September 5, 2008, Newsletter Issue #132: Controlling portions for weight loss

Tip of the Week

Most of diets control calorie intake by controlling portions. Is it a good or not-so-good dieting technique? Let's discuss the basics.



Research showed that, unless a dieting goes on in a clinical setting, it's very hard to control how much calories you really eat if you rely only on the sense of fullness. If your food is calorie-packed, ounce for ounce, you'll consume (until you feel almost full) significantly more calories comparing with bulky, fiber-rich food.



If you exercise aerobically and do not count calories, your calorie intake will most probably increase to compensate the calorie loss. You'll just feel hungrier and the sense of fullness occurs later.



What to do? The answer is change the kind of foods you eat! If you run more than 12 miles per week, you can probably benefit from cutting down on fats and having more raw vegetables, fruit, and whole grains.



Alternatively, you can try cutting down on carbs while increasing "good" fat intake. However, you might find yourself less able to run as much as you used to. Low carb dieters reported that they could exercise long enough but at moderate intensities like brisk walking or jogging at about 8 to 10 minutes per mile.



Finally, being hungry (including going to bed hungry, which will ruin your sleep quality and lead to stalled weight loss) is a sure method to sabotage your weight loss! This is why low-carb, high-fat diets are so attractive: they decrease appetite after only one week into the dieting.

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