diet tips for the slightly chubby during fat loss period

I. The Dangers of Dieting for Weight Loss

As we all know, dieting for weight loss is not advisable. The human body needs at least 1200 kilocalories daily to meet basic physiological functions and ensure the safe and effective operation of various organs. Otherwise, the body will consume protein and may cause metabolic disorders, which can be life-threatening in severe cases. Similarly, binge eating is also inadvisable. Generally, having three meals a day is optimal. Fewer meals can cause significant blood sugar fluctuations, leading to excessive nutrient absorption and storage by hungry cells, which is not conducive to weight loss.

Secondly, dieting to lose weight means giving up many delicious foods and enduring daily suffering. The weight lost through dieting is primarily water and glycogen, not fat. If you eat normally, the body consumes about 1500-2000 calories daily. Not eating lowers the body's basal metabolic rate, causing food that should be converted into energy to be stored as fat. Additionally, it can cause various harms to our bodies:

Decrease in Basal Metabolic Rate

Long-term dieting can lead to nutritional deficiencies, significantly lowering the basal metabolic rate to maintain normal life activities. This is why many people hit a plateau after dieting for a while.

Decreased Immunity

Dieting for weight loss can lead to vitamin deficiencies. Lack of vitamins can reduce carbohydrate and fat metabolism, making one prone to obesity. It also impairs the body's detoxification function, significantly lowering immunity and affecting health. Over time, one may feel fatigued, weak, and irritable, increasing the likelihood of contracting infectious diseases.

Hormonal Imbalance

Dieting affects the entire body's functions, hindering the production of enzymes and hormones, causing metabolic disorders and hormonal imbalances, which can lead to edema in severe cases.

Easy to Rebound

Dieting requires giving up many delicious foods. When reaching a plateau, most people give up and return to normal eating. At this point, fat cells, which have been suppressed for a long time, rebound like a stretched spring, accelerating growth and expansion. Coupled with a low basal metabolic rate, weight will rebound rapidly.

II. Dietary Principles During Fat Loss

Are you calculating how many calories you need to consume daily during fat loss? Do you know that the calorie intake calculated by software may not be what you need? Does your diet enhance training effects, promote physical recovery, and improve adaptability? You need to decide based on your goals and current calorie intake.

Frequent Small Meals

Dividing daily calorie needs into multiple smaller meals is more effective than eating a lot at once. This ensures you don't feel hungry, keeps the total food intake unchanged, and avoids overeating. Eating every few hours provides a constant supply of nutrients, making calorie burning more efficient and speeding up digestion and nutrient absorption.

Importance of Breakfast

Many people skip breakfast or don't take it seriously due to time constraints or to reduce calorie intake for weight loss. However, daily calorie supply starts with breakfast. After a night's rest, the body's organs need energy to wake up. Without enough energy, the body will feel harmed and eat more at lunch, accelerating calorie absorption and storing it as fat. Therefore, don't skip breakfast if you want to lose weight. Eating breakfast is better than not eating, and eating enough is better than eating less.

Control Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates are one of the three essential nutrients (fat, sugar, protein). After intake, they are broken down into glucose and stored as glycogen in the liver and muscles. Moderately reducing carbohydrate intake can suppress blood sugar rise and make stored fat easier to burn as energy. However, carbohydrates are the main source of energy for thinking, movement, and organ function. It's best to have half of your daily food intake contain carbohydrates to ensure health.

High Protein with Fresh Fruits and Vegetables

Protein is a major component of the body, especially muscles. One benefit of protein is that it digests slowly, making you feel less hungry. After exercise, protein helps restore muscle vitality. To have a well-toned body, protein is essential. Protein also provides a strong sense of fullness, making it a good choice to curb cravings.

Leafy green vegetables provide essential daily nutrients and are a major source of dietary fiber. They offer a strong sense of fullness with minimal calories, making them a foundation of a weight-loss diet. Daily intake should include about 20 grams of fiber from fruits, vegetables, and legumes. Vegetables like celery can also help treat constipation.

Less Oil, Sugar, and Salt

Whether eating stir-fried dishes or snacks, choose foods with less oil, salt, and sugar. Heavy oil and salt are not conducive to weight loss. However, long-term lack of quality fats can lower immunity and disrupt body balance. Control fat intake by choosing good oils and suitable cooking methods. Be cautious when eating out, as fried, grilled, and hotpot foods are high in oil and salt.

III. What to Eat When Hungry Before Bed

Some people skip dinner or eat very little to lose weight. However, this can lead to rebound and nutritional deficiencies. Enduring hunger at night is also painful. What should you eat when you feel hungry before bed?

Milk

Milk contains tryptophan, which can calm you down. Don't worry about gaining weight from drinking milk at night; choose skim milk. Milk is rich in calcium and its protein is easily digestible without burdening digestion. Drinking a warm cup of milk before bed can improve sleep quality and ensure normal detoxification and metabolism during sleep. Good sleep quality is closely related to body weight.

Oats

Oats are rich in nutrients and are a great choice before bed. They contain dietary fiber that absorbs cholesterol and helps expel it from the body, reducing excess fat. Oats are also rich in vitamin B, which lowers blood sugar and promotes metabolism, aiding weight loss.

When hungry before bed, you can choose whole wheat bread with honey. Honey contains fatty acids that speed up intestinal movement and help detoxify. It has low calories and releases insulin, converting tryptophan into serotonin in the brain.

Almonds

Almonds are rich in protein, carotene, and vitamin C. Their unsaturated fatty acids help lower blood lipids. Eating a few almonds or drinking almond tea before bed can fill you up without worrying about weight gain.

Fruits

Fruits are high in fiber, aiding digestion and detoxification. Eating bananas at night can stabilize serotonin and remove melanin. Bananas contain magnesium, which helps relax muscles during sleep. Choose fruits with lower sugar content.

Potatoes

If hungry at night, eat some potatoes. They remove acids that interfere with tryptophan's sleep-inducing effects. You can also mix potatoes with milk to make mashed potatoes.

Pumpkin Porridge

Pumpkin is low in calories, so eating it before bed won't cause weight gain. It's rich in dietary fiber and pectin, providing fullness and absorbing metabolic waste and carcinogens, aiding detoxification during sleep.

Notes on Eating Before Bed:

1. Limit to ≤1 Bowl:Whether soup or porridge, limit to one bowl, the size of a regular rice bowl. Don't be greedy or deceive yourself. One bowl of porridge has about 100 calories, so use this as a standard. Other foods shouldn't exceed this calorie limit.

2. Wait 1 Hour After Eating Before Sleeping:Even though these late-night snacks are low in calories, going to bed immediately after eating can cause food to accumulate in the stomach, leading to weight gain. It's recommended to wait an hour after eating before going to bed.