If your doctor recommends weight loss, there are ways to lose weight safely. For the most effective long-term weight control, a stable weight loss of 0. 5-1 kg per week is recommended.
However, many meal plans leave you feeling hungry or unsatisfied. These are the main reasons why you may find it difficult to stick to a healthier diet.
However, not all diets have this effect. Low-carb, whole-food, low-calorie diets are effective for weight loss and are easier to follow than other diets.
Here are some science-backed ways to lose weight, based on a healthy diet and potentially lower carb intake, designed to reduce appetite, lose weight fast, and improve metabolic health.
1. Reduce your consumption of refined carbohydrates
One way to lose weight fast is to cut down on sugar, starch or carbohydrates. This may be due to a low-carb meal plan or by reducing refined carbohydrates and replacing them with whole grains.
When you do this, you feel less hungry and you tend to consume fewer calories.
With a low-carb diet, you burn stored fat for energy instead of carbohydrates.
If you choose more complex carbohydrates, such as whole grains, you will get more fiber and digest them more slowly. This makes them more satisfying and keeps them satisfied after eating.
A 2020 study in older adults confirmed that a very low-carb diet is beneficial for weight loss.
Research also shows that a low-carb diet can reduce appetite, which can lead to eating fewer calories without counting them and without feeling hungry.
Please note that the long-term effects of a low-carb diet are still being researched. It can also be difficult to stick to a low-carb diet, which can lead to weight gain and less success in maintaining a healthy weight.
A low-carb diet can have drawbacks that may lead to a different method. Reduced-calorie diets can also lead to weight loss and are easier to follow for longer periods of time.
Choosing a diet that prioritizes whole grains over refined carbohydrates can help you achieve a lower body mass index (BMI). A 2019 study shows that a diet rich in whole grains is associated with a lower BMI.
Consult your doctor to determine the best way to lose weight.
Conclusion:
Reducing the amount of sugar and starches or carbohydrates in your diet can reduce your appetite, lower your insulin levels, and help you lose weight. But the long-term effects of a low-carb diet are not yet known. A reduced calorie diet can be more sustainable.
2. Eat protein, fats and vegetables
Each meal should include:
- source of protein
- source of fat
- vegetables
- small amounts of complex carbohydrates, such as whole grains
Protein
Consuming the recommended amount of protein is essential for maintaining health and muscle mass while losing weight.
Evidence suggests that consuming sufficient protein can improve cardiometabolic risk factors, appetite, and body weight.
Here's how to determine how much you should eat without overeating. Many factors determine your unique needs, but in general, the average person needs:
- 56-91 grams per day for the average man
- 46-75 grams per day for the average woman
A high-protein diet can also help:
- Reduces food cravings and obsessive thoughts about food by 60%
- halves the urge to snack late at night
- you feel full
According to one study, those on a high-protein diet ate 441 fewer calories per day.
Healthy sources of protein include:
- Meat: beef, chicken, pork, lamb
- Fish and seafood: mackerel, herring, salmon, trout, shrimp, etc.
- Egg: with egg yolk
- vegetable proteins: beans, lentils, buckwheat, quinoa, tempeh and tofu
Low carb and leafy green vegetables
Don't be afraid to fill your plate with green leafy vegetables. They are rich in nutrients, you can eat a lot of them without increasing the number of calories and carbohydrates.
Here are some vegetables to include in a low-carb or low-calorie diet:
- broccoli
- cauliflower
- spinach
- tomato
- cabbage
- Brussels sprouts
- kale
- Swiss chard
- salad
- cucumber
Healthy fats
Don't be afraid to eat fat.
Your body still needs healthy fats no matter what meal plan you choose. Olive oil and avocado oil are great choices for your diet.
Other fats, such as butter and coconut oil, should be used only in moderation due to their higher saturated fat content.
Conclusion:
Every meal should include a source of protein, a source of healthy fat, complex carbohydrates and vegetables. Eating green leafy vegetables is a great way to increase your nutrient intake while reducing your calorie intake.
3. Physical activity
Exercise, while not essential for weight loss, can help you lose weight faster. Weight lifting gives particularly good results.
By lifting weights, you burn a lot of calories and prevent your metabolism from slowing down, which is a common side effect of losing weight.
Try to go to the gym three to four times a week to lift weights. If you're new to the gym, ask a trainer for advice. Make sure your doctor is aware of your new exercise plans.
If lifting weights isn't an option for you, cardio exercises such as walking, jogging, running, cycling or swimming are great for weight loss and overall health.
Both cardio and weight lifting can help you lose weight.
Conclusion:
Weight training, such as lifting weights, is a great way to lose weight. If this is not possible, then cardio training is also effective. Choose what suits you.
What about calories and portion control?
If you choose a low-carb meal plan, you don't need to count calories as long as you keep your carb intake very low and stick to low-carb protein, fat, and vegetables.
If you find that you're not losing weight, you can track your calories to see if it's making a difference.
If you are in a calorie deficit to lose weight, you can use a free online calculator.
Enter your gender, weight, height and activity level. The calculator tells you how many calories you need to consume each day to maintain, lose, or lose weight quickly.
Note that eating too few calories is dangerous and less effective for weight loss. Aim to reduce calories to a sustainable and healthy amount as recommended by your doctor.
Conclusion:
A low-carb diet usually doesn't require calorie counting to lose weight. But if you're not losing weight or are on a reduced-calorie diet, counting calories can help.
9 weight loss tips
Here are 9 more tips for losing weight faster:
- Eat a high-protein breakfast. A high-protein breakfast can help reduce food cravings and reduce calorie intake throughout the day.
- Avoid sugary drinks and juices. Empty calories from sugar are useless to the body and can hinder weight loss.
- Drink water before meals. One study found that drinking water before meals reduces calorie intake and can be effective in weight control.
- Choose foods that help you lose weight. Some foods are better for weight loss than others. Choose whole, nutrient-dense foods that are high in dietary fiber, such as vegetables and fruits, whole grains, and fatty fish.
- Eat soluble fiber. Research shows that soluble fiber can help with weight loss. Fiber supplements such as glucomannan may also help.
- Drink coffee or tea. Caffeine intake can speed up your metabolism.
- Base your diet on whole foods. They are healthier, more satisfying and much less likely to cause overeating than processed foods.
- Eat slowly. Eating fast can lead to weight gain over time, while eating slowly makes you feel full and increases your weight-loss hormones.
- get enough sleep. Sleep is important for many reasons, and poor sleep is one of the biggest risk factors for weight gain.
Conclusion:
Eating whole foods that are high in protein, soluble fiber, and low in sugar can help you lose weight. Don't forget to sleep well.
Examples of foods for rapid weight loss
These sample meal plans are low-carb and limit your carbohydrate intake to 20-50 grams per day. Every meal should include protein, healthy fats and vegetables.
If you want to lose weight while eating complex carbohydrates, include healthy whole grains in your diet, such as:
- quinoa
- whole oats
- whole grains and products based on them
- bran
- rye
- barley
Breakfast ideas
- poached eggs with avocado slices and berries
- spinach, mushroom and crustless feta pie
- green smoothie with spinach, avocado, nut milk and cottage cheese
- unsweetened Greek yogurt with berries and almonds
Lunch ideas
- smoked salmon with avocado and asparagus garnish
- salad with fried chicken, black beans, red pepper and salsa
- kale and spinach salad with grilled tofu, chickpeas and guacamole
- sandwich with bacon, lettuce and tomato and celery sticks and peanut butter
Dinner ideas
- Enchilada salad with chicken, pepper, mango, avocado and spices
- ground turkey casserole with mushrooms, onions, peppers and cheese
- antipasto salad with white beans, asparagus, cucumber, olive oil and parmesan
- roasted cauliflower with tempeh, Brussels sprouts and pine nuts
- salmon baked with ginger, sesame oil and fried zucchini
Snack ideas
- cauliflower hummus and vegetables
- healthy homemade muesli with nuts and dried fruit
- cabbage chips
- cottage cheese with cinnamon and linseed
- spicy fried chickpeas
- roasted pumpkin seeds
- steamed edamame
- strawberry and brie
How fast can you lose weight?
In the first week of the diet, you can lose 2. 3-4. 5 kg, sometimes more, and then lose weight consistently. The first week is usually fat and water loss.
If you are new to the diet, weight loss can happen faster. The more extra pounds you have, the faster you will lose weight.
Unless otherwise advised by your doctor, losing 0. 5 to 1 kg per week is usually a safe amount. If you want to lose weight faster, ask your doctor about a safe level of calorie reduction.
In addition to weight loss, a low-carb diet can improve your health in a number of ways, although the long-term effects are not yet known:
- blood sugar levels decrease significantly with low-carbohydrate diets
- the triglyceride level decreases
- lowers LDL (bad) cholesterol
- blood pressure improves significantly
Other types of diets that reduce caloric intake and increase total nutrient intake are also associated with improved metabolic markers and slower aging.
You can end up with a more balanced and sustainable diet that includes complex carbohydrates.
Conclusion:
A low-carb or low-calorie diet can help you lose significant weight quickly, but the rate varies from person to person. Overall weight loss can improve certain health indicators, such as blood sugar and cholesterol levels.
Summarize
By reducing carbohydrates or replacing refined carbohydrates with complex carbohydrates, appetite and hunger are likely to be reduced. This eliminates the main reasons why it is often difficult to maintain a weight loss plan.
With a smart, low-carb or low-calorie meal plan, you can eat wholesomely and still lose significant amounts of fat.
The initial drop in water weight can lead to weight loss within a few days. Fat burning takes longer.