The latest mantra going around the Walled Lake weight loss community was that unused calories converted into fat, so we should all count our caloric intake to prevent this end. Many dieters groaned and rolled their eyes about the idea of restricting calories down to 1,200 or 1,500 and paying close attention to every number. Even though everyone knew the skinny on calories, that still didn’t stop a number of people from ballooning in size and failing to achieve their weight loss goals.
Instead of obsessing about the numbers, Harvard researchers tell us we’re best off understanding which foods to eat more or less often. Over a period of 20 years, scientists tracked 120,877 healthy men and women to see what lifestyle factors and culinary choices may have led to their weight loss or weight gain. They found the average study participant gained 3.35 pounds every 4 years for a total weight gain of 16.8 pounds over the course of two decades.
“This study shows that conventional wisdom — to eat everything in moderation, eat fewer calories and avoid fatty foods — isn’t the best approach,” according to the study’s lead author, Dr. Dariush Mozaffarian – a cardiologist and epidemiologist at the Harvard School of Public Health. He added, “What you eat makes quite a difference. Just counting calories won’t matter much unless you look at the kinds of calories you’re eating.”
“There are good foods and bad foods,” Dr. Mozaffarian found in his study. He said the idea of “eating everything in moderation” is just an excuse to eat whatever we want. Instead, there are a few new rules of thumb for people who would like to update their Walled Lake weight loss plan with the most updated information.
• AVOID: French Fries, Potato Chips, Sugary Drinks, Red Meats, Processed Meats, Potatoes, Sweets, Desserts, Refined Grains, Fried Foods, 100-Percent Fruit Juice and Butter.
• EAT MORE: Fruits, Vegetables, Whole Grains, Yogurt, Nuts, Peanut Butter
Dairy products, in general, were shown to have a neutral effect on weight, but yogurt was associated with the most weight loss. Nuts were also good because they slow the resurgence of hunger pangs.
Lifestyle choices were taken into consideration as well. Naturally, physical activity had benefits for weight control and those who exercised less gained more weight – which is no surprise. Those with the greatest increase in physical activity gained 1.76 fewer pounds than other participants. Researchers stressed that it’s still likely that active people will gain weight if diet is ignored. “Physical activity in the United States is poor, but diet is even worse,” Dr. Mozaffarian observed.
Interested in Walled Lake weight loss? Schedule a consultation with a FitConcepts nutritionist today!
