Making Better Food Choices Requires Effort

---

The most basic science for losing weight is simple; energy intake must not exceed energy expenditure. However, that does not account for complex interactions among genetic, behavioral, and environmental factors. It helps to personalize your menus.

There is significant evidence collected from numerous weight loss studies that suggests losing excess body fat can be difficult for most overweight individuals. Plus, the risk of their regaining the lost weight is high unless healthy habits become a way of life.

As you create a personalized menu plan, consider how you can reduce hunger while keeping your appetite satisfied. If not, lasting weight loss is less likely.

Helpful Tips for Better Weight Control

Both men and women lose weight by burning more calories than they consume. To navigate this complex process, check out the tips discussed below for managing your intake while increasing physical activity:

1) Eat More Whole Foods – People who focus on following a menu plan filled with whole foods tend to lose weight and live a healthier life than individuals who consume lots of processed foods with added salt and sugar.

2) Add More Steps – Ten thousand steps a day is the traditional goal for achieving fitness and lowering one’s risk of chronic diseases. Research has shown fifteen thousand steps are optimal for losing weight.

3) Avoid Liquid Calories – It is easy to overlook liquid calories. No matter how healthy you think dairy products or juices may be, they often contain more liquids calories than you might think.

4) Enforce Kitchen Policies – Since boredom eating often involves mindless consumption of comfort foods rather than a response to hunger, set kitchen hours and keep it closed between meals.

If your goals favor using body-recompositing techniques, you may see slower weight loss results than those produced by highly restrictive diets. At times, no weight loss will be seen on the scale due to simultaneous weight gain from new muscles and fat loss from less consumption.

Your Body Can Slow Metabolism to Prevent Fat Loss

Traditional forms of dieting automatically trigger your body to prepare for famine by slowing your metabolism to survive periods of less food consumption. In turn, this reduces the total number of calories your body can burn. The body naturally increases or decreases the production and release of hunger or satiety hormones to keep you from feeling full or to restore exhausted fat deposits.

Family lifestyle habits may also affect weight gain and ongoing weight management because shared eating habits impact your relationship with food. Food preparation methods, choices of ingredients, and even caloric composition are often learned variables. Whether intentional or not, you need to consider the benefits of having a fresh circle of supporters for motivation, education, and unconditional support of your new eating behaviors.