Are You Ready to Start Your Weight Loss Journey?

Once you have decided to start your weight loss journey, eating the right balance of macronutrients will keep you sated and energized. It is always important to be aware of your macronutrient consumption and not just how many calories you consume. That way you know where you are getting your calories from and how attaining a particular macro balance affects how you feel as well as the changes you see in your body. For example, if you are more sated eating fattier whole foods, then you will likely benefit the most from added fats with fewer carbs in your menu plan.

• CARBS - Carbohydrates are divided into simple and complex classifications. Larger carb molecules like starch are consider complex due to the time it takes to break them down into usable components. Even if you need to lose a lot of weight, carbohydrates are not the enemy. When you choose the right carbohydrates in the right portion sizes, they can help with weight loss.
• FAT - If you are like most people, you were told to avoid fat. Today’s research shows that you only need to avoid or limit consumption of certain types of fat (saturated, trans fat and cholesterol). Healthy fat is essential for absorption of key minerals and vitamins and your body needs fat to help your brain and nervous system function properly. Moreover, fat adds flavor to food and boosts the satiety of the meal.
• PROTEIN - Since protein is constantly broken down and used for energy, you need to replenish your body's supply on a daily basis by consuming both plant and animal sources, including eggs, yogurt, meat, beans and fish. In the absence of carbohydrates to convert into glucose, your body can process energy through a reverse conversion using an available source of protein.

Once you are following your macro menus, your weight loss efforts may not be sustainable, if physiological hunger becomes a recurring issue. Increase your intake of protein at snack time and your hunger pangs should subside in a few days. The overall goal of weight loss should be to reduce fat deposits while preserving lean muscle tissue. Moreover, when it comes to choosing what to eat more of and what to cut back on, consider your goals for balancing body weight and muscle mass.