Health

Best diet to keep the weight off?

By Web Producer
By NBC News

Best diet to keep the weight off?

June 26, 2012 Updated Jun 26, 2012 at 3:10 PM CDT

BOSTON, Mass. -- Studies have shown that your metabolism slows down after you lose weight, making it harder to keep the pounds off.

Now, new research suggests the diet you choose could affect the calories you burn long after you've met your weight loss goal.

Researchers at Children's Hospital Boston had a group of adults who had lost 10 percent of their body weight try to maintain their weight loss with three different diets: low-carb, low-fat, and low-glycemic index plans.

They found participants following a low-carb diet burned 300 more calories a day than those following a low-fat diet.

However, the low-carb diet plan was linked to an increase risk for heart problems.

The low-glycemic index diet, which is made up of 40 percent carbs, 40 percent fat, and 20 percent protein, was the healthiest diet that kept metabolism going after weight loss.

Experts say low glycemic index diets digest slowly, which helps keep blood sugar and hormones stable after a meal.

This study was published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

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