The Anti-Obesity Diet: Healthy Foods for Weight Loss

Obesity has become a serious public health problem in most industrialized countries, affecting a growing segment of the population. If you struggle with obesity, you are not alone. However, with a correct diet, you can overcome obesity and make it last. There is no need to starve yourself. This article will show you what a balanced anti-obesity diet should include. It will also highlight why it is so important for your health to stick to your diet.

What should an Anti-Obesity Diet Include?

A balanced diet should cover these nutritional needs: 12-15 % proteins, 30-35 % fat and 50-55 % carbohydrates. When you have to lose weight, you have to reduce the caloric intake. The types of food and meal frequency become the main concern to get long lasting results.

Carbohydrates

The carbohydrates you consume should mostly be complex. You should reduce the simple intake as much as possible. Carbohydrates should represent at least half of the total intake in a day. They provide energy for performing physical activities and also relieve hunger.

Fats

Fats are a major source of energy for the human body. However, an excessive amount of fat (35 %) in the diet is harmful because of the increased risk of hypercholesterolemia. The circulatory system is the most affected. High cholesterol contributes to a higher incidence of strokes and heart attacks. When cholesterol levels rise above normal for long periods, it attaches to the inner walls of the arteries and reduces or blocks blood flow. Organs that receive blood from the arteries suffer because they don’t get enough oxygen and nutrients as they need.

Proteins

Proteins can be consumed at a rate of up to 15 % of the total intake in a day. It is recommended to consume both proteins from vegetable sources and animal sources. Animal proteins are found in meat and meat products, fish, eggs and dairy. Dried vegetables are rich in proteins and so are cereals and bread.

Fiber

The need for fiber, which is about 30-40 g / day, is provided by vegetables, fruits and cereals. Each meal should contain a fresh fruit and a vegetable. Liquids consumed must bring a minimum of 1.5 liters of water per day and the water is the only really necessary liquid for our body.

Once you establish the type and quantity of food, changing dietary habits is necessary. So, quasi-permanent snacks, excessive amounts of fats and too much volume of food consumed during main meals will disappear from the new life of obese patients. Specialist recommend three meals a day and a snack between meals. Also, it is very important that each meal be conducted in a relaxed, positive way. No rush!

Why You Should Stick to the Anti-Obesity Diet

Before anything, obesity should be considered less a matter of aesthetics and more a health issue which entails medical complications, temporary or permanent disabilities, decreased life span and, last but not least, a large cost for the entire society.

As stated in a previous article, the “2010 World Health Organization survey concluded that obesity in Europe has reached epidemic proportion and 20% of today’s European children are overweight, while a third of these are obese or morbidly obese”. In this context, planning an anti-obesity diet is more than necessary.

An obese person is prone to a wide range of medical complications: general, cardio –vascular, related to anesthesia, pulmonary, endocrine – metabolic, bone and joint etc.

To eliminate obesity there is a well-established treatment strategy that is applied depending on the particularities of each case. The first step in any anti-obesity diet is evaluating the medical history of each patient, already tried treatments, diets, psychological and behavioral profiles, professional and family influences.

The next step is to establish a food program combined with exercise and, if necessary, prescribing helpful medications. What you need to understand from the beginning is that you must stick to your treatment a longer period of time. This is in general difficult to accept, since obese patients are desperate to find a miracle cure.

Final Word

Diet therapy is the first component of the treatment of obese patients. A nutritional program takes into account the fact that every individual is unique and therefore a custom diet is necessary.

Following and anti-obesity diet will be a challenge and something that will last a while. Make sure you have the support of your family and friends to get through this.

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