7 Ways To Get Slim

Finally, we set the record straight on what fills you up, what trims you down and how to know when a “miracle” diet is too good to be true.  

1. It’s not the fat in foods that makes you feel full 

That greasy cheeseburger will leave you feeling full all day, so it’s worth the splurge right? Wrong! Fat is the slowest food component to clear the stomach, so for years it was assumed that fatty foods slowed digestion and kept you feeling full longer. Recent research proves otherwise.  

In fact, protein tends to leave people feeling more satisfied than either carbs or fats. The problem with fats is that it has more than twice the calories of protein or carbs. 

To eat more and weigh less, reach for foods high in fibre like fruits and veggies and whole grains. 

2. Missing meals is not a good way to drop kilos 

Research has repeatedly shown that people who eat at regular intervals, starting with breakfast, are better nourished, think more clearly and report fewer mood swings than those who eat erratically. Meal skippers are more prone to weight problems – probably because once they do eat, they eat too much of all the wrong stuff. 

Once meal skippers eat, they find it very difficult to stop, consuming way more calories than people who eat more frequently. People who have successfully maintained a weight loss of more than 15kg for at least a year report that spacing food evenly throughout the day is key to weight-loss success. Weight maintainers eat every four to five hours regardless of whether it’s weekend, weekday or holiday. 

3. Low-carb diets don’t flush calories from the body 

Proponents of low-carb diets claim you can excrete fat fragments (called ketones) in urine on this type of diet, essentially flushing out calories. There is no relation between urinary ketone levels and weight change in women on low-carb diets. Carb cutters restrict so many foods that are normally accompanied by fat, that they end up slashing calories overall. The initial weight loss some carb cutters experience is caused by the body draining glycogen stores for energy. With each gram of glycogen used, 3 grams of water are released with the result being a rapid weight due to increased urination. After about 10-14 days, increased urination ends – and so does the rapid weight-loss phase. 

4. There are good and bad foods 

You may have heard that there are no “good foods” or “bad foods”, only good and bad diets. Nutritionally, a potato chip can’t hold a candle to a baked potato. We usually don’t have a problem treating ourselves to those tasty foods, so to say that there are no “bad foods” is licence for some people to eat anything whenever they want.   

Enjoy “bad foods” only once in a while and in reasonable portions – but always stock your kitchen with “good foods” such as fruits, vegetables and whole grains breads. 

5. Eating healthfully can save you money 

With a little planning, eating well can actually cost less than typical fast-food fare. Granted, wild salmon and imported olive oil cost more than a Happy Meal, but you need to factor in the hidden costs of a diet high in fats. 

Pound for pound, health-boosting whole foods are a lot cheaper than fast-food fare. To help pare down your bill, swap legumes for meat products, buy less expensive produce like apples, oranges, carrots, cabbage and spinach, and purchase whole grains like oatmeal, rice and bulgar in bulk. 

6. Your body doesn’t need loads of protein 

Even if you exercise regularly, you don’t need any more protein than the average couch potato. The best diet is one that contains 15-20 percent carbs and 20-30 percent fat. Eat this way and you’ll have no problems achieving and maintaining a healthy body weight. 

7. No miracle diet will banish cellulite 

Medically speaking, there is no such thing as cellulite. It’s a marketing term for plain old pudge that ripples (mainly on the thighs) in varying degrees in 50-90 percent of women, regardless of clothing size or fitness level. 

This clumpy fat results from fat cells stored just under the skin in honeycomb-like structures held in place by connective tissue. The more fat cells stuffed into each honeycomb, the more puckered the texture. Women are more prone to than men to dimply fat because our skin is thinner, we have less-even fat distribution, and we store more fat in our thighs and hips. Since cellulite is just ordinary body fat, there is no unique diet trick to remove it. The bottom line? A calorie-controlled, healthy diet plus exercise helps you lose fat throughout your body. 

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