It’s no secret that what we choose to put into our bodies has a profound impact on what happens on the outside of our bodies, as well as affecting our overall health. Poor nutrition has been inexorably linked to everything from obesity to cancer. So when it comes to shedding those extra pounds, it’s no surprise that nutrition and weight loss go hand in hand.
The relationship between nutrition and weight loss exists because of the major role that food plays in weight management. To lose weight you have to reduce caloric intake and increase physical activity. A balance must be struck between these two components to achieve a healthy weight. And to find the right balance for you, it’s important to assess how nutrition and weight loss affect you personally.
Many people, when they objectively look at their food choices throughout the day, will be surprised at how poor their diet really is; a day spent skipping breakfast, snacking on chips and sweets, drinking coffee to stay awake, and binging at night. It is a cycle that we are all, unfortunately, familiar with. Staying in this unhealthy pattern will slow our metabolism, drain us of energy, and cause our bodies to store excess fat. To establish a positive relationship between nutrition and weight loss, it is imperative to make some critical lifestyle changes.
Nutrition and weight loss start with different food choices. First of all, skipping any meal in the hope of losing weight is not only unhealthy, it also doesn’t work. To keep your body’s metabolism at a steady rate, which burns calories throughout the day, you must give it something to burn. By eating a healthy breakfast, we kick-start our metabolism for the day. That’s also why most experts recommend eating small meals frequently throughout the day, to keep our metabolisms firing at an optimal rate.
But it is also just as important what and how much food we put in our mouths. For nutrition and weight loss to have the symbiotic relationship they must have to optimize health, it is imperative to focus our meals and snacks on natural, whole foods. Choose fresh fruits, green leafy vegetables, whole grains, and lean protein. Avoid fried and processed foods. And keep your portion sizes reasonable.
Nutrition and weight loss are inseparable. To achieve your optimal weight, you need to pay attention to the foods you eat. Make better decisions and make big changes, and you’ll soon find that you feel and look better than ever!