What are the dietary principles for weight management?

First create a controllable calorie deficit, and then give priority to foods with high nutrient density. All fancy methods essentially revolve around these two points. I have been a weight management coach for almost 4 years, and I have seen too many people go to extremes. There was a girl born after 1995 who only ate two cucumbers and drank black coffee every day to wear a wedding photo. She was hungry for three days while standing on the subway and squatting on the ground with black eyes.

Talking about the calorie deficit, there have been different opinions in the academic circles and fitness circles. One group believes that the daily deficit of ordinary people should be controlled at 300-500 calories. Although they can only lose half a pound per week, they will not lose muscle easily, and they will not be so hungry that it affects their work and life. After half a year of persistence, the results are very stable and there is little rebound.； The other group believes that people with a large base can use a slightly larger gap of 500-700 kcal in the early stage, which can be maintained for up to two weeks. Losing three to five pounds quickly can get positive feedback and make it easier to persist, but the premise is to ensure that you eat enough protein, otherwise your basal metabolism will drop quickly and you will easily get stuck in the plateau period.

Just looking at calories without looking at nutrition is really asking for trouble. If you do the math, you’ll know that it’s the same 150 calories, and you’ll be gone after just two bites of a small bag of mini potato chips. It’s high in oil and salt, and you’ll get more and more greedy after eating it. You’ll be looking for something to eat again every half an hour. ； If you replace it with a hard-boiled egg and a small handful of Millennium Fruit, you can eat it slowly for two hours and supplement it with high-quality protein and vitamins. It's obvious which one is more cost-effective. Take for example what I often say about office workers ordering takeout. You don’t have to go through the trouble of bringing your own food. When choosing a meal, take a quick look and give priority to the set meal that contains multi-grain rice, lean meat (beef fillet, chicken breast, fish fillets are all acceptable) and two portions of stir-fried vegetables. When eating, take two bites of vegetables before eating the meat, and finally eat a small portion of rice with vegetable juice. Your blood sugar will be very stable, and you won’t be tempted to touch the chocolate in the drawer at three or four in the afternoon.

The methods that are hotly debated on the Internet nowadays, such as carbon cycling, 16+8 fasting, and ketogenic diet, are all tools to help you create gaps. There is no absolute good or bad. Some people have lost 20 pounds in half a year by relying on 16+8, and some people have collapsed because they can’t eat. Overeating, if you have more time and are willing to count carbohydrates and calories every day, you can definitely try it. If you are usually so busy that you have to rush to eat, don't join in the fun. Eating a handful of vegetables, a palm-sized piece of meat, and a punch of staple food at each meal is better than anything else. You really don’t have to completely give up your favorite food. I have been managing my weight for three years and my body fat has been stable at around 22%. I buy a cup of bubble milk tea with 30% sugar every Friday night. Occasionally I go out to eat hot pot and barbecue with friends and I don’t have any dietary restrictions. As long as I don’t eat haese every day, I occasionally eat too much and go back the next day under a little control. It’s better than holding in for ten days and a half and showing off a lot at once.

To put it bluntly, the essence of weight management is to manage long-term living habits. There is never a standard answer when it comes to diet. The method that you can stick to for half a year or a year without feeling pain is the principle that suits you best.