Gut health scientist explains why she would 'never recommend' dieting to lose weight

Gut health scientist explains why she would 'never recommend' dieting to lose weight Dr Megan Rossi said adding food could actually be the secret to weight loss A scientist specialising in gut health says she would never recommend dieting to lose weight, and even suggested extra portions of food if you are looking to slim down. Dr Megan Rossi is a registered dietitian and nutritionist with a PhD in gut health. She said that restrictive dieting is often shown to lead to 'poorer long-term weight outcomes', and instead actually recommended eating more food. In a post on Instagram, she said: "I'd never recommend this if you are trying to lose weight. "Here's why science doesn't support restrictive eating - and what to do instead. Restriction doesn't just affect willpower, it changes how your brain and body respond to food. That's because your body responds to restriction by increasing hunger, reducing energy expenditure, and making food much harder to ignore. In other words, you feel more hungry and your body moves less. "It can also make foods even more tempting. Psychologists call this the 'forbidden fruit' effect. In one study, people who were told to avoid chocolate for a week ended up eating significantly more of it when they finally had access compared with those who hadn't been restricting themselves. "What I would actually recommend - don't fixate on cutting foods out. Instead, keep your usual meals and simply add one extra serving of veg to every meal, e.g. tomatoes with breakfast, beans at lunch, and extra veg with dinner. Once that's second nature, aim to include something from the super six plant group every day. "Curate your social media feed. If someone's content leaves you feeling like you have to fear food or constantly restrict yourself, it might be time to hit unfollow." Super six plant group The super six plant group Dr Rossi is referring to is vegetables, fruits, wholegrains, legumes (beans and pulses), nuts and seeds and herbs and spices. Researchers at the University of Bergen found that eating across the Super Six can add up to a decade of healthy years to your life. She says that, far from people turning into vegetarians, people should just think more about incorporating more plant foods into their daily diet, especially around their protein sources such as meat and fish. The NHS also stresses the need for healthy eating, saying: "If you want to lose weight, one of the first things you can do is look at what you're eating and drinking. But it can be hard to know what to change. "There is no single perfect way to lose weight. What matters most is finding a way of eating that helps you reduce calories, stay healthy and fits into your everyday life." As well as a better diet, it recommends drinking more water, trying to improve your sleep, and enjoying more exercise. Interestingly, the NHS does suggest trying to reduce your calorie intake, saying: "To lose weight, you need to eat and drink fewer calories than you do now. Aim to reduce your intake by around 600 calories a day. This is a safe and sustainable way to lose weight."