Do You Really Need to Eat Less To Lose Weight?

One of the biggest myths about losing weight is the idea that you need to eat less in order to shed pounds. New studies have shown that may not be not the case. Let’s take a look at why you need to eat if you want to lose weight.

The Scientific Benefits of Breakfast

People who eat breakfast on a daily basis tend to lose weight easier. The National Weight Control Registry performed a study that showed people who eat breakfast have a better chance of maintaining a 30 pound, or more, weight loss for at least a year. Studies in The Journal of the American Dietetic Association showed similar results.

Another research group analyzed government data on over 4,000 adults and found those who ate a regular breakfast tended to take in fewer calories during the day and had a lower fat intake. They also noted that regular breakfast eaters were more likely to engage in routine exercise.

Eating breakfast also jump-starts your metabolism, says Elisabetta Politi, RD, MPH, nutrition manager for the Duke Diet and Fitness Center at Duke University Medical School. She states; “When you don’t eat breakfast, you’re actually fasting for 15 to 20 hours, so you’re not producing the enzymes needed to metabolize fat to lose weight.”

In fact, sumo wrestlers don’t eat until late in the day for the sole purpose of gaining weight. If you don’t eat breakfast, you are actually following the sumo wrestler diet. Now, that is a scary thought.

Keep Your Metabolism Going All Day

With the right mechanisms in place, your body will naturally burn fat. But, what are the right mechanisms? That’s your job; to find your body’s balance between energy consumed and energy burned. Metabolism is the name of the game. When you eat healthy small meals, starting early in the morning, your metabolism is set in full swing, mobilizing and converting fat stores into energy.

When you eat breakfast along with regular snacks and small meals throughout the day, your body gets the nutrition it needs and goes to work, breaking down your food into energy. If you wait until you’re starving before you eat anything, that gnawing feeling in your stomach is telling you something. Your body will start by robbing your muscle tissue of anything it needs first, like protein, then it will store fat because it thinks it’s in famine mode. By eating early and often, not only are you protecting the muscle that supports your frame and allows you to walk, sit, and stand, but you are also keeping your metabolism going so it works all day to give you energy.

Weight loss injections and appetite suppressants

You can lose weight with diet and exercise, but we understand that it can be hard to stick with something. That’s why weight loss injections and appetite suppressants are available if you need help. They work by reducing your cravings for food and helping to reduce your appetite. Weight-loss injections temporarily prevent the body from absorbing some of the fat or calories in food, so you feel fuller after eating less. Appetite suppressants help reduce hunger pangs and cravings for unhealthy foods, making it easier for you to follow a healthy diet plan without feeling deprived. Invest in ozempic for weight loss, and you’ll have a better chance of success with weight management.

Simple Weight Loss Tips to Get You Started:

Eat slowly. It takes twenty minutes for your stomach to tell your brain you are full. Don’t eat and run. You’ll be looking for your next meal way before you need it.

Pick out foods you need to chew. Try apples, whole grain hearty breads, celery, and other raw vegetables. These foods will slow down your eating and satisfy your chewing instinct. Raw nuts are another option. Just be sure to monitor the serving sizes as you snack.

Drink 6 to 8 glasses of cold water per day. This helps to feel full and as your body works to raise the temperature of the water, you are burning calories. Keep bottles of water filled in the refrigerator and sip, sip, sip.

Eating oranges is much more satisfying than just drinking the juice. Keep this thought when choosing other fruits and vegetables. Whole is usually better.

Have a healthy snack before you start cooking dinner. This will help with overeating while preparing the meal, and after. Munching on celery is the perfect way to keep you satisfied while cooking.

If you need a sweet treat, just remember that frozen yogurt, angel food cake, and sherbet are all low fat. Low carb diets are low sugar diets, which often forbid fruit. In this case, one tiny piece of dark chocolate may be an option. This may leave you satisfied without all the sugar or carbs. You have to experiment to find the right treat for your sweet tooth that fits your diet.

The less you eat, the more your body protects itself and begins to go into starvation mode, holding on to more food, storing it as fat and robbing your muscles of nutrients. Make sure you eat a good breakfast to start your day right. Then, keep your metabolism working throughout the day with small meals and healthy snacks.

Stop starving yourself so your body can relax and start to lose that weight. Adding foods instead of subtracting foods? It’s so crazy it might just work.

by
Barb Webb. Founder and Editor of Rural Mom, is an the author of "Getting Laid" and "Getting Baked". A sustainable living expert nesting in Appalachian Kentucky, when she’s not chasing chickens around the farm or engaging in mock Jedi battles, she’s making tea and writing about country living and artisan culture.
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Comments

    • Honeybee
    • January 24, 2012
    Reply

    Great sharing! Many people including me thinks that by skiping meal or starving can help to lose weight. But over times i learn that skipping meals only slow down metabolism, and starving will lead to overeating later. The key to lose weight is portion control. Keep posting. I follow u now via twitter. My twitter is healthbeautyblg.

    Regards,
    honeybee from http://www.healthybeautifulblog.blogspot.com

    • RuralMom
    • January 27, 2012
    Reply

    Thanks Honeybee!

    Heading over to follow you back… look forward to connecting in the future 🙂

    Best,
    Barb

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