Nutrition in a Nutshell: Dietary Plans Made Easy

If we look at the definition of the word diet, it literally means the kinds of food that a person, animal, or community habitually eats. In the modern world, people are getting so lost amongst all the different diet plans available to them that many give up before trying. They even find themselves fluttering between all of them and because they haven't stuck to a singular one, it doesn't work. This can leave people feeling deflated and unmotivated, even depressed. So that's why we are going to look at nutrition in a nutshell and see how you can make your diet plans work for you.

Calories 

Argh, the dreaded calories! This word has the ability to send fear into anyone that says it but in reality, we shouldn't be scared of calories, instead, we should embrace them by learning about them and understanding what their role is. 

People struggle with losing weight because they don't understand the simple mechanics behind it, which is that if you eat more calories than you burn in a day you're going to put weight on. Every food item we eat will have a calorific value and it all adds up throughout the day, leaving us with a large number at the end. 

Males should be eating around 2-2500 calories a day to maintain their weight and females should be eating around 1500-2000. If you are in a job that requires you to be active then you might need to be eating more than this, much the same if you're in a job that requires little to no movement then you might need to be eating less. 

People get lost when dieting. Have you ever heard someone say; “I've been on this diet for 3 months and I haven't lost any weight?” That's because their caloric intake hasn't changed. It might be healthier food, which is an amazing start, but if you're eating 2000 calories of good food instead of 2000 calories of bad food, it's still 2000 calories. You need to either reduce your intake or exercise alongside it. 

Weight Loss Plan 

When trying to lose weight it's good to have a plan of action and if you decide to count calories to make sure you're doing everything you can then having a food diary is really helpful. There are plenty of apps that can help you with that. If you're struggling to make a plan yourself and need some assistance then there are plenty of pre-made plans that will help you understand nutrition and lose weight at the same time. The professionals from PatriciaandCarolyn.com explain that finding the right plan for you isn't easy as there are so many to choose from. Making the right decision first can get you closer to your weight goal much faster so reading reviews and listening to the experts will be beneficial. 

What We Need 

Understanding a diet plan will be easier if we understand the basics of what our body needs in order to be healthy. A balanced diet will include food from a variety of different food groups.

You should be trying to eat at least 5 portions of fruit and veg every day, which could even be increased to 8 portions. Monitor your intake of high sugar fruit and eat plenty of vegetables ranging from leafy greens which contain vital vitamins such as C and K to antioxidant-rich foods like berries and peppers. If we eat with our eyes, making sure there is plenty of color on our plate, then we know it's going to be packed full of goodness. 

Protein is hugely important to muscle growth and repair and whilst many think that meat is the only way to get protein, there are plenty of alternatives such as legumes, grains and pulses. Chickpeas are an incredible source of protein that is low in fat and is easier for the body to process. 

High fiber and starchy foods are essential for energy, which is needed throughout our day. These foods are things like potatoes, rice, and pasta, which are a brilliant base for any meal. Try and go for the whole grain unprocessed versions of these and you'll be much better off. 

Other things to look at are small amounts of dairy or dairy alternatives and try to limit your intake of oils and spreads, these can be detrimental to your weight loss journey. 

Lastly, we need to remember to be drinking at least 6-8 glasses of water a day. We are made up of at least 60% water, so it's important to keep ourselves topped up! 

Knowing how to lose weight will make it much easier when you tackle any diet plan. Most of them will explain why you are eating what you are, but if you know the basics first it will be easier to choose a plan that you will stick to and be successful with. Don't flick between plans and stay confident that it will work. Your journey starts whenever you're ready.