“Move your legs, control your mouth” has become the golden rule for weight loss.
But many people are full of grievances, “I already run diligently and eat much less than before, why am I still not losing weight.” Especially some foodie friends, for the sake of beauty, have given up many beloved delicacies, yet the weight loss effect is still disappointing, filled with inner frustration.
In fact, it’s because you don’t eat “smartly.” Today, the editor summarizes a few mouth-control techniques to share with everyone.
Technique 1: Reduce oil without reducing quantity.
Neuroscientist Sandra Aamodt in “Why Dieting Makes You Fat” says: Abandon dieting, learn to make peace with food. Let your hunger decide when to eat, allow yourself to eat as much as you want, then find the amount that makes your body comfortable.
This theory has reduced a lot of guilt for many dieters who want to eat but dare not. Indeed, for most people, deliberately reducing the amount of food requires strong willpower. Our bodies instinctively want to eat until full, free from hunger, going against this instinct is difficult to sustain.
Additionally, many people, after dieting for a while, might indulge themselves to make up for the lack of nutrients at some point or for some reason. This leads to fluctuating weight, which is counterproductive to health.
So, do not intentionally diet for weight loss. In daily eating habits, adhering to a few oil-reducing principles can also yield good results:
★ The oil-reducing principles are:
Eat less fried foods;
Eat less pan-fried foods;
Drain the oil from fried foods before consumption;
Pay attention to hidden fats.
Especially for those foods that smell delicious and taste even better, try to avoid them as the hidden fat content is often higher. For example, bread often contains a large amount of artificial trans fats during baking, and many Western-style soups have added a lot of cream to enhance flavor and thickness.
★ Weight loss is not about skipping meals but having “less food more frequently.”
When people feel hungry, the brain strongly responds to high-fat, high-calorie foods, and the signal the stomach sends to the brain is: I want to eat something. This is a natural reaction that is hard to resist with willpower.
Therefore, do not skip the normal three meals a day during weight loss, or else you might end up eating more due to hunger.
Technique 2: Emphasize balanced nutrition in diet.
Many people think that by switching to a vegetarian diet, they can achieve weight loss. However, no matter the person’s weight, the body requires adequate nutrition. Especially during weight loss, if the body experiences nutritional deficiencies, diseases may strike in.
Furthermore, only a healthy diet can maintain the appropriate weight and sustain weight loss results.
During weight loss, consider adopting the globally renowned healthy diet model – the Mediterranean diet model.
The basic principles of this model are:
Emphasize fruits and vegetables: consume a lot of fruits, vegetables, grains, and whole grains; eat more legumes and nuts;
Regarding meat consumption: prioritize fish and seafood, consume moderate amounts of dairy products, eggs, poultry, followed by red meat, meat products, and processed foods;
For beverages: drink plenty of water, enjoy red wine, avoid sugary drinks.
This dietary approach advocates consuming raw vegetables whenever possible. For instance, avoid cooking lettuce, onions, etc. at high temperatures, and refrain from high-temperature cooking methods.
Technique 3: Choose the right staple foods (carbohydrates).
The body’s normal functioning depends on the energy provided by carbohydrates, typically coming from starchy foods, such as rice and noodles, commonly known as staple foods.
Many people believe that weight loss means avoiding these foods, but nutrition experts recommend that half of the daily calorie intake must come from starchy foods.
Therefore, when consuming starchy foods, consider a smarter approach based on the glycemic index (refers to the speed and ability of a food to raise blood sugar compared to glucose) and fat content:
Noodles are better than rice (rice has a higher glycemic index);
Buckwheat or whole wheat noodles are better than white noodles;
Rice is better than bread (bread has a higher fat content);
Rice is better than congee (congee has a higher glycemic index);
Brown rice is better than congee;
Cold rice is better than hot rice (the body absorbs less sugar from cold rice, but it’s not recommended as it’s not good for the stomach).
All these principles mean that during the weight loss period, consuming fiber-rich staple foods is a good choice. Additionally, when eating staple foods, consider letting them cool slightly before consumption, as this alters the chemical structure of starch, reducing sugar absorption by the small intestine and overall calorie intake.
And one more crucial point that’s been said time and again: sugar is the main culprit of obesity. Want to lose weight and body fat? Keep your distance from sugar.
