Oat is healthy whole grain, and it’s no wonder that modern nutrition has formed a diet with oats to aid weight loss. Knowing a few important facts about such a diet helps differentiate facts from rumors.
Oats are among the healthy cereals there are and are rich in fiber, making them great for weight loss, improved gut health, and overall body function. Therefore, many feed on oatmeal, especially during the cold winter season’s due to oats’ health benefits. Nutritional advancement has introduced an oatmeal diet which primarily requires eating oatmeal as the main course during one or two meals of the day, and such attempts are aimed at weight loss. Peer into this article, and learn everything about the oatmeal diet, including whether it can produce weight loss results.
The basics about oatmeal diet
When one is on the oatmeal diet, he primarily eats oatmeal as the main course, for one or two meals he eats in the day. This ensures that you get the maximum benefit from the oats and usually comprises the two phases below;
i. Phase 1: is the first phase that lasts a week and sees one eating whole oats while avoiding instant oatmeal as the main course for the day’s three meals. The phase allows fruits, but they only have to be for snacks to avoid interfering with oats’ weight loss benefits.
ii. Phase 2: allows one to eat two meals once or twice for the day’s three meals as the main course, and he does not have to feed on whole oats. Besides, this phase allows one to eat instant oatmeal, unlike phase 1, which didn’t create room for it. Moreover, it has more vegetables and fruits and also allows healthy low-fat food options.
If you would like to be on the oatmeal diet but are not impressed by the two phases above, you can skip the full seven days and eat oatmeal as the main course for two of the day’s three meals.
How to prepare your oatmeal for the oatmeal diet
In making your oatmeal for the oatmeal diet, you would take 0.5 cup of the oatmeal and prepare it in water. Fruits like grapes, strawberries, and cherries are great additives, and you can add them to the oatmeal or eat them by the side. Besides, low-fat yogurt or skim milk is not bad for the diet and can be added to flavor your oatmeal.
The diet comprises eating oatmeal as the entrée in the morning for breakfast and afternoon for lunch. Fresh fruits form snacks in the morning, while vegetables and fruits are snacked in the afternoon. For dinner, a piece of steak, zucchini-added burger, fish, or grilled chicken will do. The diet is all-encompassing and accommodates low-calorie desserts after dinner.
Is the oatmeal diet healthy?
Since the oatmeal diet has garnered wide acclaim lately, you might find yourself wondering if it is really healthy. Well, the diet, being prepared from oats, is generally healthy because it is prepared from whole oats, which are nutritious cereals. In fact, oats are praised for their fiber content, for which they aid weight loss and prevent constipation. In fact, if you follow the right procedure for preparing oatmeal and stick to half a cup and water, you will be taking in 0g, 3g, and 2g of sugar, protein, and dietary fiber, respectively.
Furthermore, the same serving is rich in iron and calcium, supplying 6% and 2% of each, respectively. The oatmeal diet is low in fat, and the half-filled cup of oatmeal has only 1.5g of dietary fats. Cancer and heart disease are among the top global killers, and studies show that consuming oatmeal reduces their risk. In addition, the first phase during which you take whole oats helps one improve digestion and reduce blood pressure, one of heart disease’s risk factors.
Health risks linked to oatmeal diet
Despite the many health benefits, the oatmeal diet has its own risks, including being low on the calorie count. Of course, people who wish to lose weight would view this as an advantage, but it might be a big problem for those who are weak or have a medical condition or nutritional deficiency. Therefore, one needs to maximize his fruit and vegetable intake while on the diet to compensate for the low-calorie count. In addition, you need to consult a doctor before trying this diet the same way you would do for other diets.
Moreover, many find the oatmeal diet monotonous and restrictive, something we would reasonably understand. Monotony kills interest, and so does the boredom of eating the same meal twice a day as the main course. To counter this, vary the fruits you eat alongside the oatmeal and explore all possible options. This will help you boost your calorie intake and also make the diet bearable during the two phases.
Will the oatmeal diet really help me lose weight?
If you are one of those who have tried different weight loss plans but have found none to be effective, you might doubt whether the oatmeal diet will really help you shake off those extra pounds. Well, the answer is yes, and only if you follow the diet appropriately. Remember, it consists of whole meals and low-fat food options. In fact, whole oats are great for weight loss, especially because of the fiber content and the fact that eating them helps you feel full for longer. With hunger feelings reduced, you less likely will crave unhealthy snacks, which would jeopardize your weight loss quest.
Furthermore, oatmeal is cheap, and many find it cost-effective. Hence, if you can counter the diet’s monotonous nature, you can achieve weight loss in real-time. If you want to make the process more effective, you will need to enter some form of exercise routine. This will prevent your muscles from wasting away, help you keep fit, and increase the number of calories you burn in a day.
Conclusion
The oatmeal diet comprises eating oatmeal as the main course for at least two of the day’s meals to aid weight loss. The diet is prepared using a half cup of oatmeal and water, although skim milk, cinnamon, and low-fat yogurt can be used for flavoring. Fruits and vegetables are also part of the diet and supplement your calorie needs. If the diet is followed well and its restrictive and monotonous nature countered, one can attain weight loss effortlessly. The results are even better with some form of exercise in the picture.
MS, Lund University, Sweden
Nutrition plays an important role in human life. Eating habits are one of the factors that affect our health. There is often a misconception among people that nutritionists force a very restrictive diet, but that is not true. In fact, I don't ban any products, but I point out dietary mistakes and help change them by giving tips and new recipes that I've tried myself. I advise my patients not to resist change and to be purposeful. Only with willpower and determination can a good result be achieved in any area of life, including changing eating habits. When I don't work, I love to go climbing. On a Friday evening, you are most likely to find me on my couch, cuddling with my dog and watching some Netflix.
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