Diet includes the quantity, quality and frequency of your food intake. Food intake is usually measured in terms of the total calorie intake. For an average man, the total calorie intake would be around 2750 and for an average woman it would be around 2100 calories. It is not just the total calories which matter, but the proportion of all these in the food group is the most important thing. This proportion describes whether the diet of a person is good or bad.
Calories are derived mainly from three major food groups
- Carbohydrates-60%
- Proteins-15-20%
- Fats-15-25%
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Even though calories from fat, if increased, tend to increase your weight it is the carbohydrates that really play the most crucial role. Carbohydrates can be divided into two types- simple and complex type. The simple type like refined sugar, flour, etc. will not provide you the necessary calories, and this is the main reason of weight gain. High complex carbohydrates with good fiber content considered ideal constituent in any diet plan. Also, the glycemic index of foods that measures the increase in the blood sugar level in an hour should also be considered while preparing a diet plan. Foods with low glycemic index like pulses, soya, whole wheat, fruits are all recommended.
There is a belief that if protein consumption increases there will be fat loss and muscle development. Well, part of it is true. Most high protein diets actually reduce calorie diets that contain a high proportion of protein, a very low proportion of carbohydrate and varying amounts of fat. Initial weight loss will be high because there is a decrease in the glycogen content. But, because of increased thermogenesis in the body breaks down of the fat stored in the adipose tissue to convert it into heat energy.
So many people believe that there is no need to reduce the fat content in the body. There are some polyunsaturated fatty acids which can actually reduce your body weight. Some of the diets have a high fat content. The fats, to cut back on, are the saturated fatty acids like butter, the fat in meat and most of the commercial bakes and desserts. The other dreaded subtypes in fats are called Trans Fats that are unsaturated fatty acids which have been hardened or hydrogenated in the manufacturing of commercial foods such as cakes and biscuits. There is no nutritional requirement of these Trans fats, so they add needless calories and should be best avoided.
Different types of diet plans have been developed to tackle the ever increasing cases of obesity .Of these diet plans the Atkins Diet is the most famous with respect to the other high protein diet plans. It advocates high protein, low carbohydrates and high fat content in the meals.
With so many diet plans at your disposal it is for you to decide when you are going to make the change and choose the road to a healthier life.
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