It’s important to note: weight and fat gain is caused by eating in a caloric surplus, losing weight and fat is caused by eating in a deficit. Numerous studies have shown that as long as the total number of calories you eat is the same, the time of consumption (ie before 7 pm)and the type of food (ie junk vs healthy)DO NOT MATTER. Provided you are in a surplus, the scale will go up, a deficit and it goes down. You can gain weight on fruits and lose it on chocolate. HOWEVER, hunger and binge eating are probably the two biggest obstacles in a diet. The hormones that control hunger and fullness weaken at night, making you far more likely to overeat. Additionally, it is super easy to eat tons of calories without feeling full if you are eating heavily processed carbs and junk. One pound of fat is 3500 calories. A daily deficit of 500 calories is probably the highest deficit most people can sustain, and it equates to 1 pound of fat per week. While many people think they lost 5 pounds in their first week of a diet, in truth it is mostly water weight(same goes for gaining 5 pounds after fressing at a chasenah- it’s mainly food volume and water weight). The only way to lose weight is to eat less calories than you burn. Cardio and exercise can help, but keep in mind the 30 minutes you spend on the treadmill will be the equivalent of 3 Oreos. To be successful in your diet, prioritize having lots of protein and fiber, as they will keep you more full. Drink lots of water too. Oils, sauces, and butter are extremely high calorie, so be mindful of that when you add them to your foods. Often people claim to be gaining weight on extremely low calorie diets, but after examining how well they track there food it’s clear they are eating far more than they realize. A salad loaded with croutons, cheese, olive oil and dressing might amount to upwards of 800 calories. Diets like Keto and intermittent fasting can be great short term, but they aren’t some secret hack for weight loss and often aren’t sustainable. Not eating after a certain time at night is very sustainable, and probably will be a great way to help create a caloric deficit, but once again is not some weight loss trick. Find your maintenance calories(look up Maintenance Calorie Calculator), go 300-500 calories per day below it, buy a food scale, start tracking all your meals, and much Hatzlacha .
Side points: Maltodextrin and other zero calorie sweeteners are amazing for weight loss. They will NOT cause you to gain weight, and if anything, a diet soda is a great way to feel more full. However, many people find that artificial sweeteners give them gut issues, and therefore avoid them.
Red meat and cholesterol are blown way over proportion. Meat and egg yolks are some of the most nutrient dense foods in the planet, and are good sources of protein.
I wish this basic nutrition info was more widespread in the Jewish community, and that there wasn’t such a culture of fress fress fress.
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