So you wanna lose weight fast? Sure, you can absolutely do it. There are plenty of diets out there, claiming that you can shed pounds at the speed of light. However, many of these “eating plans” leave you feeling hungry and deprived. Therefore, they are hard for you to stick. You might lose a lot of weight in the first few weeks, but you are probably going to rapidly regain all of it, if not more. Then, you’ll find another diet plan that ensure fast results. The end of story you already know. This cyclical loss and gain of weight is known as yo-yo effect and was coined by scholar of public health Kelly D. Brownell.
Having all of that in mind, it’s best to lose weight slowly. A steady weight loss of 1 to 2 pounds per week is recommended for the most effective long-term weight management. One pound of fat — is equal to 3,500 calories. By shaving 500 calories a day through dietary and exercise modifications, you can lose about a pound a week. If you only need to maintain your current weight, shaving 100 calories a day is enough to avoid the extra 1-2 pounds most adults gain each year.
Here are some ways to lose weight that employ healthy eating, reducing the amount of carbohydrates in the diet, and exercising that aim to:
- reduce your appetite
- cause weight loss
- improve your metabolic health
1. Cut back on sugar and refined carbs
This step alone will help you a lot in your weight loss journey. Replacing refined carbs with their whole-grain counterparts and eliminating candy and desserts is part of the process. By doing that, your hunger levels go down, and you generally end up eating fewer calories.
If you choose to eat more complex carbs like whole grains, you’ll benefit from higher fiber and digest them more slowly. This makes them more filling and keep you satisfied for a longer time.
Calories obtained from fructose (found in sugary beverages such as soda and processed foods like doughnuts, muffins, and candy) are more likely to add to fat around your belly.
In addition to weight loss, cutting back on sugary foods can lower your insulin levels and, consequently, lower risk of diabetes.
Good food swaps:
- whole-grain rice, bread, and pasta instead of the white versions
- fruit, nuts, and seeds instead of high-sugar snacks, such as granola bars
- oatmeal instead cereals
- plain yogurt instead of flavored yogurt
- herb teas and fruit-infused water or just sparkling water instead of high-sugar sodas
- fresh or frozen fruit instead of canned fruit
2. Eat a lot of protein, healthy fats, fruits and vegetables
Protein
Eating protein is essential for you to preserve your muscle mass while losing weight.
When you increase your muscle mass, you boost your resting metabolism and that makes your body burn more calories while doing essentially nothing.
If that is not enough for you to eat more protein, one study suggested that people on a higher protein diet ate 441 fewer calories per day.
Healthy protein sources include:
- meat: beef, chicken, pork, and lamb
- fish and seafood: salmon, trout, and shrimp
- eggs: whole eggs with the yolk
- plant-based proteins: beans, legumes, quinoa, tempeh, and tofu
Healthy fats
Don’t be afraid of eating fats.
Your body still requires healthy fast no matter what eating plan you choose. And if you don’t eat enough fats your body will not burn the excess fat you have.
So make sure you ingest great healthy fat sources, such as olive oil and avocado.
Low carb fruits and vegetables
Don’t be afraid to load your plate with leafy green vegetables and another plate of fruits.
Even if you’re cutting calories, that doesn’t necessarily mean you have to eat less food. High-fiber foods such as fruit, vegetables, beans, and whole grains are higher in volume and take longer to digest, making them filling—and great for weight-loss.
It’s generally okay to eat as much fresh fruit and non-starchy vegetables as you want. They’re packed with nutrients, and you can eat very large amounts without greatly increasing calories and carbs.
Low carb fruits to include in your diet**:**
- raspberries
- blackberries
- strawberries
- blueberries
- plum
- clementine
- kiwi
- cherries
- cantaloupe(melon)
- peach
- coconut
- lemon
- watermelon
Low carb vegetables to include in your diet**:**
- broccoli
- cauliflower
- spinach
- tomatoes
- kale
- Brussels sprouts
- cabbage
- Swiss chard
- lettuce
- cucumber
- white mushrooms
- bell peppers
- zucchini
- asparagus
- radishes
- arugula
- radicchio
- celery
- Iceberg lettuce
If you are interest in healthy breakfast ideas, check out these recipes we prepared for you!
3. Move your body
Being active is key to losing weight and keeping it off. Exercise can increase your metabolism and will help you burn more calories.
Choose what’s sustainable for you in the long run. It’s important to find an exercise you enjoy. Lifting weights is good and it helps you build more muscle mass. But you can do cardio workouts such as walking, jogging, cycling, swimming or dancing.
Remember: anything is better than nothing and consistency is key. Start of slowly with small amounts of physical activities. As time goes by you can increase the amount of time and intensity of your workout. No matter what you do, make it an habit you can incorporate easily in your life.
4. De-stress
Finally, chill out! We know how modern life can be stressful but it’s imperative that you try to mitigate stress. Stress is related to high blood pressure, diabetes, arthritis, skin problems and can increase the risk of heart diseases. Additionally, eating disorders can be indulced by stress.
Some methods you can try to de-stress:
- yoga, meditation, or tai chi
- breathing and relaxation techniques
- spending some time outdoors, for example walking or gardening
- listening to music (if you like relaxing music or nature sounds, you might want to check out these two youtube channels created by our friends)
