Nutrition Isn’t Dieting: Understand the Difference and Unlock Your Weight Loss Goals

If you’ve ever been on a diet, you know that the primary focus is typically on restricting food types and portions. While a diet might produce short-term weight loss goals, it’s not the healthiest option when focused on long-term weight loss goals. 

If you are working on losing weight and keeping the weight off healthily, one of the most important things to focus on is your nutrition instead of starting a diet. 

We understand that weight loss can be challenging at Optimum Endocrine Care in Calumet Heights, Chicago and Munster, Indiana. This is why board-certified endocrinologist Dr. Nidal Hasan and his team provide you with personalized nutritional strategies to support long-term healthy weight loss and management goals. 

Learn more about the vital role healthy nutrition plays in healthy weight loss and how you can benefit from it. 

What’s the difference between nutrition and dieting? 

The term diet is typically used to refer to a person’s food intake in terms of type and quantity. The food you’d typically eat daily is your diet. Dieting or being on a diet is the restriction of that food intake. 

On the other hand, nutrition is also distinctively different from your diet. Nutrition is the quality of food you consume regardless of the type or quantity. The goal is to have your diet consist primarily of healthy and nutritious food to aid a healthy lifestyle. 

What does good nutrition look like?

Good nutrition means trying to eat a balanced diet during every meal time. A balanced diet contains 30% proteins, 40% complex carbohydrates, and 30% essential healthy fats. A balanced diet is also incomplete without fruits and vegetables. 

Beyond this, your diet should also contain a healthy dose of minerals, vitamins, and antioxidants. A nutritious diet should limit but not necessarily eliminate consuming processed sugars and salts. 

Hydration plays a crucial role in maintaining healthy nutrition. The average adult should drink between two and four liters of water daily to stay hydrated. 

How can good nutrition help you unlock your weight loss goals 

When you have a nutritious diet, your body gets enough protein. Protein plays a significant role in healthy weight loss by curbing your appetite, boosting your metabolism, and regulating hormones associated with weight gain and loss.  

Another critical thing to note about a nutritious diet is that it restricts refined sugars and processed foods, which are not only associated with weight gain but can also cause health complications. 

Good nutrition is also vital for healthy weight management. A nutritious diet reduces your likelihood of craving unhealthy foods and snacks that can sideline your weight loss journey. 
Ready to begin your healthy weight loss and management journey? You can start by booking an appointment with us online or by calling 219-732-2231.