• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
BlackDoctor.org
Where Wellness & Culture Connect

Where Wellness & Culture Connect

  • Health Conditions
  • Wellness
  • Lifestyle
  • Longevity
  • Resource Centers
    • Cancer Resource Center
    • Covid Resource Center
  • Find A Doctor
  • BDO TV
Home / Wellness / Weight Loss / The 5 Essential Diet Rules

The 5 Essential Diet Rules

fruit on a scale(BlackDoctor.org) — Yes, many different diets can work for many different people. But the main problem with most of them is that they make unrealistic demands that most people just can’t sustain for a long period of time. And remember – losing and mantaining a healthy weight is about consistency, not flip-flopping from one diet to another.

So what should you do? Try incorporating the below 5 science-proven tips into your everyday eating habits:

1. Snack on almonds
When salty cravings strike, bypass the pretzels or popcorn. In a study of 65 men and women who were following a low-calorie diet, California researchers found that those who noshed on the nuts shrank their waistlines nearly 50% more than dieters who didn’t eat them, despite consuming the same number of calories. Likewise, Spanish researchers found that even without increasing exercise, a diet enriched with monounsaturated fatty acids (aka MUFAs, found in foods such as almonds and avocados) decreased the accumulation of abdominal fat, compared with a carbohydrate-heavy diet, which increased it.

2. Fill up on fiber
“When you slow digestion, you slow the delivery of glucose [blood sugar] to the bloodstream,” says Marie Savard, MD, author of The Body Shape Solution to Weight Loss and Wellness. “That means less insulin is released, and with lower insulin release comes lower visceral [belly] fat storage.” In a study of more than 2,900 adults, those who ate the most fiber weighed less and had lower insulin levels and slimmer waistlines than those who ate the least. Aim for at least 25 g a day from such foods as vegetables, fruits, beans, lentils, brown rice, and whole grain bread, cereal, and pasta.

You May Also Like
15 Natural Remedies for Aches and Pains

3. Stay satisfied with protein
Gram for gram, protein has the same number of calories as carbs (and half that of fat), but takes longer to digest, so you feel full longer. It also seems to help lower levels of the hormone ghrelin, which is known to stimulate appetite. In a Danish study of 60 men and women, those following a diet that included 25% of calories from protein lost nearly twice as much fat after 6 months than those eating a diet with 12% protein. Include a serving of lean protein with each meal and snack—eggs for breakfast, a turkey sandwich for lunch, low-fat or fat-free yogurt or milk for a snack, and grilled fish and vegetables for dinner.

4. Skip the sweetener
In a 5-week study by Purdue University researchers, rats given unlimited access to artificially sweetened yogurt consumed more calories, gained more weight, and packed on more fat than those that ate sugar-sweetened yogurt. Researchers believe artificial sweeteners may hinder your body’s ability to regulate calories based on taste, so you end up overeating. Go with a little bit of natural sweetener, such as raw sugar or honey, instead.

5. Dump one high-cal item from your diet
Exercise works best when you don’t offset your hard work with empty calories. By eliminating just one high-calorie item from your daily diet, such as a large latte, or substituting cereal and low-fat milk for a bagel and cream cheese, you can easily reduce your intake by 250 calories.

 

April 18, 2011 by By Charlotte Evans, BDO Staff Writer

Read Next Article

The Latest In Weight Loss

simple exercises

7 Ways To Simplify Exercise (So You’ll Actually Do It!)

Exercise can be very beneficial for you. While you may focus on exercise primarily as a way for you to manage your weight, there are numerous other reasons you should exercise. When you exercise, it boosts your immune system keeping read more about 7 Ways To Simplify Exercise (So You’ll Actually Do It!)
junk food

Best Tips To Resist Junk Food Cravings

According to research findings from the Society for Personality and Social Psychology, the best way to prevent pigging out and indulging in junk-food cravings is to not attempt total resistance. Instead, it's recommended that we postpone our indulgences. Using this read more about Best Tips To Resist Junk Food Cravings
getting fit on a budget

Get Fit On A Budget: His & Hers Edition

Working out can be expensive. Memberships can feel like car note payments. After buying that new Nike Therma fit jacket, matching Nike compression pants, a FitBit, water bottle (nice ones are expensive), shoes from FleetFeet, supplements and the gym membership, read more about Get Fit On A Budget: His & Hers Edition
diet

Summer Dieting Done Right!

(BlackDoctor.org) -- Once summer hits, most people find themselves much busier than usual. Endless barbecues, business lunches and fundraisers, end-of-the-work-week drinks and dinners, and even more partying on the weekend – all while you're trying to diet. Sound familiar? Do read more about Summer Dieting Done Right!

Busta Rhymes at 50: “I’m Only Here to Inspire!”

Hip-hop legend Busta Rhymes, best known for his infectious lyrics and energy when on the mic, started out as a thin, lanky rapper with the crew Leaders of New School. As the years went by, his stature in hip-hop grew read more about Busta Rhymes at 50: “I’m Only Here to Inspire!”
how to get a smaller waist

How To Get A Smaller Waist: 25 Everyday Tips For A Smaller Waistline (Without Photoshop)

A flat stomach: It's not just about looking great in your favorite body-hugging outfit. Having a smaller waistline cuts your risk of heart disease, diabetes type 2, and other health problems. If you are searching "how to get a smaller read more about How To Get A Smaller Waist: 25 Everyday Tips For A Smaller Waistline (Without Photoshop)

Primary Sidebar

Subscribe to our newsletter

Poll

Popular Posts

  • Marjorie Harvey: Fit, Fine & 57!Marjorie Harvey: Fit, Fine & 57!
  • Snoop Dogg & Wife: 26 Years And Still Going StrongSnoop Dogg & Wife: 26 Years And Still Going Strong
  • Halle Berry: Over 50 ‘Just Keeps Getting Better With Time’Halle Berry: Over 50 'Just Keeps Getting Better With Time'
  • LL Cool J & Wife Simone Smith Celebrate 25 Years Married: “We Celebrate Life”LL Cool J & Wife Simone Smith Celebrate 25 Years Married: "We Celebrate Life"
  • Queen Latifah Sheds Light on BMI Chart Flaws: “I’m Just Thick”Queen Latifah Sheds Light on BMI Chart Flaws: "I'm Just Thick"

Podcast

Footer

Where Wellness & Culture Connect

BDO is the world’s largest and most comprehensive online health resource specifically targeted to African Americans. BDO understands that the uniqueness of Black culture - our heritage and our traditions - plays a role in our health. BDO gives you access to innovative new approaches to the health information you need in everyday language so you can break through the disparities, gain control and live your life to its fullest.

Connect With Us

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Learn More About

  • Hepatitis C
  • Diabetes
  • Sickle Cell
  • Mental Health
  • About Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Advertise With Us
  • BlackDoctor.org Advertising and Sponsorship Policy
  • Daily Vitamina
  • TBH

Copyright © 2022, BlackDoctor, Inc. All rights reserved.