Every day brings a new study showing why it’s beneficial and how to loose weight. When you couple with this the social pressure to lose weight it is not hard to understand why there is so much interest in maintaining a healthy weight.

Health experts generally recommend eating a healthy, balanced diet as the best way to lose extra weight. But what exactly constitutes a healthy diet? One potential ideal diet for losing weight should be made up of between 45% to 65% carbohydrates, 10% to 35% protein, and 20% to 35% fat.

Carbs, when they’re broken down by the body, become glucose. Glucose sugar is the primary source of energy for the body. Around 45% - 65% of your calories should be derived from carbohydrates.

Virtually all foods have some amount of carbohydrates, so the choices available is staggering. If you want to know how to loose wieght effectively, you should look towards more nutrient rich carbohydrate containing foods. Obvious examples are: fruits, vegetables, legumes and whole grains. Colas, fruit drinks, sweets and biscuits do not contain any significant amount of nutrients - these are best avoided. These foods are often described as containing empty calories.

Proteins play an equally important and vital role in all the body’s functions. Proteins are the single largest contributor to helping our immune system and hormonal systems function . They are also the essential building blocks for most of the bodies tissues, such as the skin, muscles and internal organs. In the same way as carbohydrates, proteins are found in almost all foods.

Do be aware, however, that not all protein sources are created equal. When you’re trying to loose wieght, aim to obtain the majority of your protein from foods like fish, poultry, eggs, cheese, nuts and lean red meat. The recommended amount of protein intake daily is roughly .35 g of protein per pound of body weight.

It may surprise you that your body needs 20% to 35% of its daily calories from fat. Just remember that there are different types of fat. Also strictly limit the types of food that contain more harming fat varieties. Foods such as processed meats, butter, lard, cream, whole milk dairy products, ice cream, and many processed grain foods contain what is known as saturated fat.

Saturated fat is especially harmful to your body because it can build up in your arteries. That can contribute to a number of diseases. It is recommended that no more than 10% of your calories come from saturated fats. Trans-fats are even more harmful. The current recommendation for intake of trans-fats is zero. To achieve a good balance of fat in your diet, include foods such as peanuts, walnuts, almonds, avocado, olive oil, salmon and other fatty fish, and sunflower oils.

Remember that you should always consult your doctor before changing your diet or embarking on any eating plan.

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