Some people claim that dieting is purely based on eating less, and burning more. While this is true to an extent, it goes without saying that diets affect each of us in different ways.
Some people will react to a diet in record speeds and experience weight loss beyond belief. Others won’t budge all and even if they turn to a “rabbit food approach”, their waistline still won’t flinch.
Sometimes it’s because of genetics, but sometimes it revolves around the finer details. Here, we’ll take a look at a three-step approach which can fix your broken diet and allow you to reap the rewards in the process.
Act Upon Any Nutritional Deficiencies
In the midst of eating fewer calories to lose weight, some of us forget about the other elements of a balanced diet.
It’s all very well sticking to, or falling below, the recommended calorie intake for the day – but if this comes at a cost of crucial vitamins then there’s a high probability that your dieting will all be for nothing.
For example, in the US alone it’s understood that a mammoth 86% of the population fail to consume an adequate source of Vitamin E.
If we hone in on the dieting groups out there, they are usually lacking in Vitamin B7, Vitamin D and Iodine among a whole host of other nutrients.
A lack of nutrients means that your body is suffering and it should go without saying that this is not a suitable platform for an effective diet.
However, how can you really know if you are suffering from a deficiency? There might be some minor physical signs but on the whole, unless you are a medical professional, it’s hard to spot them all.
While we can’t pinpoint specific deficiencies that are going to blight you, we can point towards some of the most common ones.
Something as simple as a lack of water, also known as dehydration, is the most common yet the workaround is simple – just drink more fluids.
Fortunately, such simplicity continues and for other popular ailments, such as a lack of vitamins, or a lack of protein, it’s all about eating food which are rich in these substances.
Keeping That Balanced Diet
Once your nutritional deficiencies are resolved, it’s all about delving into the nitty-gritty of the diet itself.
Unsurprisingly, the quantity of food that you consume is high on the agenda – but you should also look to consume the right type as well. In other words, it’s all about sticking to a balanced diet.
Unfortunately, this is where things start to get a little more complex. There’s no one-size-fits-all formula and what you eat will largely depend on your body type.
I-Type Body
We’ll start with the I-type body. For those not aware, this is the person who has bundles of energy, can tolerate carbs all-day-long and generally has a super-fast metabolism. They also happen to be quite thin.
It’s in these cases where the diet should be leaning towards 55% of carbs, 25% of protein and 20% of fat. This is the same regardless of sex, although it should go without saying that men consume higher amounts of food anyway in accordance with their recommended daily calorie intake.
For example, while a man may consume 2 palms of protein dense foods, a woman will generally eat half this amount.
V-Type Body
If we move onto the V-type, the rules change somewhat. These are classed as more powerful people; who are able to easily boost their muscle mass and stay lean.
Bearing the above in mind, it probably won’t come as a surprise to hear that the levels of protein and fat are slightly higher in their diets.
This is largely to accommodate their muscle growth; with their carbohydrate intake taking a hit in the process. It means that they should consume 40% of carbs, 30% of protein and 30% of fat.
O-Type Body
The final body type we’ll look at is the O-type – which happens to be pretty much the opposite of the I-body. They are idler, less active and have much slower metabolisms.
It means that they are less tolerant to carbs and their diet should react with this accordingly; with the general advice being that 25% should be made up of this type of food. Elsewhere, 35% is left for protein, while 40% is reserved for fat.
Pay Attention To Detail
As you may have gathered, the final step is all about fine-tuning the whole dieting process.
For example, a lot of people ask themselves at this point how often they should eat.
Fortunately, there’s no right or wrong answer in this case; meal frequency is left entirely up to you. Some people prefer to eat little and often, while for others larger meals take preference.
The frequency will not hinder or help your dietary goals in the slightest.
One issue that might benefit some groups is cycling calories and carbohydrates. In short, this means tailoring your diet in accordance with your workouts.
This means if you happen to be in the gym one day, you could add more carbohydrates to aid your energy levels.
Then, on your rest days, you can limit your carb intake but boost your diet with the other essentials such as vegetables, healthy fats and proteins. It’s all about leveling out the food types over the course of a week.
The above paragraph leads perfectly onto our next point; what you should be eating before, during and after exercising.
Most experts believe that this is only going to significantly benefit the so-called elite athletes; those that are always working out and doing so at intense levels.
It’s in these cases where you should consider eating a meal, such as one full of carbohydrates, one to two hours before and after your workout.
While you are in the gym, ensure that you have an adequate supply of water, or something like a protein plus carbohydrate drink to replace your lost minerals.
