Cómo introducir pequeños cambios saludables en su dieta sin hacer dieta

Whether it's keto, juicing, or intermittent fasting, there's no shortage of novelty diet programmes promising to help you lose weight fast. But are they effective?

Jennifer Low, registered dietitian and British Dietetic Association (BDA) spokesperson, explains that fad and extreme diets do not work in the longer term. They may make you lose weight to begin with, but then the weight goes back on as soon as you start to eat normally again.

"Además, suelen contener pocos nutrientes esenciales y te dejarán exhausto y agotado, y a menudo harán que descienda tu tasa metabólica, lo que significa que quemarás menos energía", añade.

"Extreme dietary restriction means that you have to switch off from listening to your body - our bodies are really good at telling us what we need. And no, they don't always say we need chocolate. Often they will crave vegetables as well. We all need to relearn to tune in and listen to ourselves."

Las dietas repentinas o extremas tampoco cambian tu relación con la comida de forma positiva, lo que significa que es menos probable que mantengas los cambios dietéticos que hagas. Los cambios más pequeños son mucho más sostenibles, lo que significa que podrás continuar con estos hábitos saludables en el futuro.

So what can you do to make long-lasting changes to the way you eat without resorting to fad diets?

Añade cosas buenas

Para muchos de nosotros, lo normal es reducir el consumo de cosas que consideramos malas, como el chocolate o las patatas fritas. Sin embargo, pensar en lo que puedes añadir a tu dieta -y no en lo que tienes que quitar- puede ser un cambio más positivo.

"At this time of year it's easy to think 'I won't allow myself anything that's not good for me'. But that puts you in a deprivation mindset and you are likely to crave the very foods that you are not allowing yourself," says Low.

"Si se piensa en qué complementos saludables se pueden introducir en la dieta, la mayoría de la gente descubre que entonces come de forma más sana de forma natural y puede tomar los alimentos menos saludables con moderación".

Beber más agua

Chloe Hall, a registered dietitian and member of the BDA, recommends making small changes that you think you could stick to. For example, trying to drink more water during the day to try to reach eight glasses a day, or eating an extra piece of fruit a day.

"The important thing is that you are making the changes realistic and sustainable", she adds.

Increasing the amount of water you drink is a simple way to improve your diet and health. Not only will staying properly hydrated lower your chance of getting headaches, it can also help reduce sugar cravings and aid weight maintenance. Research has shown that having water before a meal may fill you up more and therefore promote weight loss by causing you to eat less at the meal.

Staying hydrated is also good for our mental wellbeing too, with studies suggesting that even mild dehydration can impair memory and mood.

Pruebe alternativas saludables

If you tend to reach for chocolate or sweets, try more nutritious alternatives instead. You can make your own sweets using foods such as oats and dried fruit, or switch to dark chocolate. Eating well doesn't mean cutting out snacks - far from it. In fact, it's better to snack when you need to throughout the day, but with more balanced options to even out your energy levels.

"Prueba con tentempiés que contengan proteínas y que te mantengan saciado durante más tiempo y eviten que busques otro tentempié, como un pequeño puñado de semillas o frutos secos sin sal, un par de tortitas de avena integrales con queso fresco bajo en grasa o hummus", dice Hall.

Eating a variety of nutrient-rich snacks such as nuts further increases the chance of getting all the vitamins, minerals and micro-nutrients you need.

Make sure you eat regular, balanced meals throughout the day too.

"No skipping meals, as this will often cause you to overeat the next time you allow yourself to," Hall adds.

Coma menos sal

Thinking about the salt content of your food can make a big difference to your health. Too much salt can raise your blood pressure and increase your chances of heart disease, obesity, kidney disease, Meniere's disease, osteoporosis, and gastric cancer.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the average adult eats over 10 grams of salt a day - more than double the recommended daily intake of 5 grams.

Pero estos pequeños cambios pueden reducir significativamente la cantidad que consume. Ten en cuenta también que cuanto más te acostumbres a consumir menos sal, menos te apetecerá.

Hacer intercambios de alto contenido en fibra

We hear a lot about the health concerns surrounding high-carb foods - but for most people, it's refined carbs - both sugary and starchy - which should be avoided or minimised. White versions of sugar and flour, often found in nutrient-poor ultra-processed foods, have been linked with a host of negative health outcomes.

Si tienes diabetes, esto es especialmente importante. Tanto los carbohidratos ricos en almidón como los azucarados se convierten en azúcar, lo que eleva la glucemia. Los carbohidratos refinados tienen poca fibra, por lo que se absorben rápidamente en el organismo y provocan picos de azúcar en sangre.

Swapping your usual foods for higher-fibre alternatives is an easy change with big benefits. There is strong evidence that eating plenty of fibre is associated with a lower chance of heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, and bowel cancer. It also makes us feel fuller, helps digestion, and prevents constipation.

Low recommends increasing the fibre in your diet by switching to brown pasta and rice and wholegrain breads.

"Increase your portions of fruit and veg in a day," she says. "Aim for two more than you would normally have to begin with and increase to five portions a day, or more."

It can also help to increase the variety of fruits and veg you choose, which can also make meals more interesting.

"Try to aim to have 30 different types in a week if you can, as it's great for gut health to keep your fruit and veg varied," adds Low.

Cocinar más

Todo el mundo tiene días en los que no tiene fuerzas para cocinar y acaba pidiendo comida para llevar. Y aunque no hay nada malo en pedir comida a domicilio de vez en cuando, coger la rutina de cocinar en casa es una de las mejores formas de llevar una dieta más equilibrada.

Certified health coach Sophie Pirouet recommends that you start small and choose an achievable goal for you, which could be cooking a healthy dinner from scratch a few times a week. Before the week, select the days you'll cook, and the recipes, and get the ingredients you need in.

"Taking a bit of time to plan each week will make sure you're ready to go when the time comes," she says. "Especially if you're feeling tired at the end of the day and tempted by the convenience of fast-food delivery."

Coma en un plato más pequeño

Following a healthy diet is also about eating the right amount. If you're carrying excess weight, it's worth looking at your portion sizes and how they measure up against the recommendations laid out by the British Nutrition Foundation (BNF) in their helpful guide.

Puede que te preocupe el hambre cuando reduzcas el tamaño de tus comidas, pero si lo haces gradualmente y comes suficientes proteínas en cada comida, seguirás sintiéndote satisfecho y, con el tiempo, tu apetito se adaptará.

Uno de los mejores y más sencillos trucos es utilizar un plato más pequeño la primera vez que reduzcas la comida. De este modo, comerás menos pero tu plato seguirá pareciendo lleno. Esto tiene un impacto psicológico que está demostrado que ayuda a la gente a reducir la cantidad que come.