 Do we go for the Atkins Diet that advocates eating foods high in fat and protein, while cruelly cutting carbohydrates to an intolerable level? Do we explore the Zone Diet, trumpeted by Madonna, Jennifer Aniston and Sandra Bullock, which treats food as a ‘drug’ that impairs the body’s production of insulin and causes mood swings that affect our ability to control body weight? Or, what about the tried and tested Scarsdale Diet or the Weight Watchers’ regime; or maybe the Cabbage Soup Diet, the Grapefruit Diet, the Bikini Diet…? Then, there’s the Beverley Hills Diet favoured by the likes of Liz Hurley. This diet promises dramatic weight loss provided that we stick to a rigid schedule of eating foods in the right combinations.
All sounds a bit too complicated, a bit too demanding. Granted a number of popular diets are both medically and nutritionally sound. In practice, however, most diets are far too limiting and frankly they’re doomed from the start. No doubt all the various flab-fighting regimes have something to offer; but all, unfortunately, also have their downsides.
So, where do we stand when we want to cut through the ‘constraints’ of the average diet and tone up our flab? The answer, it would appear, lies not in the exclusion of all foods that we enjoy, but rather in eating a balanced diet that is high in certain food types and nutrients and low in others. And, the encouraging news is that less rigorous, dietary alternatives exist, which require considerably less effort and don’t take over our everyday lives.
Fascinating findings, for instance, from a number of recent scientific studies, have concluded that, with minimal effort, we can tip the diet balance in our favour by choosing the right types of foods and exercising a modicum of control in the healthy eating department. Here’s how:
Five simple short cuts to a flab-free summer:
1. Eat the right carbohydrates, such as whole-grains, fruit and vegetables. A few days of clever carb consumption can result in a noticeably less puffy and bloated appearance. A balanced diet consisting of approximately forty percent ‘good’ carbs, for example, can reduce the rate at which calories are stored and help prevent bloating.
2. Reduce intake of refined ‘bad’ carbohydrates, including white bread, cakes, biscuits and sugary drinks. Too many refined carbs are likely to over-stimulate insulin production and cause fluctuations in blood sugar levels - which results in hunger pangs. Reducing insulin levels also helps promote the release of glucagons, an essential hormone that speeds up the rate at which the body burns fat.
3. Add a little protein to every meal because proteins create a slower burning energy source. This is particularly important at lunchtime when energy levels are low and we are likely to succumb to snacking.
4. Contrary to popular belief, cheese is good for weight loss. High fat cheeses are rich in CLA, an essential fatty acid that fights free radicals and boosts the immune system. And, interestingly, studies have shown that subjects who include controlled portions of high fat cheeses in their daily diets lose weight more rapidly. This is explained by the fact that CLA helps reduce body fat while increasing lean body mass. Cheese is also high in protein, magnesium, zinc and vitamins A and B.
5. Opt for mono and poly-unsaturated fats like olive oil, canola oil, sunflower oil and peanut oil. Apart from their health-giving properties, these fats are surprisingly filling and good at staving off hunger pangs.
The body beautiful is within our grasp!
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