is probably the most important nutrient required by our body! In fact, our body is made up of more than 60% water. Water affects every system in our body. It helps keep our body’s temperature regulated. Water helps protect our vital organs. It aids on converting the food we eat into energy. Water, or our “life fluid” as I like to think about it, carries nutrients and oxygen to every cell that is in our body. The cushions in our joints are largely made up of water. Our blood is over 90% water and even our brains are about 80% water. Water really is so important to our body that I recommend it as the beverage of choice on any diet where you want rapid weight-loss and efficient fat burning.
Water helps with weight-loss by:
- Helping you feel satiated (less calories consumption)
- Helps remove waste from the body
- Keeps our kidney and liver functioning properly (efficient fat removal)
- Keeps us hydrated (less water retention which means leaner vs bloated)
I highly recommend at least eight or more glasses (better) of water each day.
Eating Quality Proteins: Important Part of A Diet Plan for Quick Weight Loss
Having adequate protein in our diet is important for several reasons. Protein, first and foremost, helps your body maintain, build and repair your body’s muscles. This is especially important if you live a very active lifestyle, exercise or lift weights. Protein also helps give us a full feeling, which should help prevent us from over-eating. This means less consumption of foods that are low in nutrition but high in calories. The best protein foods are known as “complete proteins” because they have all the amino acids needed by our body for muscle and tissue repair. My favorite high-quality protein foods are:
Eggs – easy to prepare, inexpensive and high in vitamins and minerals
Fish – also a good source of Omega 3 fatty acids and good fats! My favorites are tuna, salmon and trout.
Chicken – high protein and low fat but must be without the skin and not fried
Beans – a super carbohydrate source but also has a protein and high in fiber
Low Fat Dairy – widely available and inexpensive. Some good ones are yogurt, low-fat milk and cottage cheese. Yogurt is a good source of pro-biotics to boot!
Lean Red Meat – terrific high protein food but higher in saturated fat. Keep consumption of lean red meat to a few times a week. It is also a good source of vitamins and minerals, especially B vitamins.
Aim for at least 1 gram of protein per pound of bodyweight each day. So if you weight 150 pounds, consume at least 150 grams of protein each day.
Good Carbs and Fats: Important Part of A Diet Plan for Quick Weight Loss
If you want to lose weight quickly, then the easiest and best way to do that is by eating good sources of carbohydrates and dietary fat. Both have been given a bad rap but neither are the enemy when it comes to shedding fat and give us optimum health.
Good Dietary Fat Sources
Nuts (almonds, walnuts, peanuts, natural peanut butter pistachios, etc)
Oils such as flaxseed, olive and canola
Avocados
Cold-water fish
Eating good sources of dietary fat (like those above) will make your body an efficient fat-burner. Just remember, though, a fat is still a fat and each gram of fat is worth 9 calories. A gram protein or carbohydrates is worth only 4 calories. To burn one pound of fat, you need a calorie deficit of 3500 calories over time. Aim for 60 to 80 grams of fat each day. Oh, dietary fat is good for you because it keeps your good cholesterol levels high, bad cholesterol levels low, keeps hormones in balance and aids your brain, organs and body function at full efficiency.
Good Carbohydrate Sources
Legumes (peas, beans and lentils)
Potatoes (especially sweet and yams)
Whole grain foods (barley, corn, couscous, popcorn, millet and rye are examples)
Oatmeal
Brown rice
Quinoa
You’ll find that good carbohydrates are low in sugar and they pack lots of fiber and nutrition. The key to carbohydrates is moderation and low sugar.
Eating Whole Foods: Important Part of A Diet Plan for Quick Weight Loss
If you are ever in doubt on whether the food is good on your diet, consider whether it is a “whole food” or not. Basically a whole food is:
A food that is not processed or refined before you eat it.
This means foods like fruit, nuts and seeds, legumes (beans peas and lentils), whole grains and vegetables. Foods to avoid as much as possible are processed foods. They will be high in calories (a weight-loss killer) and low in nutrition (a health killer). There are many, many examples of these foods, including: cakes, cookies, doughnuts, pastries, scones, fast foods, candy, ice cream, chips, milk chocolate, etc.
If you can follow the principles of smart eating outlined in this article, you start to look and feel healthier. Not only that, you WILL be healthier. When it comes to shedding those unwanted pounds, there is no better diet plan for quick weight loss. So take control of your nutrition and achieve the healthy, fit body you’ve always wanted.