Diet Culture and Being Overweight

Diet is a very important part of our daily life. Our body needs proper nutrition to stay healthy and fit. The wrong diet can damage your health and cause diseases that are difficult to cure. So, it’s very important that you get proper diet guidance from dietitians and experts before planning a diet.

In general, diet in nutrition is the balance of what an individual or organism consumes over a period of time. Some nutrients are present only in some foods while other nutrients can be found in all foods and some nutrients exist only in some plants and some in animals. The main reason why our diet is divided into several kinds is because some foods contain more than others; some contain more fibers than the other and some contain less than the other. Based on these reasons, the types of diets available in the market are defined as low-calorie diet, low fat diet, high fiber diet and so on.

The concept of a balanced diet can be divided into two parts. One part of the balanced diet is making sure that the quantity of calories you take is less than your requirements. In addition, the other part is ensuring that the right proportion of the nutrients contained in the foods is taken. For example, when you have too much sugar you will develop an insulin resistance. This will cause obesity. However, when you have too little fiber you will develop constipation.

Fats should be avoided in any diet. They are mostly present in fried foods, sausages, chips, biscuits, brown or whole-grain foods and alcohol. There is a misconception about trans fats. These fats are present in higher concentrations in margarine and other fried vegetable oils and are bad for health. However, there are trans-fats that can be beneficial in certain circumstances. If the content of trans-fats is less than 1%, it may be okay to include them in your diet as long as the amount of saturated fats present is lower than that of the saturated fats from meat.

If you are suffering from hunger pangs throughout the day, you are probably not getting enough carbohydrates. You should therefore ensure that you eat several small but frequent meals. Consuming multiple smaller meals throughout the day will help you maintain your energy level and prevent you from feeling hungry throughout the day. Studies have shown that individuals who maintain regular daily meal plans to lose more weight than individuals who have irregular eating patterns.

Losing weight takes time, determination and discipline. Most people who are overweight do not put any effort into changing their eating habits. The reason for this is that they are afraid of being stigmatized by their peers. Even though being overweight is socially acceptable, it is better to avoid becoming a social outcast because of your weight. Fortunately, a new diet culture is emerging which allows obese individuals to be more assertive about their bodies while they learn to embrace their new found weight.