Healthy Weight Loss: A How-To Guide
Everyone knows that to lose weight, you’re supposed to eat fewer calories and burn more. The problem with that is, it’s way easier to talk about eating less than you actually want than to do it for real. It’s like, everyone says it, but when it comes down to it, it’s tough to stick to!
You might think you can hold out on the hunger game for a bit, maybe a few weeks or even a couple of months, but trust me, eventually your tummy’s gonna win that battle. And once it does, watch out, because that weight you lost? It’ll probably sneak back in faster than you can say “pass the fries.”
And it doesn’t simply take more willpower to overcome hunger. Many experts say that willpower is kind of like a muscle, you know? It’s something that can get tired and worn out. Perhaps that is why diets that rely on willpower don’t work well long-term.
What’s the deal with shedding those extra pounds without feeling like you’re starving all the time or having to grit your teeth with some crazy willpower? Like, how do you do it in a way that’s actually good for you and won’t make you want to jump off the bandwagon after a week?
The approaches that work tend to follow the same basic principles: eat the lowest-calorie foods that fill you up, eliminate highly processed foods that don’t, and make sure you get essential nutrition.
It sounds easy. But why do so many of us struggle with healthy weight loss?
This guide’s got all the deets on how to drop those pesky pounds in a way that’s good for you. We’re sharing our fave tips for shedding weight, the yummy stuff you should be munching on, and the not-so-great grub to stay away from. Plus, we’re gonna spill on the usual mistakes people make, tricks to keep your calorie count in check, and all sorts of other handy info. So buckle up, ’cause we’re about to dish out the ultimate lowdown on weight loss that’ll have you looking and feeling fantastic in no time!
But first, what is “healthy weight loss?”
Healthy weight loss starts with setting realistic goals. After that, we’re talking about shedding those extra pounds in a way that’s actually good for you, right? So, it’s like, you want to drop the fat stuff more than the muscles and keep your body’s engine (that’s your metabolism) running smoothly. You don’t want your body to go into slow mode when you’re just chilling. And the best part? You should be able to stick to this way of eating without feeling like you’re on some crazy diet rollercoaster for the rest of your life. It’s all about making it a part of your regular routine, you know?
Top 10 Weight Loss Tips
- Avoid eating carbs and fat together. This combination gives you a ton of calories, but doesn’t really offer much in the way of good stuff for your body. We’re talking about foods like pizza, cookies, chips, donuts, you know, the usual suspects that taste amazing but don’t really have a lot of nutrients to show for it. — and may increase cravings.
- Eat at least 30 grams of protein during most of your meals. You know, protein is the stuff that keeps you full and gives you all the good stuff your body needs.
- And if you’re going for that low-carb thing, which totally works for shedding some pounds, just keep your net carbs to less than 100 grams a day. Or, if you’re feeling adventurous, give the keto diet a shot and aim for about 20 grams of carbs a day. It’s like cutting carbs to the bare minimum, but it can be super effective!
- Fill your plate with fibrous veggies. These provide abundant nutrients, high food volume, and relatively few calories.
- Add enough fat to make your food yummy and satisfying, but don’t go overboard with it. Keep it to what you actually need to enjoy your meal without stuffing yourself silly. Let’s be honest, fat tastes great! Taste is like, super important when you’re trying to eat healthy over a long time. But if you’re chowing down on too much fat, you might be getting more calories than your body’s actually asking for. So, you gotta keep an eye on that.
- If you’re hungry, start with adding more protein and vegetables. Again, these are the most satiating and nutritious foods for the fewest calories.
- Find foods that you totally love that also match those healthy rules I talked about, okay? Check out our recipes here.
- Stay physically active. You don’t gotta be like a crazy marathoner or anything, but throwing in some workout action with eating right can totally keep that fat from sneaking back and keep you nice and muscly.
- Get adequate restorative sleep. Sleep like a log, buddy, because trust me, your body totally needs it!Get adequate restorative sleep. Sleep like it’s the most important thing ever, ’cause, let’s face it, your health totally relies on those zzz’s!
- Create an environment to promote your success. It isn’t just about knowing what to do.It’s also about setting up the right vibe that’ll help you totally nail it. For example, removing tempting foods from your kitchen is just one great way to get started.
What Foods to Eat and What to Avoid for Healthy Weight Loss
For healthy weight loss, you’ve gotta make sure each calorie you chow down on is worth it.
But that’s not sayin’ you gotta obsess over every little calorie.
How is that possible? By focusing on the grub in the list I’m about to throw your way, you’ll be doing your body a solid by getting all the good stuff it needs, filling up nicely, and without you even noticing, you’ll be munching fewer calories. It’s like a diet ninja move, but with more flavor!
We recommend you mainly go for foods that pack a big nutritional punch for the fewest calories, ya know? So, think about keeping an eye on how much you’re eating of those foods that are like “okay” in terms of nutrition. And maybe cut back or say bye-bye to the stuff that isn’t really giving you much goodness for what you’re taking in. It’s all about balance, buddy! the least nutrition per calorie. Give it a try!
Foods with the Most Nutrition Per Calorie:
- Meat and poultry
- Seafood
- Non-starchy vegetables
- Eggs
- Dairy products like yogurt and cottage cheese
- Soy, beans, and lentils
Foods with Moderate Nutrition Per Calorie:
- Cheese
- Nuts and seeds
- Fatty processed meats like bacon
- Starchy vegetables
- Low-sugar fruits like berries, olives, and avocados
- Whole grains
Why We Recommend High Protein for Weight Loss
High protein stuff is usually super nutritious, giving you the biggest bang for your buck when it comes to good stuff per bite. Think about foods like steak, eggs, chicken, and those plant-based buddies like soy. They’re packed with the most nutrition you can get for the calories you’re eating. And guess what? They’re also some of the foods that keep you fuller for longer. It’s like nature’s way of saying, “Hey, have some more of this, it’s good for ya!” And when we’re talking about veggies that are full of fiber, like spinach, cauliflower, and broccoli, it’s like a double whammy. They’re not just nutritious, they’re also the MVPs of filling you up. So, go ahead, pile ’em on your plate!
Refined carbohydrates, like sugar, bread, and pasta, and refined fats, which are basically most oils, pack a big energy punch but don’t have much nutritional goodness to them. They’re super easy to scarf down without realizing how much you’re actually eating.
That’s why, for high nutrition eating, we recommend:
- Reduce your carbohydrate intake.
- Prioritize your protein and fibrous vegetable intake.
- Add just a smidge of fat for flavor and, if you’re looking to bulk up on calories, toss in a bit more.
How to Get All Essential Nutrients
When we’re talking about “essential nutrients,” we’re basically referring to the big guys like protein, those all-important fatty acids that your body can’t live without, a bunch of vitamins, and minerals. The idea is to pack as much of these goodies into every bite you take, so you’re getting the most bang for your buck, calorie-wise. And don’t forget about fiber, it’s like the unsung hero of the diet world! Eating a good amount of it can totally help you shed some pounds and just generally keep you feeling tip-top.
Fortunately, when you focus on whole-food proteins, the fatty acids and micronutrients are naturally present. And when you eat above-ground veggies, you automatically get fiber and additional micronutrients.
But what does “eating more” protein mean? How much should you eat? The average Joe in the U.S. chows down about 88 grams of protein daily, while the average Jane goes for a bit less, around 66 grams. Those totals equate to only 14 to 16% of total calories.
While that meets the minimum recommended daily allowance (RDA) definition, it falls short of what may be better for boosting weight loss, metabolic health, and functional strength.
The US Institute of Medicine sets 10% to 35% as the acceptable range for protein intake. However, the lower part of that range might make you eat more than you should, and even going a bit over the top isn’t necessarily a big deal for your health.
That’s why we suggest aiming for about 1.2 to 2 grams of it for every kilo of your body weight each day. That typically works out to be between 20 to 35% of the calories you’re eating, give or take. So, if you weigh 70 kilos, you’d want to shoot for like 84 to 140 grams, which is a decent chunk of your daily food intake.
Based on what experts say about how much protein a person’s liver and kidneys can safely deal with, if you weigh about 176 pounds (or 80 kilos), you can totally eat up to 365 grams of protein in a day without pushing your body too hard. It’s like a protein party in there! Just remember, everyone’s body is a bit different, so this isn’t a one-size-fits-all kind of thing. That’s 73% of a 2,000-calorie diet! It’s safe to say that most people won’t have to worry about eating too much protein.
Why We’re All About Low Carb for Shedding Pounds
In addition to pumping up the protein, you can totally boost your weight loss by cutting down on those carbs. It’s like giving your body a little nudge in the right direction, you know?
Studies show that people following low-carb and keto diets consistently have better weight loss and blood sugar control than those following low-fat or other control diets.
Low-carb and keto diets are totally cool because they let you chow down on enough protein to keep you strong, load up on those yummy veggies that grow above the ground, and still enjoy some extra fat, making it a total win-win for a tasty and doable way to shed some pounds and feel good doing it!
Studies show that keto diets also help reduce hunger. People following low-carb diets tend to cut down on their calorie munching without even trying too hard, sometimes more than those on low-fat diets where they’re counting every little bite.
Reducing carbohydrates also helps lower insulin levels, as does extra weight loss, which may help explain the many metabolic benefits that come from eating low carb.
One observational study kind of showed that folks with prediabetes who went for a lower carb diet had a better shot at living longer, like a lower risk of kicking the bucket too early, you know? Additionally, a nonrandomized trial reported blood glucose returned to a healthy level in over 50% of participants with prediabetes.
Based on what we’ve seen and after thinking about it in a real-life kind of way, we reckon cutting down on carbs could be a big help for shedding those extra pounds the healthy way.
Why We Recommend Intermittent Fasting for Weight Loss
Intermittent fasting is basically when you choose to skip eating for a certain chunk of time, like not having anything to munch on for a set number of hours. It can be as quick as not eating for 12 hours straight, which is often called time-restricted eating, or going without food for a longer stretch, like five days or more.
Studies show that trying out short bursts of not eating, like for 36 hours or so, can actually be pretty good for you. It’s a way to cut down on the calories you take in
without going crazy, and it can help you drop some pounds and keep your metabolism happy.
However, not everyone’s on the same page with this whole “meal timing” thing. So, you might wanna think about other factors too, not just when you’re chowing down.For instance, in one study by Dr. Ethan Weiss, who’s from UCSF, did a study and found that sticking to a time-restricted eating plan where you fast for 16 hours a day didn’t really help folks lose more weight or boost their metabolic health.
One reason that improved results were not seen in the time-restricted eating group may be that subjects ended up eating more calories during their eating window.
Fasting is not an excuse to binge eat or “make up for lost calories.”
Instead, fasting is meant to purposefully reduce caloric intake to preserve resting metabolic rate (the amount of energy you burn at rest), maintain lean muscle mass, and improve metabolic health. In other words, intermittent fasting doesn’t just help with weight loss, but with healthy weight loss.
What Other Diets Work for Weight Loss?
High-protein, low-carb diets, especially if you throw in some short-term fasting here and there, could totally be the way to go for a bunch of folks aiming to shed some pounds in a healthy way.
However, these aren’t the only choices. The scientific mags are packed with all sorts of research that shows you can drop some pounds and keep ’em off with different diets like Mediterranean, veggie-loving, and totally plant-based ones. They all have their pros, but some studies are better than others.
Which diet is right for you? Only you can answer this question. The key is to find a pattern of eating that:
- Focuses on foods you like to eat
- Feels sustainable and enjoyable
- Helps you reduce your caloric intake
- Prevents excessive hunger
- Provides adequate nutrition
You may wanna play around with various diets to figure out what clicks with you. It’s totally cool to switch things up with your food plan as you get older, especially when your health, taste buds, and daily routine go through some shifts.
How to Eat Fewer Calories
We don’t blame ya for rolling your eyes when someone says “eat less calories.” That whole “eat less, exercise more” mantra has basically been a bust for most folks trying to shed some pounds over the past few decades.
That’s not what we are promoting.
Instead, we promote eating better. That means just chowing down in a way that lets you cut calories without feeling like you’re starving. Sounds like a dream come true, right?
It doesn’t have to be.
Studies consistently show that when you eat more protein, you end up feeling less hungry. Take breakfast, for example. If you start your day with eggs instead of a bagel, you’re more likely to feel fuller and eat fewer calories throughout the day. It’s like your body’s happy and satisfied, so it doesn’t need to ask for more food.
Other studies have shown that, over time, munching on a diet that’s higher in protein actually keeps you feeling less hungry compared to sticking with a diet that’s got less of the stuff. Basically, protein’s like a magic hunger-fighting friend. Part of this may be due to changes in hunger hormones. Another possibility, you know, is that our bodies are kind of like, programmed to keep munching until we get the right amount of good stuff, especially protein. It’s this idea called the “protein leverage hypothesis.” Basically, it’s like our inner food compass telling us to keep eating until we hit that sweet nutrition spot.
This hypothesis suggests that we evolved to seek out the nutrition our bodies need. And the quicker we hit that goal, the faster our bods stop bugging us with hunger pangs or snack cravings! If we don’t eat enough protein, our bodies will tell us to keep eating.
Low-carb diets, keto diets, and intermittent fasting are other ways to naturally and sustainably reduce caloric intake.
But healthy weight loss isn’t just about what you eat. It’s also about what you don’t eat. Food affects our biology and our brain. Foods like white bread, sugary stuff, and other simple carbs can mess with our blood sugar levels, making them go up and down like a yo-yo. This can leave us feeling hungry again pretty quick, which might make us eat more than we should.
“Everything in moderation” is totally gonna make a lot of folks pack on the pounds if they’re scarfing down cookies, chips, and guzzling soda. And let’s not forget, even if you’re just chowing down on pasta, bread, or going bananas with fruit, that can do the same thing. It’s all fun stuff, but too much of any of it can turn into a weight-gain party. And don’t get me started on oils, butter, cheese, or nuts, because even those can be sneaky little calorie bombs if you’re not careful.
These are all hyper-palatable foods that can make it difficult to control the amount you eat. Overeating may not be about having the will to stop or being super strong. It could just be your brain’s way of saying, “Whoa, this food is amazing and packed with energy! Give me more, please!” It’s like your brain’s a survivalist and it wants all the calories it can get.
Foods that are packed with calories and don’t really give you much bang for your buck, nutrition-wise, are all over the place. They’re super easy to scarf down without realizing it.
How to Achieve Metabolic Health
Improving metabolic health is super important for losing weight the right way. It’s like a secret sauce for shedding those extra pounds!
What do we mean by metabolic health? The simple advice here is to steer clear of that bundle of health woes called metabolic syndrome. That’s when you’ve got a belly that’s a bit too cozy, blood pressure that’s higher than your last rollercoaster ride, sugar levels acting like a yo-yo, triglycerides that are through the roof, and your good cholesterol (HDL) playing hide and seek at the bottom of the barrel.
However, you really shouldn’t just think of health as not being sick. While that may be a great starting point, you don’t have to stop there!
Take waist circumference, for example. If you’re talking about that metabolic syndrome thing, for a guy, a typical waist size is 39 inches, or 99 cm if you’re into metric. Does that mean you should aim for that exact number, like it’s some kind of golden ticket?
Maybe not! A waist size of 35 inches (88 cm) is likely much healthier for a 5’8” male than 39 inches. Even though this may be your “end goal,” don’t expect to get there overnight. Continue to aim for small and consistent progress over time, working your way to a better outcome.
Just because doctors say some health numbers are “normal” doesn’t mean you should aim for those. What’s really important is living a way that actually helps you avoid getting metabolic diseases in the first place, you know? So, forget about the charts and focus on living a life that keeps you healthy from the inside out.
8 Tips to Improve Metabolic Health
- Limit carbs — especially refined starches and sugars. Refined starches and sugars are basically the culprits that can make you eat way more than you should and mess with your body by spiking your blood sugar, insulin, blood pressure, and triglycerides. A low-carb approach may be the most effective diet for improving metabolic syndrome. Low-carb diets also successfully reduce hunger for most people.
- Eat adequate protein. Numerous studies show that, even though insulin goes up a bit at first, eating more protein actually helps your body deal with insulin better in the long term. This is totally cool for keeping your metabolism in tip-top shape.
- Moderate your fat intake. Excessive fat can be a bit of a party pooper, especially when it comes to your health. It can hike up those triglyceride levels and mess with your insulin’s efficiency. So, when you’re chowing down, keep in mind that mixing fat with carbs, or just going overboard on the calorie count, isn’t your body’s best buddy. Feel free to savor the fat that’s already part of the deal, like the crispy skin on your chicken or a tasty rib eye that’s got a bit of a fat cap. But don’t go crazy piling on extra fat just for the heck of it. Keep it balanced and enjoy what’s already there!
- Don’t smoke. This should be a no-brainer, right? We all know smoking’s got that not-so-great connection to cancer and heart problems. But hey, it’s not just that. It’s also a big player in that whole metabolic disease deal too.
- Drink minimal to moderate amounts of alcohol. Alcohol provides those useless calories that can mess with your liver’s well-being and make your body’s engine run less smoothly.
- Manage stress and sleep well. Poorly controlled chronic stress and not getting enough good sleep can make you more likely to develop insulin resistance, which isn’t great for your health, you know? It’s like your body’s not processing sugar properly and that can lead to all sorts of issues. So, it’s super important to chill out and catch some quality zzz’s!
- Get regular physical activity. Muscles burn glucose. Building and working those muscles of yours can totally make your body better at handling that sugar and energy. It’s like giving your body a big ol’ high-five and saying, “Alright, buddy, let’s put this stuff to good use!” So, go ahead and lift some weights, do some squats, and your body will thank you with better sugar control and energy use.
- Practice time-restricted eating or intermittent fasting. Giving your body a break from eating lets your insulin chill out and drop to lower levels. This helps your body get better at using the stuff called insulin to deal with sugars, so it doesn’t go haywire. Plus, it’s like a school for your body to learn how to use fat for energy. It’s like teaching it a cool new trick. And who knows, it might have other benefits too!even tap into autophagy. The net result is improved metabolic health.