Weight is either good or bad. Good if you lose it, but bad if you don’t. What most people don’t understand is that one of the reasons they aren’t able to lose weight, or keep it off, is the lack of balance between nutrition and weight loss.

Generally, if someone tells you that you need fat in order to lose weight, you would look at them as if they had just committed a crime. Sadly, though, this perception that you don’t need nutrients like healthy fats in order to lose weight is what causes the stress of yo-yo and crash dieting.

In order for your metabolism to burn excess stored fat, you need to create a working balance between nutrition and weight loss. Without a healthy balance of protein, complex carbohydrates, and healthy fats, our bodies will starve, and pull nutrients from our muscle tissues and cells in order to give our bodies needed energy. This has a counterproductive effect on your metabolism’s ability to burn fat.

1. Cook Your Own Meals Instead of Eating Out

In order to reach your weight loss goals, it’s important that you stay away from the “bad” stuff. Instead of eating out on your next “night off” cook your own meals.

Steer clear of bagged snacks and junk food if you want to lose weight. Be selective with restaurants and road-side diners, as they may re-use their oil, making it thick with toxins and fat that are harmful. When you cook for yourself at home, you can use your own oil, and you can use less of it. Making a meal from scratch is much healthier than eating out at a restaurant.

Look for healthy recipes on the internet in places like our blog or buy a cookbook that specializes in healthy recipes. You can also make these meals with your family. This is a great way to teach your kids how to eat healthier, and gives you more time to spend together as a family. It also means less cooking and cleaning! Just make sure these recipes still contain the nutrients that you need: protein, carbohydrates, and healthy fats.

2. Read Before You Buy

Before you buy any product, take a moment to read the list of ingredients. One rule of thumb: if the product contains a lot of additives, it’s not what it was when it was picked off the plant. For example, a baked potato is very different from a bag of seasoned potato chips. Potato chips have oil and a extensive list of chemicals and colorants, not to mention a high amount of salt.

Instead, look for simple ingredients, and if you don’t know what an ingredient is, do your research. Watch out for foods that have high amounts of fat, sodium or added sugar.

Also, steer clear of products that contain stabilizers, artificial preservatives, artificial flavors, and colors. Be sure to avoid food that contains hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils. This leads to more weight gain, and can be damaging to your cell membranes.

3. Pack Your Pantry with Healthy Food

When it comes to nutrition and weight loss, packing your pantry with healthy food is the way to go, especially if you like to snack.

Make subtle changes in the way you eat. If you are used to having a certain snack between meals, switch to something healthier. Preferably, you should choose snacks that are high in protein, without a lot of sugar or fat. Nuts and seeds are good for snacking, and are a healthier supply in your pantry.

By taking these healthier approaches to enjoying food, creating a balance between nutrition and weight loss will be a little less demanding and a lot more rewarding.

Caroline J. Cederquist, MD