21 Tips for Weight Loss That Actually Work
21 Tips for
Weight Loss That Actually Work
Here's expert advice for what really works when it comes to
shedding unwanted pounds.
But just as there’s a ton
of misguided weight loss advice out there to be avoided, there are
also a lot of legitimate, research-backed and expert-approved suggestions.
One such tip: Pick a time
to exercise — and stick to it. A study published in July 2019 in the journal Obesity found
that exercising consistently at a certain time each day may help you
successfully maintain weight loss.
Other good advice: Choose nuts over heavily processed snacks. An article published in December 2019 in BMJ Nutrition,
Prevention & Health found that upping how many nuts
you eat by half a serving (for example from ½ ounce to 1 ounce) each day is
linked with less weight gain and lower odds of obesity.
There’s also evidence that
a weight loss counselor could help you trim your waistline. A study published in November 2019 in JAMA Internal Medicine found
that for people with type 2 diabetes, pairing such counseling
sessions (in this case, weight loss via low-carb dieting) with group medical visits
helped them lose weight and lower their blood sugar levels. A win-win!
What doesn’t work? Endless dieting. Taking a two-week diet break may aid
weight loss, according to a small study involving obese men. Researchers published the findings in August 2017 in the International Journal
of Obesity.
Follow those sorts of
tips, and you just might find yourself shedding pounds and feeling more
energized and confident. What’s not to like about that?
And we know, losing weight
may be daunting — but doing it is still worth it, especially when it comes to
your health.
For example, weight loss
may help lower your breast cancer risk. A large study published in December 2019 in the Journal of the National
Cancer Institute found that overweight women who shed
pounds after turning 50 years old had lower odds of developing breast cancer
than those whose weight stayed about the same.
Also, losing weight has
the potential to put type 2 diabetes into remission. A study published in September 2019 in Diabetic Medicine found
that among people with type 2 diabetes, losing 10 percent or more of their body
weight within the first five years of a diagnosis was associated with better
odds of the disease going into remission. According to the American Heart Association, carrying extra
weight can also up your odds of heart disease and stroke.
Discover these effective
ways to shed pounds — whether you have a little or a lot to lose — straight
from in-the-know experts.
1.
Eat Slowly
“I have my clients learn
how to choose foods they like, really taste each morsel going into their
mouths, and chew deliberately. I advise them to chew slowly, swallow only when
the food is all chewed up, and repeat. It takes time to know we're full. Eating
slowly allows us to not only enjoy our food more, but gives us better cues of
satiety.” — Janet Zinn,
a licensed clinical social worker and psychotherapist in private practice in
New York City
2. You Bite It, You Write It!
“That’s my rule, and
numerous studies have shown the effectiveness of food journaling for weight loss.
One of my clients went out of town for one week. She stopped journaling and
gained 13 pounds. I promise that keeping a food journal helps!” — Christine King,
the founder and CEO of the health and wellness company YourBestFit in Boynton
Beach, Florida
3. Exercise Anything That Moves
“That’s my mantra — and I
started this after I broke my back and was paralyzed from the waist down. Do it
in bed, while seated, standing, or walking. Just move. People have a
misconception that five minutes doesn’t make a difference, but every minute
makes a difference.” (And research published in January 2014 in the journal Progress in
Cardiovascular Diseasesshowed that physical activity is
critical when it comes to actually keeping lost weight off.) — King
4. Keep a Daily Gratitude Journal
“Our eating habits are
usually connected to our emotions — whether we realize it or not. When we're stressed, we tend to reach for sweets. I tell
clients that by keeping a daily journal of things you're grateful for, you’re
better able to cope with the stress by acknowledging it rather than reaching
for dessert.” — Lauren Manganiello, RD,
a nutrition counselor and fitness coach in New York City
5. Batch Cook and Prep
“Every Sunday I batch cook
enough chicken for the week. I cut off the fat, bake it with seasoning, measure
3.5 ounces (oz), and put that much into a container with some mustard and
frozen veggies, so I can grab one a day to bring to work. I also take the time
to divvy up ¼ cup of rolled oats, 1 tablespoon (tbsp) natural peanut
butter, 1 tbsp ground flax, and a pinch each of protein powder and cinnamon to sweeten in individual
containers. So when I’m a zombie in the morning, all I need to do is add water
and microwave!” — Kyra Williams,
a personal trainer in Boston
6. Get Enough Z’s
“A lack of sleep increases your hunger hormone — ghrelin — and decreases your
‘satisfaction’ hormone, leptin, which can contribute to weight gain. When we
are sleep deprived, we crave more salty and sweet foods. Why? Because
anytime you feel more intense hunger, your cravings for higher energy — aka
higher calorie — foods intensify. We also know that the way we think and
process our emotions is affected by inadequate sleep, so it’s easy to connect
this with an impaired ability to make sound choices in many areas of life,
including with food. If we flip the coin, we can safely assume that when we are
well rested, we will make better choices. When it comes to eating, that would
mean that we would eat when we are truly hungry, and eat just until satisfied.
Our hormones are also going to be better balanced because our bodies got the
time needed to sleep, repair, and refresh.” — Angela Lemond,
RDN, a registered dietitian nutritionist in private practice in Texas
7. Don’t Skip Meals
“Remember, our body's
ultimate goal is to stay alive. As soon as we are being kept from calories —
which are literally the life energy for our bodies — it will do things to
survive. Our body knows what foods are higher in energy density, and we will
crave those more. Honor your hunger and don’t allow your body to think it's
being starved. This goes against many of the dieting tactics, but those tactics
truly don't work well for people in the long term. I generally recommend eating
every four hours.” — Lemond
8. Stay Hydrated
“Research has found that people who drank two glasses of water
before a meal lost more weight than people who didn’t
drink water before meals — and they kept it off. This simple tip works in two
ways. Thirst can mask itself as hunger, causing you to eat more. And water
makes you feel fuller, causing you to eat less during a meal.” — Megan Casper, RDN,
a nutrition counselor and the founder and CEO of Nourished Bite
9. Cut Calories, Not Flavor
“By choosing options such
as sharp cheddar over mild cheddar, you can use less, but you’ll still get a
lot of flavor without feeling like you're on a diet.” — Casper
10. Weigh Yourself Once a Week
“Same day, same time, same
amount of clothing. Remember that your weight isn’t a single number but a
five-pound range. Work to move the range down, not the exact number.” — Lainey Younkin, RD,
a nutrition counselor and consultant in Boston
11. Reorganize Your Plate
“Make half your plate
vegetables, a quarter of your plate whole grains, and a quarter of your plate
lean protein. When you switch the portions of grains and vegetables on your
plate, you'll see a difference. The only caveat: Potatoes, corn, and peas are
starchy vegetables, so they go in the grains category.” — Younkin
12. Follow the 80 Percent Rule
“Eat until you feel just
80 percent full. Pack any extra food away instead of feeling like you have to
be part of the ‘clean plate club.’” — Helene Byrne,
the founder of BeFit-Mom in Oakland, California
13. Skip the Liquid Calories
“There’s a strong
relationship between sugar-sweetened beverages and weight gain in adults. If
you regularly have a sip of something sweet, consider this: Research has shown
that reducing intake of sugar-sweetened beverages can
result in meaningful weight loss, even if it's the only change you make.
Replacing a 20-ounce soda with sparkling water every day would save more than
20,000 calories over a few months, which could translate into more than five
pounds of weight loss!” — Brittany Markides, RDN,
the founder of Choose Food in Austin, Texas
14. Be Choosy at Restaurants
“The foods we eat away
from home tend to be higher in calories and lower in nutrients than the ones we
make at home. A study published in April 2016 in the Journal of the Academy
of Nutrition and Dieteticsfound that the average restaurant
entrée contains more than 1,000 calories, and an entire day’s worth of sodium
and fat. To save calories, split your entrée or ask the server to substitute
extra green veggies or a salad for potato or rice.” — Markides
15. Embrace Veggies
“When in doubt, eat a
vegetable. They’re low-calorie, high-fiber, and full of nutrition. Snack on
kale, lettuce, carrots, or green beans. And finally: Skip the butter and oil,
but do add herbs or garlic for a great taste.” — Jamie Logie,
a personal trainer, nutritionist, health coach, and wellness blogger in London,
Ontario
16. In Fact, Make Vegetables the Stars
“Next time you make pasta,
make a very small portion of the pasta itself and toss the dish with roasted broccoli, shrimp, garlic, and lemon zest. You’ll
feel less deprived and you’ll be able to still eat your favorite satisfying
foods.” — Kate Martino, a physician’s assistant and weight
loss coach in private practice in Fair Lawn, New Jersey
17. Keep Unhealthy Foods out of the House
“It’s pretty simple: If
you don’t have it, you can’t eat it. Instead of chips and cookies, keep
convenient and easy-to-prepare items at close reach. Such items include nuts
and seeds, precut fruit and vegetables, string cheese, edamame, eggs, salmon, and yogurt. This doesn't mean
you can't have treats. Just buy yourself one serving to enjoy at a time.” — Rachel Goodman, RDN,
a registered dietitian nutritionist in private practice in Brooklyn, New York
18. Use Portion-Controlled Dishes
“We eat with our eyes
first and we like to see a full plate. Using smaller plates, bowls, and cups
will reduce the amount of food you can serve yourself, while at the same time
allow you to fill your dish up and keep you from feeling deprived. For example,
an observational study showed that people
who used a 9-inch plate versus a 10- or 12-inch plate ate up to 22 percent
less!” — Goodman
Start Where You Are and Do What You Can
“Don't feel like you need
to overhaul your entire life starting immediately. Assess where you are
currently and then figure out where you’d like to be in the future. A great
starting point for mostly sedentary people is to get a step counter and see how
much you walk on a normal day. Then set a step goal slightly higher than the
norm and strive for that, working your way up slowly to a goal of 10,000 steps
per day.” — Esther Avant,
an ACE-certified
personal trainer in Kapolei, Hawaii
20. Salt Craving? Skip the Chips
“When you need a salty fix, reach for popcorn, not chips.
According to one study, those who munch on a cup of the air-popped treat are
significantly more satisfied than their chip-loving friends. Popcorn is a whole
grain, fiber-filled snack. A single serving of potato chips (for a typical 1-oz small
bag) is a dense 149 calories, while the same amount of popcorn (air-popped) is only 108, meaning
you can feel full and slim down with every delicious bite.” — Rene Ficek, RD, CDE,
with Seattle Sutton’s Healthy Eating
21. Eat Breakfast
“To combat the urge to
overindulge in the evening, make sure to eat a protein- and fiber-filled
breakfast in the morning. Healthy choices for protein include eggs, yogurt, and
nuts or nut butters. Pair protein with a high-fiber food like a high-fiber cereal
or fruit.”
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