There are many diets and weight-loss programs that claim to be able to help you lose weight quickly, but most of them are either scams or only work in the short term. The key to losing weight and keeping it off is to make changes to your lifestyle and eating habits that you can stick to for the long term.
To make long-term changes, follow these six strategies for weight-loss success.
Science-backed ways to lose weight
Methods of weight loss that scientific research supports include the following:
1. Trying intermittent fasting
Intermittent fasting is a pattern of eating that involves regular short-term fasts and consuming meals within a shorter time period during the day.
Studies have indicated that overweight individuals who do intermittent fasting for up to 24 weeks will lose weight.
The most common intermittent fasting methods include the following:
Alternate day fastingTrusted Source
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- The 5:2 Diet: Fast on 2 out of every 7 days. On fasting days eat 500–600 calories.
- The 16/8 method: Fast for 16 hours and eat only during an 8-hour window. For most people, the 8-hour window would be around noon to 8 p.m. A study on this method found that eating during a restricted period resulted in the participants consuming fewer calories and losing weight.
A healthy eating pattern is the best way to maintain your health on days when you are not fasting.
2. Tracking your diet and exercise
To lose weight effectively, it is important to be aware of everything consumed throughout the day. The most successful way to do this is by logging all food and drink items in a journal or online food tracker.
In 2017, it was estimated that there would be 3.7 billion downloads of health apps by the end of the year. The most popular apps would be for diet, physical activity, and weight loss. The reason for this is that people can effectively manage their weight by tracking their progress on-the-go.
One study found that people who consistently tracked their physical activity lost weight. Another study found that people who frequently monitored their food intake and exercise lost weight. Even a simple device like a pedometer can help with weight loss.
3. Eating mindfully
Eating mindfully means paying attention to how and where you eat food. This can help you enjoy your food more and maintain a healthy weight.
Many people lead busy lives and as a result, eat quickly without really being aware of the food they are eating.
Techniques for mindful eating include:
- Sitting down to eat, preferably at a table: Pay attention to the food and enjoy the experience.
- Avoiding distractions while eating: Do not turn on the TV, or a laptop or phone.
- Eating slowly: Take time to chew and savor the food. This technique helps with weight loss, as it gives a person’s brain enough time to recognize the signals that they are full, which can help to prevent over-eating.
- Making considered food choices: Choose foods that are full of nourishing nutrients and those that will satisfy for hours rather than minutes.
4. Eating protein for breakfast
Proteins can help regulate hormones that make people feel full, by reducing the hunger hormone ghrelin, and increasing satiety hormones peptide YY, GLP-1, and cholecystokinin.
Research has shown that the hormonal effects of eating a high-protein breakfast can last for several hours for young adults.
Some foods that are high in protein and would make a good breakfast include eggs, oats, nut and seed butters, quinoa porridge, sardines, and chia seed pudding.
5. Cutting back on sugar and refined carbohydrates
The Western diet contains more added sugars than ever before, and this is closely linked to obesity, even when the sugar is found in drinks rather than food.
Refined carbohydrates are processed foods that have had the fiber and other nutrients removed. This includes white rice, bread, and pasta.
The digestion of these foods is rapid, and they are quickly converted to glucose.
Having too much glucose in your blood will cause the hormone insulin to be released, which then causes your body to store more fat in your adipose tissue. This can lead to weight gain.
Where possible, people should swap processed and sugary foods for more healthful options. Good food swaps include:
- whole-grain rice, bread, and pasta instead of the white versions
- fruit, nuts, and seeds instead of high-sugar snacks
- herb teas and fruit-infused water instead of high-sugar sodas
- smoothies with water or milk instead of fruit juice
6. Eating plenty of fiber
Dietary fiber is a type of carbohydrate that comes from plants. It is not possible to digest dietary fiber in the small intestine. Eating foods that are high in dietary fiber can help you feel full and may help you lose weight.
Fiber-rich foods include:
- whole-grain breakfast cereals, whole-wheat pasta, whole-grain bread, oats, barley, and rye
- fruit and vegetables
- peas, beans, and pulses
- nuts and seeds
7. Balancing gut bacteria
There is an emerging area of research that focuses on the role of bacteria in the gut on weight management.
There are approximately 37 trillion bacteria in the human gut.
There are different types of bacteria in everyone's gut, and some types can lead to weight gain by increasing the amount of energy the person gets from food.
Some foods can increase the number of good bacteria in the gut, including:
- A wide variety of plants: Increasing the number of fruits, vegetables, and grains in the diet will result in an increased fiber uptake and a more diverse set of gut bacteria. People should try to ensure that vegetables and other plant-based foods comprise 75 percent of their meal.
- Fermented foods: These enhance the function of good bacteria while inhibiting the growth of bad bacteria. Sauerkraut, kimchi, kefir, yogurt, tempeh, and miso all contain good amounts of probiotics, which help to increase good bacteria. Researchers have studied kimchi widely, and study results suggest that it has anti-obesity effects. Similarly, studies have shown that kefir may help to promote weight loss in overweight women.
- Prebiotic foods: These stimulate the growth and activity of some of the good bacteria that aid weight control. Prebiotic fiber occurs in many fruits and vegetables, especially chicory root, artichoke, onion, garlic, asparagus, leeks, banana, and avocado. It is also in grains, such as oats and barley.
8. Getting a good night’s sleep
There have been many studies that show that people who sleep less than 5-6 hours a night are more likely to be obese. There are several reasons for this.
The text suggests that sleep deprivation or poor quality sleep can lead to weight gain by affecting metabolism and increasing the production of insulin and cortisol.
How long you sleep also affects your appetite. Leptin is a hormone that sends signals of fullness to the brain.
9. Managing your stress levels
When you're stressed, your body releases hormones like adrenaline and cortisol. These hormones can suppress your appetite as part of the body's fight-or-flight response.
Long-term exposure to cortisol can lead to weight gain, particularly around the waist. However, when people are under constant stress, cortisol can remain in the bloodstream for longer which will make them hungrier and more likely to eat more. Long-term exposure to cortisol can lead to weight gain, particularly around the waist.
Cortisol indicates that the body needs more energy and will get this from carbohydrates.
Insulin helps to move sugar from carbohydrates in the blood to the muscles and brain. If the body does not need this sugar for energy, it will be stored as fat.
The researchers found that children who underwent a stress-management intervention program for 8 weeks had a significant reduction in their body mass index.
Some methods of managing stress include:
- yoga, meditation, or tai chi
- breathing and relaxation techniques
- spending some time outdoors, for example walking or gardening
10. Make sure you're ready
It takes a long time to lose weight and it requires a lot of effort and commitment. Ask yourself the following questions to help you determine your readiness:
- Am I motivated to lose weight?
- Am I too distracted by other pressures?
- Do I use food as a means to cope with stress?
- Am I ready to learn or use other strategies to cope with stress?
- Do I need other support — either from friends or professionals — to manage stress?
- Am I willing to change eating habits?
- Am I willing to change activity habits?
- Do I have the time to spend on making these changes?
If you are feeling stressed or emotional and it is affecting your ability to reach your fitness goals, talk to your doctor. They can help you manage these emotions and get back on track.
11. Find your inner motivation
Only you can answer that. You are the only one who can make you lose weight. You have to change your diet and exercise habits to make yourself happy. What will give you the motivation to stick to your weight-loss plan? Only you can answer that.
-It can be helpful to make a list of things that are important to you in order to stay motivated and focused. -Find a way to ensure that you can call on your motivational factors during moments of temptation. -You might want to post an encouraging note to yourself in a place where you will see it often.
If you want to be successful in losing weight, you need to be responsible for your own behavior. However, it can be helpful to have support from others. Choose people to support you who will encourage you in positive ways without making you feel ashamed, embarrassed, or like they are sabotage your efforts.
The ideal situation would be to find people who will listen to your concerns and feelings, enjoy exercising with you, and can help you plan healthy menus. This support group can also help you stay accountable to your weight-loss goals.
Weigh yourself regularly and keep track of your progress in a journal or with digital tools if you want to lose weight but keep your plans private.
12. Set realistic goals
It is a good idea to set realistic weight-loss goals. You should aim to lose 1-2 pounds a week. This can be done by burning 500-1000 more calories than you consume each day.
If you weigh 180 pounds, a goal of losing 9 pounds may be realistic for you. This amount of weight loss can help reduce your risk of developing chronic health problems such as heart disease and type 2 diabetes.
When thinking about goals, consider both goals related to the process and those related to the outcome. An example of a process goal would be “walking every day for 30 minutes.”An example of an outcome goal would be “losing 10 pounds.” While it is not necessary to have an outcome goal, it is important to set process goals because changing your habits is key to weight loss.
13. Enjoy healthier foods
If you want to lose weight, you need to lower the number of calories you consume. However, this doesn't mean you have to give up enjoyment or convenience.
An effective way to reduce your calorie intake is to add more plant-based foods to your diet such as fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Try to include a variety of these foods in your meals to help you reach your goals without having to sacrifice taste or nutrition.
Get your weight loss started with these tips:
- Eat at least four servings of vegetables and three servings of fruits daily.
- Replace refined grains with whole grains.
- Use modest amounts of healthy fats, such as olive oil, vegetable oils, avocados, nuts, nut butters and nut oils.
- Cut back on sugar as much as possible, except the natural sugar in fruit.
- Choose low-fat dairy products and lean meat and poultry in limited amounts.
14. Get active, stay active
Regular exercise plus calorie restriction can help you lose weight. Exercise can help burn off the excess calories you can't cut through diet alone.
Exercise has many benefits for your health, including making you feel happier, making your heart stronger, and helping you to lose or maintain weight.
How many calories you burn depends on how often, how long, and how hard you work out. The best way to lose fat is through aerobic exercise like walking quickly for at least thirty minutes most days of the week. Some people need to do more than this to lose weight and to keep the weight off.
If you want to burn more calories, try to be more active throughout the day. For example, take the stairs instead of the elevator, or park further away from the store.
15. Change your perspective
You can't just eat healthy foods and exercise for a few weeks or months and expect to be successful in managing your weight long term. You need to turn these habits into a way of life. To start making lifestyle changes, you need to take a look at your eating patterns and daily routine and be honest with yourself.
After you have identified the personal challenges that have contributed to your weight gain, try formulating a plan to gradually change the habits and attitudes that have prevented you from losing weight in the past. Recognizing your challenges is the first step, but you will need to do more than that if you want to finally be successful in your weight loss journey.
Even though you may have the occasional setback, don't give up completely. Start again the next day with fresh motivation. Keep in mind that you're trying to change your life- it won't happen all at once. Stay dedicated to your healthy lifestyle and eventually it will pay off.
Takeaway
There are no shortcuts when it comes to weight loss.
The best way to maintain a healthy weight is through a combination of a nutritious diet and regular exercise.
Ten portions of fruit and vegetables, good quality protein, and whole grains should be included in this. It is also beneficial to exercise for at least 30 minutes every day.
