Guest post by Evolve MMA, Asia’s premier championship brand for martial arts. It has the most number of World Champions on the planet. Named as the #1 ranked martial arts organization in Asia by CNN, Yahoo! Sports, FOX Sports, Evolve MMA is the top rated BJJ gym in Singapore.

Other than consistent exercising, it also takes a simple, effective diet plan to achieve lasting weight loss.

The idea is to create the type of diet that you can stick to in the long term. Life is too short to confine yourself to joyless meals that feel like punishment. On the other hand, a healthy diet needs to be absent of harmful, usually tasty food items. Is there a way to enjoy the best of both worlds? 

Find out by reading up on how to build a diet plan that helps you shed those pounds. The information goes one step further by helping you build a diet plan that keeps the weight off.

Understanding weight gain and weight loss

Ideally, the body should burn as many calories as you take in. This prevents the accumulation of fat which the body never gets to burn. This balance between the calories you take in and the calories you burn maintains your weight at a certain level. To put it another way, balance means you don’t gain weight, but you don’t lose it either.

In contrast, if you take in more calories than you burn, the body will store the excess as fat, and you will gain weight. If you manage to burn more calories than you take in, you will start to lose weight. There are two approaches to burning more calories than you take in: Diet and exercise.

We focus on diet because good nutrition extends far beyond weight. The right foods will not only keep the weight off, but they also give your immune system a boost and stimulate healing. They flush harmful toxins from your system while doing many other housekeeping tasks. For these reasons, we approach the ideal weight-loss diet plan as a substitution of certain kinds of foods with healthier alternatives. This is not about calorie counting.

Building a weight-loss diet you can stick to

Let’s start by going over a list of food groups that are filling and nutritious, without a bunch of empty calories:

• Complex carbohydrates: These provide the ready fuel you need to get you through your day. The body turns the carbohydrates you take in into blood sugar. It stores the surplus as ready-to-use glycogen and body fat.
• Fats: The body needs good, healthy fats to execute certain endocrine and brain functions. You’ve probably heard that fats like Omega 3 make for excellent brain food. The body will also use fat for fuel under the right conditions.
• Proteins: The body needs protein to repair different kinds of tissue all through the body.
• Fiber:  Fiber keeps hunger away as you diet, even as it regulates blood sugar.
• Vitamins: These boost the immune system and help to cleanse the body.

The diet plan you come up with should cover all the elements in the list above. As you incorporate these nutritional pillars into your diet, avoid counting calories. The number of calories per unit weight changes with the specific food item you eat. This makes it hard to keep up with calorie intake from one meal to the next.

Instead of counting calories, go with portion control. With that out of the way, here are tips to help you craft a diet plan that you can turn into a healthy and fulfilling lifestyle.

1) Balancing your nutrients

Plan your meals in a way that creates a calorie deficit in your body. A good rule of thumb is 40 percent protein, 35 percent healthy fats, and 25 percent complex carbs. You can use this ratio as you plate your food. Remember that portion control is vital. You should eat enough to fuel your body and no more.

Consulting with a nutritionist to find out the ideal portions you need to take in; relative to your body weight is a great idea. 

You need to first discuss with your medical expert about changing your diet plans. Do not go with what social media influencers end up saying on YouTube videos. If you are looking for trained and certified nutritionists to help you, please go through Gundry MD reviews.

2) Finding foods that you like to eat

The next step is finding foods that fit into the five pillars we listed in previous sections. Lucky for you, there’s a wide variety of foods available in each category.

For protein, you have your choice of lean meats, fish, and eggs. Even better, you’re spoiled for choice when it comes to nutrient-rich plant proteins. For example, you could whip up a savory lentil soup that doubles as protein and fiber.

Complex carbohydrates take the form of whole grains and cereals. Whole wheat, oats, millet, and other ancient grains double as fiber and an energy source. You can get your vitamins from fruits, vegetables, and herbal teas. Sugar-free teas and fruit juices are a healthy, beneficial replacement for soft drinks. 

3) Get your hands on tasty recipes

There’s a misconception that weight-loss diets have to taste like cardboard. In reality, adding suffering to your weight-loss diet plan is a great way to ensure you don’t stick to a diet for long. Remember that healthy foods can be delicious. All you have to do is avoid grease, processed sugar, excess salt, and excess dairy.

4) Timing your meals

Avoid providing your body with a steady supply of blood sugar. Resist the urge to snack whenever the idea crosses your mind. Instead, space your meals in a way that forces your body to burn stored calories. This is a form of intermittent fasting that encourages the body to burn fat.

For example, you can start your day with a filling breakfast that includes protein, fiber, and a tiny portion of carbs. After three or four hours, you can snack on fruits and/or nuts. You can stay hydrated with water or sugar-free teas.

You can have a lunchtime meal with all your major food groups, followed by a healthy snack a few hours later. End the day with an evening meal at least 90 minutes before your bedtime. Sleep early to prevail against the urge to snack late at night.

We craft custom weight loss plans that fit into your daily routine

A nutritionist and fitness guide can help you to create a custom diet plan that incorporates healthy foods that are available to you. Adding martial arts training to your fitness plans can also help to shed off those excess points. 

If you are not sure where to start and how to eat well, check out our newest and best-selling diet product from George Lockhart.  Lockhart is one of the UFC’s leading nutritionist and has helped some of the best professional athletes in the world lose weight and doing it in a healthy fashion.  Lockhart is the real deal and this product can literally change your life.  It is an E-Book and a DVD.  This is also available as a digital download below.