Many people go on a diet to improve their appearance, but there are also a large number of people who need to lose weight to improve their health. This is the case, as Dr. Raquel Nogués, head of the Nutrition Unit at Centro Medico Teknon, explains, of patients with obesity, cardiovascular problems, osteoarthritis, digestive pathologies…. However, not all these people can follow the same diet to lose weight: “Although they can follow general guidelines to lose weight, it is essential that they follow personalized diets (designed according to age, sex, state of health, type of work, schedules, physical activity and also tastes and habits). A discreet overweight cannot be treated in the same way as a case that requires a more significant weight loss,” the doctor points out.
FOR A DIET TO BE REALLY EFFECTIVE IT MUST TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE PHYSICAL AND EMOTIONAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE PERSON.
Healthy balanced diet
But what does a healthy diet look like? According to Dr. Nogués: “The more different foods we eat, the more nutritionally ‘healthy’ our diet will be. There are no good or bad foods for a healthy person (i.e., who does not have a specific restriction for being diabetic, hypertensive or have high cholesterol). In fact, in the Mediterranean diet pyramid all foods are represented (even sweets!). What there is is a concept of quantity and frequency. There are foods that should be eaten every day (vegetables, fruits, cereals, some portion of protein foods such as vegetables, fish or meat…) and others from time to time (sweets)”.
I want to lose weight, what should I do?
“The first step is to contact a professional who knows the subject well and has proven solvency. Only a good professional who takes into account all the aspects surrounding the person will be able to prescribe an appropriate diet,” says Dr. Nogués.