The Foodie’s Guide to Losing Weight

Losing weight is a challenge for everyone, but especially when you’re a foodie and in a city full of great restaurants like Manchester.

You should know, however, that losing weight doesn't mean that you have to stop enjoying the food you’ve always loved. Sometimes, all you have to do is be more conscious of your eating habits or make a few adjustments to the way you enjoy your favourite foods. Some people are even able to keep most of their diet intact and still lose weight after gaining a better understanding of nutrition. Here's a quick guide for foodies who want to lose weight.

Up the Protein, Cut the Carbs

The first thing you have to understand is that not all calories are the same. The source of the calories will make a major difference. Why? Because some foods demand more energy from the body to be digested, resulting in fewer calories absorbed at the end of the digestive process.

Protein, for instance, demands a lot more energy to be digested than carbs. So, if you have a diet that is very high in carbs and low in protein, tilting that ratio in favour of protein could be all it takes for you to lose weight.

The good news is that there are plenty of easy ways that you could do that. If you enjoy sandwiches, then one of the best things you could do would be to switch to wraps instead. Using pita bread instead of heavier bread like focaccia or brioche will make a huge difference. You could even go a step further and use lettuce instead of pita for your wrap.

Another very simple thing that you could do would be to go for thin crust whenever you buy pizza. You could also use your plate as an indicator of how much carbs you should consume. If your goal is to lose weight, then try to make half the plate protein, and then the other two halves should be made of carbs and vegetables equally.

Go On a Strict Diet and Reboot Your Regular Diet

If your situation is extreme and you need to lose a lot of weight, you could go on a very strict diet for a few weeks, then elaborate a food plan that will allow you to maintain that weight. You will first need to know what foods you should avoid and integrate sound eating habits into your everyday life.

If you haven't heard of the Cambridge diet, it’s a diet that is made mostly of liquids and soft products and restricts you to under 700 calories per day. If that’s something you can handle, go for it, but know that there are other slightly gentler diets that you could try.

If you’re looking for an alternative to the Cambridge Diet, you could check out the programs Shake that Weight offer. The best thing about Shake that Weight is that they allow you to draft a plan with their products only or one that will allow you to use their shakes but still enjoy some of our favourite meals. You can compare it with the Cambridge diet on their site and see how their plan is much more sustainable.

Grilled Over Fried

If you like fried foods, then you should try eating more grilled foods instead. Pan-seared foods can be a good alternative to fried foods but usually aren't as satisfying. Grilled foods, on the other hand, are absolutely delicious and grilling is one of the healthiest ways to prepare foods.

If you like eating fast food, many restaurants offer both fried and grilled options. If they have fried chicken sandwiches or wraps, for instance, there’s a strong chance that they have a grilled chicken sandwich or wrap as well. If you have the chance of choosing between both, go for grilled every time.

Learn How to Cook

It’s very tough to lose weight when you’re constantly eating out. That’s because you don’t have control over the ingredients and restaurants will usually use excessive amounts of fat in dishes to make them tastier.

When you make your food, you can choose the ingredients and control their quantity to make your recipes healthier. You could do things like using low-fat cheese and putting less of it in when making things like lasagne, for instance. You could decide to go for lean minced meat instead of a fattier blend for burgers and pies. Or use whole wheat flour when making things like muffins or pizza. Having more control is what will ultimately allow you to enjoy the food you usually love without the guilt.

This is all you need to know if you're a foodie but want to eat as healthily as possible. Follow our tips and keep learning about nutrition so you can make more intelligent food choices.