Healthy Diet Plan to Lose Weight

Many diet plans will help you lose weight, but not all diet plans are healthful. Unless your diet plan includes daily doses of all the nutrients your body requires you run the risk of becoming ill or malnourished. It is possible to lose weight by managing your intake of healthful foods.

Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates are a good source of energy and should make up about 60 percent of your daily caloric intake, according to the website ShapeFit.com. Take in as many of your carbohydrates as possible in the form of whole grains, beans, fruits and vegetables. Avoid overly refined carbohydrates (white flour, white rice, white sugar) or things made with refined ingredients.

Make substitutions and try to eat mostly colorful foods. For example, swap out a nutritionally deplete baked russet potato for a vitamin A-rich sweet potato.

Whole grains are digested more slowly so they can make you feel full longer and will release the carbohydrates over a longer period of time. This has a stabilizing effect on the blood sugar. Beans and legumes are a good source of carbohydrates and also contain vitamins, minerals and fiber. Foods with a lot of fiber move through your digestive system and are eliminated more quickly, which can help you lose weight.

Proteins

Proteins are important because they help build and maintain muscle tissue. Meat is an excellent source of protein, gram for gram. Other sources of protein are beans, soy and dairy. While red meat is high in iron, it can also be high in fat. If you choose to red meat, select lean cuts. White meat has less fat and is a better choice, unless you eat the skin. Fish not only is a good source of protein, but it also contains omega-3 fatty acids, which are responsible for lowering levels of bad cholesterol while raising good cholesterol values. Nuts are another nutritious protein source. About 30 percent of your healthy diet should be made up of proteins.

Fats

Cutting fat from the diet can help in losing weight because it takes more than twice as many calories to burn a gram of fat as it does to burn a gram of either protein or carbohydrate. Don't cut out fats entirely, however. In fact, in a healthy diet about 10 percent of calories should come from fat. The body needs some fats to maintain the metabolism. Saturated fats (those originating from animals) should be consumed in moderation because they can increase cholesterol levels. Unsaturated fats (those from plant sources) are more healthful choices. Monounsaturated fats are found in foods like walnuts, fish and avocados and are good because they lower bad cholesterol and raise good cholesterol.