Dealing with losing weight is really not an easy journey at all.
You need to be persistent and consistent to achieve your desired fitness goals.
There are many methods and tips for everyone aiming to lose weight effectively and safely.
How do you know if this or that method of losing weight is appropriate and safe?
Here are the losing weight backed by science – 8 effective tips,
1. Get more fiber nutrients in your daily diet.
This is crucial because fiber (soluble or insoluble) can help to lower your cholesterol levels, prevent constipation, and diabetes, and improve digestion.
The American Heart Association recommended fiber daily intake of 25 – 30 grams a day from natural food sources, not supplements.
Another study published by the Annals of Internal Medicine (1) in 2015 also suggested to aim for 30 grams of daily fiber intake can help you to lose weight effectively and improve your body’s response to insulin resistance.
There are plenty of rich-fiber sources you can get from,
* whole grains and cereals. Choose cereals with at least 5 grams of fiber per serving. For bread, look for whole-grain or whole-wheat bread with the highest amount of fiber per slice.
* fresh fruits & vegetables. Ensure to consume them freshly on daily basis. Avoid fruit juices as they have very less fiber content or zero!
* beans and legumes. You can add any type of bean such as black beans, or kidney beans into your salad. In general, a half cup of beans gives you approximately 8 grams of fiber nutrients. Or try to use legumes in preparing your soup instead of using meat.
Mediterranean diet does fit into this as its food sources are high in fiber and other dietary nutrients helping in weight loss.
2. Sufficient protein-rich diet in your breakfast.
Why is protein important for weight loss?
This macronutrient is super essential for the body in maintaining overall sustainably good health and losing weight (2).
1. Combined carbs with proteins help slow down the sugar glucose absorption process into the blood, thus stabilizing the blood sugar level. This will prevent you from having more food cravings.
2. Protein help to speed up the fat-burning process. The body in general not only depends on fat to burn energy but also needs help from other nutrients like protein and carbohydrates to sustain muscle mass.
3. Do you know that protein does help in speeding up metabolism resulting in burning more calories even when resting?
4. High protein helps to control your craving for food more by regulating and reducing the hunger ghrelin and glucagon hormones inside the stomach(3).
5. This macronutrient has a higher form of energy called ‘TEF’ (thermic effect of food)(4), which is vital for the digestion of the food process into smaller and easy-to-absorb components. Compared to fats or carbs, protein nutrients make the body burn more calories through this process.
Be sure to have this important nutrient in your breakfast diet after a morning home exercise.
3. Try to reduce refined carbohydrates.
What is the meaning of refined carbohydrates or carbs?
Refined carbs are those grain-based foods that have the germ and bran removed or extracted during the refining process. Not only the fiber nutrient is removed but also other vital nutrients such as healthy oils, fat-soluble vitamins, and even vitamin B-complex.
Some of these foods you always got from the shelves are mostly containing refined carbs.
* white and plain wheat bread.
* refined pasta – unlike whole-wheat pasta, they are very lacking in vitamin B-complex and fiber nutrients.
* cereals – mostly made of enriched flour.
* white rice especially quick-cook rice is enriched with refined grains. Instead, try to consume non-refined brown rice.
* snack foods such as cakes, pizzas, cookies, pies, candies, or chips are the main example of snack foods high in refined carbs with added sugar and bleached flour. Contains very little nutritional value.
Start your day now with a low-carb oatmeal breakfast containing high-fiber nutrients. Do you know oats are high in soluble fiber which is good for digestion, has low-fat content, and is good for (#Ad)healthy weight loss, protects the heart from cardio-related diseases, and lowers your cholesterol levels?
You can eat it anytime, not only for breakfast. I sometimes take oatmeal with low-fat milk as a quick snack during the nighttime.
Do you know an ounce of rolled oats bran consists of Calories 67, Protein 2.7g, Carbs 11g, Fiber 1.2g, Calcium 24mg, and Niacin 1.4mg?
If you like bread, the best bread is whole wheat (grain) bread. Compared to refined grains, whole grains keep all parts of the grains intact, providing more essential nutrients, minerals and vitamins.
This type of bread has a considerably high amount of soluble fiber to help in controlling cholesterol levels, diabetes, and risk of heart diseases. Do you know a sliced (32g) of this bread gives you Fiber 1.9g, Cholesterol 0mg, Protein 3.9g, and Calcium 52mg?
4. Cut down your added sugar intake.
Natural sugar is from all-natural food sources such as fruits you eat every day. Meanwhile, added or refined sugar is the extra ’empty’ calories with absolutely no nutritional value for your body.
Added sugar is the reason why so many people are having weight gain and many health problems.
When you are cutting down your added sugar in your diet, not only does it help you a lot in your weight management but also,
* preventing heart-related disease risks.
* lowering Triglycerides which is a type of cholesterol fat in your blood.
* reducing the risks of many sugar-related conditions such as diabetes and high blood pressure.
Try to stick to your daily calorie intake from natural food sources such as fruits, vegetables, nuts, or whole grains. This way, your body is able to absorb the healthier nutrition needed for repairing and protecting body tissues.
5. Try intermittent fasting.
Numerous types of research had shown that intermittent fasting gives a lot of health benefits to your body in long term:
1. Improving and controlling blood sugar levels in the body by up to 6%, and may potentially avoid the risk of diabetes diseases(5).
2. Heart rates beat better and improve blood pressure which gives overall excellent heart health.
3. Preventing obesity and aiding weight loss among obese adults.
4. Boost up your metabolism rates and thus help in losing weight.
You can eat normally during your eating periods after fasting. However, it doesn’t mean you can eat like never eaten before!
Eat balanced nutritious foods with carbohydrates, protein, and, healthy fats; not junk foods, processed foods, fried foods, or snacks. If you do not follow up correctly, it is a total waste of your time and effort. Absolutely NO to pizzas, French fries, burgers, or other fattening foods!
When the time you are in fasting mode, you can still consume beverages such as plain water, black coffee, and brewed tea. Noting that coffee or brewed tea should not be added milk, sugar, or creamer into it.
Also, avoid alcohol and soda drinks as both contain sources of calories. Drinking alcohol when you are in fasting mode can trigger your appetite to crave more food.
Find out more about intermittent fasting from my blog post.
6. Keep a healthy balanced diet & exercise regularly.
Exercising regularly and together with a healthy balanced diet are proven by science to help you stay fit at all times.
Depending on your capability and your desire to realize your fitness goals, below are the health benefits you will gain by exercising regularly,
1. Improves your physical fitness.
2. Improves glucose control.
3. Managing your blood pressure and strengthening your heart.
4. Quicker recovery from illness and stress.
5. Improves self-esteem and reduces anxiety (Your level of confidence will rise as you make exercise a routine).
6. Improve energy to cope with your normal daily tasks.
7. Improve your inner balance, concentration & coordination (With more exercise, the brain functions better).
You should also build a habit to check your macronutrient intake all the time. One way is by using ketone breath analyzers. From the information here, you can reevaluate by making dietary changes if needed so that it helps you to move forward to your weight loss success.
Having an adequate intake of fruits and vegetables in your diet will help you to reduce lifestyle-related health conditions.
However, having a non-meat diet (fruits and vegetables), for example, for one month, you could be at risk of slowing down your metabolism due to very low-calorie daily intake.
Take note the recommended daily calorie intake is 1,200 for females and 1,800 for men. Imagine if the daily calorie intake is lower than recommended, it could invite some health-related issues such as dizziness, headaches, tiredness, heart problems, or even osteoporosis.
Speak with your dietician or nutritionist for more guidelines.
7. You must enjoy your food at every meal.
It doesn’t matter what to eat, as long you enjoy the food to the fullest to fill the hungry stomach, for example, because you are hungry and thirsty after a workout.
When at the dining table, you can practice mindful eating(6) which supports your weight loss goals. This type of awareness can be carried over during your mealtime such as how much you want to eat, is it just a bite, or how the food will taste or smell in your mouth.
Chew your food slowly and properly. Do not eat too fast because your brain is unable to process and tell you that you are full. It is very important as this gives a strong impact on your weight loss process.
Avoid common distractions such as looking at your smartphone as it may distract you while eating and will result in a negative impact on your weight. You need to focus all your attention and the experience of eating while at the dining table.
By the way, if you are already practicing yoga, it actually trains you to become more aware of how your body feels (mindfulness).
Do you know the right time to choose when you are eating is equally important to ensure your weight loss success?
An article(7) published in 2019 by the University of Murcia in Spain suggested the best time for breakfast is between 7.00 – 7.11 am; lunchtime between 12.30 – 1.00 pm; and dinner time, ideally between 6.00 – 6.30 pm.
8. Knows how to manage and control stress levels.
Stress stress stress!
Having excessive stress and not being able to treat it can have a bad effect on your energy levels and overall quality of life. This has been proven in a few studies(8), (9).
How can you manage and control your stress levels in order to manage your weight effectively?
Try these few simple home remedies,
* Exercise regularly is effective to maintain or boost energy levels. Swimming, jogging, running, or walking at the nearby park is a good practice to improve productivity and avoid stress-related disorders.
* Ensure that you are eating the right healthy diet consisting of an adequate intake of protein, carbs, and healthy fats. This will improve your cognitive function.
Do you also know complex carbs such as whole grain, legumes and beans, fruits (oranges, bananas, apples, berries), and vegetables (asparagus, sweet potatoes, broccoli) are considered one of the best energy booster foods?
* Any beverages should be less sugar or sugar-free if possible. Just be sure you are always staying hydrated at all times for the important electrolytes inside the body to get replenished.
* Try to start practicing yoga or meditation at home. They are very effective in managing stress and keeping your waistline small. Experts can’t agree more that meditation or yoga practice is the most natural way to manage stress levels. This is also why more and more people are turning to yoga and meditation for stress reduction.
Or, if you want a relaxing bath tonight in a bathtub, put a few drops of rosemary or eucalyptus oil into the bathwater, close your eyes, take a deep breath, relaxing your mind for a while. You’ll feel your energy slowly recharging.
My Overall Verdict: Losing Weight Backed By Science – 8 Effective Tips
Folks, let’s get over it.
There is literally no shortcut to losing weight.
You can try taking some dietary supplements if you like, but depending on the individual, results vary from person to person.
Normally, most dietary supplement makers will advise you to continue taking the supplements for at least 90 to 180 days to see a better result.
On top of that, you can’t just rely on these supplements to effectively lose weight. Remember, these are not magic pills or tonics out there to keep your waistline. You need to have a balanced diet consisting of sufficient macronutrients (protein, fats, and carbs) too.
Don’t forget, just a reminder, exercise, exercise, exercise regularly too.
Leave me a comment below if you have and I’ll be back within 24 hours.
To your consistent home exercises!
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