10 FAQs Diet And Weight Loss

Whether you regularly exercise, mind every little detail about your diet and take extra precaution not to gain weight or whether you are just someone who wants to lead a healthy lifestyle with the minimum required effort, these Frequently Asked Questions about diet and weight loss must have come across your mind more than just a few times. Read on to discover the answers and clear your doubts.

FAQ 1: Will I lose weight faster if I eat less?

NO. If you eat too few calories per day, your body could enter into a starvation mode where it will actually slow your metabolism and slow your ability to lose weight. To lose weight correctly and keep it off, you need to consume less than you burn each day--but not enough to trip this mechanism. In general, woman should not go below 1,200 calories and men shouldn't go below 1,500 calories.

FAQ 2: Diets really don't work for me. How can I still lose weight?

Perhaps you have selected the wrong diets! While some diets are harder to stay with than others, I feel that any diet that reduces your daily caloric intake and encourages some exercise will help you lose weight. If you just start with what you eat right now, you can probably mold and balance it into a "diet" that works by reducing or removing heavy calorie foods and replacing them with fruits and vegetables.

FAQ 3: Does eating less calories mean eating less food?

NO. You can fill up while on a diet, as long as you choose your foods wisely. Enjoy whole fruits across the rainbow (strawberries, apples, oranges, berries, nectarines, and plums), leafy salads, and green veggies of all kinds. Select beans of any kind (black beans, lentils, split peas, pinto beans, chickpeas). Add them to soups, salads, and entrees, or enjoy them as a hearty dish on their own. Try high-fiber cereal, oatmeal, brown rice, whole-wheat pasta, whole-wheat or multigrain bread, and air-popped popcorn.

FAQ 4: How long does it take to lose one pound of body fat?

The answer is a simple math equation. You must burn 3,500 calories to lose one pound of body fat. If you burn 500 more calories than you eat for seven days, you will lose one pound of body fat. If you burn 1,000 calories more than you eat for seven days, you will lose two pounds of body fat. The key is to know how many calories are going in and out each day so you can accurately track your progress.

FAQ 5: How do I lose weight around my hips, stomach, thighs, butt, or any other problem area?

Spot weight reduction is a myth! You lose weight all over your body at the same time. In other words, it matters not one bit how many sit-ups or crunches you do. The only way to lose weight in any area is to burn more calories than you eat.

FAQ 6: Does it matter what time you eat?

No. If you're looking at 2,000 calories over a 24-hour period, it doesn't matter what the clock says when you swallow them. But the evening hours have a way of tempting many people to overeat.

FAQ 7: I'm on a diet to lose weight. Do I still need to exercise?

Physical activity is a key component of helping you move toward a healthier weight, as it can help you achieve the appropriate calorie. People who exercise regularly may be more likely to keep the weight from coming back after losing weight.

FAQ 8: How do I stay motivated to eat clean?

Set goals to keep you motivated. Short-term goals, like wanting to fit into a bikini for the summer, usually don’t work as well as wanting to feel more confident or become healthier for your children’s sakes. When frustration and temptation strike, concentrate on the many benefits you will reap from being healthier and leaner.

FAQ 9: Do low carbohydrate diets work best?

The low-carb eating strategy is based on the theory that people who eat carbohydrates take in more calories and gain weight. However, low-carbohydrate diets tend to cause dehydration by shedding pounds as urine. The result is rapid weight loss but after a few months, weight loss tends to slow and reverse, just as happens with other diets.

FAQ 10: How do I control emotional eating?

If you eat when you’re stressed, find healthier ways to calm yourself. Try exercise, yoga, meditation, or soaking in a hot bath. If you eat when you’re feeling low on energy, find other mid-afternoon pick-me-ups. Try walking around the block, listening to energizing music, or taking a short nap. If you eat when you’re lonely or bored, reach out to others instead of reaching for the refrigerator. Call a friend who makes you laugh, take your dog for a walk, or go out in public (to the library, mall, or park—anywhere there’s people).