Most of the diets, pills, and meal replacement plans that promise fast weight loss are unproven. However, science-backed weight management options exist. Exercise, calorie tracking, intermittent fasting, and carb reduction are these methods.
This article discusses nine effective weight loss approaches.
- Try intermittent fasting
Regular short-term fasts and shorter meal times are part of intermittent fasting (IF).
Several studiesIntermittent fasting for 24 weeks helps overweight people lose weight, according to Trusted Source. The most frequent intermittent fasting approaches are:
Fasting alternate daysTrusted Source (ADF): Fast every other day and eat normally. Fasting days in the modified Trusted Source require ingesting 25–30% of the body’s energy.
Fast twice a week on the 5:2 diet. On fast days, eat 500–600 calories.
Fast for 16 hours and eat only 8 hours. The 8-hour timeframe for most people is noon to 8 p.m. A study indicated that restricting meals reduced calories and weight.
Avoid overeating and eat healthy on non-fasting daysTrusted Source.
- Diet and exercise tracking
Be attentive to what you eat and drink daily to reduce weight. Logging these items in a journal or online food tracker works best.
Researchers predicted 3.7 billion health app downloads in 2017. Tracking nutrition, exercise, and weight reduction on the road may help manage weight, according to research Source.
Mindful eating
Mindful eating involves paying attention to how and where individuals eat. It helps people enjoy their food and maintain a healthy weight. Most people are busy and eat rapidly on the go, in the car, at their workplaces, and while watching TV. Due to this, many people scarcely notice their food.
Methods for mindful eating include:
- Dining at a table: Enjoy the food and experience.
- Avoid distractions while eating: No TV, laptop, or phone.
- Slow eating: Chew and enjoy your food. This method helps people lose weight by giving their brains time to register fullness, preventing overeating
- Select nutritious foods that will satisfy you for hours.
4. Protein breakfast
Protein helps people feel full by regulating appetite hormones. This is largely due to a decrease in ghrelin and an increase in peptide YY, GLP-1, and cholecystokininTrusted Source.
High-protein breakfasts can have long-lasting hormonal impacts on young adults, according to research trusted Source.
Eggs, oats, nut and seed butter, quinoa porridge, sardines, and chia seed pudding are high-protein breakfast options.
- Reducing sugar and refined carbs
Even in beverages, the Western diet is increasingly heavy in added sugars, which links to obesityTrusted Source.
- Heavy processing removes fiber and other nutrients from refined carbs. White rice, bread, and pasta. These foods digest quickly and convert to glucose.
- Insulin increases adipose tissue fat storage when glucose enters the circulation. This increases weight.
- Swap processed and sugary foods for healthier ones wherever possible. Food switches that work include:
- whole-grain rice, bread, and pasta instead of white.
- fruit, nuts, and seeds instead of sugary snacks
- herb teas and fruit-infused water instead of sugary beverages
- smoothies without juice but with milk or water
- Fiber-rich diet
Instead of sugar and starch, dietary fiber is plant-based carbohydrates that the small intestine cannot digest. Consuming enough fiber might boost satiety and aid weight loss.
- Foods high in fiber:
- Breakfast cereals, pasta, bread, oats, barley, and rye made from whole grains
- veggies and fruit
- peas, beans, legumes
- seeds and nuts
- Gut bacteria balance
One emerging topic of research is gut bacteria and weight management. The gut contains 37 trillion bacteria and other microbes. Everyone’s gut microbes are distinct. Types that boost food energy can cause fat deposition and weight gain.
Some meals boost gut-beneficial bacteria, including:
A variety of plants: Eating more fruits, vegetables, and grains increases fiber intake and gut flora diversity. Try to eat 75% vegetables and other plant-based foods.
Fermented foods: These boost healthy germs and suppress bad bacteria. Probiotics in sauerkraut, kimchi, kefir, yogurt, tempeh, and miso boost beneficial bacteria. Kimchi may fight obesity, according to extensive research. Kefir may also help overweight women lose weight, according to research.
Prebiotic foods: These boost weight-loss-friendly microorganisms. Chicory root, artichoke, onion, garlic, asparagus, leeks, banana, and avocado contain prebiotic fiber. Oats and barley contain it.
- Sleeping well
Studies demonstrate that having less than 5–6 hours of sleep per night increases obesity. There are various reasons.
Poor sleep lowers metabolism, which converts calories to energy, according to research. When metabolism slows, the body may store energy as fat. Poor sleep also raises insulin and cortisol levels, which store fat.
Leptin and ghrelin regulation also depend on sleep duration. The brain receives leptin signals of fullness.
- Stress management
Stress chemicals like adrenaline and cortisol reduce appetite as part of the fight or flight response. However, chronic stress can prolong cortisol release, which increases appetiteTrusted Source and may lead to overeating.
- Cortisol alerts the body to replace its glucose stores.
- Insulin then moves blood sugar from carbs to muscles and brain. The body stores this sugar as fat if not used in fight or flight.
- Researchers found that an 8-week stress-management intervention program significantly reduced the BMI of overweight and obese children and adolescents.
Methods of stress management include:
- tai chi, yoga, meditation
- breathwork and relaxation
- outside activities like jogging or gardening
Takeaways
- Remember that weight loss has no quick fixes.
- A healthy, balanced diet is optimal for weight management.
- This should include 10 servings of fruits, vegetables, protein, and complete grains. Daily 30 minutes of exercise is also useful.
