Lose 2 kilos in just one week! It’s a cliché we hear everywhere. If you need to lose weight to recover your health or want to do it for yourself, it might sound appealing. While some people might lose the weight they need to in that timeframe, this isn’t what our nutritionists recommend, and it’s certainly not an effective way to maintain long-term health.
While you might lose weight following a ketogenic or low-carb diet (which will likely consist primarily of water weight loss), you’ll probably regain it when you choose to start eating carbohydrates again. Furthermore, since weight loss depends largely on your metabolic rate and other individual factors, such as your body composition and physical activity level, this strategy may not work for everyone.
If you’re trying to lose weight, here are some helpful strategies and the best natural diets for rapid weight loss that can be applied to everyone.
Increase your vegetable intake.
Instead of limiting your food choices, focus on joining a variety of healthy foods into your daily routine to improve your overall health and support weight loss. The fibre and water satisfied of fruits and vegetables can improve bulk to your meals. They are naturally low in calories and fat, but also rich in nutrients and healthy. It’s possible to prepare delicious, low-calorie meals by substituting fruits and vegetables for higher-calorie ingredients. If you’re considering following a primarily plant-based diet (at least 50% of your diet consists of vegetables), you’re on the right track toward a healthier lifestyle.
Prepare a Healthier Breakfast
A balanced, healthy breakfast with fibre, protein, and healthy fats, served on a delicious plate, can certainly make a difference in your life and improve your mood, even if you struggle to maintain a healthy one. Skipping breakfast can disrupt the hormones that stimulate your cravings later in the day, resulting in hunger pangs and making it harder to resist large portions or the urge to eat refined sugars and carbohydrates.
The healthiest breakfasts are those that give you energy and leave you feeling satisfied and without cravings later in the day. It’s recommended to consume 400-500 calories at breakfast. Be sure to include the right amount of lean protein, along with filling foods and fibre (vegetables, fruits, berries, or whole grains). Start your day with a combination of nutrients that will help stabilise your blood sugar and support weight loss.
Eat Smart Snacks
Many popular snacks aren’t very nutritious but are full of calories. Common culprits include refined grains, such as crackers, cereals, and cookies, as well as sugary drinks like sodas and juices. Limit your snacks to fewer than 300 calories to support weight loss. Be sure to choose healthy snacks that contain at minimum 4 grams of fibre and 4 grammes of protein to help you feel full. Opt for foods low in sodium and added sugar.
Be Mindful When Eating
The ability to take a moment to focus on the texture, flavour, temperature, and smell of your food can help you control your eating. But mindful eating also involves being aware of the food you eat and when you eat it. This will allow you to identify foods you might not notice when you’re eating on the go all day, which can lead to a calorie overload. Additionally, it’s important to avoid eating food that isn’t yours. Mindful eating can shift your attention away from external factors and toward your body’s internal wisdom. Being aware of where your calories come from is an alternative way to make better decisions in the short and long term.
Avoid Sugary Drinks
Liquid calories don’t fill us up as much as real food does. Having an iced coffee or a caramel drink isn’t as satisfying as eating a bowl full of protein-rich vegetables and stir-fry. Cutting out sugary drinks is often the most actual way to lose weight quickly, and it has a great added benefit: it can improve heart health, support diabetes prevention, and help with preventive measures. Be mindful of how much you drink of juices, teas, sodas, and sugary coffees, as well as alcoholic beverages. If you drink most of these throughout the day, you could end up consuming over 800 calories by bedtime and still feel hungry.
Start your strength training program.
Strength training is a great way to build strong muscles that will boost your energy levels, whether at work or simply relaxing every day of the week. The more muscle you have, the faster you’ll lose weight.
What can you do to start training your muscles? Do push-ups, squats, or lunges. Use your own weights to perform rudimentary bicep curls or triceps delays in the comfort of your home or office. Incorporate some new exercises for your abs, back, arms, and legs if you like. A little strength training three times a week can result in rapid developments not only in weight loss but also in flexibility, stability, and posture.
Spice up your day.
Spicy foods can help you lose weight. This is because capsaicin, the chemical found in both jalapeño and cayenne peppers, can (slightly) upsurge the release of stress-related hormones like adrenaline. These hormones can increase your ability to burn calories. Additionally, eating spicy peppers can help you eat less and resist the temptation to overeat. You’re more likely to feel full. Some of the best options, besides spicy peppers, are ginger and turmeric.
Wake up earlier
Much research suggests that sleeping less than the optimal amount, which is about seven hours a night, can affect metabolism. In fact, chronic sleep deprivation can disrupt the hormones responsible for hunger, and several studies have shown a link between poor diet and lack of sleep. Getting enough sleep at night is a great way to reap other benefits, such as increased alertness and improved overall health and mood. Don’t skimp on sleep, and you’ll gain an advantage for your overall well-being and weight-loss efforts. Start by extending your sleep time by 15-30 minutes. Every minute counts!
Drink water
Drinking plenty of water can help relieve stultification, but you should also (and <i>should</i>!) consume water-rich foods. Look for watermelon, cucumbers, and tomatoes, as well as asparagus, grapes, artichokes, and celery, along with pineapples and blueberries. These are all diuretic foods that help keep you feeling full longer due to their higher fibre content.