Healthy Weight Loss Program: How to Choose the Right Foods

Healthy Weight Loss Program: How to Choose the Right Foods
by: Malton A. Schexneider, PT, MMSc

For thousands of years, our ancestors selected their daily
meals from the bounty of the earth’s animal and vegetable
harvests. The traditional diets of most human cultures
consisted of an almost unlimited variety of ingredients
and recipes.

Today, however, our food sources suffer from a lack of quality,
diversity, and balance. Natural foods have been replaced with
processed and synthetic foods, which have weakened our
digestive systems resulting in poor nutrition to the cells,
tissues, organs, and systems of our bodies.

To achieve peak performance in any activity requires your
body to burn energy. Energy, then, is the byproduct of high
performance fuel that will improve the quality of your life and
make you healthier than you ever thought possible. In fact,
the higher the energy level, the more efficient your body
becomes. The more efficient your body becomes, the better
you feel. And, the better you feel, the easier it is to achieve
the results you are striving for.

So, what is this high performance fuel that will create this
abundance of energy for our bodies to burn? The answer is
simply the food we eat.

Good nutritional choices play a major role in a healthy
weight loss plan. By making small, but effective changes in
your daily food intake, you can begin feeling better and
improving the quality of your life.

Nutritional science is so confusing and contradictory that
to even begin to adapt a universal set of principles to your
lifestyle would be nearly impossible. Nevertheless, there are
specific key concepts of a well designed healthy weight loss
program that include:

1. Making good food choices can be nutritious, enjoyable
and energizing.
2. Dieting not only does not work, but can actually take
years off your life.
3. Simple modifications in meal choices can reverse how we age.
4. The program is sensible and easy to maintain even when
dining out.
5. Losing weight and body fat is achievable & sustainable
without drastic alterations or limitations in your lifestyle.

The ideal weight loss program will take a balanced approach
to nutrition. By incorporating medically sound and scientifically
based research into a healthy plan, your program will not only
be effective, but also easy to incorporate into your lifestyle.
The two main components of the medically sound nutrition
plan include:

* Macronutrient combination
* Stabile blood sugar

Macronutrient Combination

Through the prescribed combination of both macro- and
micronutrients, the entire nutritional puzzle is solved.
The macronutrients make up the vast bulk and balance of
our diets and are found in whole foods. The micronutrients
are found within the macronutrients and will be discussed in
a supplemental article. The primary macronutrients found in
our foods include:

* Proteins
* Carbohydrates
* Fats

Your understanding of each of these components and how
you combine them in the foods you eat will determine how
successful your overall outcome will be.

Protein:

Proteins contain amino acids, which are the building blocks
of your body. Your body can utilize proteins to maintain
immune strength as well as to build and repair muscle tissue.
Simply put, the greater the muscle mass, the more calories
your body will burn. Proteins also promote the release
of glucagon, a powerful fat burning hormone.

How much protein should you eat and what are the best sources?

For each individual, the amount of protein may vary. In general,
active individuals should consume at least one gram of protein
per pound of body weight. A sustainable nutrition plan
understands the importance of protein as it relates to muscle
building and fat burning and will usually recommend meal plans
that are 50% protein. We have found this combination to be
the best at optimizing fat loss and losing weight.

When selecting protein sources, ideally, you want to opt for
protein sources that are low in fat. Protein sources that are the
most desirable include chicken, turkey, fish, whey protein
and low fat soy and dairy products. Current studies have shown
that incorporating these nourishing proteins in your daily
nutritional regimen can help slow the ageing process and
prolong your life. Because a greater protein intake is
encouraged, proper hydration must also be maintained.
For protein to be effectively broken down and utilized by
our body, appropriate water intake is a must.

Carbohydrates:

Carbohydrates are an important source of energy for your body.
Unfortunately, not all carbohydrates are created equal.
Your body processes simple and complex carbohydrates
differently. As a result, your energy level, mood, and
metabolic processes are all influenced by your choice
of carbohydrates.

Simple carbohydrates are the refined sugars. Common
sweeteners such as honey, table sugar and brown sugar
are considered simple sugars. What many people do not
know is that alcohol, white bread, pasta, and fruit juice are
also simple sugars. These foods when digested, are
converted to glucose (sugar), and cause an immediate
rise in your blood sugar level. With a spike in your sugar
levels, insulin is released, which converts these excess
sugars to fat.

Complex carbohydrates are eventually broken down into
sugar, however, the process by which this occurs differs
from simple carbohydrate break down. Complex
carbohydrates assimilate into our system at a much
slower rate. As a result, blood sugar stability is maintained
and insulin levels remain at normal levels. Typically,
complex carbohydrates are high in fiber, low in sugar and
have a low glycemic index rating. Examples of high quality
carbohydrates include broccoli, cauliflower, apples, oranges,
whole grain breads, beans and sweet potatoes.

How much carbohydrate should you eat and what are
the best sources?

The best sources of complex carbohydrates are raw,
non-starchy vegetables and whole fruits. These foods
are high in fiber, which is critical for elimination and stable
blood sugar. In addition, complex carbohydrates are your
best source of glucose, which is the only fuel your brain
can burn. Complex carbohydrates are also involved in
assisting the body in burning fat and antioxidants,
Necessary for disease prevention.

Recommendations on the amount of carbohydrates needed
by the body will vary. For the most part, however, a healthy
meal plan will usually recommend at least 1 cup of
carbohydrates per meal. This should account for about 30%
of your total food consumption

Essential Fats:

As Americans we consume almost 35% of our daily calories
from fat. Most often this is saturated fat. Studies have shown
that consuming a diet high in saturated fat can lead to heart
disease and decreased immune function. In other words,
consuming foods high in saturated fat will shorten your life.

An important point to remember is that consuming the right
kind of fat can be beneficial in your attempt to manage
your weight, and live an enhanced lifestyle. These fats and
oils speed up metabolism, regulate your hormones, facilitate
fat burning, and strengthen your immune system. Of particular
importance is role essential fats and oils play in stabilizing
blood sugar levels by slowing the emptying of the stomach.
Essential fats provide you with:

* Concentrated energy
* Compounds needed for cellular metabolism
* Omega 3 & 6 fatty acids, which aid in the burning of fat

How much essential fat should you eat and what are the
best sources? Essential fats occur naturally and do not
undergo any additional processing. Examples of foods that
contain these valuable essential fats include fish such as
salmon and tuna, raw nuts, avocados, flax seed oils and
olive oil. The best sources of essential fats and oils come
from plants. Most healthy weight loss plans recommend
that no more than 20% of your diet come from fat. This
translates to a minimum of 1 – 2 tablespoons of raw oil,
or ¼ cup of raw seeds or nuts, or 1 – 2 tablespoons of raw
nut butter per meal.

A solid healthy weight loss program will add years to your
life and provide you with an abundance of energy.

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About The Author
For the past 25 years Malton Schexneider has been a practicing
physical therapist, a nationally known educator, a former university
professor, a published author, a clinical specialist in orthopedic
physical therapy, and personal success coach to thousands
of people just like you who were seeking lifestyle transformation.

For more on healthy weight loss programs and products
go to http://www.metamorphicweightloss.com