Weight Loss and Control (cont.)
Medical Author:
Gayle M Galletta, MD
Coauthor:
Hasnain M Khandwala, MD, FRCPC
Medical Editor:
Arthur B Chausmer, MD, PhD, FACP, FACE, FACN, CNS
Medical Editor:
Francisco Talavera, PharmD, PhD
Medical Editor:
George T Griffing, MD
IN THIS ARTICLE
Eating LessPay attention to serving sizes. Read food labels to find out how many calories and fat calories are in a serving. Keep a food diary or log to find ways to eliminate extra calories. Eat fewer calories. By decreasing calorie intake by 500 per day, you will lose 1 pound a week. One way to eat fewer calories is to limit your fat intake. No more than 30% of your daily calorie intake should be fat calories.
Low-fat foods such as vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and legumes will help you feel full. This helps you lose weight or control your weight. Avoid sugary foods such as candies, jellies and jams, honey, and syrups. These foods offer little nutritional value and tend to be converted to fat quickly. Limit alcoholic beverages, which provide empty calories-calories that have no other nutritional value. Women should have no more than one alcoholic drink and men no more than 2 alcoholic drinks a day. An alcoholic drink is 4 ounces of wine, 12 ounces (1 standard bottle or can) of beer, or 1/2 ounce of distilled liquor. Don't stop eating altogether. Fasting may result in rapid weight loss, but most of this weight will be water and possibly even muscle. Your body slows its metabolism, making it very difficult to maintain any weight loss. |
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