I met a guy from Vietnam yesterday and we talked about eating habits. He said that he's gained some weight over the last few years since he's been inactive doing so much researching and studying for his doctorate....and his wife has put him on.... wait for it....an 800 calorie a day diet. After 10 days into it he's lost several pounds... but is hating his life and doesn't see himself hanging in there much longer.
Wow...just.....wow.
Most people that do diets like this lose a lot of weight until they just can't take it anymore....but since it is a completely unsustainable way of living they soon burn out, go back to their former eating habits, then gain back their lost weight with a vengeance.
It would be a much better idea to change one's eating habits in such a way that could be sustained for the rest of someone's life. That's not to say that you eat junk food ever again or anything like that... but they definitely should become a rare treat as opposed to a normal meal.
We should be eating a lot of protein, some fat, and few carbohydrates.
Good protein sources are chicken, fish, red meat, eggs, milk, and even pork in small amounts.
Good fat sources include nuts, seeds, milk, and meat in modest amounts.
Good places to get carbs are from small amounts of whole grains like wheat, oatmeal, hempseed, and of course fruit (especially if the name of the fruit ends in "berry"....)
If you eat in such a way that is healthy and yet sustainable... you'll be setting yourself up for success in the long run.
(P.S. Great snack idea: instead of a snack like chips or cookies, try some almonds and fresh blueberries together. It's a cool mix of salty and sweet...the almonds tend to your hunger cravings and the blueberries deal with that sweet tooth.)
