The secrets of dieting

Thanks to the media, everyone’s perception on what the ideal physical appearance should be has been altered, the media has helped promote being slim often times even being underweight overe being normal weight especially in women, as a result of this, most women have turned to dieting and exercise to help get that ideal physical appearance.

What is dieting?
Dieting is the practice of eating food in a regulated fashion, dieting is practised for different reasons, it can either decrease, maintain or increase body weight. Dieting is often used in combination with physical exercise to loose weight in those who are over-weight or obese.

Some people, however, follow a diet to gain weight (usually in the form of muscles), this sort of dieting is practised by Body builders, or sportsmen such as rugby players, boxers and wrestlers. Dieting can be tailored to meet different needs, it all depends on the component of the diet.
Dieting to promote weight loss is the most popular, this type of dieting can be divided into 4 categories: Low fat diet, Low carbohydrate diet, Low calorie diets, Very low-calorie diets. These four categories are explained below:

1) Low fat diet:

Low fat diet involves the reduction of the percentage of fat in one's diet. Calorie consumption is reduced because less fat is consumed. This helps to bring a great reduction in weight since fat is the major culprit in excessive weight.

2) Low carbohydrate diet:

Low carbohydrate diet reduces the amount of carbohydrate in one’s diet, this has the same effect as low fat diets because, carbohydrates overtime can be converted into fat in the body, this fat could lead to weight gain, or could be converted back to glucose depending on what the body needs at that time. Low carbohydrate diets are sometimes ketogenic (i.e they restrict carbohydrate intake sufficiently to cause ketosis).

3) Low-calorie diets:

Low calorie diets usually produce an energy deficit of 500-1000 calories per day which can result in a 0.5 kg to 1 kg weight loss per week.

4) Very low-calorie diets:

Very low calorie diets provide 200-800 calories per day maintaining protein intake but limiting calories from both fat and carbohydrate.

Do you want to know how to eat well and still loose weight CLICK HERE

This article was composed by my very good friend, Oluwole, a medical student and health and fitness columnist on this blog. He represents JEHOMED CONSULT.