How to Lose Weight Fast and Effectively

September 1, 2022August 30, 2022 by Inthealthgroup

Diet and exercise may be key components of weight loss for women, but many other factors play a role.

Want to Lose Weight Fast and Effectively? Tips Can Help You Lose Weight

Weight loss is not the answer to every health problem, but if your doctor recommends it, there are tips to help you lose weight safely. A steady weight loss of 1 to 2 pounds per week is recommended for the most effective long-term weight management.

That said, many eating plans designed to help you lose weight leave you feeling hungry or unsatisfied, or they cut out major food groups and are not sustainable. These are major reasons why you might find it hard to stick to a healthier eating plan.

Everyone has unique needs and different eating styles and tips may work better for you than someone else.

You may find you are able to lose weight by following a low carbs diet or a diet that has a focus on whole foods, but there are some general principles that apply when you’re trying to lose weight.

Here are some science-backed tips to help you lose weight that include healthy eating, choosing carbs carefully, and that aim to:

reduce your appetite and hunger levels while keeping you satisfied
produce consistent weight loss over time
help improve your metabolic health at the same time

If you want to lose weight quickly, some of these tips may help, but quick weight loss is rarely sustainable. Focusing on long-term health and habits that you can stick with over time will help improve your health and are more likely to result in lasting weight loss.

How to Lose Weight in 3 Simple Steps

1-Cut Back On Refined Carbs

One way to help lose weight quickly is to cut back on sugars, starches, or carbohydrates. This could be with a low-carb diet or by reducing refined carbs and replacing them with whole grains.

When you do that, your hunger levels decrease, and you generally eat fewer calories (1).

With low carbs eating plan, you’ll utilize burning stored fat for energy instead of carbs.

Eating more complex carbs like whole grains and having a calorie deficit will benefit from higher fiber and digest them more slowly. This makes them more filling to keep you satisfied.

A 2020 study confirmed that a deficient carbohydrate diet was beneficial for losing weight in older populations (2).

Research also suggests that a low carbs diet may reduce appetite, naturally eating fewer calories without thinking about it or feeling hungry (3).

Note that the long-term effects of a low carbs diet are still being researched. It can also be challenging to adhere to a low carbs diet, which may lead to yo-yo-dieting and less success in maintaining a healthy weight.

Potential downsides to a low carbs diet may lead you to a different method. Reduced calorie diets can also lead to weight loss and be easier to maintain for more extended periods.

If you opt for a diet focusing instead on whole grains over refined carbs, a 2019 study correlated high whole grain intake with lower body mass index (BMI) (4).

To determine the best way to lose weight, consult your doctor for recommendations. Reducing refined carbohydrates may help curb your appetite, lower your insulin levels, and help you lose weight.

But the long-term effects of a low-carbs diet are not yet known. A reduced-calorie diet could be more sustainable.

2- Eat Protein, Fat, and Vegetables

Protein

Eating a recommended amount of protein is essential to help preserve your health and muscle mass while losing weight (5).

Evidence suggests that eating adequate protein may improve cardio-metabolic risk factors, appetite, and body weight (6, 7, 8).

Generally, an average male needs about 56-91 grams per day, and the average female needs 46-75 grams per day, but many factors influence protein needs. Here are guidelines to help you figure out how much protein to eat without eating too much (9,10):

0.8g/kg of body weight
1-1.2g/kg of body weight for people 65 and older
1.4-2g/kg of body weight for athletes

Diets with adequate protein may also help you reduce cravings and snacking by helping you feel full and satisfied (11).

Healthy Protein Sources Include:

Meat: beef, chicken, pork, and lamb
Fish and Seafood: salmon, trout, sardines, and shrimp
Eggs
Plant-Based Proteins: beans, legumes, quinoa, tempeh, and tofu

Vegetables

Don’t be afraid to load your plate with leafy green vegetables. They’re packed with nutrients, and you can eat very large amounts without greatly increasing calories and carbs.

All vegetables are nutrient-rich and healthy foods to add to your diet, but some vegetables, like potatoes, sweet potatoes, winter squash, and corn, are higher in carbs.

These vegetables are considered complex carbs because they contain fiber, but you may want to be mindful of serving size when adding these vegetables to your plate.

Vegetables to include more of:

Broccoli
Cauliflower
Spinach
Tomatoes
Kale
Brussels Sprouts
Cabbage
Swiss Chard
Lettuce
Cucumber
Peppers

Healthy Fats

Don’t be afraid of eating fats.

Your body still requires healthy fats no matter what eating plan you choose. Olive oil and avocado oil are great choices for including in your eating plan. Nuts, seeds, olives, and avocados are delicious and healthy additions, as well.

Other fats such as butter and coconut oil should be used only in moderation due to their higher saturated fat content. Try to assemble each meal with a protein source, healthy fat source, complex carb, and vegetables.

Leafy green vegetables are a great way to bulk up a meal with low calories and lots of nutrients.

3. Move Your Body

Exercise, while not required to lose weight, can help you lose weight more quickly. Lifting weights has particularly good benefits.

By lifting weights, you’ll burn calories and help prevent your metabolism from slowing down, which is a common side effect of losing weight (13, 14, 15).

Try strength training three to four times a week. If you’re new to lifting weights, a trainer may be able to help you get started. Make sure your doctor is also aware of any new exercise plans.

If lifting weights is not an option for you, doing some cardio workouts such as walking, jogging, running, cycling, or swimming is very beneficial for weight loss and general health.

Both cardio and weightlifting may help with weight loss and offer lots of other health benefits. Resistance training, such as weightlifting, is a great option for losing weight. If that’s not possible, cardio workouts are also effective.

Choose what’s sustainable for you.

What About Calories and Portion Control?

If you opt for a low carbs eating plan, it’s not necessary to count calories as long as you keep your carbs intake low and eat mostly protein, fat, and low carbs vegetables.

If you find yourself not losing weight, you may want to keep track of your calories to see if that’s a contributing factor.

If you’re sticking to a calorie deficit to lose weight, you can use a free online calculator like this one to estimate your calorie needs.

You can also download free, easy-to-use calorie counters from websites and app stores. Here’s a list of 5 calorie counters to try.

Note that eating too few calories can be dangerous and less effective for losing weight. Aim to reduce your calories by a sustainable and healthy amount based on your doctor’s recommendation. Counting calories isn’t usually needed to lose weight on a low carb eating plan. But if you’re not losing weight or on a reduced calorie eating plan, calorie counting may help.

9 weight Loss Tips

Here are 9 more tips to help you lose weight:

Eat a high protein breakfast, Eating a high protein breakfast could help reduce cravings and calorie intake throughout the day (16, 17).
Limit sugary drinks and fruit juice, Empty calories from sugar aren’t useful to your body and can hinder weight loss (18, 19).
Stay hydrated, Drink water throughout the day and aim for half your body weight in ounces (20).
Choose weight-loss-friendly foods, Some foods are better for weight loss than others. Here is a list of healthy weight-loss-friendly foods.
Eat more fiber, Studies show that eating fiber may promote weight loss. Find fiber in whole grains, fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds and these other high-fiber foods. (21, 22, 23).
Drink coffee or tea, Caffeine consumption may help boost your metabolism. No need to go overboard on caffeine though and be mindful of adding sugar to these drinks (24, 25).
Base your diet on whole foods, They tend to be nutrient rich, more filling, and less likely to cause overeating than processed foods.
Eat slowly, Eating quickly can lead to weight gain over time, while eating slowly makes you feel more full and boosts weight-reducing hormones (26).
Get good quality sleep, Sleep is important for many reasons, and poor sleep is one of the biggest risk factors for weight gain.

While these 9 tips are a good starting point, they’re not the only things that impact weight loss. Try to reduce stress, and move your body. Read more about natural tips for losing weight here. Eating whole foods, higher protein, fiber, and less sugar can help you lose more weight. Don’t forget to get a good night’s sleep, too.

Sample Meal Ideas For Fast Weight Loss

These sample meal plan ideas are low carbs, which limits carbs to 20–50 carbs per day. Each meal should have protein, healthy fats, and veggies. These meal ideas are just suggestions, as everyone has different needs and food preferences.

If you’d prefer to lose weight while still eating complex carbs, add in some healthy whole grains to your meals such as:

quinoa
oatmeal
whole wheat flour, bread, or pasta
brown rice
rye
barley

Breakfast

poached egg with sliced avocado and a side of berries
spinach, mushroom, and feta crustless quiche
green smoothie with spinach, avocado, and nut milk and a side of cottage cheese
unsweetened Greek yogurt with berries and almonds

Lunch

smoked salmon with avocado and a side of asparagus
lettuce wrap with grilled chicken, black beans, red pepper, and salsa
kale and spinach salad with grilled tofu, chickpeas, and guacamole
BLT wrap with celery sticks and peanut butter

Dinner

enchilada salad with chicken, peppers, mango, avocado, and spices
ground turkey bake with mushrooms, onions, peppers, and cheese
antipasto salad with white beans, asparagus, cucumbers, olive oil, and Parmesan
roasted cauliflower with tempeh, Brussels sprouts, and pine nuts
salmon baked with ginger, sesame oil, and roasted zucchini

Snack

cauliflower hummus and veggies
healthy homemade trail mix with nuts and dried fruit
kale chips
cottage cheese with cinnamon and flaxseeds
spicy roasted chickpeas
roasted pumpkin seeds
tuna pouches
steamed edamame
strawberries and brie

How Fast Will You Lose Weight?

You may lose weight more quickly in the first week of a diet plan and then lose weight at a slower but more consistent rate after that. The first week you typically lose a mix of both body fat and water weight.

If this is the first time you are making changes to your diet and exercise habits, weight loss may happen more quickly.

Unless your doctor suggests otherwise, losing 1–2 pounds per week is usually a safe amount. If you’re trying to lose weight faster than that, speak to your doctor about a safe level of calorie reduction.

Aside from weight loss, a low carbs diet can improve your health in a few ways, though the long-term effects are not yet known:

blood sugar levels tend to significantly decrease on low carbs diets
triglycerides tend to go down
LDL (bad) cholesterol goes down
blood pressure improves significantly

Other diet types that reduce calories and increase whole foods are also associated with improved metabolic markers and slower aging. Ultimately, you may find a more balanced diet that includes complex carbohydrates is more sustainable. You can reach your weight loss goals by incorporating a low carbs or low calorie diet into your life, but the speed of weight loss depends on the individual. General weight loss can sometimes improve certain markers of health, such as blood sugar and cholesterol levels.

The Bottom Line

By reducing carbs or replacing refined carbs with complex carbs, you’ll likely experience reduced hunger levels. Feeling hungry is often why it’s difficult to maintain a weight loss plan, so it’s important to find a way of eating that leaves you feeling satisfied.

By incorporating a sustainable low carbs or lower calorie eating plan, you can eat healthy food until you’re full and still lose weight.

Losing weight quickly may be your goal, but it’s important to think about the long run. While you may lose water weight quickly, fat loss takes longer, and developing sustainable weight loss may take longer than you’d like.

Diet, Exercise & Top 23 Weight Loss Tips

September 1, 2022August 29, 2022 by Inthealthgroup

Do You Know The Top Weight Loss Tips?

Summery

Diet and exercise may be key components of weight loss, but many other factors play a role. Many different factors play a role in weight loss, and some extend far beyond diet and exercise. Making a few simple modifications to your lifestyle can help promote long-lasting weight loss. Including even one or two of these strategies in your daily routine can help maximize results and promote healthy, sustainable weight loss.

In fact, studies show that everything from sleep quality to stress levels can have a major impact on hunger, metabolism, body weight, and belly fat. Fortunately, making a few small changes in your daily routine can bring big benefits when it comes to weight loss.

1. Cut Down on Refined Carbs

Refined carbs undergo extensive processing, reducing the amount of fiber and micronutrients in the final product.

These foods spike blood sugar levels, increase hunger, and are associated with increased body weight and belly fat.

Therefore, it’s best to limit refined carbs like white bread, pasta, and prepackaged foods. Opt for whole-grain products like oats, brown rice, quinoa, buckwheat, and barley instead.

2. Add Resistance Training to Your Routine

Resistance training builds muscle and increases endurance.

It’s especially beneficial for women over 50, as it increases the number of calories that your body burns at rest. It also helps preserve bone mineral density to protect against osteoporosis.

Lifting weights, using gym equipment, or performing body-weight exercises are a few simple ways to get started.

3. Drink More Water

Drinking more water is an easy and effective way to promote weight loss with minimal effort.

According to one small study, drinking 16.9 ounces (500 ml) of water temporarily increased the number of calories burned by 30% after 30–40 minutes.

Studies also show that drinking water before a meal can increase weight loss and reduce the number of calories consumed by around 13%.

4. Eat More Protein

Protein foods like meat, poultry, seafood, eggs, dairy, and legumes are an important part of a healthy diet, especially when it comes to weight loss.

In fact, studies note that following a high-protein diet can cut cravings, increase feelings of fullness, and boost metabolism.

One small 12-week study also found that increasing protein intake by just 15% decreased daily calorie intake by an average of 441 calories — resulting in 11 pounds (5 kg) of weight loss.

5. Set a Regular Sleep Schedule

Studies suggest that getting enough sleep may be just as crucial to losing weight as diet and exercise.

Multiple studies have associated sleep deprivation with increased body weight and higher levels of ghrelin, the hormone responsible for stimulating hunger.

Furthermore, one study in women showed that getting at least seven hours of sleep each night and improving overall sleep quality increased the likelihood of weight loss success by 33%.

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6. Do More Cardio

Aerobic exercise, also known as cardio, increases your heart rate to burn extra calories.

Studies show that adding more cardio to your routine can result in significant weight loss — especially when paired with a healthy diet.

For best results, aim for at least 20–40 minutes of cardio per day, or around 150–300 minutes per week.

7. Keep a Food Journal

Using a food journal to track what you eat is an easy way to hold yourself accountable, and make healthier choices.

It also makes it easier to count calories, which can be an effective strategy for weight management.

What’s more, a food journal can help you stick to your goals, and may result in greater long-term weight loss.

8. Fill up on Fiber

Adding more fiber to your diet is a common weight loss strategy to help slow the emptying of your stomach and keep you feeling fuller for longer.

Without making any other changes to diet or lifestyle, increasing dietary fiberintake by 14 grams per day has been associated with a 10% decrease in calorie intake and 4.2 pounds (1.9 kg) of weight loss over 3.8 months.

Fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, seeds, and whole grains are all great sources of fiber that can be enjoyed as part of a balanced diet.

9. Practice Mindful Eating

Mindful eating involves minimizing external distractions during your meal. Try eating slowly and focusing your attention on how your food tastes, looks, smells, and feels.

This practice helps promote healthier eating habits and is a powerful tool for increasing weight loss.

Studies show that eating slowly can enhance feelings of fullness and may lead to significant reductions in daily calorie intake.

10. Snack Smarter

Selecting healthy, low-calorie snacks is a great way to lose weight and stay on track by minimizing hunger levels between meals.

Choose snacks that are high in protein and fiber to promote fullness and curb cravings.

Whole fruit paired with nut butter, veggies with hummus, or Greek yogurt with nuts are examples of nutritious snacks that can support long-lasting weight loss.

11. Ditch the Diet

Although fad diets often promise quick weight loss, they can do more harm than good when it comes to your waistline and your health.

For example, one study in college women showed that eliminating certain foods from their diet increased cravings and overeating.

Fad diets can also promote unhealthy eating habits and lead to yo-yo dieting, both of which are detrimental to long-term weight loss.

12. Squeeze in More Steps

When you’re pressed for time and unable to fit in a full workout, squeezing more steps into your day is an easy way to burn extra calories and increase weight loss.

In fact, it’s estimated that non-exercise-related activity may account for 50% of the calories your body burns throughout the day.

Taking the stairs instead of the elevator, parking further from the door, or taking a walk during your lunch break are a few simple strategies to bump up your total number of steps and burn more calories.

13. Set Attainable Goals

Setting SMART goals can make it easier to reach your weight loss goals while also setting you up for success.

SMART goals should be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound. They should hold you accountable and lay out a plan for how to reach your goals.

For example, instead of simply setting a goal to lose 10 pounds, set a goal to lose 10 pounds in 3 months by keeping a food journal, going to the gym 3 times per week, and adding a serving of vegetables to each meal.

14. Keep Stress Under Control

Some studies suggest that increased stress levels can contribute to a higher risk of weight gain over time.

Stress may also alter eating patterns and contribute to issues like overeating and binging.

Exercising, listening to music, practicing yoga, journaling, and talking to friends or family are several easy and effective ways to lower stress levels.

15. Try HIIT

High-intensity interval training, also known as HIIT, pairs intense bursts of movement with brief recovery periods to help keep your heart rate elevated.

Swapping cardio for HIIT a few times per week can amp up weight loss.

HIIT can decrease belly fat, increase weight loss, and has been shown to burn more calories than other activities, such as biking, running, and resistance training.

16. Use Smaller Plates

Switching to a smaller plate size may help promote portion control, aiding weight loss.

Although research remains limited and inconsistent, one study showed that participants who used a smaller plate ate less and felt more satisfied than those who used a normal-size plate.

Using a smaller plate can also limit your portion size, which can reduce your risk of overeating and keep calorie consumption in check.

17. Take a Probiotic Supplement

Probiotics are a type of beneficial bacteria that can be consumed through food or supplements to help support gut health.

Studies show that probiotics can promote weight loss by increasing the excretion of fat and altering hormone levels to reduce appetite.

In particular, Lactobacillus gasseri is a strain of probiotic that’s especially effective. Studies show that it can help decrease belly fat and overall body weight.

18. Practice Yoga

Studies show that practicing yoga can help prevent weight gain and increase fat burning.

Yoga can also decrease stress levels and anxiety — both of which may be tied to emotional eating.

Additionally, practicing yoga has been shown to reduce binge eating and prevent preoccupation with food to support healthy eating behaviors.

19. Chew Slower

Making a conscious effort to chew slowly and thoroughly can help increase weight loss by cutting down on the amount of food you eat.

According to one study, chewing 50 times per bite significantly decreased calorie intake compared to chewing 15 times per bite.

Another study showed that chewing food either 150% or 200% more than normal reduced food intake by 9.5% and 14.8%, respectively.

20. Eat a Healthy Breakfast

Enjoying a nutritious breakfast first thing in the morning can help start your day off on the right foot and keep you feeling full until your next meal.

In fact, studies find that sticking to a regular eating pattern may be linked to a reduced risk of binge eating.

Eating a high-protein breakfast has been shown to decrease levels of the hunger-promoting hormone ghrelin. This can help keep appetite and hunger under control.

21. Experiment With Intermittent Fasting

Intermittent fasting involves alternating between eating and fasting for a specific window of time each day. Periods of fasting typically last 14–24 hours.

Intermittent fasting is thought to be as effective as cutting calories when it comes to weight loss.

It may also help enhance metabolism by increasing the number of calories burned at rest.

22. Limit Processed Foods

Processed foods are typically high in calories, sugar, and sodium — yet low in important nutrients like protein, fiber, and micronutrients.

Studies show that consuming more processed foods is associated with excess body weight — especially among women.

Therefore, it’s best to limit your intake of processed foods and opt for whole foods, such as fruits, vegetables, healthy fats, lean proteins, whole grains, and legumes.

23. Cut Back on Added Sugar

Added sugar is a major contributor to weight gain and serious health issues, such as diabetes and heart disease.

Foods high in added sugar are loaded with extra calories but lacking in the vitamins, minerals, fiber, and protein that your body needs to thrive.

For this reason, it’s best to minimize your intake of sugary foods like soda, candy, fruit juice, sports drinks, and sweets to help promote weight loss and optimize overall health.