A lot of misleading data about weight loss is available online.
Some of the advice is downright dubious, and it's not backed by any scientific evidence.
Nonetheless, there are a few tried-and-true all-natural approaches.
Here are the most up-to-date, low-effort methods for losing weight safely and effectively.
The first step is to increase the amount of protein in your diet.
Protein is the most important macronutrient for weight loss.
A high-protein diet can increase your daily calorie expenditure by as much as 80-100 just from the extra work your body puts into digesting and metabolizing the protein (1Trusted Source, 2Trusted Source)
In addition to helping you feel full longer, a high-protein diet can help you eat less overall. As a matter of fact, research shows that those who consume a high-protein diet consume 400 fewer calories daily (3Trusted Source, 4Trusted Source).
Eating a high-protein breakfast (such as eggs) can have a significant impact (4Trusted Source, 5Trusted Source, 6Trusted Source)
2. Stick to Foods That Are Purely Comprised of One Ingredient
Eating mostly unprocessed, single-ingredient foods is a great way to improve your health.
Getting rid of the majority of the processed foods, added sugar, and extra fat is the result.
In general, whole foods are more full, making it less challenging to maintain a healthy diet and weight (7Trusted Source).
In addition, the many nutrients your body needs to function correctly can be found in entire foods.
Whole food diets can result in unintended weight loss.
Stay away from processed foods.
Added sugars, fats, and calories are common in processed foods.
Even more so, manufactured foods are designed to encourage excessive consumption. These foods are far more likely to induce compulsive eating than their natural counterparts (8Trusted Source).
Fourth, stock up on nutritious foods and snacks
It has been demonstrated through scientific inquiry that what you keep in your pantry has a significant impact on your food intake and body weight (9Trusted Source, 10Trusted Source, 11Trusted Source).
The likelihood of you or your loved ones making poor food choices is diminished if healthy options are constantly within easy reach.
You may also get a wide variety of natural and healthful snacks that are simple to make and transport.
Yogurt, nuts, apples, carrots, and hard-boiled eggs are all examples of such foods.
Fast Weight Loss: A 3-Step Plan
5. Reduce Your Intake of Added Sugar
Heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and cancer are just a few of the world's major ailments that have been related to a diet high in added sugar (12Trusted Source, 13Trusted Source, 14Trusted Source).
Americans consume roughly 15 teaspoons of added sugar daily. You can be eating a lot of sugar without recognizing it because this much is sometimes masked in numerous processed foods (15Trusted Source).
It's not always obvious how much sugar is in a product because sugar is listed under so many different names in ingredient lists.
A healthy diet can be greatly enhanced by reducing the amount of added sugar consumed.
Use water as a beverage, number six
Drinking water regularly can aid in weight loss, which is an assertion that turns out to be true.
For up to an hour thereafter, you may burn an extra 24-30% of calories if you drink half a liter of water (17 ounces) (16Trusted Source, 17Trusted Source, 18Trusted Source, 19Trusted Source).
Many studies have shown that drinking water before meals can help people, especially those in their middle and later years, eat less calories overall (20Trusted Source, 21Trusted Source).
When other, higher-calorie and sugary drinks are swapped out for water, weight loss benefits are maximized (22Trusted Source, 23Trusted Source).
Seven, Have Some Coffee
Thankfully, the public is beginning to understand that coffee is actually a nutritious beverage full of anti-oxidants and other healthful ingredients.
Coffee consumption has been linked to increased vigor and calorie expenditure, two factors in weight loss (24Trusted Source, 25Trusted Source, 26Trusted Source).
Your metabolism may increase by 3-11%, and your chance of getting type 2 diabetes by 23-50%, if you drink caffeinated coffee (27Trusted Source, 28Trusted Source, 29Trusted Source).
In addition to helping you feel full while having nearly no calories, black coffee is an excellent choice for those trying to lose weight.
8. Take Glucomannan as a Supplement
There are a number of effective weight loss medicines on the market, and glucomannan is one of them.
The konjac plant, often called elephant yam, is the source of this natural, water-soluble dietary fiber.
Glucomannan has a modest caloric content, yet it fills up your stomach quickly and keeps you from getting hungry as quickly. Additionally, it nourishes the good bacteria in your gut while decreasing protein and fat absorption (30Trusted Source, 31Trusted Source, 32Trusted Source).
Experts believe that its weight-loss benefits stem from its extraordinary capacity to absorb water. All it takes is one capsule to transform an entire glass of water into gel.
To get glucomannan supplements, you can do it at a number of internet stores.
9 Don't drink your calories.
Sugary soft drinks, fruit juices, chocolate milk, and energy drinks all contain liquid calories.
There is a link between these beverages and an increased risk of obesity, among other negative health effects. The risk of childhood obesity was found to rise dramatically by 60% for every daily serving of a sugar-sweetened beverage in one study (33Trusted Source).
Keep in mind that your brain does not process liquid calories the same way it processes solid calories, so you may wind up consuming more calories than you realize (34Trusted Source, 35Trusted Source).
Reduce the amount of refined carbohydrates you eat.
The term "refined carbohydrates" refers to those that have had the majority of their healthy fiber and nutrients stripped off.
Refined grains contain nothing but simple sugars, which can lead to overeating and health problems (36Trusted Source, 37Trusted Source).
White flour, white bread, white rice, soda, pastries, snacks, candies, spaghetti, breakfast cereals, and added sugar are all examples of refined carbohydrates.
Implementing a Periodic Fasting Routine
Fasting for periods of time on a regular basis and eating only at specific times of the day constitute what is known as intermittent fasting (IF).
Short-term intermittent fasting, lasting anywhere from two weeks to a year, has been shown in multiple studies (source) to be effective in helping overweight people shed pounds.
Methods of intermittent fasting that are most widely used include:
Fasting every other day
From a Reliable Source (ADF): Fast alternate days and eat regularly on the non-fasting days. A modified variant involves consuming only 25-30% of the calories needed by the body on fasting days.
The 5:2 diet recommends weekly fasting alternate days. Consume only 500–600 calories on fasting days.
Fast for 16 hours and eat within an 8-hour window, sometimes known as the "16/8 technique." The average person would have an 8-hour window between midday and 8 p.m. Eating during a calorie-restricted period led to reduced caloric intake and weight loss in a study of the technique.
On non-fasting days, it's recommended to stick to a balanced eating pattern and refrain from bingeing.
2. Maintaining a food and workout journal
A person who is trying to reduce weight should keep careful track of what they consume on a daily basis. The best approach to achieve this is to keep a food journal or use a web-based food diary.
In 2017, analysts predicted that users would download 3.7 billion health apps. Apps that help with eating healthier, getting more exercise, and losing weight are all very common. There's good reason for this; studies have shown that keeping track of one's exercise levels and weight reduction progress on the move can be an efficient means of keeping one's weight in check (Trusted Source).
Consistently recording one's physical activity has been shown to aid weight loss in one study. An additional review study (TRUSTED SOURCE) discovered that keeping track of one's eating and activity habits on a regular basis was positively associated with weight loss. A pedometer, despite its seeming simplicity, can be an effective aid in the fight against obesity.
#3: Being present while eating
In the practice of mindful eating, one is aware of where and how they consume food. Maintaining a healthy weight while still enjoying one's meals is possible with this method.
Due to their hectic schedules, most individuals eat their meals on the go, in the vehicle, at their workplaces, or while sitting in front of the television. Therefore, many individuals consume their meals with little to no cognizant awareness.
Mindful eating methods include: • Eating in a calm, relaxed setting, such as at a table: Focus on the meal and savor the moment.
Eating in peace: Don't switch on the radio, the TV, or the computer.
• Chew your meal thoroughly and relish every bite. This method can aid in weight loss by giving the brain more time to process the signals that it is full.
Making well-informed decisions about what to eat: Pick foods that are both nutrient-dense and slow-burning in their effects on hunger.
Eating a protein-rich breakfast has been shown to reduce hunger levels and satiety after eating. Studies in young adults have shown that eating a high-protein breakfast can have long-lasting hormonal effects, including a reduction in the hunger hormone ghrelin and an increase in the satiety hormones peptide YY, GLP-1, and cholecystokinin.
Some examples of high-protein breakfast foods are eggs, oats, nut and seed butters, quinoa porridge, sardines, and chia seed pudding.
Reducing your intake of sugar and processed carbs
Added sugars are becoming increasingly common in the Western diet, and there is strong evidence linking this trend to obesity (even when the sugar is consumed in beverages rather than food).
Refined carbohydrates are foods that have been processed to the point where their nutritional value is diminished, especially their fiber content. This category includes starchy foods like white rice, bread, and pasta.
These meals have a high rate of conversion from digested form to glucose, therefore they can be consumed often.
When blood glucose levels are elevated for an extended period of time, the hormone insulin is released, prompting adipose tissue to store more fat. Because of this, extra weight is gained.
The general public should make healthier eating choices, such as avoiding processed and sugary meals, wherever possible. Whole-grain versions of rice, bread, and pasta are healthier alternatives to their refined white counterparts.
• consuming healthy snacks like fruit, almonds, and seeds rather than sugary processed foods
Drinks like herbal teas and fruit-infused water, rather than sugary sodas, are a healthier alternative.
smoothies made with water or milk instead of fruit juice
Consuming a high-fiber diet
Carbohydrates found in plants that, unlike sugar and starch, cannot be broken down in the small intestine are referred to as "dietary fiber." The ability to feel full for longer periods of time after eating a high-fiber diet may contribute to weight loss.
Fruits and vegetables, as well as cereals made from whole grains, pasta, bread, oats, barley, and rye, are all good sources of fiber.
• legumes (such as peas, beans, and lentils);
The nut and seed bar
Restoring a healthy microbial balance in the digestive system
The effect of gut bacteria on eating habits and body weight is the subject of a new line of inquiry.
Approximately 37 trillion bacteria are among the many types of microorganisms found in the human digestive tract.
Dependable Information.
Each person's gut flora is unique in terms of the types and numbers of bacteria that live there. There are forms that can boost a person's ability to metabolize food into usable energy, which can then be stored as fat.
Intestinal beneficial bacteria can be boosted by eating certain foods, such as:
Plants of several kinds: Intake of fiber and diversity of gut bacteria both rise when the amount of fruits, vegetables, and grains consumed increases. At least 75% of each meal should consist of vegetables and other plant-based foods.
Fermented foods, on the other hand, promote the growth and activity of beneficial bacteria while stifling that of harmful bacteria. Healthy levels of probiotics, or good bacteria, can be found in fermented foods including sauerkraut, kimchi, kefir, yogurt, tempeh, and miso. Widespread research indicates eating kimchi may help fight obesity. Studies have revealed that kefir may also aid in weight loss for overweight women.
Prebiotic meals, for example, promote the proliferation and activity of certain beneficial bacteria that aid with weight regulation. Chicory root, artichoke, onions, garlic, asparagus, leeks, bananas, and avocados are just few of the fruits and vegetables that are rich in prebiotic fiber. Oats, barley, and other cereals also contain it. 8.
Sleep durations of less than 5.6 hours per night have been linked to an elevated risk of obesity in a number of studies (Reference). Several factors contribute to this conclusion.
Sleep deprivation or poor sleep quality may impair the body's ability to convert food into energy, a process known as metabolism. When metabolism slows down, more calories could be stored as fat. Inadequate sleep has been linked to an increase in the fat-storing hormones insulin and cortisol.
The hormones leptin and ghrelin are responsible for regulating food intake and body weight, and their levels are affected by how long a person sleeps. Fullness cues are transmitted to the brain via leptin.
9. Keeping your cool under pressure
Adrenaline and cortisol, chemicals released in response to stress, suppress hunger as part of the body's "fight or flight" mechanism.
However, prolonged exposure to stress causes cortisol to linger in the system, which in turn increases hunger and, in some cases, leads to overeating.
The stress hormone cortisol prompts you to refuel on carbohydrates since they are used most efficiently by the body.
Carbohydrate sugar is moved into muscle and brain tissue via insulin. If this sugar is not used for the body's "fight or flight" response, it will be stored as fat.
The body mass index (BMI) of overweight and obese children and adolescents decreased significantly when an 8-week stress-management intervention program was implemented, according to a study published in the journal Pediatrics.
Here are a few techniques for relieving stress:
Breathing and relaxation techniques; time spent outside (walking, gardening, etc.); practicing yoga, meditation, or tai chi
Takeaway
You must always keep in mind that there are no short-cuts to losing weight.
Eating a healthy, well-balanced diet is the most effective approach to achieve and keep your ideal weight.
You need at least 10 servings of fruits and vegetables, along with some high-quality protein and whole grains, to meet this recommendation. Exercising for at least 30 minutes daily is also recommended.
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