diet guide how to eat during fat loss

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, leading to metabolic disorders, which in severe cases can be life-threatening. Similarly, binge eating is also inadvisable. Generally, having three meals a day is optimal. Fewer meals cause significant blood sugar fluctuations, making hungry cells absorb and store nutrients excessively, 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 mainly water and glycogen, not much fat. If you eat normally, your body will consume about 1500-2000 calories daily. Not eating lowers your basal metabolic rate, causing food that should be converted into energy to be stored as fat. Additionally, it causes various harms to our body:

Decrease in Basal Metabolic Rate

Long-term dieting leads 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 easily leads to vitamin deficiencies. Lack of vitamins reduces carbohydrate and fat metabolism, making it easy to gain weight. It also impairs the body's detoxification function, significantly lowering immunity and affecting health. Over time, you will feel fatigued, weak, and irritable, increasing the likelihood of contracting infectious diseases.

Hormonal Imbalance

Dieting affects the entire body's functions, preventing the full generation of enzymes and hormones, causing metabolic disorders and hormonal imbalances. In severe cases, it can lead to edema.

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, 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 daily how many calories you need to consume? Do you know that the calorie intake value derived from calorie calculation 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.

Eat Small, Frequent Meals

Divide your daily caloric needs into multiple portions and meals. This is more effective than eating a lot at once. It ensures you don't feel hungry and keeps the total food intake unchanged, avoiding overeating. Eating every few hours provides a constant supply of nutrients, making calorie burning more efficient and digestion faster, improving nutrient absorption.

Value Breakfast

Due to time constraints, many people rarely eat breakfast or don't value it, or skip it to reduce calorie intake. However, daily caloric supply starts with breakfast. After a night's rest, the body's organs need energy urgently. Without enough energy, the body will feel harmed and eat more at lunch, absorbing calories faster and storing them as fat. So, don't ignore a proper breakfast. 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: fats, sugars, and proteins. After intake, carbohydrates are broken down into glucose, stored as glycogen in the liver and muscles. Moderately reducing carbohydrates is beneficial, as it suppresses blood sugar spikes and makes stored fat easier to burn as energy. However, carbohydrates are the main source of energy for thinking, exercise, and organ function. Half of your daily diet should contain carbohydrates to ensure health.

High Protein, Paired with Fresh Fruits and Vegetables

Proteins make up most of the body's structure, especially muscles. One major benefit of protein intake is that it digests slowly, preventing hunger. After exercise, protein is essential for replenishing energy and restoring muscle vitality. To have a well-toned body, protein is indispensable. Additionally, protein digests slowly in the stomach, providing a strong sense of fullness, making it a great choice for curbing cravings.

Leafy vegetables provide sufficient daily nutrients and are a primary source of dietary fiber. They offer a strong sense of fullness with minimal calories, making them a foundation for a weight-loss diet. Daily intake should include about 20 grams of fiber from fruits, vegetables, and some 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, hindering weight loss. 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. Avoid overindulgence.

III. What to Eat When Hungry Before Bed

Some people skip dinner or eat very little to lose weight. However, long-term skipping dinner can cause rebound weight gain and malnutrition. Enduring hunger at night is also painful. Sometimes, especially before bed, you may feel extremely hungry. What should you eat before bed?

Milk

Milk contains tryptophan, which can calm you down. Don't worry too much about gaining weight from drinking milk at night; choose skim milk. Milk is rich in calcium, and its protein is quickly digested and absorbed without burdening digestion. Drinking a warm cup of milk before bed improves sleep quality, ensuring 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 pre-sleep food. They contain dietary fiber that absorbs and helps expel cholesterol, reducing excess body fat. Oats also contain 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 accelerate intestinal movement, improving digestion and detoxification. Honey's low calories and insulin release help tryptophan convert to 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 satisfies hunger without causing weight gain.

Fruits

Fruits are high in fiber, aiding digestion and detoxification. Eating bananas at night stabilizes serotonin and removes melanin. Bananas contain magnesium, which relaxes muscles and helps you sleep. Choose fruits with low sugar content.

Potatoes

If hungry at night, eat potatoes to fill your stomach. Potatoes 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 each serving to one bowl, the size of a regular rice bowl. Don't be greedy or deceive yourself. One bowl of porridge usually has less than 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, eating and immediately going to bed causes food to accumulate in the stomach, leading to weight gain. So, wait an hour after eating before going to bed.