There are a large number of us Americans who need to lose weight. According to the latest statistics, almost one third of us are overweight or obese. We all know that those extra pounds will ultimately compromise our health, or even shorten our lives. When those unwanted pounds have crept on over a period of years, it becomes harder to shed them. Many women gain significant weight during pregnancy - if you've had a few children in close succession, each birth has probably brought a few more pounds you've not gotten rid of - making weight loss a challenge indeed. One day, you say, "I've had it! I'm going to lose this weight, once and for all!" For all your determination, when D (for diet) day comes, panic sets in. While a 1200 calorie diet is usually only recommended when you're facing serious threats to your health, it's nonetheless sometimes necessary.
If you decide that losing a lot of weight quickly, on a 1200 calorie diet, is to be your goal, always, always pass your plan by your doctor to be sure this is both necessary and safe for your particular health condition. If you get the green light from the doc, here are some tips to help you achieve your goal without feeling like you're starving and deprived. If your 1200 calorie diet is carefully planned, packed with good nutrition and leaves you feeling satisfied after meals, you're far more likely to succeed.
One of the mainstays of the 1200 calorie diet should be fiber. Why? Foods high in fiber are filling and typically low in calories. Now is the time to embrace those 5-9 servings of produce each day. You'll want to go for nine! Fiber requires effort, happily in the form of burned calories, for your body to digest. High fiber fruits, such as bananas, and veggies such as broccoli, should be consumed in abundance. In some cases, you can realize a negative calorie content by simply burning more calories digesting the food than it contains!
Another plus for produce is the fact that they are nutrient dense foods, guaranteed to do your body good. Within a couple of weeks of beginning to consume those nine servings, you'll notice a definite increase in energy.
You'll also want to drink every one of those much touted eight glasses of water. Three of them should be consumed before you sit down to eat. Water does give you a hint of fullness and also prepares your stomach to receive food, promoting good digestive function. And all this time you thought that water glass, sitting to the side of the wine glass, was just a prop! If you're one of those who abhors water, learn to like it. You can flavor it with lemon or lime, add a splash of club soda, or try one of the commercially flavored waters.
As for meat, if you're seriously overweight, fatty meats are your enemy. Chicken and fish are excellent sources of protein and are low in fat - remove the skin and fat from chicken. To make up for the lack of flavor, spice up your chicken with salsas, marinades and barbecue sauces.
Here's another easy trick to help you stick to the 1200 calorie diet: eat slowly. Don't hurry through your meal. Enjoy the flavor of each bite and set your fork down between bites.
Snacks? Snack time is when you squeeze in one of those nine servings of produce. Dress up a fruit cup with a dab of non dairy whipped topping. Make a fruit smoothie with juice and/or yogurt if you're really feeling famished.
Dessert. Ah, the nemesis of many a dieter and a major contributor to failure. There are now a number of candy makers who offer an array of bite-sized chocolates made with Splenda(TM) with diabetics in mind. These candies taste like the real deal. There's no reason you can't live it up a little, even on a 1200 calorie diet! Follow these guidelines and you will lose weight. Think of the clothes shopping trip for the new you!
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