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At FitDaily.com we emphasize a moderate approach to diet that will allow you to
lead a normal life, partaking in the many culinary delights there are to enjoy,
while still being healthy.
Here are some specifics on how to accomplish the four steps listed above:
Step 1: Regular exercise
– Exercise burns carbohydrates and fats, raises the metabolism, and generally
strengthens the body.
Step 2: More active lifestyle
– Increasing one’s activity level will increase the amount of energy required
for each day. By increasing the energy used, it will increase the amount of fat
burned. Take up a new physical activity or hobby, or play a sport. Some other
examples include walking, biking, and swimming. These do not need to be
strenuous activities, because the body tends to burn more fats during lighter
activities such as walking, than running (because the body is burning
carbohydrates during strenuous exercise, assuming the body has carbohydrate
stores remaining).
Step 3: Eat more often, drink plenty of water
– This sounds strange at first, but eating smaller, more frequent meals helps
to increase the metabolism. Of course it is important that each snack or small
meal consist of healthy foods. Becoming more active will also help to increase
the metabolism. Try not to drink calories, because sugars obtained from drinks
are often converted to fat more rapidly. Drink water instead. Water tends to
flush out the system and restore needed hydration better than other
drinks. Do note that drinking excessive quantities of water can deplete
your body of minerals and electrolytes, and can be unhealthy.
Step 4: Reduce or remove the least healthy foods from your diet
- The FitDaily.com approach does not advocate completely cutting out carbs or
fats, but we do strongly suggest you carefully account for your intake of
saturated fats and trans fats, and cut down your intake of high-glycemic
carbohydrates.
The most common saturated fats come from cream and meats, but many other oils,
such as coconut and palm kernel oil are high in saturated fat (though these two
oils are comprised of a different type of saturated fat).
Trans fats or
trans fatty acids come from a process called hydrogenization where unsaturated
fats are made “heavier” to change their consistency. Margarine is a classic
example of trans fat. Trans fats are somewhat on the decline, but still
appear in most baked products such as cookies and crackers.
The other foods to avoid are high glycemic carbs. These
are carbohydrates that break down into simple sugar (glucose) more quickly than
other carbs. This fast breakdown causes blood sugar levels to spike, to which
the body reacts with a surge of insulin. Essentially the more quickly the
sugars are released, and the more insulin produced, the more sugar is converted
to fat, and the higher the body’s insulin tolerance becomes. Also, because
low-glycemic carbs break down more slowly, they provide a steadier stream of
nutrients and make you feel less hungry for longer. It should also be noted
that the combination of foods, such as adding fats to carbohydrates, can
drastically change the glycemic value of foods. So it is not necessary to avoid
all high-glycemic foods. The most important thing is to avoid highly
refined and processed sugars, where the processing removes most of the
nutrients and often concentrates sugars, such as the case with high-fructose
corn syrup found in soda and many other foods.
Step 5: Limit total daily calories – If you put in less than you take
out each day, you will lose weight. Just try to make sure your total daily
caloric consumption does not exceed the total calories you use in a day (for
those intending to lose weight). Again, make sure the foods you eat are healthy
and low in saturated fat and refined sugars.
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