Weight Gain and Why it is Important to Eat Healthy Food

By : Joanne McMahon
Being overweight and weight gain is often blamed on eating too much food, eating the wrong kind of foods and traditionally, lack of exercise. This is correct in many cases and often restructuring your meals and changing your foods by balancing the food groups can lead to massive weight loss. There are often other causes of weight gain which vary from hormonal imbalances, side effects of medication and even emotional stress. A lot of people think that by not eating, you will see weight loss. This is not true. If you decrease your food intake dramatically, your body will assume there is a food shortage and it will try and conserve energy. This means no weight loss and your body will hold onto whatever fat your body is carrying to protect itself. A well balanced diet consisting of three meals per day based on protein and carbohydrates will see a reduction in your waistline. Take a Tape measure and if you are a woman and your waist is greater than 80 centimetres or for a man 94 centimetres, it is time to start working on your diet and reducing your waist-line. Often, we don't eat a lot over the day, yet we do not lose weight. Well, it is not the actual quantity of the food that leads to weight gain, but it is the actual type of food that we consume that causes the problem. Foods that lead to weight gain include white bread, white rice, white pasta, white potato and foods that are high in sugar and saturated fats. Sodas and soft drinks are full of sugar and need to be removed from your diet. These foods and soft drinks need to be removed and replaced with foods that contain nutrients and vitamins. You need to consume foods that will give you more energy and keep you fuller for longer. Avoid foods that are high in carbohydrates and sugar if you are keen to avoid weight gain. Avoid white bread, white rice,white potato,sugary sodas, sweets,corn chips and high fat burgers, fries and pizzas.These foods often lead to weight gain as they are high in carbohydrates and can lead to cravings. While not all carbohydrates are bad for us, too many high carb foods can lead to weight gain and cravings. We must not eliminate carbohydrates altogether from our diet but we must choose carbohydrates that are healthy and nutritious and will fuel our bodies. So what is healthy eating? Basically, healthy eating means a healthy diet. It means that you should consume fruits and vegetables, whole grains, low and non fat dairy products, legumes, fish, lean meat and poultry. The total amount of food that you need each day to provide you with your energy and nutrient needs depends on your age, sex and activity levels. It is important to get into the habit of choosing to eat more healthy foods on a daily basis. By doing this, you will find that your stomach does not have enough room for any bad foods! The best way to prevent heart disease and weight gain is to consume a healthy diet low in saturated fat and sugar. Healthy eating means aiming to consume a diet high in fibre, whole grains and proteins and this should include cereals, vegetables and legumes. Include in your diet fruit, milk, yoghurt and cheese. Consume lean meat, oily fish and poultry. Healthy eating also means not over eating. Choosing sensible portions of food is also paramount in keeping your weight in control. Many people eat way more food than they need and the average dinner plate size has gone from small to large. If you consume your food too fast or you eat until you are really full, you are most likely overweight. Be mindful of what you eat. Choose healthy eating over unhealthy eating. Slow down, chew slowly and enjoy every bite and reap the rewards of healthy choices